Chisto Healy's "A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way" is just one of the mad mechanical tales featured in Murder and Machinery.
Tell us three interesting facts
about yourself.
1. I’m also an artist and musician, rock singer and rapper
2. The word “Undeathable” was coined for me because I have faced death and somehow survived a ridiculous amount of times
3. A lot of my most horrific ideas are actually inspired by the twisted minds of my children haha
What drew you to this particular theme?
AI is something that has fascinated me my whole life and I always like to bring relevant real life issues such as domestic violence into my work. It felt realistic to me that the two would eventually find each other as we intend AI to be of service to us.
What’s the most frightening machine for you personally?
I’m always worried about the robot revolt and worried about the fact that scientists don’t seem worried about it and obviously don’t read or watch enough science fiction. They just created a psychopath AI just to see….why?! As for current machinery….really…anything that can kill you….so….most of it haha
Which short story authors or authors in the horror genre inspire you?
Goodness…this would be a long list if I answered it accurately. The authors that inspired me to be a writer are Dean Koontz, Simon Clark, Clive Barker, Robert R McCammon and Nate Kenyon. Now I’ve met and read so many fantastic authors in the indie community that I could write a very long list. To name a few: David Green, Tim Mendees, Natalie Brown, Callum Pearce, Mark Young, and so many, many more. If any of you are looking for good horror, hit me up and I can list at least a hundred worthy authors.
Do you have a favourite story about machines, other than The Pit and the Pendulum?
I would have to go with Do androids dream of electric sheep? by Phillip K Dick
What does your editing process look like?
I write my first draft and try to catch spelling and grammar as I go and then I do a spell check to make sure. Then I leave it alone for a bit to get it out of my head because if you edit your own work when you know what it is supposed to say you will miss a lot, and then I go back to it later and start from line one and do a line edit which usually leads to me making content and phrasing changes as well so I need to repeat the process.
Do you write everything and then edit or do you meticulously plan before you write?
I do minimal planning. I usually just come up with a concept and how I want to end it and then write and edit.
What are you working on now?
So many things… I am doing the first rewrite of the first novel of a series I am producing with Cursed Dragonship and I am working on five different invitation only projects I am not currently allowed to speak about, and a charity anthology I am leading for an incredible trans author who has faced some pitfalls recently, as well as editing and rewriting and finishing other novels I’m trying to get picked up. Any publishers that are interested…hit me up haha I stay busy. There’s a lot on the horizon if I happen to have any fans out there haha
Where can we find you online?
You can follow me on Amazon as there are pretty much always new books coming out or find me on Facebook as I love connecting with other authors and readers alike. There is also a blog that I’m really bad at updating that tells everything I have out and gives links to get it. It’s https://chistohealy.blogspot.com Promotion is my weakness though as my crippling anxiety kind of hinders it on every level. Unfortunately, I haven’t made it to where I can pay someone to do it yet haha Maybe one day.
Thanks, Chisto!
