What kind of books/stories do you write?
 
Kind of books... well I call them Fantasy/Adventure, but others say they are YA Fantasy Adventure. I have other things I would like to write, but I haven't done them yet. Historical Thriller, Horror, Sci-Fi, etc. Working on all of that, but slowly.
 
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
 
I think I always wanted to be a writer, but as you know, real life gets in the way of that and you need to find what people call a "real" job. Still, bits of stories have been turning up here and there for years. Someday they might all get told.
 
What do you consider the most influential book you've ever read?
 
Most influential book? Tough one that, as there have been several. The Lord of the Rings would be one, most anything by Isaac Asimov, Ender's Game maybe, or A Wizard of Earthsea.  I do remember reading "Riddle of Stars" by McKillip and thinking if I could write like that I'd be set. The story doesn't appeal to everyone bu I loved it. Sorry, but there isn't just one book that changed everything for me.
 
What other authors are you friends with, and how have they helped you become a better writer?
 
I know several other authors, some published some not.  J. Scott Savage, James Dashner, the talented Lisa Mangum who has also been my editor  (Lucky me), You of course, some romance writers, my brother Scott, Tyler Whiteside, Chad Morris, Brandon Mull, and others. They have all helped me in different ways. Mostly by sharing their work and ideas with the rest of us. I learn a great deal by reading what other people write. As for learning about being a writer, Lisa Mangum might be the one who has influenced my writing the most, but she has been my editor so I have learned to l listen to what she has to say. Jeff Savage has told me the most about the business of being a writer. All the authors I know, and all those that I have read have helped me become a better writer, and I'd like to say they or you all have been very willing to help in one way or another. Thanks.
 
What’s the best way you've found to market your books?
 
Oh Marketing...  maybe my worst thing. As my publisher deals mostly with this I've tried to avoid it. Oh, I do try to be available, mostly for readers who post questions and such on my website or Facebook page. Readers who like what you right might be the best marketing tool you can find, and they should never be ignored.
 
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
 
Research before writing... I would depend on the kind of book really. Pure Fantasy may need very little, as you make most of it up. You do need to research monsters and such, just so you know what they do or can do and not go too far out of the lines. For something more "Real", a lot more thought and research is needed or what you write will sound fake and the readers won't buy into the story.
 
Any last thoughts for our readers?
 
The best bit of writing advice I've ever heard: Write for yourself first. That's it. If you aren't happy with it, why would anyone else be?
 
Links/promotional things:
 
https://www.facebook.com/AdventurersWanted/
https://www.facebook.com/ML-Forman-165353446913522/
 

What's your favorite RPG system and why?
 
My go-to has always been the Call of Cthulhu system. It’s elegant in its simplicity, it’s surprisingly adaptable, and it has a great balance between character advancement versus threat escalation.
 
To explain the last bit, I think that the problem with most conventional systems is that threats and challenges become more abstract the farther your character advances. There comes a point with a D&D campaign where mundane threats cannot begin to touch players. In the Chaosium/CoC system, you can become very skilled and dangerous, but you still have to worry about how to take out the sentry standing watch. Skilled doesn’t equate to invincibility, and I require some sense of danger to remain in the game without simply sending them out against Tiamat or whoever.
 
What made you want to become a DM/GM?
 
Unlike many players and GMs I’ve spoken to, there was never a transition point for me. I didn’t start off on one side of the shield and cross over to the GM spot. Instead, a friend bought me a book with the expectation that I would be running the game and I took to it very naturally. I’ve always had that storyteller gene, plus I’m adaptive and skilled at performing, so it was a natural fit for me.
 
GMing feels like an underappreciated art for me. I think running a quality event really helps create something magical and a good GM makes or breaks a game. The burden of narrative is on the players, as they have the agency and the incentive to engage in your story, but a GM holds the entire thing together with as light a touch as possible.
 
How much prep time do you conduct before a gaming session?
 
The prep time varies per game. D&D, for example, requires more stat-juggling to make sure the challenges balance out fairly and I spend the bulk of my prep time crunching numbers. In terms of narrative, I generally sketch the bare bones of the story as well as a timeline of what would happen WITHOUT player intervention and then I just turn them loose.
 
