Chris Buse interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

I'm Chris Buse, the author of THE NEON TRILOGY, a series of books that tell the story of an American family across several decades, only, in this case, the family happens to be that of The Devil, her sister, her two husbands, and two children. Ultimately, it's the character arc of my protagonist Idalis Troy who has to balance her lineage with her sense of compassion and her personal life goals. The first two books, THE NEON GRAVEYARD and THE NEON DEVIL, are available on Amazon; the third book is out in JUNE 2023. I live in Germany.

When did your love of books begin?

Strangely, my love for books didn't begin with reading a book but with being told one. When I was six, my mother told me the entire story of Bram Stoker's DRACULA chapter by chapter over one long summer. The idea of telling a book, like narrating a story to a friend, has stayed with me ever since.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

When I was seven or eight, I got hold of a copy of SHOWCASE No. 22, the comic that introduced the Silver Age version of Green Lantern. It's the story of how brave test pilot Hal Jordan is chosen by a cosmic ring to become the next defender of the universe. For me, as a child, the story of who Hal Jordan was beyond his macho bravado took place between the panels. So I wrote that story about pain and loss and his inability to connect with women. It was the moment I realized that I wanted to tell stories and that I wanted to tell stories that explore characters' motivations and hidden feelings.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

Frustrating at first, then easy and fulfilling. When I was eighteen and nineteen, I wrote two terrible books in German, which were rejected by every publisher I foolishly sent them. I then studied American Literature and lived and studied for a while in America. I decided that English was the language I wanted to write in, so I did that. I wrote about twenty short stories, which every publisher also rejected. Dejected, I left writing and started my own company in a different field. About five years ago, I ventured into social media, where Al Mega found me and asked if I wanted to write for his pop culture site, Comic Crusaders. I wrote about 60 columns and reviews before realizing what I wanted to write was fiction. I have been doing that ever since.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

Don't wait for a big idea. Stories and books are made up of 50,000 little ideas. Collect these ideas, build a structure, and create a scene-by-scene breakdown before you write the first word in your story or book. This way, you will never sit down without knowing what to write. And yes, if you get rejected, or people don't like your work, don't run like I once did. Keep at it. You will improve.

Tell us about your book/books:

Writing in the horror genre gives me a vast sandbox to explore interconnected themes. Traditionally, horror fiction is focused on outsiders. In my books, I look at the push and pull of what society deems socially acceptable behavior. My fourth book, THE GIRL WHO COULDN'T DRAW WOLVES, will be about the role of female artists in a male-dominated field, the "Lavender Scare" of the 1950s and the rise of fascism in America during that period. And yes, it will also be a werewolf story that explores the effects of learned toxic behavior.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

Connecting with different voices. I love being in contact with creators who look at the world and dream of things that could be. I have learned so much by listening to creative people who hold points of view very different from mine and who guide me to other creators.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

Thank you for indulging my ramblings. Your kind patronage and feedback mean the world to me. So thank you again.

Where can people connect with you?

I'm on Twitter and Instagram. Just enter my name (which sadly lacks commercial potential but belongs to me).