Our next anthology, Tales from the Ruins, is going to be a cataclysmic one! It will be released on the 25th of February but the Kindle version is available for pre-order today at just 99c instead of $3.99. To celebrate the imminent publication of the first Black Beacon Books anthology exclusively dedicated to post-apocalyptic fiction, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Behold the maniacal workings of their troubled minds!
Let’s make the first question a lighthearted one...hmm...okay, got it! Is your story simply an entertaining piece of fiction or are you giving us a peek at the terrifying fate tomorrow will unleash upon us?
I'm afraid it's a double whammy. In fact, the scenario faced in The Deep End happens - perhaps to a slightly less dramatic extent - in the world around us every day. Nowadays, we talk about the apocalypse in terms of a world-ending event, but apocalypses have happened over and over again throughout history...Pompeii and Stalingrad anyone? In my story, lines of communication have been cut for years. There's no longer any formal government or infrastructure, but the characters don't know whether it's the same all around the world, or just in their neck of the woods. This seems a likely "post-apocalyptic fog" to me. Entertaining, yes - in a brutal, primitive way - and so terribly plausible at the same time.
What is it that makes post-apocalyptic fiction so appealing? Would the world be better off if more people read this genre?
It's appealing as a writer, and likewise as a reader, because it provides a clean slate. All the rules have gone out the window. It's like writing fantasy set in your own street. Can post-apocalyptic fiction change the world? Let's be realistic here. There's no doubt the world would be better off if those in power listened to artists and philosophers, but that's not how the game works. Read post-apocalyptic fiction, but don't start thinking you're an armchair revolutionary by doing so. By the same token, don't feel guilty about enjoying it, but be thankful...because things could be worse.
Do you have a favourite post-apocalyptic author?
I have a confession to make...I don't actually read all that much post-apocalyptic fiction, or at least, not books that fit neatly into the genre. I would argue though that several of my favourite novels are essentially post-apocalyptic in nature; "High-Rise" by J.G. Ballard is the perfect example of "civilised society" falling apart, and it's heavily influenced by "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding...just swap that island for the microcosm of a block of flats. "The Children of Men" by P.D. James, although far from her best work, is also an original and entertaining novel, and in many ways "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess hits the nail on the head. Reading the stories in Tales from the Ruins, the genre clearly has plenty of fresh talent and just as many troubling new takes on the end of days.
Some people like to listen to music while reading. Which song can you imagine providing the soundtrack to your story?
I listen to post-punk and industrial music every day and it plays a big role in my creative process. There are so many answers I could give here, including just about everything by NIN and KMFDM, but I'm going to go with a really cold and hopeless post-apocalyptic sound; Exercise One by Joy Division...there are Ballardian influences in there if you listen to the lyrics.
If you woke up in your story tomorrow, what would you do?
I'd do what my protagonist does...and that somehow both reassures and scares me.
There are no firearms or ammunition. You have to choose an everyday object from the home or garden as your weapon of choice—what’s in your hands?
My carpenter's hammer. No question about it. I prefer crushing to cutting.
Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself.
I'm an immigrant, having moved from Australia to France...well, Brittany to be precise. Let's stick to the theme...ah, so I grew up in Australia but have never surfed...shock, horror! Three things? Okay...I speak French fluently, of course, but I also speak enough Breton to say hello, order a beer, and talk about the weather.
What do you aim to give your readers?
I want to make them feel and I aim to do it with an original and unpredictable story.
What are you working on now?
Too much...that's the simplest answer. There's a post-apocalyptic novel in the works, as well as my first Oscar Tremont novel.
Where can we find you online?
Almost everywhere, including TikTok...even though I don't know why yet!
Full links: https://linktr.ee/camerontrost
Website: https://camerontrost.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camerontrostauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camerontrost_author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/camerontrost
Twitter: https://twitter.com/trost_cameron
Thanks for playing along. Good luck in the wastelands!
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