A word from the author: Hello, and welcome to my virtual panel discussion, a Q&A. Because I can’t join panels and host meet-and-greets in the United States and worldwide, I’ve compiled a list of ‘questions’ or topic ideas about the creative process and conceptualization behind the creation of my debut novel, Below.
Q: What’s in a name? Luzvimindo’s nickname is Min, but his given name is an acronym for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the three major island groups in the Philippines. What does Min’s characterization and role as first-person POV offer particular importance to the story?
A: Luzvimindo is a traditional Filipino name that is rarely heard of these days except among poor families who have less exposure to foreign names. I chose this name because it’s authentically Filipino, like the book. While the story is broken down into two parts, narrated by the lead character, Min, one detailing his time in the slums of Manila, and later from New York City, where environmental collapse, economic turmoil, and related poverty and crime issues have turned the once gentrified city into something closer to a third world ghetto, the two settings involve both a developing nation and a world superpower poised to fall, making this book a tale of two cities, even though the zombie pandemic is taking place everywhere. Still, the Filipino backdrop is supposed to hook readers curious to see what life is like in foreign nations, making Min’s first-person account of the events before and after the zombie outbreak especially rich with detail and vivid description.
Q: Explain why you have described your book as literary horror. What makes it similar to contemporary drama known by many as literary fiction? Your product page describes a similarity to Stephen King and Peter Straub. What makes it similar or different to their works?
A: This is a good question, especially in light of two reviewers calling out my attempt at comparing myself to the two mentioned authors. Well, this was meant to give people a heads-up, an idea of how my work could be similar to those of the greats. I want to state this explicitly because the two reviewers had taken me to task by insisting that my work could never be considered up to King’s caliber. Maybe they’re right, but the comparison was intended to be an FFO (For Fans Of), meant to attract readers who are observant enough to spot the similarities. So, let’s delve further. First, what could be similar between my books and theirs? One is the tendency to occasionally pepper my chapters with paragraphs containing long, winding, complex sentences with multiple daisy-chained clauses or fragments, also used in literary drama and early enlightened-era fiction. Second is the tendency for the most violent, meditative, and emotionally stirring sections of the novel to feature anecdotal lines, vivid descriptions, and an occasional infusion of prose poetry to break up the conventional paragraph structure with one-word sentences and others. While I expect some readers to speed read to the book’s conclusion, thus robbing them of a chance to objectively examine my work without criticizing it for its own sake, the differences between my book and those by the two established greats need no mention here, considering that all writers strive to use an authentic voice, which is negated when a reviewer tries to compare one’s work with someone else’s when that wouldn’t be fair to begin with. I know. I know. I may have made the mistake of using the FFO thing to jumpstart interest in Below, but the comparison was made only from the context of King and Straub both writing literary horror early in their careers, meaning that the comparison ends there. It doesn’t mean my book is a literal carbon copy of theirs.
Q: Below isn’t exactly polarizing or divisive, since most of the reviews are positive. What aspects of the book would you change if you had a second chance? Is this a response to a reader’s feedback?
A: I’m pretty happy with the final product. I’m confident that Below will please most horror fans, although I am also fairly certain that there will be detractors. I went over the manuscript so many times before the copyedit, that the final draft didn’t need extensive revisions. I don’t regret a thing. There was a time when I had rushed the manuscript for submission to an open call and found out too late that I wasn’t truly happy with it. This is why it’s important for writers to not rush when publishing. My advice: let it sink in. Give yourself time to generate ideas while finalizing a draft. Don’t rush it off to the editor’s desk right away. Live with the characters for a while. Visualize their lives going on off the page and imagine the events taking place like they were happening before your eyes. A good story can end up great given enough time for an author to ideate, brainstorm, and ask others for suggestions.
Q: Why horror? And why zombies? Did a lot of fans indicate that they only wanted zombies and gore? What does that mean? And what did you give them that was so different?
