A story that will always stick with me is Dolan’s Cadillac by Stephen King. He’s a great short story writer. The premise of burying an enemy in his own car is eye-widening enough, but he put so much content behind the action. It’s been a great example to follow for me.

Stephen King is a master of horror/thriller writing. The voice he uses changes from story to story, plus there’s that sentient universe that seems to permeate his every work. Same but different. I know that’s vague, but it’s how I feel about it.

Jeri Smith-Ready writes primarily urban fantasy, and since my first brush with her WVMP vampire deejays, I devour her every written word. When her newest book arrives in the mail, I’m done with it by the end of the next day. There is no exception. I must read it immediately. Her Requiem for the Devil was simply magnificent, funny, and heartbreaking all at once.

I write horror/thriller, usually with a strong sense of tragedy. Want a happy ending? There are plenty of other authors out there that will satisfy the desire to conclude amicably. People suffer and often die in my stories, but I try to make that pain and death meaningful and justified.

My favorite aspect of writing is that I am my own Netflix. I can dream up a scene or a set of characters and make them do whatever I want. I am in control of my creations, and when someone comes along and remarks that I gave reason for pause or joy at reading what I wrote, it makes me feel great. It’s like a drug I’m hopelessly addicted to.

I listen to music all of the time. Really. It’s the one thing I can do at the same time as other things, such as writing. The lyrics help guide my story arcs, or a character’s particular response to a situation, or even to spawn a brand new idea. My husband can always tell when I’m feeling the urge, because I pull out the iPod, load up appropriate playlists, and sequester myself in earphones.

A favorite album to write to (especially for my current work in progress) is Lost Highway, the movie soundtrack from David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti. The variety and overall dark theme of the compilation just absolutely sends me straight to the place where I need to be.

I love Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails as a constant companion, but I also have broadened my interests, because I’ve found that different types of music can  be used to “call-up” recurring characters, as in put me in that frame of mind. It’s a great method of surviving dry spells from the Idea Factory in my head.