1. Please tell us a little about yourself.

I am a Canadian writer from Vancouver Island, British Columbia. I live on a lake and enjoy the outdoors.

2. What do you write (genre, length)? 

I write speculative fiction. Most of it falls under the horror genre, but some is just plain weird. I’m a big fan of The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, and Black Mirror and it’s reflected in my work. I have written a few full-length novels but have a special fondness for short stories, both reading and writing them. The short story is what I do best. I am also a founding member of a group called WPaD (Writers, Poets and Deviants). We publish multi-author anthologies in a variety of genres and donate the proceeds to charity. WPaD has 11 published books to date, with a twelfth to be released this summer.

3. What is/are your current project/s? Please give us some details. 

Currently I am in the final stages of compiling WPaD’s upcoming book, an apocalyptic anthology entitled Goin’ Extinct Too. A work in progress that has been stalled for a while is Fed Up, a sequel to my slasher novel, The Feeder. I am working on volume 4 of Dysfictional, which is an ongoing series of my own short stories. I also have a blog by the same name, https://dysfictional.wordpress.com/ where I post short stories for readers to enjoy.

4. Who (author or otherwise) or what book inspired you to write?

Stephen King started my love affair with horror early in my teens. I’ve always enjoyed writing, but didn’t start doing it seriously until later in life. I always said I’d write a book “one day,” but it wasn’t until I reached 40 that I realized “one day” was not going to arrive unless I made it happen.

5. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

If you want to write, then do it, but write for the right reasons. Do it because you love it, because it nourishes your soul, not because you’re expecting wealth. Writing is a labor of love, not a get-rich-quick scheme. Those authors who succeed financially only get there after a lot of hard work. There are no shortcuts. The path is long, and the journey, although difficult, should be a magical experience. If easy money is your goal, this isn’t the way.

6. What do you do for a living?

I work nights as a delivery driver, which pays the bills and frees me to write and do everything else I enjoy during the day. I earn a small secondary income from book royalties.

7. Who is/are your favorite author(s)?

Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and the countless indie authors I have read. I am always looking to discover new favorites.

8. What is/are your favorite book(s)?

My favorite childhood story was A Wrinkle in Time. Once I discovered Stephen King, I devoured his books. Of those, I think I’d have to choose The Stand.

9. What’s the best compliment someone can give you as an author?

That reading my work made them feel something. Evoking emotion in a reader means you’ve done something right.

10. What is the strangest/most interesting/coolest/weirdest/scariest thing you’ve had to research for a book or short story?

Research is the most fascinating part of writing. I’ve researched various drugs and their effects. I’ve found deadly poisons found in nature to be particularly fascinating. In my current novel, I’m experimenting with plants such as Giant Hogweed as instruments of torture, and various poisonous mushrooms. It’s particularly interesting because I’m focusing on things that grow where I live.

11. What is the most difficult part of writing for you? Why?

The most difficult part for me is getting the first draft finished from start to finish. Once I have that, I have something to work with, to revise and polish. When I get busy, I tend to put projects down for too long and then it’s hard to pick it up again.

12. What is your favorite genre to read? Why?

Horror all the way. I’m hard to shock, and I’m always looking for that story that can scare the daylights out of me.

13. What are some little known facts about you? Hobbies, talents, anything?

I am a recluse, and prefer the company of my dogs to people. I pick edible wild mushrooms for money sometimes and often work on stories in my mind while out in the woods. 

14. Do you like physical books, ebooks, or audiobooks better? Why?

Ebooks, because I can carry thousands of them with me so I never have to choose a single book.

Find Mandy at the links below!

Blog: https://dysfictional.wordpress.com/

Website: http://mandywrite.weebly.com/

WPaD Website: https://wpad.weebly.com/

Amazon Author Page