What is one of your most memorable moments running a game?
 
I think for me, it’s less about “oh shit, we killed a Tarrasque on a freak natural 20 roll” and more about introducing beginners to gaming.
 
I specialize in running games for players who have never done an RPG before or who have had bad experiences with them in the past. A lot of people come in and don’t quite “get” how they work or they have misconceptions, but once they realize that they can essentially do what they want, there’s a little spark that lights up in their eyes when it all clicks. I like that feeling. Good RPG sessions are special and it’s nice to share the joy.
 
Do you do anything to set the mood or atmosphere?
 
99% of what I do to set mood is through performance. A large part of gaming is drawing people into the world you’re trying to create and the more you can actualize it, the better your players will respond to it. So I find visual aids, I prepare maps, I think about the NPCs they will interact with and try to present them in a distinctive way. When people get emotionally invested in the world to the point where they care about something other than leveling up, then you’ve done your job.

There is one unique type of gaming that requires more work on atmosphere and that’s horror gaming. Horror is probably the hardest type of game to run (excluding Toon, because I’ve NEVER understood how to successfully run that game) because it’s both easy for a group of players to dispel an atmosphere of dread that you’re trying to build and most people in gaming think “horror” is just “action with scarier opponents.”
 
The way I make horror games memorable is 1) pre-screen players. I make it clear that we’re trying to be scary, so people who like more light hearted games should probably look elsewhere. One comedian can tank things for everyone. 2) I run the game like telling a ghost story. We play in the dark, people use oversized flash cards rather than character sheets (easier to see in low light) and I use every dirty trick in the book to freak people out. If done right, this type of gaming can be the most rewarding.
 
What's one tip you would give to other DM/GM's out there?
 
I want to give so many more than just one tip, but the one I think is the most important is to find the sweet spot between too much and not enough. How much is too much open world farting around versus plot railroading, how much is drowning your player in florid description versus too little so everything boils down to “10x10 room, treasure chest, orc.” Gaming is a social thing and a good GM has to learn to read the room, read the group dynamics, and play them like a fiddle. 
 
Any last thoughts for our readers?
 
Gaming has given me a lot over the years. It built my social skills and my confidence, it taught me the basic structure of narrative, it taught me how to intuit the needs of a group, and it taught me how to build amazing things out of the imagination. I don’t get a chance to do much of it these days because it’s hard to get a bunch of mid-30s people to agree on a consistent schedule, but it’s a wonderful activity and well worth taking seriously while still keeping a sense of joy and discovery.
 
(please include any links, pics, or other things you'd like me to include in the post)
 
Joe Borrelli used to write under the pseudonym of Justin Bailey, both because it’s a Metroid joke and because he wanted to be anonymous for deeply pretentious grad school reasons. Now he’s a member of the Horror Writers Association, he’s hosted a paranormal skeptic’s show for Littlethings.com, he has a podcast, and he’s one of the organized of Brooklyn’s legendary Bushwick Writers Group. He’s been published in Nightmare Magazine, Corporate Cthulhu, and has written some truly smutty vampire erotic for Blood in the Rain 2. Find him at creaturecast.net or search “Littlethings.com The Beyond” for his show on YouTube. 

My next interview is with a great and close friend of mine, K. Scott Forman. 

What kind of books/stories do you write?

What do I write, or what do I publish? It's interesting, because I really like to write literary stuff, even poetry, but from a publishing angle, most of my work that gets published has a horror or Gothic flavor to it. I'm still trying to crack the code on getting a book (novel) published - I've written a dozen, all over 50,000 words, most in the 80 to 90k realm, and all different genres. I have to admit, every one of them has an element of the dark - not full-on horror, but definitely horror. I think the reason is because I like to look at things from all angles and the dark side, so to speak, is always a little more interesting, a little more literary, a little more sublime. 
 
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Do you ever realize it, or are you just a writer without knowing it for most of your life? I think I came to that conclusion early on reading comic books - I loved comic books, but I loved making up my own stories more - I think the early days of my "writer" self was like so many others before me - imitation - although, ironically, I never really imitated Poe or the good horror stories in the Bible, both of which I head read as soon as I could read, probably 5th or 6th grade. When I got to college, I thought I wanted to be a poet, which is kind of a writer, right, but several classes, a BA and MFA later, I guess I realized I was a writer. 
 
