“Jeremy
C. Shipp’s boldness, daring, originality, and sheer smarts make him one of the
most vital younger writers who have colonized horror literature in the past
decade. Shipp’s modernist clarity, plus his willingness to risk damn near
everything, put him up at the head of the pack with the very best.”
–Peter Straub legendary author of Ghost Story, The Talisman(with Stephen King), Black House(with Stephen King), Shadowland and other essential-reading horror classics
–Peter Straub legendary author of Ghost Story, The Talisman(with Stephen King), Black House(with Stephen King), Shadowland and other essential-reading horror classics
“Shipp’s clear, insistent voice pulls you down into the rabbit hole and doesn’t let go.”
–Jack Ketchum Author of Off Season, Off Spring, The Woman( with Lucky Mckee), The Girl Next Door and other books worthy of quoting and worship
I had the honor of interviewing Bram Stoker Nominated, and critically acclaimed author Jeremy C. Shipp. This is only my second official interview for Atrophied Gangsters and I was more than a little nervous. I follow Shipp in NewsFeed on Facebook pretty rabidly but never correspond with him directly, because I assume writers of this caliber are busy all the time, and I don't want to hinder that next novel. When he's not making some funny, quotable quip, he's posting these amazingly awesome pictures--like GodZilla battling the Stay Puft Marshmellow-Man--or he's giving away free Kindle books. Like Attic Clowns, which is already sort of a cult classic, and I predict future generations will envy us who got it for free.
Mr. Shipp is self-deprecating, humble, and someone I admire as a writer and a person...a haunted person, a person who writes their way through Coulrophobia and rises above. His Attic Clown yarns are that personal wink that says "Friend, you're not alone,".
Him and I come from that lost generation--a time of clear Pepsi, slap-bracelets, Hammerpants, and T.G.I.F. was an acronym that meant something...
I'm Jason Wayne Allen of Atrophied Gangsters and I am proud to present
A TOTALLY DRAGON INTERVIEW WITH JEREMY C. SHIPP of THE FLAPJACK
JWA : So, I’m
interviewing a Bram Stoker Award Nominated author…kind of nervous, plus I’m an amateur
at interviewing.
I
feel kind of like that nerd who’s finally going to get laid by the hottest
chick in school, and all of his friends tell him to think about baseball or
he’ll prematurely ejaculate…you, Mr. Shipp, are the hottest chick in school.
Let’s play
ball…
JCS: Thank you.
That’s the third time today that somebody’s called me the hottest chick in
school, but it still feels just as sweet.
JWA : Speaking
of hot chicks in school, let’s touch briefly on Bayside High and those rascals
from Saved by the Bell: What was up with Kelly Kapowski being the hottest chick
in school? I much preferred Jessie Spano. Plus, I thought her and Zack had much
better chemistry. Yeah, she had tough
exterior and firm feminist convictions that may not appeal to most men, but you
saw how she melted for A.C., underneath she was as girly as Kelly and in my
opinion just as attractive, maybe more attractive. Thoughts?
JCS: Kelly and
Jessie were both amazing women, but to be honest, I thought Zack and Screech
would end up together. Their chemistry was undeniable. And I thought it would
be interesting for the coolest kid in school to get with the dorkiest. (Wait,
was Zack the coolest kid in school, or was it just me thinking he was the
coolest? Hmm…)
 |
Like the special abortion episode of Saved by the Bell, I think we're due for a Screech and Zach wedding special. |
JWA : According
to your Wiki article you published your first story at the age of eighteen,
what was the name of the story and is it still available to the public?
JCS: My first
acceptance letter was for a story called “Love Thy Demon.” The tale is no
longer available, and that’s probably for the best. But for those interested in
my early work, I am thinking of releasing my first short story, which I wrote
in 4th grade. It will blow your mind like a hairdryer blowing dry somebody’s
brains.
JWA : What was
it like, publishing at such a young age? That had to do wonders to your
confidence.
JCS: After I
was published the first time, I sang and jigged and made merry. But sadly, my
confidence remained unchanged. I still lacked the confidence to tell Kelly my
true feelings and she ended up marrying Zack.
