Horror In Alaska // Author Hadena James Interview

You’ve always had a strong desire to write. Is your desire as strong today as when you were growing up?

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found my desire to write has grown stronger.  I’m not entirely sure why that’s happened, but it has.  It’s why I finally started self-publishing.  I’d gotten contract offers when I was younger, but never taken them.

Where do you find your inspiration to write?

Everywhere.  An idea can be sparked by a conversation, a book, a movie, a walk in the park, my dog jumping up on me, just about anywhere.

Do you find your degree in European studies a source for writing?

Sometimes.  Most of the time, the information I gathered from my formal studies helps me fill in areas where I need to fill space.  I have two characters (Aislinn Cain from the Dreams & Reality books and Nadine Daniels from The Dysfunctional Chronicles) who seem to really enjoy trivia.

You have three genres that you have written in – Horror, Dark Fantasy, and Adventure Thriller. Do you find it refreshing to write one over the other?

Not really.  I’m always in the mood to write a good story.  Sometimes, I will write one of the adventure thrillers just to get my brain out of the blood and gore that go along with the other two series.  My adventure series is also funny, so it can help break up the horrific stuff.

Can you tell us which of your books (or series) is your favorite?

Um, I’m not good at picking favorites.  I can tell you which book I like the least; Tortured Dreams.  Which unfortunately happens to be book 1 in the Dreams & Reality books, with Elysium Dreams being book 2.  Thankfully, the first three do not have to be read in order, so I always tell people to read 2, 3, 4, and then go back and read 1.

Do you have a favorite genre you like to read? A favorite author within this genre?

My favorite genre to read is horror.  My favorite author depends on my mood.  I’m a huge fan of Clive Barker, but I also love HP Lovecraft’s short stories.

If you could only recommend one book from this author, which one would it be and why?

The Books of Blood by Clive Barker.  It is actually a series or group of stories, bound in a single edition.  It’s good for people who have never read any Barker.

Of course we have to know, what is in-store next – books, events, etc.?

I just finished writing book 10 in the Dreams & Reality books; Mutilated Dreams.  It’s available for pre-order now and releases in March.  I’m a little over half done with book 11; Fortified Dreams.  I have 2 novellas in progress in The Dysfunctional Chronicles.  And I have undertaken a herculean task for 2017, so, I’m preparing for publishing a book a month that year.

Hadena James began writing at the age of eight.  By the time she graduated high school, she had published a couple of short stories in literary magazines.  She completed writing her first novel at seventeen.  Hadena began college as an English major, but quickly changed to a history major.  However, she continued to write and took several extra classes in creative writing.

College showed her that while she could write short stories, novel writing was truly where her heart lay.  She graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in European History with minors in German and Russian Studies.  During this time, she received a couple of contract offers from publishing houses, but ultimately turned them all down.

In August 2012, she self-published her first novel.  In retrospect, she is appreciative of the contracts offers she received when she was younger, but believes she made the right decision with self-publishing.

When she isn’t busy writing, Hadena enjoys playing in a steel-tip dart league.  She loves to travel throughout North America and Europe.  Her favorite cities to visit are Chicago, Illinois and Berlin, Germany.  She is an avid reader, with her favorites being classic literature; Edgar Allen Poe, HP Lovecraft, Gaston LeRoux, and Jane Austen; modern favorites include Clive Barker, James Patterson, Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams.  Her favorite book is “Good Omens” by Neil Gaimen and Terry Pratchett.  She writes all of her books while listening to music and the bands tend to get “honorable mentions” within the pages.  Some of her favorite bands are Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Rammstein, U2, Marilyn Manson, Oomph!, and Rob Zombie.