A: I learned one thing. Not everyone wants a story with supposed social commentary. Some want to watch or read about gore and violence exclusively. Perhaps this isn’t supposed to be surprising. But it’s rather shocking how some readers want a zombie novel, or any novel for that matter, that greatly lacks a compelling plot. I realize this is exactly the reason why zombie novels and movies feature recycled, repetitive scenes filled with gore and little else of potential talking points. How is Below different? The hallmarks of my book and other unpublished manuscripts are the relevant social issues that ground the stories in reality, helping them stick. Reading is entertainment, but I particularly like writing that gets people talking. Like music, a band’s lyrics can make their songs infinitely more relatable to fans if that lyrical content is moving. It’s the reason sad songs hurt so much. It helps us get a good cry out. I believe the same is possible with books. Yet, if a book doesn’t contain three-dimensional characters that are struggling with prevailing issues and social ills, an author would be forced to create conflicts that are limited in scope. To answer the first question: why zombies? The fact is zombie stories have rarely been as potent in the written word as they have been in movies, so I took it upon myself to challenge that status quo and write my take on the zombie template or existing horror trope, replete with gore and violence as it is with social conundrums. If a novel encompasses different walks of life and unifies them by way of the many social dilemmas that affect us all, a story is elevated and easily more engaging. This is just one of Below’s many strengths.
Q: Imagine: your book becomes a critical smash and you attract editors, publishers, and agents. If an aspiring writer were to ask you for advice in light of your speedy emergence, what would you say to them? What are the highlights of your debut novel that most people may not notice so readily with just one read?
A: I have an ear for music. One of the strongest points regarding my writing is its lyrical nature. There’s not a single syllable sticking out like a sore thumb. Additionally, when I write, I don’t wait for the final draft to chisel away and turn the rubble into a sculpture. Sure, after the manuscript has been written, I go over it repeatedly until I’m satisfied, but the fact is my editing process takes place constantly, even if I have only a few chapters written. As recently as two years ago, I used to lack considerable proficiency in revising my work. The truth is every writer needs to sharpen their editing skills to leave their copyeditor with as few errors as possible. This will ensure the quality of the end product or edited manuscript. It takes time. It takes practice, learning from editors’ notes or workshops, or anything to facilitate learning. A writer is an evolution revolution. If you strive to get better and work hard to learn from your mistakes, you “hone your craft,” and improve exponentially. Like a friend once told me, “Read your work over and over and edit until it sounds about right.” This also means reading great books, carefully paying attention to authors’ tendencies, and being observant. Another tip: find beta readers who can offer feedback. Feedback is important. It’s like another set of eyes. Hire more than one. Another thing: this may seem needless to say but a book has to have something of personal value. Writing is cathartic. Anyone who enjoys the art of the written word understands this. Infuse something of personal relevance to your fiction and let passion and intimate knowledge of the experience power the sails of motivation. When you’re motivated, you’re likelier to succeed. Research and use visualization. Nothing to do with any artificial means of inducing an altered state of mind, I, instead, recommend things like writing in different scenic venues, watching movies, or reading books to generate ideas. If you can’t go out, watch YouTube videos. They have so many walkthrough videos of places in the Philippines, that YT helped me derive more sources of inspiration than otherwise possible. The biggest advice I can give to a writer is to stay modest with expectations and allocate a short amount of time doing visualization to manifest the stuff of dreams. What do you mean by visualize or manifest? If you can picture it, you can create it. When someone reacts to an award or any acclaim by saying, “This is beyond my wildest dreams,” it almost always indicates the opposite. The fact is we all have dreams, and if we learn to take some time out of our busy schedules to visualize better circumstances for ourselves or the people we love, better things are likely to happen because we sow the seeds of imagination. Then, thoughts grow. They form patterns and manifest in our behavior, which explains why some people attest to the use of positive affirmations. As an example, most of my unpublished manuscripts contain scenes I’d imagined before ever putting down on paper. Just like the movie, Field of Dreams, where Kevin Costner heard the whispers, “If you build it, it will come,” building something out of nothing starts with ideas, which originate from the mind. If you formulate a plan and a hierarchical structure of small goals leading to bigger ones, particularly by writing them down and organizing them, a vision of the future may arrive in the here and now sooner than you think.
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