JWA :(Editor's note) Don't worry Mr. Shipp, Saved by the Bell is a sham without it's laugh track, and that marriage episode had no laugh track...you may still have a chance.
JWA : Do you have any formal education in writing?
JCS: I got a
degree in creative writing from UC Riverside. The writing workshops were good
experiences, but ultimately, I learned the most about writing fiction from
reading fiction.
JWA : What is
your writing schedule like? Do you write every day? Have a word count goal?
Anything along those lines?
JCS: I write
every day, usually at night. I like to start during the witching hour or the
sandwiching hour. I don’t have a word count goal. I just write until my brains
fall out and my spleen beings to melt.
JWA : Are
there essentials you need while you write? Like, Cigarettes, booze, drugs Et
Cetera…?
JCS: I do
prefer to be surrounded my monsters and mythological creatures when I’m
writing, but other than that, I don’t have any particular needs. When I’m
writing, I often forget to eat, or drink. Sometimes I don’t even breathe.
JWA : I got into you from reading your story Flapjack from the Bizarro Starter Kit (Blue)
maybe three times, and still have no idea what the characters are. Forgive me
for asking but are they humans from a different dimension? I got a hobbit vibe
on my first read but then noticed on your blog; you have a thing for gnomes.
Are the characters from Flapjack gnomes? And why are gnomes so tippy cool?
JCS: Gnomes
are tippy cool, because of their tip-top hats and their fashionable bears. And
as for the beings in Flapjack, I can’t tell you what they are. I promised them
I wouldn’t.
JWA : Let’s
talk about Bizarro.
As you most
likely know Bizarro Con is happening as I type these questions (11-15-2012) why
aren’t you there? Your last Facebook update was something like, ‘Helping my
parents put up Christmas decorations…’ why are you not frolicking nude through
the streets of Portland, Oregon with Jeff Burke, drunk and freaking out
squares?
JCS: I’m busy
scraping paint on a house, trying to earn some scratch, while my doppelganger
and my golem go to Bizarro Con in my place. Hopefully they won’t kill too many
people during the festivities.
JWA : Who is
your favorite author from the Bizarro scene?
JCS: Choosing a favorite Bizarro writer would be like choosing my favorite yard gnome, and that’s impossible.
JWA : You give
the vibes of a sensible guy with a dignified air. You know who else has that
vibe? Peter Straub. Peter Straub had good things to say about you. That had to
be a confidence builder, right?
 |
| Horror Demigod Peter Straub has been called an impeccable dresser by Stephen King, and he's known to be a huge jazz fan--Straub has class. |
JCS: I was
deeply honored by Peter Straub’s words. But honestly, I’m still as insecure as
ever.
JWA : Jack
Ketchum said nice stuff too—JACK KETCHUM!?
 |
| "Who's the scariest guy in America? Probably Jack Ketchum"-Stephen King |
JCS: I know,
right? I don’t know why I’m lucky. Oh wait, yes I do. I do have a room filled
to the brim with lucky rabbits’ feet and four-leaf clovers.
JWA : Could
you tell who wrote what in The Talisman or Black House? Peter Straub said in an
interview the only person he met that could was Neil Gaiman. I could not. Could
you?
JCS: Yes, I
can tell, but I promised Mr. Straub that I wouldn't.
JWA : If you
died and had to introduce yourself to God as an author, but could only name one
book that defined what your fiction was all about, what book (or story) would
you ask God to read? In other words, what is your favorite Jeremy C. Shipp book
(or story)?
JCS: I would
probably recommend Cursed. There’s a lot of me in that book. A lot of my mind
and my heart and my imagination. And I love those characters. They’re some of
the best imaginary friends a writer could ask for.
JWA : Who are
your favorite authors?
JCS: Some of
my favorites are: Arundhati Roy, Lois Lowry, Haruki Murakami, Kurt Vonnegut,
Kazuo Ishiguro, Gregory Maguire, George Orwell, Amy Tan, Charlotte Bronte.
JWA : I read
that your house inspires a lot of your work, is there anything or anyone else?
JCS: I’m
inspired by my family and friends, by world events, personal events, people on
the street, dreams, nightmares, clouds, toys, cats, hummingbirds, spaghetti.
