Interview with Novelist & Poet, Christy Aldridge

So delighted to share with you my interview with Novelist & Poet Christy Aldridge.  If you like horror writing or mystery this is an author, you must read.  To say Christy’s novels are a bit on the creepy or scary side is an understatement – she relished the prospect of gore and horror. One thing for sure Christy doesn’t pussy foot if she says something is riddled with gore or mystery, one should intensely trust her.   In our modern age, she totally gives Stephen King a run for his money. For more information on Christy check out her site or follow her on Instagram.  

RMMW: What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

CA: I actually have quite a few of them. I keep track of my word count daily, and I can\’t end on an odd number. It drives me crazy. I always aim to end on a completely even number.

I also don\’t like to leave one word off of a paragraph when formatting. I\’ll go back and take or add words so the paragraph ends with more than one. No idea why.

RMMW: Do you have any artist rituals before starting a new piece?

CA: Not really. I never plot or think too much about what I\’m writing, so most of my pieces are started in the spur of a moment because of a thought or idea that crosses my mind.

RMMW: We all have an inner critic, how do you contend with yours?

CA: I have to remind her daily that no one actually knows what they\’re doing in the writing world. It\’s all hit and miss. I also feel like I must remind myself that this is something I love to do and that means the most. Write what I love because I can edit what I don\’t later.

RMMW: Have you ever been creatively blocked, if yes, how did you overcome it?

CA: All the time, but usually it is procrastination. I don\’t believe in writer\’s block. The truth is, we\’re writing even when we\’re not typing, so it really comes down to the fact that we just make everything else a priority instead. My biggest way to overcome it has always been to drag myself to my laptop and start writing, even if I hate every word. It\’s the equivalent of going to the gym after you haven\’t for a while and feeling like you could barely do what you did before. But over time, when you do it consistently, it comes back.

RMMW: Do you ever people watch to get ideas for your books?

CA: I\’m so bad! People are so complex though. I don\’t think I can help myself from watching others and wondering what\’s going on in their head. Why are they acting a certain way? What caused them to react as they are? And those questions can sometimes be the reason I start a certain book or get an idea for a book.

RMMW: What is it about gore, horror and mystery that you relish so much writing about?

CA: The honesty and vulnerability. People are so scared to dive into the genre because of the gore and blood. Some just don\’t like the discomfort because it\’s the one genre that has each of us asking \”what if?\”. The thing about the fantastical situations that come about in horror is that it makes each of us question ourselves. What would we do in that situation? I think when someone writes those situations correctly, it makes you look within yourself and admit that you might not handle things like the \”good guys\” are supposed to.

RMMW: How many unfinished manuscripts do you have?            

CA: More than I should.

RMMW: When working on your novels, do you ever map out your stories or do you write them as you go along?

CA: Always as I go along. I only resort to plotting if I get stuck. Even then, my plotting is nothing more than checkpoints written for me to reach.

RMMW: What\’s your favourite genre to write in?

CA: Horror, no doubt. I\’ve always loved poetry/prose, but the horror genre is more than just those words. Because horror is a feeling, not a subject. In poetry, I can be honest, but with horror, I can be objective. I can go outside of myself and explore the emotions I\’ve felt, as well as the ones I\’ve observed, with a clearer view.

RMMW: How long does it take you to write a book?

CA: It all depends on the book. Some are easier to write than others. The shortest time it ever took me to write a novel was two months, and the book was over 200k words. However, I\’ve been working on another novel for a few years now and only have 60k. So, it just depends on the book.

RMMW: What is your work schedule like when you are writing?

CA: Hectic. Balancing life and work has been a struggle, but when I\’m excited about a book, I have a set work schedule and write for hours upon hours. I like being able to isolate myself and create this world.

RMMW: Do you ever fashion your characters essences from people in your real life?

CA: Absolutely. I don\’t like to use people as a character, but I do see traits or attitudes that I like my characters to emulate because it works for whatever story I\’m working on.