I’ve been asked this question occasionally and I thought it might be an interesting one to finally tackle. There are multiple answers, the first two being:
- I generally like dark fiction.
- One of my favorite authors and influences is Edgar Allan Poe.
BUT.
There’s a bit more to it than that. I’ve gone through some shit in my life, mostly in the last 8 – 9 years:
- One of my best friends passed away at a New Year’s Eve party 8 years ago; I was at that party and it was really fucking traumatic (he passed in his sleep).
- I was in a horribly toxic relationship shortly after the above. It lasted about 5 months and involved her cheating on me three times and then trying to kill herself via pills when I finally (FINALLY) broke up with her (I was really lonely my third year of college).
- My mom passed away this past October (2018) and it’s been really hard.
I incorporate a lot of my beliefs and opinions about the world in general into my writing (politics, etc.), which is to say I use my work as an outlet to cope with life as it continues, especially in dark times (like now). Writing has always been a way for me to work through pain and frustration. And if you’ve read some of my work then you know I’ve got a shitload of that right now.