I am 24 year old Business graduate living in the UK. My interests include martial arts. I have studied a few disciplines including Karate and Muay Thai. I have a big interest in MMA though I don’t practice it. I like poetry, aside from novels and short stories I write poems and I am working on two anthologies at present. I have a novel that has been published by Hellicious Horrors Epublishing owned by Nina Hobson. If you would like please visit the website for details on my book. I studied philosophy a few years that gave me a new perception on life. I used to be an amateur film maker and I have a YouTube channel. I love theology and find it a fascinating subject and finally I am a bit of a gamer and love my PS3.
About the book
Title - Memoirs of the Damned
Genre – Horror/Fantasy/YA
Available – online only
Publisher - Nina Hobson - Hellicious Horrors Epublishing
Website - http://www.hellicioushorrors.com/
A Vampire epic set in a timeless gothic medieval backdrop with the palpable sensation of rage and loss.
Andross Ameliyo’s world is constantly beset by tragedy. On a stormy night he is given a choice that will ultimately spell damnation for himself or for those around him. Will he choose revenge or redemption?
When and why did you begin writing?
I would have to say I began writing at the age of 12/13 but that was mainly poetry. Around about 16/17 whilst I was at college I began writing stories but they were very poor and ill written pieces of work. However my imagination is a wild phantom that doesn’t let me sleep sometimes and it propelled me to write more and more. My poetry got better and more exuberant, my writings became more believable. Its funny actually as the ill written stories I’m talking about were the foundations of the story I have just got published. If ever the cliché was correct then its – Practice does indeed make perfect. I write because my friends like my work and well my imagination is a lot better than most stuff out there, yes I have a grand ego.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Simple answer Never, it was my friends who helped me realise this revelation. I wrote because it kept me entertained, but when my friends read my poetry or stories they were like “whoa, you’re a good writer” and then I had the epiphany, “Me, Writer??” So I guess I do now especially since I’ve been given a chance but really I never did.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Haha, whoa how long have you got? Ok I’ll keep it short and sweet. My imagination is one wicked device, it has its own mind and I am not in control. Basically I wanted to see a real vampire, allow me to elaborate. In my opinion twilight is not real vampirism, 30 days of night kind of misses the mark too. Blade almost had it but lost it eventually. I have a pre-set notion of what I think a real vampire is and only one thing satisfied that notion, a game. Legacy of Kain is a well known computer game franchise, its main character Kain is what I consider to be a “Real” vampire unfortunately there weren’t more like him. My imagination craved more so I had a brain wave, I’ll just make my ideal vampire up, everyone else has. No disrespect to authors and visionaries it’s just I don’t see them that way. This is my first time writing a fictional literary piece, the market may be saturated by tales of vampires. My tale is designed to rock the senses of the reader and bring back some dignity to the myth of vampires conjured by Vlad the Impaler’s tyranny. Games, books, films and heck everyday life was the inspiration for my book. Bare in mind this story isn’t totally whole rather it’s an amalgamation of those early stories I used to write, a series basically that I was sentimentally drawn towards and had to see developed.
How did you come up with the title?
This story of mine is actually a collection of old stories I wrote in my college days rolled into one. The old stories were called hang-man, they followed the same basic linear path of the book but the book is far more comprehensive and better structured than the stories. I took the old stories mashed them altogether into one and did minimal research. I realised that if I’m doing such a big project then I need to do the title justice as “hang-man” just seems feeble compared to the newly written content. So lo and behold Memoirs of the Damned rose from the embers of the old stories like a demented phoenix.
Do you see writing as a career?
Totally, absolutely, hey if I knew I could support myself by making stuff up with the gunk in my head I would. I have a degree in business and I never studied English in college. I don’t like rules that inhibit imagination such as grammar haha but I totally love to entertain, a career in writing would be AWESOME and I confess it’s a coveted aspiration.
When in the day/night do you write? How long per day?
I can’t really concentrate in the day, my mind hasn’t warmed up plus I feel groggy (like a bear out of hibernation). The night inspires me, especially when writing ominous horror passages or deep seated love poems. There’s something about the night that fills me with fantastic fright. I look out into the cold alleyways from my bedroom window. The pondering of what dangers lurk out there, the feeling I have is real and is transposed into my writing. At night I am at the peak of my philosophical prowess and it is in the twilight that I excel. I can only write between 800 – 1000 words before I get bored.
How do you describe your writing style?