What do you consider the most influential book you've ever read?

I keep reading that book. There was one called As a Man Thinketh by James Allen, kind of a non-fiction, self-help book, but I think what really influenced me was W. Somerset Maugham. I started with Cakes and Ale and The Moon and Sixpence, which I read for fun while I was reading Dickens in college. Then I read The Razor's Edge and most of his short stories. I was hooked. I think in later years, I would have to say the only novel that has really affected or influenced me would be Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian. It's a continuation of the Dracula saga set during the Cold War: it was a page turner and I read it every October, just like I read Dickens' A Christmas Carol every December.
 
What other authors are you friends with, and how have they helped you become a better writer?

I have to say by brother, M.L. Forman, and C.R. Langille, of course, who I consider closer friends than several of my other writer friends - I have a stable of colleagues from graduate school days, and then several friends I've met through the Horror Writers Association, LDStorymakers, and the League of Utah Writers. I think how M.L. and C.R. (what's with the initials) have helped me is we are all serious about writing - it's more than just a hobby - and each of us are at different places, no matter where we started - we keep each other going, we teach each other, and we learn from each other. It's nice also that some of my other writer friends, who are pretty famous, still treat me just like a normal guy. They give me the determination to keep going, that I can do it, I can make this thing work!
 
What’s the best way you've found to market your books/stories/poetry?

I haven't - one of the reasons is I'm still stuck in a traditional mindset - I want a publisher to discover me and do all that marketing stuff for me. Unfortunately, what I write is so niche I'm afraid that no agent or publisher will pick me up (which also kind of confirms I haven't found a way to even market myself, let alone my books). Per the previous question, my brother, my friend, C.R., and others, are helping me get the courage to jump off the curb and into the gutter of self-promotion, self-marketing, and even self-publishing (Indie sounds so much better). That story is still being written. 
 
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

I do a $hit-load of research - can I say that here? My wife would recommend I say Buttload, which according to research is 126 gallons - actually, a butt is is two hogsheads, which vary in size: typically a hogshead is 63 gallons and a butt is 126 gallons. That said, I do my research as I write, which can be really distracting at times. I write a lot of stuff that needs authenticity, for example, when I bring the Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos into my work and I want to make Abdul Alhazred, the Mad Arab, more real by finding an actual Arabic name, it can take some work. I also want to get places and history right, which makes writing so much fun because I've always liked to learn. I also like to read non-fiction for ideas. I just finished a great book called The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston, which has given me some great ideas, in fact a short story I'm working on currently, The Curse of the Fire Monkey. Unfortunately, non-fiction also makes me have to change some things from time to time: in Preston's book, it mentioned that Ubar or Irem, the lost City of a Thousand Pillars, had been found, which made me have to go back and re-examine/re-write portions of my Mad Arab novel. So...
 
Any last thoughts for our readers?

Keep reading, support your local authors, and read my work if you can - ha ha ha... 
 
Links/promotional things:
http://fearknocks.com
https://www.facebook.com/PrinceoDarkness
https://twitter.com/KScottForman
 

​What is it about the outdoors that appeals to you?

Beauty of the Earth, fresh air, freedom from stress/work, the fun of shooting sports, chopping wood for the fire, the sound of a running creek/river

When did you first start hunting/fishing?

I had been hunting and fishing with my dad and brothers on occasion growing up and I always had an interest in both, but as a kid, I was dependent on others to take me with them. It wasn't until I was able to provide for myself, and able to get myself into the woods that I became a hunter. It was also important for me to provide that opportunity to my children an a young age, on a regular basis, because I know that I would have like to have gone camping/hunting/fishing a lot more as a kid. It is a hobby/sport that has strengthened my relationship with my children.

What is one of your most memorable outdoor moments?

There are many, but the those most memorable are hunting trips. It could be my first Buck or Bull Elk, camping with my buddies, fishing alpine lakes, etc., all of which I will always remember. But most memorable will always be the time my son Jacob thanked me, as we were hunting this past Deer season, for always taking him with me. He is 30-years-old now and a very successful hunter. He has been going with me since he was 10. That was a special moment for me.

