Patrick Moody is the author of THE GRAVEDIGGER’S SON and CREATURES OF CLAY. His short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies, including LOVECRAFT IN A TIME OF MADNESS, DARK MOON DIGEST, A MONSTER TOLD ME BEDTIME STORIES, HALLOWEEN HORROR VOL. 2, KENTUCKY FRIED HORROR, and has been adapted into audio dramas on CAMPFIRE RADIO THEATER and THE WICKED LIBRARY. He lives in Hamden, CT with his wife.
What is the best piece of advice you have for new writers?
Finish the draft now. Make it look pretty later.
Are there any writing resources, such as books or websites, you’d
like to recommend?
The Horror Tree is a great resource for emerging and established writers. I would urge anyone reading this to check it out. Stuart is a great guy, and they update daily.
What is your favorite type of fiction and who are your favorite
authors?
Horror, Science Fiction, and Medieval History. I would say my favorite horror author would be good ‘ol Stevie King. Its impossible to escape his influence. In sci fi, no one can hold a candle to Gene Wolfe. As for history, Dan Jones is an excellent and accessible writer of medieval nonfiction.
How do you measure success when it comes to your writing?
I try not to obsess over sales. As long as my novels and stories are well-received, I consider that a success.
Do you favor the traditional route or self-publishing?
I’m somewhere in between. My first novel, THE GRAVEDIGGER’S SON, was by the traditional route, while my latest, CREATURES OF CLAY, isn’t self published, but it’s been put out by a much smaller publishing house. There are pros and cons with both, to be sure, though lately I’ve been more interested in the indie horror scene. Lots of support in that community.
How do you deal with rejections?
Rejections are a constant in any writer’s life. Every once in a while, a rejection can sting, usually when it’s a publisher or editor I’m excited to work with. But you have to let that stuff slide.
In your opinion, how important is a writing degree or MFA when it
comes to achieving success in writing fiction?
Not very. I have a degree in Victorian Literature, yet I can’t truly say if it benefited me all that much in my writing career. I think writers can be autodidacts. Read whatever you can, whenever you can. Absorb. That will help you more than a college degree. As for an MFA, unless you’re interested in becoming an editor or agent, I think it’s a waste of money. I’ve seen many people work on their novels as a thesis, only to have nothing come from it.
What are your writing goals for the next twelve months?
I have a new novel in the works. Only two chapters in, but I’m hoping to have a draft finished by spring!
What book(s) are you reading right now?
My reading list is all over the place. I’m always simultaneously reading fiction and nonfiction. Currently working on The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell and The Hundred Years War: The English in France 1337-1453 by Desmond Seward.
Is there anything you’d like to plug? Feel free to share a link.
You can find my novels here: https://www.amazon.com/Patrick-Moody/e/B078TMCXWT?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1644969559&sr=1-2
Thanks for having me!