Classical in a word, I am a real sucker for the days of yore. I have a certain quaint understanding of things and I guess it’s reflected in my writing. When I have debates with my friends they find what I’m trying to say difficult to understand. The reason being I use words they’re not familiar with. I asked them why this is the case, the response was that I talk in poetry.
Typical, my gift is my curse.
But I’m not too bothered, I have a talent and I will flaunt it.
What are you passionate about these days?
THIS! developing a career in writings and becoming a phantom in books. I’m only a fledgling at the moment but want to be a colossal force in the literary world. I have high aspiration but enough heart to see it through. The only thing lacking is opportunity but even that is becoming more frequent. I have a penchant for the dramatic and I am ever trying to further my dream and live my passion. I want to reach those immaculate eiderdowns of thought. I want to bask in the sweltering everglades of inspiration, those shining symphonies that resonate throughout all of history. I want those sun-kissed petals of reason to touch my soul. I want to fully immerse myself in the literary arts. I want to live my dreams.
Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers? If so, what are they?
The writing world is harsh and cruel; at every turn there is someone there to put you down. Meeting that adversity head on is what will define you as an author, as a writer.
Don’t despair because of the level hypocrisy because every cloud has a silver lining. There are gems in this world too; people out of selflessness want to help you. People like Apryl who through her own kindness wants to help. If you can find these gems of people then half your work is done. They will help you, reinvigorate your standing and help you re-establish the confidence that may have been lost.
Find these gems, these bloggers and reviewers and watch your world change. Hey, even you might change in the process.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Only to those who will read Memoirs of the Damned
I am not a horror author, that sentiment conjures ideas of boring old men writing stories. I am not a horror author.
I am the puerile insanity Sigmund Freud fantasised about. Cerberus was mine to begin with; I raised him from when he was a puppy. Jack the ripper was my Masonic manservant before I fired him. The muse for David Berkowitz wasn’t my demon cousin possessing the neighbour’s dog, IT WAS ME. Dante Aligheri got the idea for writing his inferno after visiting the 7 levels of my house.
I am the evil reflection in your mirror that imitates as you are looking, but keeps staring at you as you look away. I am the villainy behind your eyes before you sin. I am the evil that resides in your subconscious. I am NOT a horror author, I am Horror!
What are you working on at the moment/have in the pipeline?
• A Martial arts play for a competition
• Trying to get my book published traditionally
• Compiling 2 poetry anthologies concurrently
• Writing a romance novel
• I want to write a collection of multi-genre short stories
• I want to write a trilogy of novels in the sci-fi genre
• I want to make a film based on one of my book
Ok and all that whilst maintaining my sanity and trying to find full-time work. Honestly speaking if I got paid just make stories and stuff (sigh) I think my soul would receive some measure of peace.
Where to find me?
https://twitter.com/darkbiggie
Where to find my book?
http://www.hellicioushorrors.com/vampires.html
Excerpt
The man spoke, “Cease Emmanuelle!!” The beast snarled before looking up briefly and saying, “Yes Master”. The beast disappeared like a wisp of air, I crawled out onto the grass on my chiselled elbows, breathing heavily. I said to this mysterious man, “thank you sir”. He replied, “Rise child, tell me your name”. I shakily stood up and took a long hard look at this man. He was wearing long black pants with leather frills down the side. He had a long black cloak and a sickly pale face hidden behind a bandana he wore over his mouth. To complete the picture he wore a strangely styled hat. His eyes however looked most menacing of all. They were not human eyes, they couldn’t be. Orange pupils with blue iris’ and it looked as though his eyeballs pulsated within their sockets. I replied to his question, “Andross Ameliyo, and you good sir?” He looked at me with those demonic piercing eyes and replied, “You may call me Master Sereigravo”
I asked this ‘Master’ about the beast.
“That thing before, it was a vampire. Am right? How did you get him off me?” Sereigravo began to circle me before saying, “very perceptive, he is my pupil as I want you to be. Poor child you have suffered many hardships in your animation have you not? So I think it’s appropriate that you get some much deserved recompense. I give you a choice Andross, to live my kind of life as a detested vampire, eternal life without suffering to drink from the necks of human in a endeavour to become more or…….” I waited on his every word, I was transfixed by his bulbous eyes as if I were in a trance, “……or you can turn around and walk away but if you do. You will not live to see another day, not another dawn. No flowery meadow or brisk air will ever caress your skin. Make your choice Andross! Choose”.
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