Carson Buckingham

answers the Usual Questions

Carson Buckingham

American writer and editor Carson Buckingham is, if her blog biography is to be believed, a figment of her own imagination.

Has your interaction with fans, for example, at conventions, affected your work?

So far, I have been unable to attend conventions due to financial constraints. However, I receive a great deal of feedback both on my blog (carsonbuckingham.blogspot.com), via email, and on my Facebook page. It has all been quite positive and makes me realize that I'm not playing to an empty room. This motivates me to continue to do what I do.

Is there any particular incident (a letter, a meeting, a comment that stands out?

A book review for my novella (Home) in which I was compared favorably to Poe, Bradbury, and Lovecraft.

I was most flattered. However, I think my style of writing is probably closer to Bentley Little's.

Do you have a favourite author or book (or writer or film or series) that has influenced you or that you return to?

Poe, of course. Also Mark Twain.

Ray Bradbury's work made me aspire to be a writer, and in between writing my short stories or novels, I read his work. It's a benchmark for me and shows me how far I have advanced in my writing, as well as how far I have to go. F. Paul Wilson's The Keep was the first horror novel I ever read, and was hooked. I deeply admire Shirley Jackson, and I think that The Haunting of Hill House was the greatest horror novella ever written, and if that book doesn't give you the creeps, then you're probably dead. She's the best there ever was at handling suspense. I also admire Maeve Binchy and the way she creates characters - there's nobody better. And Bentley Little is just all around marvelous.

As to films, I'd have to say that I have several favorites. In the Mouth of Madness, Silent Hill, The Uninvited (Ray Milland), The Old Dark House, Haunted, Haunter, Pontypool, Absentia, Silence of the Lambs, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and the 1963 version of The Haunting.

Series? I'd have to say Carnivale, Dead Like Me, The Lost Room, Revenge, Haven, Once Upon a Time, and Person of Interest.

Who is the person you would most like to be trapped in a lift with? or a spaceship?

George Carlin

Who is the person you would most DISlike to be trapped in a lift with? Or a spaceship?

Somebody who has been writing for exactly two weeks and wants me to read his novel.

What would you pack for space? (Is there a food, beverage, book, teddy bear, etc that you couldn't do without?)

I'd buy a couple of complete language courses from Rosetta Stone and learn some new languages while in space. Probably Russian and Gaelic.

What is the most important thing you would like to get/achieve from your work?

I would like to become popular enough to be able to write full time.

What is the special satisfaction of your work?

It's the way I express myself. I don't write because I decided to, I write because I can't help it. It's very satisfying to feel somewhat godlike in creating the story world, but what's really great is when the characters are well drawn enough to take over and when I type I really feel as if I am just a conduit channeling them.

submitted by Carson Buckingham

15 August 2014

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Just the facts:
Born: Woodbury, Connecticut
Resides: Glendale, Arizona
Bibliography/Awards:
THE BEST OF THE HORROR SOCIETY 2013-A horror anthology released Oct 15 by The Horror Society Press. I compiled and edited this book.
Novellas:
HOME published by Triskaideka Books 2011. Out of print, but currently being shopped. Still up on Amazon, if you want to read the reviews.
Novels:
GOTHIC REVIVAL under contract to Sirens Call Publications. To be released in August 2014

Web site:
Carson's blog

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