27.4.16

Wordy Wednesday with Joan De la Haye

Hello Wordy Wednesday fans. Today I'm chatting to another writer to tickle your reading muscles and to lure you into a new fictional world. Let me introduce Joan De la Haye, a South African horror writer with three novels, two novellas, and lots of short stories under her belt. She published her first two novels and the novellas with Fox Spirit books, but is going full Indie with her latest release – Fury.

So Joan tell us more...
My job as a horror writer is to disturb, scare, and freak out my reader. And I love my job!

Do you have another job or are you a full time author? If you do something else (international spy?) what is it and do you like it?
When I’m not trying to figure out new ways to screw over my already messed up characters, I’m an administrator for a grant programme at the University of Pretoria. But the programme comes to an end at the end of 2016 and then I’ll be focusing on scaring my reader’s full time. I’m rather looking forward to it.

When did you start writing?
According to my mother and grandmother, I started writing from the moment I could hold a pencil, but I penned my first story at the tender age of twelve. It was during a school holiday and I was driving my poor mother crazy at work, so she handed me a pen and some paper and told me to write something. The result was a rather terrible fairy tale called The Wonderful World of Candyfloss.

What 3 things are guaranteed to make you smile?
My cat, chocolate, and wine.

joan de la haye author horror

Do you have any pets? If yes, what, and do they help or hinder the writing process?
I have a rather cuddly, black, cat called Midnight who has a tendency of insisting on curling up on my lap while I try to write. As long as my arms can reach around him and get to the laptop, and give him some head scratches every few words I’m all good.

Who is your favourite author? Do they influence your writing or are they a total break from the sort of thing you write?
Strangely enough my favourite author is Alexandre Dumas, so a complete break from what I write. That being said … I, like most horror writers, also love Stephen King and Clive Barker. I also recently discovered Karin Slaughter. She writes these really gritty, vicious, thrillers. I love them!

Which book(s) are you reading at the moment?
I’m on the second book of The Dresden Files series – Fool Moon by Jim Butcher.

Where do you do most of your writing?
That depends. Over weekends – in my bed.
During the week – really early in the morning at my desk, in my office at the university. I have a really understanding boss who is incredibly supportive of my writing career.

Tell us about the character that you've written that you like the most - no spoilers!
That’s a tough one. It’s like asking me to choose a favourite child (if I had one). But I’d probably have to go with Jack from Shadows. He’s evil, but a lot of fun to write. I just can’t have him running amok in my head for any length of time.

What is your favourite biscuit?
Oreo!

Tea or Coffee?
Coffee and wine.

If you could genetically cross an animal and a vegetable, what would you pick and why? I like the idea of a potato and a sloth...could you get a lazier creature? (my soul mate)
That’s an interesting question. Makes me think about those mad scientists who made a bunny glow in the dark just to see if they could.
How about jellyfish and broccoli…
No particular reason for the blend, just that it would be interesting to see a head of broccoli with the jellyfish tentacles. ooh I like this weird plan
fury joan de la haye

For all the information on Joan and her books checkout her website: http://joandelahaye.com/
Her Amazon author page is: http://www.amazon.com/
You can stalk her on twitter: @JoanDeLaHaye

Big thanks for taking part. Thanks to all for reading.

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