I recently had the pleasure of speaking with acclaimed horror novelist Michael Laimo, multi-Bram Stoker finalist and author of six novels and over 100 short stories.

Highly revered by countless fans, his work has been likened to that of Clive Barker and Stephen King, and is considered to place among the higher ranks of the horror genre.

What's more, unlike so many horror works, Laimo doesn't solely rely on plot, he also draws highly believable, well-developed characters that readers truly care about, making his stories all the more cringe-inducing. It was a real honor to speak with Laimo. Here's what he had to say about the craft and business of novel writing.

Why did you decide to become a novelist?

It was on a whim, really. All my life, I'd always sought some form of creative release. Through my early twenties, I'd played guitar in a rock band, and had pretty much burned out from that scene by the time I turned 27.

I was a big horror fan, both of movies and literature, and decided it might be fun to write some scary stories of my own. So, I sold my guitar and bought a laptop. Through a few years of trial and error, I eventually learned the basics of how to write good horror fiction, and started publishing some short stories. Soon thereafter, I wrote my first novel, Atmosphere, which I eventually sold to Leisure Books after attending a pitch session with editor Don D'Auria at a convention. Since then I've sold five more novels, and over 100 short stories.

What formal training did you have before becoming a novelist?

Actually, none at all. I'd needed a creative outlet, and having been a voracious reader of horror fiction, I thought it might be fun to try it out myself. Little did I know what an obsession it would turn out to be. It was a very arduous process at first, learning the ropes through writing short fiction. I read a lot of fiction, and a lot of 'how to' books, and when I felt like I was finding my voice, attempted a novel, which turned out to be Atmosphere.

What's a typical writing day like for you?

Very typical, for me. I commute to my day job in NYC everyday on the LIRR. That's when I get my daily quota in. One hour inbound, and one hour out. Two hours a day. I'm the ONLY person on all of Long Island who LOVES it when the train is delayed. Last week, there was a ninety-minute delay getting to work, so I got in an extra hour and a half of writing. That's huge for me.

Then, I write one day on the weekend, where I escape to the café or library for another three hours. My goal is to make certain, no matter how tired I am or if I have a headache, or whatever distractions there are around me, that I write in my allotted time. Of course, there's ALWAYS someone sitting next to me who peeks over and asks what I'm doing. I usually give them a few minutes to tell them about my work, and give them a business card. But then I get back to work!

How long does it typically take for you to complete the first draft of a novel?

First draft for me comes in as a near-final draft, as I edit as I go along, treating each chapter like a short story. So, my first draft may take about ten months. Then, the last two months are spent refining what I've done, fixing my mistakes, making it as perfect as I can before delivering it to my publisher. Although, in the writing of my recently completed Return to Darkness, I chose to write the first draft completely through without stopping, with no editing, and I found it to be an exhilarating experience. So, who knows what will happen for my next book.

What inspired you to write Dead Souls?

Dead Souls is a foray into religious horror. It tells two stories at once-- one that takes place in the past, and one in the present. In the past, we learn the story of a minister, a religious nut who is convinced that he has cracked a code in the Bible that proves Jesus's rise from the dead was due to a clandestine practice of Egyptian black magic. Convinced that he can grant himself and his family the same immortality he believes Jesus was after, he performs the ritual on his family... with dire results.

In the present, we follow the story of a young man who receives an inheritance from a man he's never heard of before. He flees the turmoil of his life at home and enters into a realm of unimaginable horror. There's something for everyone here: zombies, black magic, suicide, crucifixions, mass murder, and much more.

Dead Souls is inspired through my somewhat vague fear of the church. As a child, I was made to go to church against my will, probably because it bored me to tears. But as I came to understand what was going on, it scared me a bit. People were worshipping a story of a man who rose from the dead. A zombie. So, I took that 'concept' if you will, and turned it into a horror story.

What would you say is the "best" and "worst" aspects of this job?

The best part of being a writer is being able to search your own mind for ideas, and then executing them into word form for others to enjoy. It's a great feeling on those days when the words just come out of me, and actually make sense! Then, the closure of having finished a book is a VERY rewarding experience, almost as much as seeing it in print.

The worst aspect for me is not having enough time during the day to get it all done. The two hours I write is NEVER enough! It's very frustrating to be writing in a great groove and then having to stop, only to pick it back up 8 hours later. When the flow is interrupted like that, it's quite hard to get back into. Another flow might take over, but it's almost always different than the one I stopped earlier in the day.

What would you like to do if you weren't a novelist?

Be a rock star.

What skills would you say one needs to possess in order to be a successful novelist?

That's a hard question to answer, because everyone is different. Some writers just have it in them. The writing comes second nature to them, and they're able to produce first draft material better than the very best outputs from others.

Still one thing we all have to have is patience and determination. One must enjoy the process of writing itself, more so than the end result of 'having written' something. This way, after a piece is done and it goes into the waiting process of acceptance/rejection, or publication, a writer may move on to another project. That's determination, and the love for writing. Never go a day without writing something, even if there are no deadlines or work to be done.

What are your greatest challenges as a novelist?

Right now, making money. I'd love to do this full time someday, but I cannot afford to do so yet. One movie deal, or a nice publishing contract, and I'll be able to write two novels a year instead of one. That would be nice, as I'm not getting any younger.

What are some misconceptions you believe aspiring novelists have?

Same misconception that I had. And that is that I was going to make a nice bit of change doing this. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of bestsellers making a nice living out of this, but publishers need to fill the other 90% of the bookstore shelves. That's where the rest of us come in.

Are there any books on writing that you recommend?

Honestly, read those novels from writers you admire in the genre you wish to write in. See what makes their books publishable and successful, and then try to establish a flow of your own based on the rush you got reading their books.

As well, I would urge anyone to read On Writing, by Stephen King. I've read a multitude of 'how to' books, and this one stands out as the best. I also got a lot out of Plot, by Ansen Dibell.

What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Write every day. And love what you're doing. Join writer's groups, both online and with a real group. And do not get discouraged by rejection-- it's all part of the process. You can learn from them!

What can fans expect from you next?

Well, most importantly, my new novel, Fires Rising, is in stores now. Right now there's nothing more important than for me to concentrate on getting this book into the hands of readers. I feel it's my best novel to date, my most horrific, and showcases some of my best writing. So fans can expect me to let them know about this book ;-)

I'm also working on getting my SF/Suspense novel Sleepwalker out into the mass market-- this was previously published in a limited edition hardcover, with a run of only 250 now sold-out copies. There are a number of short stories due to be published in a variety of magazines. As well, the feature film based on my short story "Anxiety," and filmed by Burning Grounds Independent Media, should be out late 2008.

To learn more about Michael Laimo and his work, visit his site at http://www.laimo.com/. He can also be contacted at Michael@Laimo.com or through www.myspace.com/michaellaimo.

Jennifer Minar-Jaynes is a Los Angeles-based writer and the editor-in-chief of www.WritersBreak.com. Subscribe to her free writing e-newsletter, Writer’s Break Monthly, by sending an email to subscribe@writersbreak.com.

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