Withersin’s Damned Interview with:
Will Gorrell
I began reading horror novels
when I was in grade school. For the
summer book reading program at the local library, I was reading Stephen King to
fulfill my quota in lieu of the quick, easy reads. All the while, I tried to emulate Mr. King’s
writing. I fell short, of course, but I
gave it hell.
Then came
high school when I discovered that writing wasn’t as cool as other hobbies
(such as playing an electric guitar or being the class clown). So I picked up a guitar, forgot all about
writing, and proceeded to be a typical teenager (and a stupid one at that).
Once I removed my head from
posterior regions of my anatomy, I went to college. I graduated magna cum laude from
List published works:
The Orchard, Withersin Magazine
(sometime in 2009).
How can we contact you?
willgorrell@yahoo.com
In your own words, define
Withersin.
Withersin
is speculative fiction at its finest, examining the very corners of our darkest
closets, deviating from what has become “genre norms.” Aside from that, it’s
just a cool sounding name. J
If you were a sideshow act,
what would you be?
I
have no tattoos, so no Illustrated Man.
I am a wimp, so no firing eating or sword swallowing. So I would probably be something as exciting
as a guy with the acoustic guitar and a hat to drop change into. L
What is your greatest
non-literary influence?
Steve
Vai, ruler of the electric guitar universe. I still play; I just don’t let it take the
place of my writing anymore.
Describe your most
irrational fear.
When
I was a child, someone told me a story about how a little boy fell asleep with
a locust clenched in his palm. While he
slept, the locust allegedly burrowed into his skin and up into his bloodstream,
killing him. Since then, I have been
afraid of them (even though I think the story was bogus).
How about your
most guilty pleasure?
That
has to be my Mother’s apple dumplings.
Name the most disturbing
nursery rhyme/fairy tale you can recall.
Hansel
and Gretel always terrified me; because, of the witch’s intentions of cooking
and eating them. And, I am almost
certain this particular witch taught my second grade class.
Do you eat meat?
Every
chance I get… and rare.
What were the skies like
when you were young?
When
I was very young, I liked to look at clear nighttime skies. Most of the time, I’d marvel at how infinite
the heavens seemed and how many stars there were. On less cheerful nights, however, I imagined
I was one of those insects that I held captive inside a coffee can so many
times, and I was actually looking up at the inside of an impenetrable lid with
millions of pinholes poked through it so I could breath. I still get that trapped feeling sometimes to
this day.
Name your favorite garden
tool.
The supermarket. I learned long ago that those who do not
possess the proverbial green thumb should avoid the frustration of attempting
to grow anything. I leave the gardening to the people in the
know.
Name your least favorite
color, first job and worst job.
My
least favorite color is white; since, it is the color that can never be kept
clean and represents a purity and innocence that I have long lost.
My
first job was as an English tutor for a technical college I attended.
My
worst job was a farm hand one summer while still in college. I was afforded the opportunity to acquire
skills I lacked at the time: how to bail
hay, start a farm tractor with ether and not blow myself up, shovel manure, and
castrate a bull (no, I am not joking).
Favorite: Author,
Movie, Music Group, Song, and Quote.
I
have about a half dozen, actually. But
if I had to pick one, it would be
Stephen King.
The Star Wars Sixtilogy. I never get tired
of them.
Journey
(don’t laugh).
My
favorite quote was actually a response from Winston Churchill (or possibly
Churchill's good friend F.E. Smith, Lord
Lady
Astor: "If I were married to you, I'd put poison in your coffee."
Reply:
"If I were married to you, I'd drink it."
If you were a loaf of bread
what kind would you be?
Whole grain--as abrasive as sandpaper sometimes, but
basically good for you.
Weirdest news you have read
in your local newspaper:
I
learned that the city of McConnelsville MUST keep its
parking meters operational so that revenues will be available to pay the meter
man. J
Why horror?
Writing
horror provides me with my only chance to misbehave and not get into too much
trouble. I love surprising, scary, and
just plain disturbing (depending on the mood).
I also like for my horror to drip with cynicism most of the time.
Here's a photo. (seen on Interview main
page)
“INEDIBLE NOT INTENDED FOR HUMAN FOOD”
You
have 112 words. Go.
FDA
officials forced Edible Frozen Dinners, Incorporated to recall all of its
frozen entrées containing the mystery meat swimming in the brown gravy
yesterday. To date, no name was ever
given to the meat substance and was only referred to by item number in the
company.
When
asked to divulge the ingredients in the mystery meat, Edible Frozen Dinners
executives refused comment. On the
condition of anonymity, one employee did respond,”Honestly, ma’am, I’m really
not sure what all’s in that stuff. I sure’s hell
wouldn’t eat it, though.”
It
looks as though the world may never know what it has put in its mouth.
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