‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.’
— Robert Frost
Daniel Murphy: Here we go again. I can’t believe it’s been almost a year since the last time we spoke.
Ellis Kross: That long, huh? We should start doing these sit-downs more often.
DM: So, how have you been these days?
EK: I’ve been well. Thank you for asking. How about yourself?
DM: I can’t complain. Thanks for taking the time out of your schedule to hang out with me this afternoon.
EK: My pleasure.
DM: I notice on your social media pages that you’ve been busy writing a new book. How’s the writing process going so far?
EK: Very well—but taxing. As of now, I’m closing in on a first draft. I’m at the point where I can say that I feel extremely comfortable with how the book is turning out so far. Of all the stories I’ve written, I’d say this is probably the most interactive one.
DM: You’ve been known to—how do I say—shut off the world when you’re writing a book?
EK: Yes—to a certain degree. I think it’s part of the human contract to keep in touch—or at least, stay somewhat informed—with what’s currently going on in the world. I used to write a quote every morning before I’d start drafting a book. Most of the quotes would be based around news headlines or even daily observations—I guess you can look at it as a form of self-reflection, my way of knocking at the farthest corners of my own skull. I did this for about three or four years until I stopped a couple of years ago because they began to eat up a lot more of my time. In the end, they became more of a distraction. I like writing quotes. I like writing stories more.
DM: Without giving away too much, what can we expect from a new Ellis Kross book?
EK: At its core, the next book will have undertones of science fiction. However, the story will take place in West Virginia and revolve around an extraordinary event that occurs in a small town, which will inevitably serve as a test for all of mankind. I did more than usual research before writing this story. ‘Nothing is new under the sun.’ However, I think this one is a truly unique story that people will either love or hate. I haven’t seen a story like this out there. So far, it’s been fun but challenging to write.
DM: I bet. Well, I’m looking forward to reading it.
EK: Thank you. That means a lot to me, especially coming from you.
DM: You released two books since we last spoke. Except for today, do you ever take a break from writing?
EK: No (laughing). Never. Whenever I’m developing a new story, I’d say about eighty percent of my mind is occupied with thinking about each conflict of the story, each character, finding his or her voice; even during the most random times of the day when I’m doing something other than writing, a clever sentence will come to mind and I’ll have to immediately write it down. I’m writing even when I’m not. The good stuff sticks like old gum; and if for some reason I forget to write it down, it usually comes back to me. The bad stuff goes straight to that paper shredder in the back of my mind.
DM: How about writer’s block? Have you ever suffered from writer’s block?
EK: It’s funny that you mention writer’s block. I never quite understood it, the idea behind it. I believe some writers go through certain dry spells where he or she may feel unmotivated to write. It’s fair to say that I’ve had moments where I just wanted to take a step back from writing and clear my head. It’s only natural to allow ourselves to reward ourselves by striving to accomplish certain goals throughout the day. However, if you’re a writer who’s trying to make a living as an author—really pounding those keys and chewing through that paper—there is no such thing as writer’s block. And if one does get stuck in a jam or—in essence—run into a barricade in the middle of the road, I believe the best way to cure writer’s block is to write. Write whatever comes to mind, even if it’s gibberish. Eventually, the words will come into focus. That’s the way I look at it, but everybody is different. I believe some writers just try to write their great American novel, put literally everything into it, then hang up writing. I don’t think I will ever lose interest in writing. I don’t see a future where I’m not writing. I just like creating something from absolutely nothing. It was engrained in me ever since I was a child. My mother was a teacher. She was very hands on, encouraged us to write and draw. She read stories to us when we were growing up. She took us to the movies every chance she could. Going to the movies was much better than going to church. I could be living on the side of the road with nothing—not a penny or even a blanket to keep me warm—and I’d still find a way to write with the grit of the street.
DM: Sometimes, I have a tendency to—how do I say, troll may be the right word or how about closely follow—closely follow a writer’s social media pages (or someone in the entertainment business, for that matter). Considering our current divisive nature of the political landscape, I’ve noticed that you haven’t lent your voice or even offered an opinion to the current affairs.
