​Kelly Gould lives and writes in Oregon with his wife and children. He is an avid fan of the Chicago Bears and Van Halen (w/ Sammy Hagar). When he isn’t writing he is usually enjoying good whiskey and bad horror movies.
His work has been included in anthologies from Lycan Valley Press, A Murder of Storytellers, Deadman’s Tome, Lycopolis Press, Aphotic Realm, and Weirdbook. His story, "Hopelessly Devoted," was a part of the anthology, Stories of the Dead: A Tribute to George Romero.

​How did you choose the genre you wanted to write in (if it was a deliberate decision)? 

I don’t think I ever made a conscious decision about genre. I write what I’d like to read. I’ve always been drawn to horror with a tinge of weird (or weird with a tinge of horror). Twilight Zone, Amazing Stories, and Tales from the Darkside shaped my childhood as much as Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Creepshow.

Who is your favorite author, and what really strikes you about their work?

No surprise with this answer. Stephen King. The guy made me want to write. He’s best known for horror, but his work is truly genre-spanning. His mammoth novels get most of the attention, but I prefer his short stories/novellas. The Long Walk and The Mist are must reads.

Tell us how you came up with the idea for "Platinum VIP". Have you ever been on a tour like this, minus the time travel?

No, I can’t say I’ve ever been on a tour like the one in this story. One of my favorite movies, Stand by Me, was filmed near where I live and I’ve toured some of those locations. I’ve done a few meet and greets at conventions and my wife has staked out a Wahlburgers to meet Donnie Wahlberg (she got a hug and a selfie).

The initial idea for "Platinum VIP" came when I read about Anna Kendrick starting out her career on Broadway as a 12-13 year old. That got me thinking. Nowadays there are all sorts of VIP experiences available to those with the means to purchase them. Imagine being able to interact with your favorite actor/athlete/politician/author before they became a household name. Watch Michael Jordan play basketball in high school. Buy women’s shoes from George Clooney. Bump into a teenage Elvis Presley and have a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Time travel doesn’t have to be such a serious proposition.

A prequel to "Platinum VIP" (or is it a sequel? With time travel it’s hard to tell.) was published in the magazine, Aphotic Realm #3: Classified. 

What is your current project, and can you share some information about it with us?

Out later this year, I have a story included in On Time, an anthology from Transmundane Press.

Recently, I finished the first draft of my first novel (there’s a sentence I never thought I’d write). Editing is now the bane of my existence. 

In your bio, you say that you watch a lot of bad horror movies. What is your favorite bad horror film, so bad it's great? (Mine is Vampire Hookers.)

I probably should stop calling them “bad” horror movies. B movies? I don’t like calling them guilty pleasures. Maybe 'Movies-that-I-appreciate-but-others-might-not' would be more accurate. There are tons of these movies I enjoy but I know my wife would not. Return of the Living Dead, Chopping Mall, and Maximum Overdrive are the ones that immediately come to mind. I saw Maximum Overdrive at a drive-in when I was a kid. Freddy and Jason never really scared me (although I still love those movies) but the opening scene of Overdrive on the drawbridge haunted me.

Plotter or pantser?

More pantser than plotter. I usually have a an ending figured out before I start, but getting there from Chapter 1 can be interesting.

When did you know you wanted to become a writer?

About ten years ago, I wrote my first fiction story to entertain my young sons. It turned into quite a project. We ended up self-publishing it, and I discovered my love of writing for children. I've authored 11 traditionally published children's book titles. In the last year or so, I've started writing short stories for adult anthologies. I've enjoyed being able to address more mature themes and leverage higher vocabulary.

Who is your favorite author, and what really strikes you about their work?

That is a Sophie's Choice. There are so many great authors from which to choose. Among my favorites are J.R.R. Tolkien, Kevin Hearne, Maggie Stiefvater, Isaac Asimov, and Lloyd Alexander.
 
Your story is funniest for people familiar with the Beatles. Are you a huge Beatles fan, or did you come up with the idea and then research the details? Tell us about your fandom and/or creation of "Four Fab Physicists."

I admire the Beatles' music, but I'm not a mega-fan. I simply got the idea to write about a group of people who were famous for one thing, but had a hitherto unknown secondary skill. Not unlike Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I also find incongruous mashups amusing, so this story is The Beatles meet Big Bang Theory, with a touch of This is Spinal Tap.
 
What is your current project, and can you share some information about it with us?

I have several adult horror, fantasy, and sci-fi short stories on submission (including my first steampunk and western horror stories). For kids, I have a sci-fi middle grade novel and short story on submission. To be published later this year and next, I have a contemporary magical realism early chapter book (The Magic Spatula), a narrative nonfiction picture book (I Am Smoke), three short stories for Highlights for Children and one for Ladybug (Cricket Media). My website is www.henryherz.com

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Sorry, I don't understand the question.  :)

Mystery with a Splash of Bourbon from the Derby Rotten Scoundrels is an anthology that celebrates Kentucky's finest spirit: Bourbon. Ranging from historical adventure to gritty realism, the eighteen crime stories included in this anthology are all fermented in the history and culture of Kentucky bourbon, distilled through the imaginations of our authors. Interwoven with the stories are articles covering the history of bourbon, from Prohibition, moonshining, and medicinal alcohol, to profiles of distilleries and the booming Whiskey Row district in downtown Louisville.

Who Are the Derby Rotten Scoundrels?
The Scoundrels are an eclectic group of writers (and readers) who get together to share their writing. The group was formed in 1992, starting as primarily a reading club. Over time, they became more focused on writers, especially new writers, and how to help them hone their skills and get published. The founders of Mystery and Horror, LLC were among those writers. 

The tour stops are below. Check them out for interviews, reviews, and guest posts, and be sure to stop by our promo page at Escapes with Dollycas for a number of ways to get additional entries for our giveaway!

Join us next week to read interviews with the authors - and the characters!
​More to come soon...

Reserve your copy for a tasty bite of WWII noir with plenty of action! A young detective, searching for a missing girl, stumbles into a hornet's nest of homefront German sympathizers. Release date is 4/20/2020. 

If you are a reviewer and are interested in reviewing this book, contact us directly for an e-ARC or to request a print ARC. 

​Cincinnati, 1942. The secret to being a grifter is changing up the con so the rubes don’t realize they’re being taken. Kissy Lisbon’s spent years honing her skills as a con-woman, but as the war in Europe drags on, things get tough in the Queen City. Her new scheme: hiring herself out as a private eye. Her first client has a missing daughter, the missing daughter has a German boyfriend, and the German boyfriend has friends in all the wrong places. Following a lead sends Kissy careening headlong into a whirlwind of stolen money, American Nazis, and bleeding corpses. When an old flame from Kissy’s past shows up wearing a shiny new detective’s badge, she’s less than thrilled, but together they scour the city for answers. As the bodies start to pile up around her, Kissy is in a race to save the missing girl, her country, and her very life.

B. David Spicer graduated from Ohio University, earning a BA in English. His first name is Brian, but he thinks B. David sounds more artsy and pretentious. He’s had short stories in more than a dozen anthologies, including Cosy Crime from Flame Tree Press, Out of Phase and Wicked Deeds: Witches, Warlocks, Demons & Other Evil Doers from Sirens Call Publications, Strangely Funny II and III and VI from Mystery and Horror, LLC, and Pernicious Invaders and From the Corner of Your Eye from Great Old Ones Publishing. Big Shots and Bullet Holes is his first novel. He lives in Ohio and owns more books than ought to be legal.