JWA : What are
your thoughts on Kindle or eBook publishing? Also, what about self-publishing?
JCS: I love
real books. I love the way they smell, the way they look sitting there on a
bookshelf, the way they feel in my hands. Sorry, that sounded way too sexual.
Anyway, while I am a fan of printed books, I also like eBooks. I don’t really
care how my fans and readers read my stories. As long as they’re enjoying my
work, I’m happy. And I believe self-publishing can be a good thing when authors
put out quality books.
JWA : Attic
Clowns was great (it also inspired me to put a clown in my Kindle book
CELEBUTANTE MEAT-HOUSE and there is a blatant nod to Attic Clowns besides that,
you’ll have to read the story to get it) and I foresee a day when Clowns usurp
the zombies and vampires and IT becomes the Dracula of the Clown genre.
Thoughts?
JCS: First of
all, I’m honored to hear that Attic Clowns inspired you in that way! And I
agree. Someday, clowns will become more popular than all the other creatures of
the night. And then, it’s only a matter of time before my hordes of clowns
minions rule the Earth.
JWA : You like Takashi Miike a lot, favorite Miike
film?
 |
| Shipp's Story Victim: A Story Inspired by Takashi Miike Can be found in The Magazine of Bizarro Fiction issue one |
JCS: Audition
is strange and horrifying and enthralling. I also love The Happiness of the
Katakuris. I’m a big fan of weird musicals. There’s always a weird musical
playing somewhere in my brain at all times. That’s why I break into song so
often.
JWA : If you
were a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, which one would you be and why?
I don’t do
machines, I’m not cool but rude (or is it crude?), and I’m not a party dude. At
the end of the day, I would probably be a boring leader like Leonardo. That
makes me a little sad.
JWA : The
first TMNT movie stands the test of time. Watched it recently and besides April
O’Neil’s hairstyle and some late ‘80s early ‘90s dialog, there was zero
cheese…except on the pizza! (rim shot!)
JCS: Ha ha!
That is one shell of a film.
JWA : Favorite
music, bands, and do you listen to music while you write?
JCS: Some of
my favorite musicians/bands: Pink Floyd, Akeboshi, A Fine Frenzy, Of Monsters
and Men, Mumford and Sons, Frightened Rabbit, Flaming Lips, Johnny Cash, Aimee
Mann. I used to listen to music while I would write, but these days I prefer
silence mixed with the sounds of Attic Clown chortles and yard gnome yodels.
JWA : If you
could punch anyone square in the face right now, who would it be and why?
JCS: I would
punch myself in the face and give myself a black eye. Then I’d have something
interesting to post on Instagram, instead of my usual photos of spaghetti.
JWA : Advice
for new writers looking to break into the Horror, Bizarro, and weird fiction
scene?
JCS: First and
foremost, it’s important to sell your soul to a demon or an anthropomorphic
toaster. That always helps. In addition to that, write every day, even if you
only have time to write one paragraph. Shop your stories around to respected
magazines and publishers. Talk to other writers in your genre. Sacrifice a
Smurf on a blue altar, using a toothpick dipped in gummiberry juice.
JWA : Facebook
or Twitter—which do you prefer?
JCS:I like
Twitter. It’s a fun challenge, attempting to write something funny/interesting
in 140 characters. But I think I prefer Facebook, because of all the cat
pictures. And I like chatting with folks there.
JWA : Thank
you for answering these questions. I can’t wait to read more from you, Mr.
Shipp. I’ll see you on Facebook. I always look forward to the totally DRAGON
pictures you leave in Newsfeed.
JCS: Thank
you, good sir! May the spork be with you.
Check out Attic Toys, the latest anthology edited by Jeremy C. Shipp. Featuring Jeff Strand, Lisa Morton, and many other horror scribes...Buy it here for Kindle at Amazon
Jason Wayne Allen is an author of Horror and Bizarro fiction. He is currently working on a novel, and many short stories and a novella or three for his 2013 takeover.
You can read him in the StrangeHouse anthology Zombie! Zombie! Brain, Bang!