EK: According to history, every few decades we tend to lose our heads. Or, we may feel entitled—or even obligated—to voice our opinions or even try to play Mr. and Mrs. Moral Authority. I have my own beliefs, and I closely hold onto them as my own. I will never try to impose them onto other people. I am a writer and it is my job to write a compelling story which may allow the Reader to think for himself or herself. I have never been one to follow the crowd. I like being on the outside—actually, I prefer to be the outsider. The one looking in.
DM: What are your views on mixing politics with entertainment?
EK: I fully understand politics, but I don’t particularly like talking about politics. I’ve never received any gratification from talking about politics. Politics is boring. I enjoy the occasional satire, though. I really do. I especially enjoy reading something that may be satirical. Chuck Palahniuk immediately comes to mind as one of the great satirists of my time. His characters have such a unique voice. I’ll read pretty much anything he writes. For me, however, to talk about politics is a waste of time and energy. A revolving door. When I was younger—probably around my later teenage years when I started to rebel—I used to get upset about certain issues. I never really got ‘involved’ per se. Don’t get me wrong. I still get upset—at times, infuriated. You will never find me running to the computer—or smartphone—to type or text what I’m feeling. For some, it may be cathartic. For me, as I’ve said, it’s a waste of time and energy. I’m not here to play the moral authority. I think it’s become the norm to say awful things about people. Most of the time, it’s all to receive ‘attention.’ I don’t pay any mind to it. I will never give him or her the satisfaction. If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all. After all, it shows a lot about people’s character by what they post—insults and whatnot. Over the years, I’ve come to realize one basic, undeniable truth: ‘Wherever you spit, you’re always going to hit something.’
DM: What does that quote mean to you?
EK: In this day and age, you’re always going to offend someone no matter what you do or say, whether it be an insult or even a compliment. It’s only natural to defend and protect ourselves, but I think it’s pointless to get upset if someone doesn’t ‘like’ what you do or makes an unsavory ‘comment’ about you. As an author, that criticism will always be there. It just comes with the territory of writing. I write fiction, though. And even though the characters I’m creating are fictional, I try to make them as real as possible. I ran into that fear of developing Joshua Lamb in The Hate Train, wondering how people would react to him, his actions. At first, I was extremely hesitant about releasing that particular book considering the violent nature of the story. I ventured into a very dark place while writing that character. I completely shut myself off from the world. I wanted nothing to do with the world. With a story that had so much dark material, I had to find a light at the end of the tunnel. Some kind of light. Any kind of light. I had to create a positive ending, and display, through Joshua, that people can change for the better. I wanted Joshua to get better. Despite all of the crimes he committed—deep down inside—I was really rooting for him. He became my dark horse. Nonetheless, there is no question that our freedom of speech is the most powerful weapon that the human race possesses, and to have that freedom stripped away would be the ultimate tragedy against mankind. But I think, with all great things, there can always be a downside. Joshua Lamb had a voice; yet, he felt as if he wasn’t being heard because the world wasn’t giving him a chance. Joshua was incredibly flawed. And that was why, at the end of the day, I really enjoyed creating him. I enjoy writing about people, particularly flawed people, like Joshua. I like to get inside his or her head. Sometimes, people do certain things, good or bad, considering the circumstances. I’m in absolutely no position to judge or discredit them. But I sure as hell can write about them (laughing).
DM: Without trying to spoil anything, I have to ask you about Joshua’s character at the end of Frankie. Will this be the last time we see him? And if not, can we expect to see more cameos with characters from recent stories in your Kross-Verse?
EK: I will say this. I’m not done with Rashida’s character. I feel as though I need to revisit that character. I just like her way too much to not write more about her. I, personally, want to know more about her. That’s all I can say about that.
DM: What are your feelings about the younger generation who are growing up with social media?
