We got ourselves a truly fun one today, friends!

Today’s guest is one of the nicest guys out there in the dark fiction community! He’s been involved in the HWA in various roles throughout the years, and, at the same time been writing and releasing some fantastic fiction!

Please, do welcome John Palisano!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

JP: Writing time is sporadic and strange. Mostly I write in the early morning and late at night, primarily with Google Docs on iPhone for the initial drafts. Later, I go to a proper computer to do proper editing and cleanups. I travel a lot as of late so I also bring a moleskin with me. I use those a lot as they aren’t dependent upon wifi. I find I write differently by hand than on the computer. It’s slower, but I actually prefer it. Over the years, I’ve rarely had long uninterrupted times to write, so I do so when possible. I even used to write in the cars and vans when my bands did our micro-tours. On lunch breaks at work. Whenever!

 

Steve: You’re riding an elevator and BAM! It gets stuck. What two authors (one living and one dead) would you happen to find yourself stuck with?

JP: So, this would mean I’d be standing in a stuck elevator with an undead Shirley Jackson? M’kay. Wow. I’d ask her what being dead is like, as well as coming back to life. See if there’s anyone I can pass a message to. Anything she’d like to clarify to her readers and biographers. Then I’d thank her for her amazing body of work, through and through, and hope she doesn’t drain me of my essence so she can roam amongst the living once again. Or maybe the cosmos would think that’d be a pretty swell switch: send me to hell, get Shirley Jackson back.

Living? Look: I was the same age as the kids in Stranger Things in the 80s and grew up a rabid Stephen King fan. He even sent me a signed postcard note, which was stolen during my 16th birthday party. Yeah. Been checking eBay for years hoping it turns up. I still pretty much have it memorized. So, I’d love to just be able to thank him personally for his stories and for giving a weird little kid so many great books to hide inside while the world around swirled hell.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

JP: GLASS HOUSE is my newest solo release. It’s a peculiar one that’s surprised me with how divided and what little reaction there’s been. It was going to be a novel but my Dad passed away in the midst and … well … there’s a not too subtle sequence in there reflecting that. It’s my most personal and experimental work. Dives into some uncomfortable territory. The antithesis of my pop-horror novels.

Steve: Bonus Question! If you were transported back in time, which Pop Band/Hit Band would you hope to find yourself a member of?

JP: My all-time favorite is Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Growing up on the east coast, I got to see them several times right in New Jersey and even at Madison Square Garden. How many times have I dreamt of slinging my Strat and standing alongside the band and singing along with them to “Because the Night” or “Badlands”? Countless! Hey, there’s still the soul of that scrawny 16-year-old in me somewhere! I toured and played with bands for years, writing songs and weird stories all along the way, so it’s all intertwined. Recently, I did get to write an interview for one of Bruce’s cover artists Jimmy Wachtel for Backstreets, so that was pretty much all my passions in one place! Not much has changed, but then again?

Fantastic, John! How cool and what a great choice!

Thank you again for doing this! And to find more of John’s work – check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/John-Palisano/e/B007EEH9JA

Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnpalisano

Website: https://johnpalisano.wordpress.com/