For this week's Dark Dozen, we continue with M Ennenbach, author of Cuckoo, Cremated Remains, Hunger on the Chisholm Trail and more. M is a poet first, and author second, as well as one of our own authors here at Uncomfortably Dark.
Read on to learn a bit more about this incredible author that will be joining the FULL THROTTLE anthology for this year!
If you had three sentences to pitch your most recent book, CUCKOO, to a new reader, what is your pitch?
A love story told in the heart of madness. What would you do if you had it all, only to lose it? This is love.
Do you have a favorite book or story of your own that you talk about more than others? What makes it your favorite?
Blobert. It is my favorite because it sums me up pretty concisely. A little confused. A lot addled. But pretty sure it’s a good time.
Have you ever experienced a natural disaster? If so, what was the scariest moment for you?
Not really. But I did sit in class and watch the Challenger explode. That was unfathomable to my little brain. I guess that’s a tragedy, not a disaster. I spent 84 hours without power during a freak ice storm in Dallas, but that was as much incompetence as disaster.
Has there been a disaster-based movie or book that has stuck with you since you first watched/read it? What was it and why did it stick?
The one where the soccer team crashed on the mountain and had to eat the dead to stay alive. I was young, and it freaked me out. I reckon I’d make a pretty good meal or two though, so it’s a life unwasted.
What’s the one thing that scares you the most in this world and have you ever written about it?
What scares me most is any of the hoodoo mumbo jumbo about gods being real. Can you imagine? Life is absurd enough without pandering to sky babies. Gross. I’ve probably mentioned it a few times in different ways.
Is there an author that you would like to work with that would be a dream partnership for you?
I am pretty fortunate to be friends with my favorite writers. I get to write with Candace. PC3. Eric (Butler) Author. RJ Roles. Megan Stockton. It’s like a dream. Unless we could resurrect Poe or Kafka, I think I am pretty much the luckiest fool on the plant.
If you had one hour to speak to any living author, who would it be and why?
If I could speak to Haruki Murakami, I would thank him for showing me beauty in the mundane. For igniting my passion for Kafka.
What has been one of the proudest moments of your writing journey?
Bradonomicon 2. I was in a panic to help someone I love, and it only took moments to have a full ToC, artist, editor, and press. That shows how wonderful this country is. The lack of ego. I’ve never been prouder.
Who are you outside of being an author, meaning do you have other hobbies or interests that are your methods of relaxing or for refreshing, creative inspiration?
I love video games. Roguelikes, Shin Megami Tensei, and Diablo 4. They let my brain work over the knots of a story while giving it enough busy work to keep me from interfering. Music.
Do you think the horror industry is having a surge of new authors and new readers and if so, do you see this as a good thing?
It can only be a good thing. The neat thing about the universe is everyone can succeed without detracting from anyone else. Bring them on. It’s exciting to meet new people on either side of the page.
Where do you see the industry in ten years with regards to the evolution of tropes, diversity and inclusion, and readers, flourishing or floundering? Explain why.
With more and more people seeing the appeal of indie, I imagine they will be hungry to prove themselves. Indie horror is already super inclusive, and it seems like every day it gets more so. There are growing pains, but besides the occasional bad apple, it remains a good bunch. I see more mainstream success coming as Hollywood seeks the next big thing in the relatively underground market.
What is a piece of advice that you WISH someone had given you early in your career?
Writing is half the gig. If you’re not writing for you, you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. We write to inspire the next generation, not for profit or fame. If it comes, it comes.
BIO:
M Ennenbach is a poet in Texas. Author of Cuckoo, Hunger on the Chisholm Trail, dreamwhispers, and more. He’s never quite doing what anyone expects, including himself. Daily poetry at mennenbach.com
Check out more from M Ennenbach at the link below:
And be sure to read this recent interview with M by author L. Andrew Cooper with an in-depth look at CUCKOO.
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