Name of Author: David J. Thirteen
Title of Book: The Things We Bury
Favorite Authors: There are so many but of those that tend toward the supernatural... Shirley Jackson, Mary Shelley, Haruki Murakami, and H.P. Lovecraft.
Bio:
A book lover since before I could read, I have spent a good portion of my life trying to write, but I have only gained traction with it in the past few years. Now, it is my all-consuming hobby and my second job (unfortunately a non-paying one). When I'm not reading or writing, I'm working as a business analyst, cooking, listening to music, or just enjoying life with my wonderful wife.
"The Things We Bury"
https://www.wattpad.com/story/16669593-the-things-we-bury-book-one-completed
Can you explain what your book is all about?
There is an old trope that if something supernatural were discovered, the government would capture it and perform experiments. This book takes that as the initial premise and builds on it, creating a character driven drama about a supernatural being and the people hired to experiment on it. Everyone is flawed and each one has secrets in their past they are trying to hide. But nobody on the team understands what this being is capable of. And they are oblivious to the mysterious organization set on destroying it.
Who is your target audience - and why?
I always struggle with this because when I sit down to write, I write for myself and don't think about the audience. But this book is for anyone who is looking for something out of the ordinary with a bit of weirdness and the occasional fright or thrill. I would also, suggest a reader in their late teens or older because of some of the themes and language. Things never get too graphic but there is a lot of mature content.
What is 'paranormal' about your story?
The central figure of the story is a lycanthrope or werewolf. Within the book, the rest of the world is exactly like ours, although there are some hints that the government agency running the experiments has encountered other "X-Files" like phenomena. Later in the series, the lycanthrope's destiny reveals a broader supernatural worldview, but I can't get into that without dropping major spoilers.
Does it contain other genre elements, if so which ones - and why?
There are elements of mystery, espionage thriller, science-fiction, and horror. I didn't set out to write a book of any particular genre. I let the story take me where it needed to go. The mash-up of genres reflects the diverse objectives of the main characters.
Tell us about your writing process - how do you get from story idea to a Wattpad published story?
It usual starts with a fermentation process. I get an idea (usual a scene or a premise) and let it sit. I start to think about how it would happen? Who would do it? What would happen next? What happened before? Gradually it begins to snowball and if it reaches critical mass, where it's an actual story with a beginning, middle, and an end I will write it. I start with a very quick rough draft and go back and edit a few weeks later. I'll mark up the draft and then go over it four more times rewriting. It's a little like sanding a sculpture—each pass removes more of the rough bits. Then I post. One of the benefits of waiting a few weeks after drafting is I usually have a few chapters between the one I'm drafting and the one I'm posting. This gives me a comfort zone if something comes up that requires me to go back and change or add a detail.
Did you encounter any challenges when writing, if so - how did you overcome them?
My biggest problems are time and blocks. Even when I have a lot of free time it doesn't mean I spend a lot of time writing. It's easy to get distracted or to delay until I feel in a writing mood. I find the best way to deal with that is to set goals and stick to them. It's one of the reasons I'm so strict about posting a new installment every Friday—the deadline helps me stay on track. As for blocks, I'm starting to discover that usually they come up when I'm not interested in the scene I'm working on. In a way, it's like the writing is telling me I need a better idea. Now when I get blocked, I'll scrap the scene and start over. I'll try to make a major change to it by altering the direction or the POV, sometimes the entire concept. It has been surprisingly effective.
You often hear that 'writing well' is the baseline for success. What does that mean for you?
All writers should have a goal of doing their best. And the best anyone can do is not perfection. I have to remind myself of that a lot. There are going to be some problems in the prose that I'm not going to be able to fix but as long as I do my best and give it every effort, it is a success.