Okay, one more... My son Dillon and I were sitting against a large Pine tree on a ridge line overlooking hundreds of miles of land. We had just finished a walk through a thick forested area where we were hunting Elk. I had been blowing my Cow Elk call as we sat enjoying the view. After about half an hour, we decided to hunt our way back to the truck where we would have some lunch. As we got up, I saw movement to my left (Dillon was on my right), so I turned, only to see a Mountain Lion running at me at full speed toward us. It put on the brakes (realizing I wasn't an Elk), and kicked up dirt and debris on me, as he turned and ran into the woods. It was about five feet from me when it turned. Needless to say, the hairs on the back of my neck were on end, my hands were shaking, and adrenaline was pumping. Dillon asked me, what was that? I answered, a Mountain Lion. He was confused. Here? he asked. He never saw it. That was the only time I have ever seen a Mountain Lion in the woods. It was an awesome sight. I can only assume that I called it in with my Cow calls. It is experiences like these that make it worth being in the woods.

What is your favorite animal to hunt?

I hunt Deer and Elk, with Elk being my favorite.

Why do you think hunting/fishing is important in today's modern age?

In the modern age, science has played a huge role in our stewardship, as humans, to take care of animal populations. Managing and taking care of them is our responsibility. As a result, not only are our livestock herds thriving, but also game animal populations are flourishing. I appreciate being able to go into the woods and see these magnificent animals. I enjoy taking a break from the day-to-day activities and being able to "wet a line" or follow a game trail. Being able to "reset" my mind and attitude help me to be better at the day-to-day activities required of us in this modern age. In addition, I think it is important to have hunting and fishing skills to be able to provide for yourself and family. It is important to pass these skills on to our children, and gives us opportunities to connect with our parents and grandparents. 

What is something you would like to share with non-hunters out there?

There are non-hunters who are not opposed to hunting (my daughter and wife), and there are non-hunters who protest hunting, gun ownership, etc. To those not opposed to hunting, I think we have an understanding that most humans eat meat. And in this modern age of healthy living, game meat is much more nutritious than animals raised specifically for their meat, injected with hormones and other additives in an effort to grow them at an accelerated rate, all in the name of profits. To those opposed to hunting, herd management includes controlling the population so that herds do not over graze their habitat, affording the stronger animals to procreate, strengthening the population. Additionally, millions of dollars are collected from hunters/fishermen, which in turn fund programs for the betterment of our wildlife resources. I do not kill for the enjoyment of killing. I kill for good, nutritious meat, which feeds my family.

Any final thoughts you would like to share with our readers?

Be wise, be safe, take care of your equipment, and have fun.

​What kind of books/stories do you write?
 
I like to write stories with a paranormal twist. My novel, Copper Reign is Urban Fantasy. It’s Native American folklore mixed with angels and demons. I also have a couple of shorts published. Saltair Fire Waltz is Gothic Horror, and can be found in an anthology, It Came From The Great Salt Lake. Room 517 is a Dark Humor piece published last month in Elphame Realms E-Zine, Something Witchy This Way Comes. Recently, I’ve undergone a career shift and started writing New Age Non-Fiction. Right now I’m working on a guide book, The Awakening: An Empath’s Guide to the 3 Levels of Psychic Abilities.
 
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
 
I’ve been told that I am a writer since I was eight-years-old, but didn’t accept it as my path until I was twenty-nine.
 
What do you consider the most influential book you've ever read?
 
The answer varies from different periods of my life. As a child, A Wrinkle in Time. As a teen, The Talisman, young adult, What Dreams May Come, and later, The Dark Tower Series. Each expanded the way I thought, and resonated in my heart. 
          
What other authors are you friends with, and how have they helped you become a better writer?
 
I have lots of friends in the author community. So many that I’m afraid to name them in fear of leaving someone out, but all of my friends, writer or not are simply amazing. They encourage me to keep going when I want to quit, and help me become a better writer by reading and critiquing my work. When I release a book they share links, come to events, and leave reviews. Their support is the only reason why I’m still doing this.
 
What’s the best way you've found to market your books?
 
