PDB: Can you pitch THE VENUS COMPLEX in 25 words or less?
The Venus Complex by Barbie Wilde, out on Comet Press, November 1st 2012:
Here are the 25 words:
“Enter into Michael’s world through his personal journal, where every diseased thought, disturbing dream, and sexually explicit murder highlights his journey from zero to psycho.”
PDB: Which books, films or television shows have floated your boat recently?
The last film that I really liked was called “Headhunters” — a brilliant, unusual Norwegian caper film directed by Morten Tyldum from the book by Jo Nesbø.
Continuing the Norwegian connection, I’m also really enjoying “Lilyhammer”, an American-Norwegian TV series starring Steven Van Zandt. It’s about a New York mobster starting a new life in Lillehammer, Norway in a witness protection program. It is one of the most surreal and hilarious shows I’ve ever seen.
The last book I read was “The Great American Bus Ride” by Irma Kurtz, detailing her journeys around the States on Greyhound buses and the extraordinary people she meets. A great read.
PDB: Is it possible for a writer to be an objective reader?
Absolutely. I’m the “ideal reader” for a couple of friends of mine. (The “ideal reader” is a concept I got from Stephen King’s book “On Writing”.)
PDB: Do you have any interest in writing for films, theatre or television?
I always see things in a cinematic way, so it’s a natural step. Recently, I’ve been co-writing a screenplay-stage play for a musical drama with a couple of other writers.
PDB: How much research goes into each book?
For my novel, I read at least sixty books on art, psychopaths, forensics, homicide detection, alchemy, etc. I also interviewed a homicide detective from the Manhattan North police precinct, as well as a few forensic psychologists. Research is a handy way to break writer’s block, too.
PDB: How useful or important are social media for you as a writer?
It’s great to be in touch with fellow writers and interested readers, of course. It’s a good way to get the news out quickly about whatever project you’re working on. I have my own website as well:
www.barbiewilde.com
I also find Facebook very useful as a junction box, so people can contact me for story submissions and interviews.
However, it’s important not to let Facebook take over. A friend recently described it as a Time Vampire! Updating Facebook, Twitter and my author website all take up time, which is probably much better spent writing!
PDB: What’s on the cards for the rest of 2012/2013?
Writing more short stories, finishing the musical drama screenplay-stage play, promoting my novel “The Venus Complex” and promoting the Cilicium Pandoric musical puzzle box that I’m creating with Eric Gross and Max Lichtor of the Pyramid Gallery (http://www.pyramid-gallery.com/) and The Followers of the Pandorics (http://followers-of-the-pandorics.com/barbie-wilde-to-create-a-pandoric/).
The design of the Pandoric is based on my short story (“Sister Cilice“) about a female cenobite that I wrote for the “Hellbound Hearts” anthology and I’ve written a “further adventures” short story of Sister Cilice to accompany it. It’s perfect way to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of “Hellraiser II: Hellbound” in 2013!
Paul D. Brazill 