A Strangely Funny Interview with Jason Andrew

Jason Andrew's short fiction has appeared in markets such as Shine: An Anthology of Optimistic SF (Harper Collins), Frontier Cthulhu: Ancient Horrors in the New World (Chaosium), and Coins of Chaos (Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing). In 2011, his story “Moonlight in Scarlet” received an honorable mention in Ellen Datlow’s List for Best Horror of the Year.

His most recent project is The Future Embodied: Evolution of the Human Body, a collection that explores how science and technology might alter our bodies in years to come. 

We host his story, "Victory of the Dark Lord", in Strangely Funny II. It gives the reader a real behind-the-scenes look into the world of sword and sorcery. We would like to give you a behind-the-scenes view of the writer as well.

When did you know you wanted to become a writer?
There is a legend in my family about that very moment when I was around five years old. I loved to watch the Creature Feature. My grandmother loved Perry Mason.   We had a difference of opinion about what to watch on television. She won and so entertained myself by writing a picture story about the werewolf eating Perry Mason and thus canceling the show. It caused a reaction. I never looked back.

How did you pick the genre/setting/era you (usually) write in?
I tend to wander a lot between genres and settings.  I have a special place in my heart for fantasy. I think it was because my first love was The Hobbit.

How did you come up with the idea for your story in Strangely Funny II?
I always wondered about the secret lives of the comedic sidekick and then a question occurred to me. What if the villain conquered the hero by tricking him into being his best friend?

Do you think certain genres lend themselves to a humorous twist?
I think you find the funny in things that you love. I tend to write horror so this was a fun twist for me.

Plotter or pantser?
Typically, I am a plotter, but it is strange to try to plan for humor.

Which author do you most admire, and why?
Neil Gaiman can do it all and you always know a story he wrote just by the style.

Which place that you haven’t visited would you most like to go?
I’d love to visit Scotland. One day!

Okay, so you're an author. What do you enjoy reading?
I read everything from biographies, history books, and novels.  I devour anthologies like crazy.

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Thanks for talking with us!

Read "Victory of the Dark Lord" for yourself, along with twenty other amusing tales in Strangely Funny II,  now available in print and Kindle on Amazon. It's also available in a wide array of e-book formats on Smashwords.

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