Interview with David Mayo
Author of PORTAL
Buy this book
How would you describe PORTAL to a new reader?
- It is the story of a man who, after losing his parents and nearly his life, lives in self-imposed exile in his own home, a victim of severe epilepsy. Jagger is a man with no hope until a possible cure is offered. Unfortunately, the side effects are monstrous.
What was the inspiration behind PORTAL?
- The idea came from an amalgam of articles I had read dealing with Epilepsy, the quantum mind and some new medical breakthroughs.
Which authors do you admire? How have they influenced your writing style?
- The obvious would be King and Koontz. I have discovered many great authors when I discovered the Kindle. J.A. Konrath, Blake Crouch, Joe Hill, Jack Kilborn, and David Wong, come to mind to mention a few.
Can you tell us a little about the locations in the book?
- I have few locations in this story as it all occurs over a few weeks. It is a "close" story, with the action driving it all forward.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors? How would you advise a new author about traditional publishing versus self publishing?
- It is the same old platitudes. Write, write, write. Never stop. Independent publishing is the obvious first step. If your very first eBook elicits praise, then consider the Trades. Otherwise, keep creating eBooks and paperbacks. Many independent writers can afford to promote. I have not been fortunate enough to afford some of the heftier promotions, but I never stop writing and I promote where I can.
What's your writing process?
- I write in silence. No TV, music or other distractions. I tend to use stream-of-conscious and let the words flow. I don't worry about editorial self-critique until the first draft is done. I generally know the title, the beginning and the end of a story before I begin. From there the plot and characters define themselves.
Which character in PORTAL has had the greatest impact on readers?
- The main character, Jagger Daines, will probably evoke the most pathos. He is a kind person who is suffering great hardships, only to be confronted with horrifying strangeness.
Why horror and science fiction?
- Escapism and speculative fiction really appeal to me. To take the reader to someplace unknown or never conceived of is my wheelhouse. When I write horror, it always has a paranormal aspect to it. I do not write about man's inhumanity to man, serial killers, etc. I like the things that could not happen (we all hope.) Science fiction for me always follows a future extrapolation. Take a modern science and stretch it to fantastic levels.
How have readers responded to PORTAL?
- PORTAL has not been published for long, so it is in its infancy. Beta readers have enjoyed it so we will see.
Where next? What are you working on now?
- I am writing two novels concurrently. They are unrelated. The first, THE FOUR LEG SOLUTION, relates an odd occurrence that covers the entire world without anyone noticing. No human, anyways. Suddenly, one dog realizes that he is more than he was moments before. He has become sentient. Soon, others follow. There is a nefarious group of telepathic men with world domination on their minds and an equally telepathic group of men who wish only goodwill. Neither group is aware of the other, but dogs become aware of both and therein lies the story. With the help of other mysteriously enhanced animals, a small group of dogs, one cat and one human set out to save the world.
The other book, DUSTER, is the story of a man who has grown up with a rarely used power of telekinesis. His path through life places him in harm's way, nearly losing his life in Viet Nam, only to be recruited into a black budget remote viewing secret program. When his altruistic point of view clashes with his handler's immoral directives, he finds that, through him, common dust becomes the deadliest weapon in the world.
