Interview with Carl Hose

I dug this one out of the archives. This interview was conducted by Paul Fry and originally done for Short, Scary Tales Publications. Paul Fry was web master there. He also edited and published the horror anthology Cold Storage, which contains my short story Scoring. Paul went on to form Short, Scary Tales Publications and Peep Show magazine. With Paul's ok, I've reprinted the interview here.

Just to make it interesting, I've added comments in italics to update particular answers to some of the questions in this interview. The updates are April 19th, 2006.

Paul Fry: Hi Carl, thanks for taking the time to talk to me. Could I ask you when you first started writing?

Carl Hose: I've been writing since I was sixteen years old. I was one of those weird kids who'd skip school just to sit at home and write.

PF: What made you want to start writing? Was it that you've always wanted to be a writer, or was it because you've read that many, lets say, not so good novels and short stories and thought . . . hey, I could do better than this?

CH: I've always been a writer, really. It isn't something I chose; writing chose me. It started when I was a kid, with that really active imagination, and as I got older, the writing began to emerge. For me, it was always writing. There was never a question . . . except for about a year or so I played in a band, but even then, I was expressing myself through not only live performance, but through songwriting. Writing was still a part of it.

PF: Who is your writing hero or heroine'?

CH: I don't really admire writers as much as I admire the work of writers. I can tell you about early influences. When I was younger, I watched a lot of Baretta . . . that was a cop show on TV, starring Robert Blake. I used to make up my own stories about the show. I also read the "Doc Savage" series by Kenneth Robeson and "The Executioner" series by Don Pendleton. Horror stories didn't start to influence me until later.

PF: How often do you write?

CH: Constantly. If I'm not actually sitting in front of my keyboard, I'm writing in my head. Writing doesn't go away.

PF: Do you write better at a certain time of the day. Do you get more inspiration late at night for example?

CH: I write day and night. I'm equally inspired day and night. I like to write at night because I like that time, but it doesn't provide more inspiration than daylight does.

PF: What kind of advice would you give to someone who has just started to write?

CH: Never think your writing is as good as it gets. You write all the time. You write about everything, you keep your mind open, and you always focus on improving your skills. Never think you have all the answers.

PF: Do you know who your biggest fan is?

CH: Me. I say that because I am my biggest fan. For others to like what I'm doing, I have to enjoy it first.

Wow, what a pompous ass I was. I'm still my biggest fan, though.

PF: What is your favorite story out of all the ones you've written?

CH: That's a tough one. I'm partial to The Thing in the Attic, Legend of Falling Rock, and The Riches of Rock Island. Those are published pieces, though. I have a couple of favorites that have yet to make it to print. I have a story called Confessions of a Porn Hack I'm rather fond of, but due to the nature of the story, I've had a hard time getting it published anywhere. I don't think that takes away from the validity of the story, though.

Confessions of a Porn Hack now appears in Deathgrip: Exit Laughing. There are a bunch more stories I've written that I like as well as these, but these three remain high on my list.

PF: Are you in the process of writing a novel. Or have you ever attempted to write one in the past?

CH: I have a finished novel. Now I'm in the process of putting together a collection of short erotic horror stories.

The novel has yet to do anything. I'm working on a new one. I'm also working on a screenplay. I have a collection of western horror due out this year. I've written and sold numerous short stories this year as well, both in the horror and erotica genres. The short stories alone keep me pretty busy.

PF: What is the most satisfying thing about writing to you?

CH: Everything about writing satisfies me.

PF: Who is your favorite published author and why?

CH: I go through different phases. Right now I'm on a Charles Bukowski kick. He was such a real writer . . . he turned his pain and his hunger into words . . . I like that. Besides Bukowski, I always like to read Robert R. McCammon.

These days I seem to gravitate toward specific writers. Stephen King is a staple. Robert McCammon is big for me. Graham Masterton, John Shirley, and Jack Ketchum too. There are a lot of writers who keep my interest for short periods of time, but these guys are always there.

PF: Just between us, who's your least favorite author?

CH: Well, after this interview, it won't be just between us anymore. There are a lot of people I don't read. If I read you then I like you. I don't have a least favorite. I just don't read people whose work I don't like.

PF: Who is your favorite unpublished author and why?

CH: I know a lot of people who write well that aren't professionally published. Many of them are fine writers.

PF: On a more personal note now. And this has nothing to do with writing. What are the most important things in your life?

CH: My kids are the most important thing in my life. I love my kids more than anything. I have two . . . a son and a daughter.

A lot has changed here. I'm married to a beautiful woman, and I have four kids, one son and three daughters. They are what's most important in my life.

PF: What kind of things do you really like, and what do you really dislike?

CH: I'm crazy about sex, coffee, and spicy-hot food. I dislike people who are full of shit.

Okay, a lot of people think I'm full of shit, but that's beside the point.

PF: Well thank you very much for taking the time to talk to me, and I personally wish you loads of success with your writing, and hopefully I'll see your stories in bookstores across the world very soon. Thanks again Carl.

Originally posted 1st of February 2000 at Short, Scary Tales.