Author Interview with Eric Butler

1. When did you start writing?

I started writing when I was very young, like 6 or 7. My mother was big on reading, so I started that young, which naturally morphed into me telling my own stories. I’ve always enjoyed making up stories and sharing them with my friends and family.

2. What was your journey towards becoming an author like?

Once I got out of school, I kind of stopped writing. I would have small bursts when the need to tell a story bubbled up, but it wasn’t something I did daily or even weekly. I released my first novel, The Shadow Within, in December 2019. I had been working on it, one way or another, for about 8 years. I decided to complete the first draft and present it to my wife for Christmas in 2017. She had always wanted me to write a book, and it felt like the perfect way to present it to her. I then worked on it for a few more years until I got it to a point where I felt like it was acceptable to release.

3. What can you tell me about your latest book? (Feel free to include an excerpt.)

My latest, The Bargain, is a mashup of backwoods witches and Greek Mythology. I love including monsters in my stuff, and this time I focused on some of my favorites from the genre. I wrote it so folks with some knowledge of the myths would see the Easter Eggs, but if you don’t know them, it won’t take away from the horror of the situation. The blurb from the back of the book …

Seventeen years ago, Zeke made a deal with Mama Faye.

A deal that provided his barren sister with the baby she always wanted.

In exchange, on the girl’s seventeenth birthday, she will be wed to Mama Faye’s beloved son.

Now desperate to save her daughter from a fate worse than death, Zelma strikes a new bargain ...

And all it will cost is her humanity.

4. What sort of methods do you use for book promotion?

I’m still working on that. For the most part, I do social media. In the past, I have used different services to get my book on mailing lists when I have sales or give a book away. Something I’m trying this year is doing more events. I’ve also noticed that being consistent and supportive of the horror community helps as well. I’m a strong believer in the idea we all win together.

5. Where do you get your ideas for stories?

They come from all over the place. I am a fan of urban legends and myths, so I will often take something and place it in a new or odd place to make it my own. I also get ideas watching other genres, TV shows or movies. Often, I’ll be watching something with the wife that is no where near horror, and I’ll suddenly have a “what if they did X” moment. I’ll jot it down and revisit it later to see if it’s something that can work as a tale of horror or if it was just a “in the moment” kind of thing.

6. What are you working on right now?

Right now, I’m working on a few anthology stories, and a new series focused on one of my most popular characters, The Kentucky Goatman. I also have a sequel for Sins of the Past in the works, and the third chapter to my Rest Stop series.

7. Any advice for other authors?

Read. A lot. Read other genres. I also say write as much as you can, when you can, but don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day or two. Sometimes taking a break is the best thing you can do.

ABOUT ERIC:

“I'm an indie Horror writer who lives deep in the heart of Texas. When I'm not writing novels and stories for anthologies, I'm doing the bidding of 3 adorable huskies. I've been married for over 20 years and have a teenager in the house, so I won't be running out of horror material for quite some time.”