The best advice I can give is to be genuine in both your writing and who you are. My fiction wasn’t as successful as I would have liked because it wasn’t what I was meant to write. Just as soon as I shifted gears to do the work I should be doing then everything changed. I am so excited about my new project that my enthusiasm is contagious. I’m animated when I discuss the subject matter, which creates an eager anticipation for readers to learn more.  
 
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
 
For Copper Reign, I studied belief systems and morphed them into something that worked. The project took over two years to plan and write. It was quite the undertaking for a first novel. My non-fiction isn’t near as extensive because it is in a medium I am rather familiar with. I guess you could say I’ve been researching my entire life for this project. Writing what you know is much easier than learning something new.
 
Any last thoughts for our readers?
 
Always believe in yourself! Think with your mind and follow your heart. If you allow both to guide you anything is possible. Don’t believe me? Are you aware that 90% of everything you experience is internal? Only 10% of our reality exists within the material plane. There is no reality, only perception. What we ponder and feel determines everything. Believe in yourself. Think with your mind and follow your heart.
 
Links/promotional things (include any photos you would like)
 
Sign up for my newsletter at www.angelasattitudeadjustment.com and receive Level 1 of The Awakening for free just as soon as it becomes available.

Angela Hartley spent much of her childhood being shuffled from house to house with only a book for companionship. The magic she found in the written word saved her in many ways, transporting her into worlds far happier than the one she resided in. Literature became her passion and the idea of someday writing carried her through many years of uncertainty.
​
Long ago, she left the disease of poverty behind. Through all of life’s ups and downs, her desire to write never waned. With a strong support system, she set out to create worlds, and publish books. Along with achieving her lifetime goal, she’s built and managed several writing organizations. She has also entertained and educated at schools, symposiums, and conventions. In her down time, she enjoys studying religion theory, psychic abilities, and psychology to gain a better understanding of the human condition.  Angela currently resides in Midway, Utah with her three children and husband.
 
Blog: www.angelasattitudeadjustment.com  
Facebook: www.facebook.com/angelahartleyauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoldAngelHart

What's your favorite RPG system and why?
 
I have enjoyed many roleplaying game and systems, but I would have to say I have been a fan of Dungeons and Dragons since I was exposed to it in the third grade. I am a fan of most editions to the game, but the 1st Edition D&D was my favorite edition!
 
What made you want to become a DM/GM?
 
I wanted to be able to tell a story; I think that D&D adventures are a good medium for me to tell a story, and also give me an opportunity to bring it to life for players to interact in it. I liken the experience to being a director of a film where you guide the players through a scene and allow them to improve their character's actions.
 
How much prep time do you conduct before a gaming session?
 
I normally prepare a few days in advance of my sessions. I do not normally DM "on the fly". I feel like you do a disservice to players if you do not put in the effort before the session. It helps cut down on DM stagnation/lag. 
 
What is one of your most memorable moments running a game?
 
Man, there are too many. But a recent one was when I was DMing at a convention in Wisconsin still moves me. After running a D&D Epic game, all my players at the table asked if I would autograph their Players Handbooks. One of the players came up to me after the game and said, "In the years I have played D&D, I have never had an experience like that. Thank you". It definitely moved me. 
 
Do you do anything to set the mood or atmosphere?
 
I do. I like to describe what happened at the last session and lead it in to the current session. I also write my lead ins on my private FB page that I create for each game campaign.  I also like to write short posts called EPISODICs that help amplify the gaming sessions. 
  
What's one tip you would give to other DM/GM's out there?
 
Always be willing to improve your DMing. Be receptive to CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Understand that there are many styles of players, but the most rewarding DM xperiences are the ones where you can get everyone involved. 
  
Any last thoughts for our readers? 
 
Good Gaming!
 

What is it about the outdoors that appeals to you?

When I'm outdoors, I feel the like I am truly free.  I don't have to worry about my job or anything back home.  I also feel like I am able to reconnect with the earth on a level that I'm not able to while in the city.

When did you first start hunting/fishing?
My first hunting trip was with my dad at the tender age of four.  He shot a pretty good four point buck in Idaho and took me along for the hunt.  I don't remember much about the hunt but we have an old family video of my dad and grandpa packing the deer out.  The best part of the video is my grandpa chewing ass on my dad for not going up the 'right' draw and shooting the deer in an area that was hard to pack a deer out of.

