5 Minutes with Mark Henry

Mark Henry, author, and evil genius has let me talk him in to a little Q&A. He is our very first interview so bear with me I am new to this. Also we are giving away one of his books, so stayed tuned. Now lets welcome Mark with a nice Naughty Welcome.

5 Minutes with the Mark Henry

NE: What project are you currently working on? (C’mon give us a hint!)

Mark: I’m working on a short story for an anthology (humorous scifi) about a foot fetishist who obsesses over the wrong foot. Next up is finishing a screenplay with my co-author and get this…it’s not paranormal at all.

NE: Place you most want to visit.

Mark: Right now it’s Barcelona. Ten minutes from now it’ll be Buenos Aires. I love to travel but as a writer, I don’t get to go to many exciting places. Conventions end up being held in Columbus, OH. Whey can’t they be held in Port Au Prince?

NE: Will electronic readers ever take the place of the humble paperback?

Mark: I doubt it. It’s easier to replace a paperback when you drop it in the tub.

NE: If you could be one of your characters – Who would you be? And why?

Mark: I am one of my characters.

NE: Who or what influences you when you write?

Mark: The irreverent film director John Waters is a huge influence. He’s taken what was considered filth and smut and elevated it to comic art. I hope I do the same. My social group is a huge influence. Our conversations spark so much of my favorite dialogue.

NE: When you have writer’s block how do you break free?

Mark: I write the filthiest sex scene I can think of and then force myself to find a place for it in my current work-in-progress. I was blocked quite a bit while writing my latest, BATTLE OF THE NETWORK ZOMBIES, and I’m hearing back from readers that it’s definitely the naughtiest thing I’ve ever written.

NE: Who is your perfect hero? And why?

Mark: My perfect hero is an anti-hero, an everyman or woman that just wants to exist and is forced to deal with unusual circumstances, one that makes bad choices, and is ultimately flawed.

NE: What do you do for inspiration?

Mark: I like to hang out in art museums. I’m very visual and art helps to get me thinking about description and scene.

NE: Is there a genre of book you would like to write but haven’t yet?

Mark: I’d like to write a collection of humorous essays, ala David Sedaris. I know it’s in me, I’ve just got to figure out how to proceed.

NE: What kind of research do you do for your books? Do you enjoy the research process?

Mark: I did very little initial research for the Amanda Feral series, as I know a great deal about zombies from pop culture and previous research. As it progressed, I needed to know more about fashion and make-up, which did take up some time. Mostly I wing it until I hit a subject I don’t know enough about then I jump on Google or head down to the library and ask for some help.

NE: What is your favorite movie of all time? The one where you can watch it and still get affected at the same spots each and every time?

Mark: Heathers is the first one that pops into my head. I love a dark comedy and Heathers was pitch black and over-the-top. I can still recite nearly every great line from that flick.

NE: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 5 things would you have with you? *mind you, you do have a strong hunky man to help you with things* *grins*

Mark: Um…well. The strong hunky man would be eaten as soon as he finished lugging the generator, the gas and the AC (I do hate the heat). I’d definitely need an iphone with a trio of eReader apps, music and movies. And my wife, who never fails to make me laugh.

NE: What is your favorite way to relax after a hard day working and writing?

Mark: I like to cook dinner, something time consuming and intricate. I’m a bit of a foodie.

NE: What is the one era you would love to go visit and why?

Mark: The twenties. Something about all the flappers and illegal booze gives me a nostalgia boner.

NE: Out of all your books, do you have a favorite one? If not, then which one is closest to your heart?

Mark: I’m in love with scenes rather than whole books. I love the sex scene in Road Trip of the Living Dead. It makes me laugh just to think about it. There’s one in the upcoming BATTLE OF THE NETWORK ZOMBIES, I can’t believe I wrote. It might just be a little too shocking, even for me.

NE: What character out of all your books is the closest to your personality?

Mark: Amanda is the closest to me. She’s got a lot of my internal thoughts and pessimism. Of course, there’s a fair bit of Wendy in there too. And Gil.

NE: Have you ever been nervous over reader reaction when a new book came out?

Mark: Oh yeah. There’s always that fear that people won’t get it. Won’t get the humor and because it’s so subjective those fears are realized with each book. The Amanda Feral books are a love it or hate it kind of series. If you don’t get that I’m attempting to subvert a genre and make fun of both tropes and society, then it probably won’t work for you. But if you do, then…well…wear a diaper.

NE: How much does reader response mean to you over your books?

Mark: It has no impact on the work whatsoever. There are four people who can change the course of my books, myself, my wife, my agent and my critique partner.

NE: What do you hope readers get from your books after they read them?

Mark: One of those milk shooting through your nose moments.

NE: If you could make a movie of any one of your books which one would you choose and who would you cast as the h/h

Mark: ROAD TRIP OF THE LIVING DEAD would make a great movie, lots of action and inappropriate humor. Like those black and white Road To Zanzibar flicks only with hand jobs, scat and zombies chewing through people. I had Jennifer Connely in mind when I wrote Amanda, but as she’s getting older, I’d have to go with Emily Blunt just for her dark comic timing. Elizabeth Banks would make an awesome Wendy.

NE: What is the weirdest thing a reviewer has ever said about one of your books?

Mark: That if they ever met me they would assault me with a copy of Happy Hour of the Damned.

NE: What is the nicest thing a reviewer has ever said about one of your books?

Mark: “Mark Henry has successfully subverted the sexiness of the supernatural, by plugging into the profane and earthy viewpoint of zombie party girl, Amanda Feral.” SF Site featured review of Road Trip of the Living Dead

Booklist:
Happy Hour of the Damned

Amanda Feral, a newly turned zombie trying to make her way through Seattle’s undead scene while satisfying her craving for human flesh, discovers that someone or something is determined to turn the underworld into a place of true terror.

Road Trip of the Living Dead

With a little help from a Korean-ghost hood ornament, a cadre of wayward psychics, and a masochist named Fishhook, celebrity party girl Amanda Feral, her zombie pal Wendy, and vampy gay sidekick Gil avoid a dangerous detour while crossing state lines to visit Amanda’s sick mother.

Websites:
Mark Henry’s Blog
The League of Reluctant Adults

Well thanks Mark for interviewing with us. Mark belongs to The League of Reluctant Adults, a group of extraordinary writers whom we hope to hear from in the near future.
I am giving away one of Mark’s books to a lucky winner, drawing ends 11:59 PM EST Thursday August 20, 2009. It is open to readers worldwide!

There are three ways to enter in to the contest. No purchase necessary to enter the contest:
1. To buy one of his books on Amazon at our store. Good for 10 entries.
2. Comment. If you comment you get 2 entries. If you don’t then you get none.
3. Add us to your Facebook or Twitter and retweet or repost will be eligible for the drawing.

I hope you will come back when you next book comes out. You can find Mark Henry’s books at your local book store or online.