Interview: Sherry Decker

 Interview with Sherry Decker

The Horror Librarian: Please describe your creative process. How did you come upon the idea for Hook House and Other Horrors?

Sherry Decker: My teacher, Jack Remick, suggested I submit a dozen or so of my published short stories to a collection publisher. Since ‘Hook House’ had appeared in Cemetery Dance Magazine (soon to appear in Best Of Cemetery Dance #2), and numerous other stories had appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, I felt as if my credits were sufficient to impress an editor, at least enough for him-or-her to seriously consider the idea.

The Horror Librarian:What do you find the most challenging part of the writing life?  The most rewarding?

Sherry Decker: I’m not sure how the truly prolific authors produce numerous books in a short period of time. Perhaps they have a dozen books written/rejected and stashed in a drawer somewhere, and they submit them one at a time every year once they’ve found a publisher who likes their work. That won’t be happening in my case. It took me a long time to write my first novel, Hypershot, and it has now been accepted by Eldritch Press, to be published in 2015. I’ve finished a second novel, (title to be decided) and it’s been submitted. Hook House and Other Horrors, with Damnation Books, is a collection of short fiction that spans a period of time in my life from 1995 to 2005. Not exactly prolific. So I guess the most challenging part of the writing life is the time it takes to produce something satisfying—especially regarding quality. The most rewarding thing is when someone tells you they LIKE it enough to publish it.

The Horror Librarian: Who are your writing heroes?

Sherry Decker:  This has the potential to be a very long list but I’ll compress it to a baker’s dozen (in no particular order). Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, Ray Bradbury, Margaret Atwood, Stephen King (his older books) Tom Tryon (The Other) Anne Rice (Interview With the Vampire) Joyce Carol Oates (short fiction) Willa Cather (short fiction) Neil Gaiman (The Ocean at the End of the Lane) and last but not least, Jack Remick (Blood). Blood would make SUCH an exciting action-adventure movie. Jack said he’s working on a sequel and when he does, you’d better believe I’ll buy it.

The Horror Librarian:What are you working on right now?

Sherry Decker: The editing process for my novel, Hypershot. When finished, hopefully in a week or less, I’ll go back to working on my third novel, Salvage.

The Horror Librarian: List 5 things that are on your writing desk right now.

Sherry Decker: Things? Pieces of paper with ideas for changes, revisions and upcoming scenes for the third novel, Salvage. A handful of ink pens, several tablets, a mug warmer, Kleenex. Things like that? And the phone. I try to eliminate things that are distractions.

The Horror Librarian: What are you reading right now?

Sherry Decker: I am finishing up Revival by Stephen King. I wish he’d write another book as terrifying as Salem’s Lot or The Shining. I still love his style, the way he does his character building, his ability to create a setting, his dedication to details, the way he makes things feel supernaturally-real, but ¾ way through and nothing has scared me. Nothing has given me the creeps. Maybe he no longer wants to scare the bejeebers out of people. Maybe he likes to create a character and lob jagged stones of torment at them, like writers do, but I long for his ability to make me leave the hall light on at night.

Thanks for your interest, Hillary. Enjoyed your questions.

The Horror Librarian: Thanks, Sherry!