What is one of your most memorable outdoor moments?

2016 Utah Strawberry Ridge CWMU Elk Hunt
Outfitter: Western Skies Outfitters
Operator:  Brett Fielding
Dates:  5-9 October
Rifle:  Weatherby Vanguard 300 Wby
Optics: Swarovski 20-60x80 ATS Spotting Scope, Vortex HS-LR 4x16x40 Rifle Scope, Vortex Viper 10x42HD Binoculars

This year I was lucky enough to draw a coveted Utah CWMU elk tag on Strawberry Ridge (15 miles east of Woodruff, UT) after 16 years of waiting.  Not only was I the lucky recipient of a tag but my sister-in-law drew a mule deer tag as well.  I knew when I applied for the hunt this year that I was going to be the high point applicant for the unit, which would guarantee me a tag. 
​
The property is composed of 20,000 plus acres ranging from aspen forest to sagebrush flats and elevation ranging from 6,500 to 8,000 feet.  Elk are the main focus of the operation but deer, moose, and antelope are also available.  

​My elk hunt this year actually started last year when I was able to accompany my dad on his last hunt ever.  On the first night of my dad’s hunt last year Brett, who married into our family, told us to sit in a blind overlooking a cattle water trough.  He didn’t disappoint.  We headed to the blind at 3:30 p.m. and within 15 minutes a good 5x6 walked in and spent 10 minutes around the trough.  My dad wanted to shoot the bull right away but I wanted the hunt to last longer than a few minutes so I told him to wait.  The bull eventually walked off.  Later, a small 6x6 and a small 5x5 came into range but neither was good enough to shoot and we headed back to camp.

My dad suffered from muscular dystrophy and over the course of the night the cold air caused his leg muscles to contract and knot making him violently ill.  He only slept a couple hours the first night because of the pain.  I felt horrible.  He could have taken a great bull but I was selfish and wanted the hunt to last more than just a few minutes. 

The next morning he didn’t know if he would be able to hunt but he put on a smile and we went and looked for some bulls.  Right away we found a small 5x5 and he wanted to shoot it to end the hunt but luckily Brett stepped in and told us to give it one more night before we left.  He promised us an elk.

We went back to camp, got some lunch, took a nap and waited for the night hunt.

That night we walked into a cluster of trees after some bulls that we had heard bugling that morning.  For two solid hours we somehow kept ourselves on the edge of the herd as we stalked the elk through the trees.  The elk moved south for a while then back to north when a rival bull started to challenge the herd bull that we were after.  The roar of the bugle was so close and loud in the dense timber that we could hear bull’s snort at the end of his scream. 

Finally, the herd we were chasing walked out of the timber and into a clearing on a side hill but a couple of deer walked in between us and elk.  We didn’t dare move for 10 minutes as the doe and her fawns kept a close eye on us.  If they broke toward the herd of elk, our hunt was over.  We were all grateful when they trotted off the opposite way. 

After more than twenty years of hunting with my dad we went into ‘team mode’.  He knew that I was a few feet behind him like I had been since I was old enough to follow him into the forest.  Twenty years of hunting side-by-side throughout North America built a bond where each of us knew what the other was thinking when the hunt was on.

We silently walked out of the trees keeping a couple of lone pine trees between us and the elk.  My dad slipped his left shoulder out from under his pack, then his right, and I was there to grab the pack without losing a step.  While Brett was trying to finalize a plan of attack on the bull, he glanced our way and whispered that the herd bull we were chasing was a big 5x6.  While Brett was telling us the size of the bull and how to ambush the big 5x6, another 6x6 broke out of the trees 60 yards behind us, hell bent of catching the big 5x6. 
​
The bull bearing down on us from behind was quickly disregarded, and as Brett stepped around the side of the pines to line up a shot, my dad quietly took a step to the opposite side of the tree and took the bull with an off-hand shot at 150 yards.  The old bull humped and Dad put another one round into him ending the hunt.  Much to our surprise, the old bull was the same one that we had passed up the night before drinking out of the water trough!

​Emotions were high and few tears might have been shed but it was well worth the battle.
 
