Annabell: Tell us a little about yourself.
Lloyd Poast: Sure. I’ve always wanted to be involved with the arts in some way, whether it be painting, music, drama, or literature. Unfortunately, I don’t really have the natural talent to be an actor or rock star, so about five years ago, I decided to take a writing course and that really motivated me to pursue it. My first published piece was a hockey article for thechicagosportsreview.com. After that, I was a staff writer for the popular music site, Consequence of Sound. I loved writing for them and corresponding with upcoming bands, but it was very time consuming and I wanted to concentrate more on fiction. My goal is to eventually become a full time writer, but I can’t quit my day job yet.
Annabell: Three words to describe your writing style.
Lloyd Poast: Hip, whimsical, and poetic.
Describe the plot of your short story in one sentence.
Lloyd Poast: A teenage boy wanders into a mystical forest where things change with every blink and where dreams and nightmares literally walk out of the ocean.
Annabell: What do you think is alluring about your story that would make someone want to read it?
Lloyd Poast: The imagination and magic of alternate worlds is appealing to a lot of readers and I’ve tried to add a unique twist to that. Everyone also seems to really like the characters, especially Amaisia.
Annabell: What are five things you have to have when writing?
Lloyd Poast: I actually don’t really have any special needs or rituals when I’m writing. The only problem I have is actually finding the time to do it.
Annabell: Blink is a short novelette built on magic and pure imagination. If you could create your own world to live in, what would that world consist of? Would you give it a name?
Lloyd Poast: I love water, so there’d be a lot of waterfalls, fountains and beaches everywhere, and the architecture would feature a lot of the classic European style, like in Vienna or Rome. Basically, it’d be the best of everything in this world, without the poverty and sickness.
Annabell: What was the inspiration behind the character, Goddess Amaisia Moon?
Lloyd Poast: I had a lot of wild dreams when I was a kid and one that I really stands out was a very frightening encounter with a man in a suit and top hat. When I finally saw his face, it was that of a cat. The first few drafts of Blink actually had him as the villain. His name was Raylan and he never talked in the story. The only thing anyone heard from him was the scream. Over time, the story just seemed to transform from a horror story into a more lighthearted fantasy and I eventually replaced Raylan with the more charismatic, Amaisia Moon. She seems to be the character that most people are attracted to, so I think I made the right choice. A few of the traits that both Raylan and Amaisia shared were the top hat, masquerade mask, cat’s eyes, and the scream.
Annabell: Would you ever consider revisiting Blink and somehow forging it into a full length novel? Why or why not?
Lloyd Poast: I actually have thought about either expanding Blink into a full-length novel or writing a sequel and have Lance return to the forest with the hope of freeing Melissa from Amaisia and bringing her into our world. That probably won’t be for a while, though. I’ve had a few other ideas on the backburner that I’m dying to get down on paper.
Annabell: If a playlist existed for Blink, what songs would you choose?
Lloyd Poast: Skyway by the Replacements, Wave of Mutilation by the Pixies, and Rebellion by Arcade Fire. The lyrics don’t really fit the story, but the overall feel of the songs do.
Annabell: What are some upcoming projects you’re working on now?
Lloyd Poast: Right now, I’m working on a short comic script for a horror ezine that’s interested in publishing it for the digital market. Comics are such a cool combination of art and writing and I’ve always wanted to be involved with them in some way. I’m hoping it works out, but either way, I’d love to write a graphic novel sometime soon. After that, I’ll get back to a couple of unfinished short stories. I took about a year and a half off from writing, so I have some catching up to do.
Random Fun Questions:
Would you ever go rock climbing? I’d try it, but unfortunately, I don’t really do well with heights. I flew for the first time last year and I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would.
If you could have dinner with any living author, who would you choose, why would you choose said author and what would you cook? Neil Gaiman. He’s an amazing talent and I’d love to hear some of his stories from his Sandman days. I’d probably just barbecue. He seems like a pretty laid back guy.
Favorite Snacks You Can’t Get Enough Of: Cheesecake and Coca Cola
Favorite Quote from a book you love: I love the last couple of lines of Catcher in the Rye, “Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.” That book is loaded with great quotes, though.
Ninja Turtles or Batman? Why? Batman for sure. I’ve never really been into the Ninja Turtles and Batman has some of the coolest villains ever such as the Scarecrow and Poison Ivy. Also, Julie Newmar never guest starred in the Ninja Turtles.
Synopsis: A teenage boy wanders into a mystical forest ruled by a gypsy goddess named Amaisia Moon.
The forest changes with every blink or head turn and he discovers an ocean where dreams and nightmares literally come alive.
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