Interview with David Kempf - By Jon Donnis - The Horror Of It All
The Horror Of It All is a collection of interviews spanning all facets of the horror genre, including novels, film, horror hosts, dark fiction, cover art, and special effects. With a forward by the incomparable Jonathan Maberry, this book is sure to engage, inform, and enlighten every true-blue, horror enthusiast.
For the past few years I have been lucky enough to not only publish short stories by David Kempf but also publish interviews he has done with some of the biggest and best names in the Horror genre, and now those interviews are all part of a great new book called The Horror Of It All So I sat down with David to discuss this book, his motivations and ALS (in the UK this is known as Motor Neurone Disease)
Bio
David Kempf has written over fifty short stories, many of which deal with themes of horror fiction. He has won several writing awards including first place in the short story competition of Millersville University’s Lemuria magazine. Two of his short stories were selected in the 2007 publication of The Grackle, his graduate school’s literary magazine. David is featured on two short fiction websites, one American and one British. He holds an M.S. from Chestnut Hill College and a B.A. from Millersville University. David resides in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with his wife and his son.
Interview with David Kempf - By Jon Donnis
JD Tell us about THE HORROR OF IT ALL.
DK Well, I thought it would be a good idea to take all the best of the interviews I have done for your site and combine them in one book.
JD That was a good idea. What excites you most about doing these interviews?
DK I get to interview many of my idols, people I have grown up with. Horror writers, special effects artists, film directors, actors, horror movies hosts, etc. I essentially get to write about what I’m excited about. My childhood was filled with horror movies and books. I’m very proud that I got the opportunity to speak to some of these people and, of course, to write fiction of my own.
JD What did you chose to have all of the profits from the book go to ALS research?
DK That’s a good question, Jon. I interviewed Rocky Wood who is president of The Horror Writer’s Association and an author in his own right. While I was fascinated with how he works closely with Stephen King, the story of how he struggles with this disease moved me. I did some research and found out just how devastating ALS really is.
JD Did you need permission from the people you interviewed to include them in the book?
DK Yes, I did and they all said yes. They’re all good hearted people who genuinely want to raise money for a good cause. And causes don’t come better than this.
JD How did you get Jonathan Maberry to write the forward for the book?
DK I am very fond of Jonathan and his excellent novels. He is a great talent and a genuinely really nice guy. He’s friends with Rocky Wood and expressed a desire to do it when I asked him. Jonathan wants to raise money for the cause and I think that his name on the book adds a lot to it.
JD You were very proud when he endorsed Dark Fiction.
DK Yes. I was floored because I didn’t really expect it. Here is one of my favorite authors and here I am a completely new guy publishing his first novel. The blurb was the validation I was looking for as a writer. Jonathan helps a lot of writers because he has an eye for new talent. He is very well read and a good person to know. We miss him in my home town. Jonathan moved from Pennsylvania to California. Several of his projects might be adapted into movies. I certainly wouldn’t be surprised.
JD Speaking of blurbs, this new book has a ton of them. All of them are excellent.
DK Yes, sir.
JD You must feel very proud of that.
DK I’m very proud of the blurbs. These are the best blurbs I’ve ever received.
JD Which one is your favorite?
DK I really shouldn’t single anyone out but if you want to put me on the spot…
JD I do.
DK Then I would have to say William F. Nolan.
JD Why?
DK I’ve been a fan of his work my entire life. He’s mainly known for the Logan series but his work is so much more than that. His short stories and books on writing are second to none. They’ve always been a great inspiration to me.
JD I see.
DK Now that I have blurbs from Maberry and Nolan I’m a happy man (laughs).
JD What do you hope to accomplish with this book?
DK I hope to raise awareness for ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). I hope we can all do our part to end the suffering of many people who are in great pain right now.
JD Did you take the ALS challenge?
DK I did.
JD Who challenged you to do it?
DK My friend Lucas Mangum did. Lucas is a great writer and all around nice guy.
JD Please tell us about Infliction Press.
DK It’s a small publishing company I started with my friends Jennifer Mills and Steve Kirby. This book is the first one we’re publishing.
JD Will there be other books coming out from Infliction Press?
DK I think so. This could be the first of many. Time will tell. I’m open to publishing some of my fiction. We’re going to be open to submissions from other authors in the future as well.
JD That’s really good news. I also hope that you continue to write for Masters of Horror U.K. for a long time to come.
DK This site has been very good for me and my growth as a writer. I hope this trend continues. I still have a lot to say and the format of Masters of Horror U.K.is a great way to have my voice heard.
JD Thank you for your time David and I wish you all the best for the future
DK Thanks
You can buy the Kindle version of the book at the following link
All proceeds go to ALS research.
About ALS/MND
MND and ALS are different descriptions of the same disease.
The MND Association, which covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the ALS Association, which operates in the USA, do the same type of work. The only real difference is what we call the disease.
The UK use MND – motor neurone disease – and in the USA they use ALS – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Both refer to a fatal, progressive disease that can rob people of the ability to speak, move and breathe. There is no cure.
The reason there is a difference is that there are several forms of MND. ALS is the most common type.
MND is an umbrella term for all forms of the disease. In the USA, ALS is used as the umbrella term (they also sometimes refer to it as Lou Gehrig's disease).
The MND Association in the UK and The ALS Association in America work very closely together on numerous projects, especially around global research into a cause of MND / ALS
Links
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