Fast forward a year and Wednesday morning I found myself alone, standing around a group of hunters I didn’t know, talking about what and where we were going to hunt on ‘Strawberry’.  Emotionally, it was harder for me than I thought it would be because this was the first big game hunt of my entire life that my dad was not a part of.  One by one, the other hunters laid claim to where they were going to hunt and asked me where I was off to.  I kind of shrugged and Brett stepped in and told the group that he was going to show me around. 

We took a short drive to an area called the ‘Buck Pasture’ and started to glass.  We quickly found a good 6x6 but he had weak fronts and we decided to pass him up.  While Brett was looking at another group of elk and I was glassing the opposite direction I heard a distinct whisper, “Tyler,” in the familiar voice of my dad.  I turned half expecting him to be standing there but I only saw Brett looking at a group of elk.  At that moment I knew that my dad was with me on the hunt. 

The rest of the morning was a bust for elk but we did find a nice deer for my sister-in-law who drew one of the state deer tags.  At the end of the morning hunt Brett told me he wanted to hunt the same patch of trees that we were successful in last year.

On the way back to camp we stopped in and asked the local sheep herder, Zorro, if he had seen any elk.  The quick stop ended up being a 45 minute conversation of Zorro’s broken English and Brett’s broken Spanish.  Zorro told us where a good 6x6 was but the highlight of the conversation was homemade tortillas fresh off Zorro’s sheep camp stove. 

We headed back to camp, ate a couple of cheese burgers, took a nap then geared up to leave in the early afternoon. 

At 2:30 p.m. we left camp on foot and started our quiet descent through the aspen forest.  Brett was dealing with a bad case of gout in his right foot so we took it very slow.  He was worried about my health because of a pacemaker that I had implanted late last year and I was worried that I would have to pack him out because of his gout. 

After a couple of hours methodically sneaking through the trees toward a raspy bugle, we stumbled upon a couple of cow elk.  We inched closer to them in hopes of seeing their bull only to find that we had snuck into the heart of the herd.

We couldn’t see the bull but he would bugle every couple of minutes and we knew he was close.  We spotted a 5x5 eating near a few cows about 50 yards to our left when the bull that was constantly bugling decided to head straight toward us.  He too, was a 5x5 but for some reason was one of the most vocal elk that I’ve ever encountered.  He was constantly bugling and worked himself to within 60 yards when a bigger 6x6 bull came into view.  The 6x6 was not quite what we were looking for but he was looking for a fight.  He pushed the vocal 5x5 our way.  I thought that they were going to run right into us.  Brett said, “Get ready,” but the 5x5 broke to our left at 35 yards. 

At this point it was starting to get late and we were still a long way from camp so we backed out quietly and tried to circle the herd we had just ran into.  Only a few minutes later we ran into another smaller herd with a decent 5x5 and nine cows.  Brett got a little excited which got me a little excited, but we decided to pass on this bull and start our trek back to camp. 

At this point the constant barrage of competing bugles was all around us.  We silently circled north and headed back to camp.  After 30 minutes of creeping through the forest and a couple of bugles coming from the west we broke into a familiar clearing and saw a bunch of elk in the open on the ridge opposite of us.  While we were glassing this herd we heard a close bugle directly behind us.

Brett turned and quickly said, “Shooter bull, get ready.” 

We both knelt down and dropped our packs as we waited for the big 6x6 to clear a few scrub trees.  He pinned us down at 75 yards for a moment but once the bull on the hill behind us bugled, he turned and started to rake some buck brush with his horns.  He then headed into the trees that we just came out of and we knew that he was going to pick up our scent.  Once he hit the trees and picked up our scent, he started on a quick walk down hill. Brett told me to shoot him when he walked through a small opening in the trees. 

A few seconds later the bull was a hundred yards away walking through the opening and I hit him in the left front shoulder.  The bull instantly recoiled from the shock of bullet and headed down the hill at a trot on three legs.  I missed the second shot but put an insurance round into him and he was down but not out.  With darkness quickly descending the last thing we wanted was to leave the bull overnight.  I walked down the hill to finish him off but he jumped up and headed out. 

