Title and synopsis/blurb of your AHOW story:
Plastic Boy
After the death of her husband, Linda struggles to keep her difficult son happy. When he insists on a strange toy castle for his birthday, she watches her son’s defiance grow into obsession with terrifying results.
What inspired you to write this story?
It was just one of those things that pops into your head when daydreaming I guess. I can’t tell you what inspires most of my stories, they just sort of happen most of the time. I think everything in life inspires a writer. I do know that after I finished the story there were some similarities to Jimmy’s stick horse and hat and my son’s. So I guess I pulled pieces of my life into the story without knowing it.
How long have you been writing?
I was around 24 and attending college when I found my love for writing. I was attending MSC working on my basics for nursing. I took a writing course as one of my required arts. The class was asked to write a short screen play, around two or three pages I believe. Seven pages later my screen play was still unfinished. I handed in the assignment, positive it would receive an F since unfinished. The professor loved the story and suggested I take a creative writing course. I never thought writing would be something I would enjoy before that. I took the creative writing course and several literature courses. I fell in love with writing and literature. I looked forward to attending my classes. I had been a nurse aide for years before that and thought being a Nurse was my calling. It had never occurred to me I could be a creative person. Once I finished my Associates degree I went on to try for my Bachelors in English and Writing. I met my husband, got married and pregnant, so school went on hold. After I had my son I stayed at home with my son. I was thirty two when he was born. An idea for a horror novel hit me while driving one day and I thought, “I’m going to sit down and write this book.” I wrote day and night and three months later I had the first draft of “Hitchhiking with the Devil” written. Somewhere along the way I joined a writing group, Fiction Writing. I wanted to learn more about writing, and since I wasn’t in school I thought the best way would be to research it on the internet. An article I read suggested joining a writer’s group. The “A Journey of Words” anthology was open to submissions. I had one written that fit the theme, so I polished it and had it edited and it was accepted into the anthology.
What genres do you most associate with in your writing?
I write horror, dark fiction/weird fiction, although I hope to expand into other genres.
What are you working on right now?
I just finished a short story titled, Night of the Eye. Also I am still working on my first horror novel, Hitchhiking with the Devil.
What else do you have available/published?
My short story, Creepers, is featured in Scout Media’s, “A Journey of Words” anthology. It is about a greedy and bitter old woman who will stop at nothing to win a gardening contest. She stumbles across an unusual green house. Violet purchases seed that will give her what she “needs”.
What advice do you give to new writers?
Read and write a lot. It takes time and practice. Watch out for vanity publishers, and hire a professional editor.
List links where people can find your work:
www.PatriciaStover.wix.com/PatriciaStover
www.facebook.com/authorjkenedy
www.Scoutmediabooksmusic.com/a-journey-of-words
www.Scoutmeiabooksmusic.com/a-haunting-of-words