I first spoke with Adam after I read the first two installments of his trilogy, The Tales of Tupuqa, and wanted to let him know how much I'd enjoyed them. I also may or may not have harassed him constantly asking about the third installment's release date, but that's irrelevant. Naturally, we started discussing all of our favorite horror things, and luckily for him, we've since become great friends!
Ok... fine... luckily for me, too.
All joking aside, I'm honored to call him a friend, and thrilled to have read his books. It's exciting to see more work from him - his newest being The Growth, and look forward to seeing what else he's got in store to terrifying the masses!
1. How long have you been writing (with the intent for public consumption)?
I started believing that others might be interested in my writing in 2020. It’s no coincidence that it was during such a strange year for everyone when those thoughts first emerged. The lockdown was a mental challenge, and I used the time to escape into storytelling. So if you don’t like my books, don’t blame me, blame the pandemic!
2. What do you find gives you the most inspiration?
I find inspiration in a lot of different places. Certainly movies have played a massive part, but I would also point to comics, other writers, and music. I’m a daydreamer so everyday life is usually when inspiration occurs. I like to take a simple concept and then wonder about how far I can manipulate it through speculative thought.
3. How did you concoct the bizarre creatures you used for the trilogy? Were there any real animals that helped contribute to your image of it?
The only real fact which the creatures are tied to is the crazy parasitic behaviour within the animal kingdom. Once I started reading about species being brain-washed and used for another’s gain I was fascinated. I really fell down the rabbit hole with that and it’s where the bulk of my research time was spent on. My hope is that the reader puts a little bit of their own imagination into the “fleshing out” of these creatures. I wrote them in a way which encourages the reader to project their own fears onto the page because I find that to be a really effective tool in the horror genre.
4. Do you remember any certain event in your life that contributed to/started your love of horror?
Probably watching the original Dawn of The Dead and Demons. Growing up with older friends near a large woodland area instilled a healthy fear for ghost stories too! Every evening seemed to revolve around a new ghost and a dare to walk alone.
5. Who would win an arm-wrestling match between you and I, to settle all this shit talking you do?
Obviously, it would be you, Tasha. You're a dazzling specimen of both mental and physical strength, and I would never dare risk my biceps in an attempt to challenge you!
Ok, just kidding, here's what he actually sent:
I’ll answer as a gentleman and say I wouldn’t want to tarnish your professionalism by resorting to such lowly physical displays.
6. What are some things that you feel help you grow as a writer?
Just like the repetition of weightlifting will aid muscle growth, writing most days will improve you as a writer. I’ve learnt skills from fellow writers and editors and seen improvement in my work already. The real skill is to know you can always improve and embrace that fact with loving arms. Having skin as thick as a rhino helps too! Thankfully I’ve always had a bit of “I’ll show you, you’ll see” about my work ethic.
7. Do you look for similar types of horror in what you read, and what you watch?
I actually do the opposite. What I mean by that is I don’t like reading or watching anything too similar to my current WIP because I find it leads to me feeling a bit burnt out by the concept. So it’s been a long time since I’ve watched a creature feature. (Laughs and then begins to cry).
8. Do you think social media is a good tool for writers, for more than just promotional purposes?
Twitter in particular has been fantastic for me to connect with people within or associated with the writing community. It’s where I see publishing opportunities and I enjoy having a collective meltdown with like-minded people.
9. What’s one tip you have for writers who are just starting out?
Write what you enjoy rather than what you think or see is popular at the moment. Cultivate your own voice and style because that’s what you’ll get the most satisfaction from. Having someone compliment you when you’re being yourself is a lot better than when you’re pretending to be something you’re not. If your work is based on what you’re interested in, then it makes sense that longevity will follow.
10. Now that you have a few published works, is there anything you would do differently looking back?
Only thing I’d change is the initial rush to get my work out there without developing my inner quality control. I’ve definitely submitted work which looking back should have never been allowed to be attached to an email. At the same time I’m not entirely sure that is something I’d change because I suppose it’s been part of the process of evolving as a writer. I wasted a lot of time trying to get an agent before I was even published which now seems really dumb. At least I really believed in that manuscript!
Adam can be found on:
Twitter: @HulseAdam
Instagram: adamhulseauthor
TikTok: adamhulseauthor
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