I was sick.  I thought that I had just lost the bull of my dreams. 
​
Lucky for me, he only went a hundred yards before he piled up again and I anchored him with a final shot.  By this time Brett had grabbed our bags and walked down to meet me at the bull.  We laughed, high-fived, and even hugged.  At this point Brett told me that place where I stood and shot my elk was only 20 yards from where my dad shot his elk last year.  My dad shot his elk facing north and I shot mine facing south.  The flood of emotions was too much.  I was glad that it was dark so Brett couldn’t see me shed a tear in memory of the last hunt we shared with my dad.   

What is your favorite animal to hunt?

I love to hunt elk up close in the timber.  

Why do you think hunting/fishing is important in today's modern age?

Hunting and fishing allows us to reconnect with the earth.  Man kind has been hunting for sustenance for millions of years and for the short time that we're out in the wild, we allow our natural predatory instincts to come to the surface and help us harvest game for the dinner table.

What is something you would like to share with non-hunters out there?
A lot of non-hunters view hunting as unethical and cruel.  I believe that it is unethical and cruel to allow animals to be raised in a small pen their whole life.

Any final thoughts you would like to share with our readers?
Thanks for putting this all together and trying to reach a different demographic than most outdoor writers.​

What kind of books/stories do you write?
 
I write stories where things happen and there is a lot of tension. Characters make hard choices and endure the consequences. I'm most well known for my bestselling Iron Dragon series, which is high fantasy, but I've sold a lot of short stories and a few novellas in that are sci-fi, horror, alternate history, and steampunk. I like stories that make the reader feel something. Hope. Fear. Horror. Wonder. Sadness. Victory. I used to have the goal of making the reader cry in every short story I wrote, but I don't always do that now. Sometimes I want them to feel horror, or hope, but I always want them to think about the story for a long time after reading it. I never phone in short stories. I obsess over them for weeks.
 
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
 
I was four years old. I told my mom I wanted to be a writer and she encouraged me to create stories with my toys--as writing was not an option, though did color a lot. Never on the walls. The storytelling all went from there. I would create elaborate scenes with my Star Wars toys or my army men, or Medieval soldiers. Eventually that turned into Dungeons & Dragons games with my friends, and finally novels.
 
What do you consider the most influential book you've ever read?
 
The Hobbit. It changed my world forever in 4th grade. I read it four times in a row. I hope people today have books like The Hobbit that rock their world.
 
What other authors are you friends with, and how have they helped you become a better writer?
 
I'm friends with literally hundreds of published authors. I'm close friends with a few dozen. They are my tribe. A few of them are my first readers and they constantly challenge me to improve my craft. Without them, I would never have grown as much as I have. I owe the writers around me a great debt, which is why I help them whenever I can.
 
What’s the best way you've found to market your books?
 
Form solid relationships with fans and readers who then tell their friends about my books and stories. I wish I knew the secret of selling a ton of books now. Ten years ago, I knew the online tricks and my first novel, The Golden Cord, book one in the Iron Dragon Series had seven printing in the first year it was out, but those tactics don't work as well anymore.
 
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
 
It depends on the book or short story. Most short stories require several hours of research, especially the alternate history ones. I often spend 50 hours or more on a short story total. My ghost story set in Heian era Japan, "Onnen" in the Shared Nightmares anthology, was told from the point of view of the ghost. That took me about one hundred hours to research and write. I also went to the Imperial Palace in Kyoto Japan--but that was not required. The story is packed with true events and visiting the palace inspired me to write it.
 
Any last thoughts for our readers?
 
Find books that you love and read them. Don't waste your time reading books that don't grab you within a chapter or two. Life is too short. If you are a writer, write what you love.
 
  
Paul Genesse, Author and Editor

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Author of The Iron Dragon Series
The Golden Cord: Book One
The Dragon Hunters: Book Two
The Secret Empire: Book Three

A Walk in the Abyss
"Of the Earth, of the Sky, of the Sea" in
Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters

Editor of:
The Crimson Pact Volume 1
The Crimson Pact Volume 2
The Crimson Pact Volume 3
The Crimson Pact Volume 4
The Crimson Pact Volume 5
Author Website: http://www.paulgenesse.com/ 
Author Blog: http://paulgenesse.blogspot.com/ 
 
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