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Creative Spotlight Featuring Horror Author Colin Leonard
This list of questions are a few that were not discussed in the live. Be sure to check out this author's work and leave a heart below. Drop a comment and let me know what your favorite horror story is! Give this Creative Spotlight Featuring Horror Author Colin Leonard some love and share!
Tell our readers briefly about yourself.
I'm Colin Leonard, a horror writer from Co. Meath in Ireland. Although I have been writing since I was young (to varying degrees of success and commitment), in the past few years, I've been lucky enough to see my stories published in a number of anthologies, and this year my first novel is being released by Brigids Gate Press.
Can you tell us about your most recent release? Album? Song? Art piece? Etc.?
Country Roads is my debut novel. It's a folk horror-style tale set around a rural village in Ireland, the different characters who inhabit it and the nasty creatures from Irish myth that crawl into their world with murderous consequences.
What is your creative work routine like? Do you balance it with another job?
I work full-time in another job and have a young, busy family, so finding time for creative work can be a challenge. I had to learn to fit writing into any available corners of life, early mornings, waiting in car parks, etc. My wife is very supportive and also has her own creative interests, so we try to allow each other the time to do what we need to do.
Do you plan out your creations? What is your creative process like?
I usually begin with the spark of a concept - an odd character, a setting or a 'what if'. I'll let that fester in my mind until it feels ready to be written. Then I do a loose structural plan, character and scene notes. After that I try to do either a set amount of time or words per day until the first draft is complete.
Do you have a self-care routine, or do you want to have one? What do you do or wish that you did to take care of your mental health?
Leave time for family and fun.
Are there any recurring themes in your work?
Ireland and Irish society is an almost constant feature, warts and all. Fathers and sons appear quite a lot
What does success look like to you, considering your creative passion?
Success was to have a novel published. That was always my dream, whether it be a bestseller, a cult classic, a hidden gem or a total flop.
What has been one of the biggest lessons you've learned since starting this journey?
A little effort for as many days as you can, builds into a sizable output.
What advice would you share with new or aspiring authors/singers/artists/etc?
Be patient, study the industry and the craft of writing.
What genre do you prefer to read?
Horror and literary fiction.
Where can our viewers/readers/listeners find you and your work?
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