Interview with Mark Henry & Giveaway

More Paranormal Spring Break Madness! Parajunkee's View extends a warm welcome to the highly entertaining Mark Henry, author of the AMANDA FERAL series. Mark Henry is generously offering up two signed copies of his first book in the series, Happy Hour of the Damned. {Details below} He was also kind enough to answer a few questions that I pestered him with, so take the time to read the interview and then enter the giveaway!

Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Fantasy Element: Zombies
Series: Amanda Feral
Order Online:  Amazon.com | BookDepository.com
Stalk the Author: Web |  Blog | Twitter


PJV: Ever think about doing stand-up?

MH: I have actually, but then I realize I’d actually have to take the time and write up a set. I’d much rather just talk to folks and bullshit.

PJV: Never mind, but you are hilarious. Between the Vlogs and the comedy behind your writing you’ve had me in stitches countless time.  Where do you find inspiration for your hilarity?


MH: I don’t actively seek it out. Comedy and timing is one of those things that just sort of happens over time. I think it had a lot to do with being overweight growing up and having to defend myself from ridiculous comments. I ended up becoming very acid-tongued from early on. A dangerous asset, but it certainly came in handy as I grew up and started dealing with really disturbed clients as a psychotherapist and then later, obviously, it showed up in my writing.


PJV: As a male author in a predominantly female genre do you enjoy your minority status? Any benefits?

MH: None whatsoever. It’s actually worked against me, particularly as a male writing a female protagonist. I get written off almost immediately by a good deal of female readers, believe it or not.

PJV: On the topic of gender, do you find it hard to write a female main character in comparison to writing a male character?

MH: Not really. I love women. As an only child I spent a great deal of time with my mother and her friends, listening, taking in their social interactions. And then later on, as a psychotherapist, the vast majority of my clients were women. What’s more difficult than writing a woman is defending the decision to write a very specific type of woman. Amanda is strong, irreverent and spewing with gallows humor and apathy. In other words, she’s a bitch. She’s an anti-heroine, in the sense that she doesn’t want to save the world, she barely extends herself to help her friends. The reason Amanda resonates for me is that she feels very real. I know tons of women like her and I’m infinitely interested in them. Some people have difficulty with unlikeable characters, but I’m really only interested in making mine as interesting as possible. Feel free to hate.

PJV: What drew you into the paranormal genres?

MH: I’ve always loved horror and zombies, and when I decided to take up writing five years ago, it was just a natural starting point for me. I didn’t really know I was writing urban fantasy at the time. I just thought Happy Hour was a comedy.

PJV: Which of your characters was the most fun to write?

MH: Amanda, definitely. She’s vulgar and opinionated and awful. And she can sit by me anytime…after she’s been fed, clearly.

PJV:  Your books are now being reprinted, the AMANDA FERAL series in particular, what does this mean to you as an author?

MH: It means that they’ll be exposed to a wider audience. Mass-market paperbacks are much more likely to show up in grocery stores, Target and Walmart than the larger trade paperback size. It gives a struggling series a second wind.


PJV:  You also announced on your blog that AMANDA FERAL is making her way into pages of a comic. Excited? How much creative control do you have on the character creation?


MH: Absolutely. I recently announced a deal with the Dabel Brothers to bring ROAD TRIP OF THE LIVING DEAD to a comic series, concluding in a graphic novel bind-up. I’m ecstatic, can’t wait to see what an artist will do with Amanda, Wendy and Gil. I’ve signed on to write the scripts for each chapter and have a vote on the art. So it should be just as foul and irreverent as the books.

PJV:  Are there any other series, paranormals, lurking in the corners waiting to get out?


MH: Yep. I’ve got a young adult novel about ready to go out on submission with my agent about adolescent ghosts in Purgatory and a revolution that has dire consequences for the world of the living. I’m also working on a series of erotic novellas for an ebook publisher and have plenty of ideas for adult series bubbling up.

PJV:  What is your best Spring Break memory?


MH: Sadly. I don’t recall a single thing from Spring Break. Maybe I should check into a rehab center.

Contest Deets:
  Two (2) winners will receive  a SIGNED copy of Happy Hour of the Damned
US Shipping Only

Requirements:
Following is not required but is appreciated!
Comment to win.

1 Extra Entry {LEAVE AN EXTRA COMMENT!}
1. Tweet: WIN! Signed #book Happy Hour of the Damned by @Mark_Henry  #ParanormalSpringBreak #giveaway http://bit.ly/h1JsAe PLZ RT

Legal Stuff:

1. Parajunkee's View or Tynga's Reviews is not responsible for items lost in shipping or items shipped from 3rd party sponsors. 
2. Winners are chosen using a random number generator based on the comment number.
3. You do not have to be a follower to participate.
4. Winners will be announced on this blog on April 6th and by email if one is provided either in comments or on your profile.
5. There is no limit to the amount of giveaways you can enter during Paranormal Spring Break but you can only enter each giveaway once (main entry and any extra entries available), if it is found that a person has entered the same giveaway more than the allotted entries those entries will be disqualified.
6. If it is not stated, it should be assumed that giveaway items have been provided by a 3rd party as a donation to Parajunkee's View.