Continuing the Dark Dozen interviews, this week we have author Felix I.D. Dimaro. Felix is someone that is not spoken about nearly enough and seems to fly under the radar quite a bit.
I started reading his work and interacting with Felix about two years ago and have become quite a fan since then. He will be joining the authors in the upcoming Full Throttle with a new extreme horror story that I enjoyed the hell out of, and I hope you will too!
Read on to learn more and be sure to pick a book or two of his to check out.
Enjoy!
2024 FALL DARK DOZEN: FELIX I.D. DIMARO
If you had three sentences to pitch your most recent book to a new reader, what is your pitch?
My latest book, In the Darkness, Eyes and Teeth, a tale of pet cloning gone wrong, was inspired by the real-life pet cloning industry, specifically Barbra Streisand having two cloned copies of her dead dog. For $50,000, you can clone your dead pet, too. Just hope things go better for you than they do for the characters in my book.
Do you have a favorite book or story of your own that you talk about more than others? What makes it your favorite?
The story of mine that I talk about most is Viral Lives: A Ghost Story. It was my first standalone novella, and it comes up for me the most because it has brought me my biggest successes as an author so far. The film rights for Viral Lives were purchased by a notable director, and it has been published and translated into Czechia. While it isn’t my favourite of my books (that would be Humane Sacrifice: The Story of the Aztec Killer), it is the one that has become the most impactful for me. And readers are enjoying it.
Have you ever experienced a natural disaster? If so, what was the scariest moment for you?
The closest event to a natural disaster that I’ve experienced was the ice storm of 2013 that hit Ontario, Quebec, and a few American states. It shut down the Toronto area, and for some it was a true disaster; there was a loss of power for days, as well as loss of life. Fortunately, for others, it was only a series of inconveniences. The scariest moment was learning about the struggles of people who weren’t as lucky as my family and I to have their power. There were awful stories of people dying trying to heat their homes with propane BBQs or other inadvisable things.
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?
This question makes me realize I have not watched many disaster films or read many disaster books. One movie I do recall is San Andreas, starring The Rock. That one stuck with me because of all I’ve heard about the San Andreas Fault throughout my life, and the long-rumoured notion that California might one day fall into the ocean because of it (which isn’t something that will happen). This movie didn’t go to that extent, but it did show the carnage and catastrophe that would come to California as a result of that fault ever shifting. It’s a troubling thing to think about.
What’s the one thing that scares you the most in this world and have you ever written about it?
I feel like my answer to this question is a boring one. I don’t have any real phobias or unusual fears. The things that concern me most are somewhat mundane: dying alone without achieving my goals, losing my family and friends, losing my mind, being involved in a random, life-altering incident. Things of that nature. And I do write about these concerns regularly. My debut novel, Bug Spray: A Tale of Love and Madness, brings a supernatural element to a battle with depression. Humane Sacrifice: The Story of the Aztec Killer, about a man becoming a serial killer after he is tasked to sacrifice souls to his dying cat in order to keep her alive, was written as I was dealing with the loss of my own cat. And Daily Special, a story about a failing chef whose life is changed forever by the appearance of a possessed pot, deals with the often-terrifying struggle so many of us face as we try to attain what seems to be unattainable goals. I tend to find a great deal of horror in everyday things.
Is there an author that you would like to work with that would be a dream partnership for you?
The honest answer to this question is no. I’ve never really considered working with another author to create a story. I’ve always seen storytelling as a solitary pursuit. That’s not to say I would never work with another author, or that I have an issue with authors who do collaborate, but even as I contemplated this question and thought of names like Stephen King, Clive Barker, Chuck Palahniuk, Blake Crouch, N.K. Jemisin, and others, I would rather my work be compared to theirs than collaborate with them.
If you had one hour to speak to any living author, who would it be and why?
It would be N.K. Jemisin. She has a wealth of worlds in her mind, and I would love to pick her brain about her process and inspirations. I would also like to speak to her about her journey, and the obstacles she has faced and overcome as a Black author.
What has been one of the proudest moments of your writing journey?
Selling the film rights to my book Viral Lives has been the highpoint of my writing journey so far. I feel like many authors don’t like to acknowledge or admit how much we rely on validation from others to feel confident about our work and goals, but we constantly do. While I am confident in my writing, having someone invest their faith, money, and time in my story was confirmation of how I’ve always felt about my work. It was a confidence boost. Because even if you love and have complete conviction in your abilities, being an author, especially an indie author, can be a constant kicking in the teeth.
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?
My favourite hobbies and interests include activities that people generally hate doing with their free time. Mainly, running (while listening to music or podcasts), reading, meditation, and cooking; things that keep my mind and body healthy. I also enjoy watching TV shows and movies (mostly horror, sci-fi, and comedy) when I have the time. And I’m a huge sports fan, including (don’t judge me) professional wrestling.
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?
I do think the horror industry is having a surge of new authors and new readers. I think new readers, or readers of any sort, are always a good thing. As for the surge of authors, I’m on the fence. On one hand, I think it is a beautiful thing that becoming an author is a goal that is more accessible to everyone, and that people can pursue their dreams without having to overcome the hurdles that dominate the traditionally published path. I want aspiring authors to be able to put their work out there because them doing so results in a wealth of awesomely unique stories that we would never see in traditionally published places. On the other hand, I think a lot of new horror authors are writing horror because they believe horror is easy to write. And it shows.
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.
Hopefully diversity and inclusion in publishing will be on its way to flourishing, though I doubt that it will be anywhere near there in ten years. I think it has been easier for people to talk about reading more diverse work and being more inclusive with their reading than it has been for them to put those words into practice. There are still far too many readers and publishers who are, and likely always will be, hesitant to give Black and other diverse writers a chance, especially Black male authors. It’s going to be an uphill battle to get to the point where someone isn’t put into a category or classified as a certain type of writer just because their skin isn’t the same as that of the majority.
What is a piece of advice that you WISH someone had given you early in your career?
Get as organized as possible. Treat yourself like a business. Those are sentences I would have liked to hear before I started my journey as an author. Flying by the seat of your pants when writing a story is one thing but doing so when trying to get that story into the hands of readers is an entirely different ordeal, and usually doesn’t go as well. I would have loved to be advised to prepare for all the non-writing related aspects that come with trying to be a successful indie author.
Bio for Felix I.D. Dimaro
Born in Nigeria, raised in Toronto, Felix I.D. Dimaro is an author of allegorical, dark, psychological fiction often centering around morality, mental health, the environment, and the real-life issues he has experienced.
He has released eleven books to date, including the eco-thriller, “Black Bloom: A Story of Survival,” the extreme horror novel, “Humane Sacrifice: The Story of the Aztec Killer," and the tale of cat cloning gone wrong, "In the Darkness, Eyes and Teeth."
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