EK: It’s definitely a much different environment from the way I grew up. However, I’m sure our parents were saying the same thing about us. You know, with our Gameboys and all. ‘They can’t carry on a decent conversation.’ Or, ‘They can’t look you in the eyes when you talk to them.’ Maybe, at that time we didn’t want to talk to our parents. Maybe we wanted to be left alone with our Gameboys or whatever. Now, it’s the smartphone. Nothing has changed. If it’s not a Gameboy or smartphone, it’s always going to be something else. Eventually, though, we either outgrow these certain comfort devices or we learn to adapt to our environment like a chameleon. For us, as in my age, who didn’t grow up with social media, outside competition, whether it be sports or gaming or whatever, we never talked smack to your face. There was that respect for our fellow man. Now, you talk smack over the Internet. I guess it’s also the time period that I grew up in. We didn’t have smartphones in the 80’s. We couldn’t just vent our feelings to the world and then slap some ridiculous hashtag on it. We usually took out our frustrations on sports, video games, art, or even late night mischief. For me, it felt productive. It was productive—especially when using that frustration and creating something beautiful out of it. When I was in high school—before I started writing novels—I would write lyrics and poems. I would draw, too, but I wasn’t nearly as talented as my older brother. I had at least five Composition notebooks filled with a combination of songs and rants. For me, it was the starting point of a writer. Getting those thoughts and ideas all down on paper. Make them count. Make them last.
DM: At what point did you really start to focus on writing?
EK: I can’t really say when, but I remember the feeling I got when I first started to write stories. I’ve always had this sort of knack for writing down notes after reading a book or watching a movie—guess it’s my way of picking apart or rather trying to dissect a story. Sort of a habit I picked up from my grandfather. When I was a child, I once found his writings in the bottom of his desk drawer. I remember pages and pages of notes written on the back of business papers. I didn’t know what these notes were—at first. Like all curious children, I began to snoop. I took the pages to my bedroom and started reading them. A couple of pages in, I realized there were notes on the Bible. Maybe that’s when madness began. I don’t know. I just liked trying to understand things, especially people. Writing gave me an outlet to pursue and explore that curiosity. The characters I created didn’t exist in reality; however, in my world, these characters—whomever they may be—had no limitations. They could literally be whoever they wanted to be. To me, that was the lure of writing fiction, that boundlessness. After I returned home from California, it really hit me and I remember telling myself, ‘I don’t want to give a shot at writing. I am going to be a writer.’ If it wasn’t for my music and engineering background, then I probably would have given up on writing a while ago. I thought I was pretty good at pushing buttons and twisting knobs and creating these strange sounds that I have never heard before. In the end, though, it wasn’t for me. I just didn’t see any future in a music career, at least not a future where I could be content with myself. Music is a powerful thing—and the most greatest, most wonderful thing about music is that you don’t even have to turn on the radio to listen to it; music lives here, within us; it lives in nature, in the way nature moves, in society, the music created by man walking, talking, driving, thriving. I think people should at least try to create music with an instrument of one’s desire, feel it, embrace it. There is no denying that music has the power to open doors deep within ourselves. For me, writing wasn’t the next best thing. It was the thing. It had always been the thing. However, I had to pursue a career in the music industry—or at least, give it a shot—in order to get to that thing, which was writing.
DM: Back to what you were saying earlier about character development. Where do you think the fascination of writing about flawed characters all started?
EK: I don’t know exactly. It’s really hard to go back and pinpoint in time and say, ‘That’s where it all began.’ I do remember, however, when I was just a boy watching the movie, The Outsiders, then reading S.E. Hinton’s story afterwards. I didn’t have too many friends growing up. I only hung out with a few kids. I was never Mr. Popular. I probably hung out more with my older brothers and their friends more than mine. But I remember after watching that one particular movie, I felt as if I belonged even though I thought I didn’t. There was something about that movie that just touched me, and still does today.
DM: The last time we spoke, you mentioned that you were setting your sights on more ‘blockbuster’ type stories.
EK: That’s correct. I believe the last time we talked I was putting the final touches on Frankie, which is a suspense thriller. Deliberately ‘over-the-top.’ Definitely in the vein of the Japanese anime I was obsessed with as a kid. In the book, Frankie is the acronym Fictional Reality: A Nuclear Kid In Embryo—the subtitle being A Procrastinatory Approach to End a Conversation. Frankie was the first of the two books that were released this year. The second was Spell of the Eye.
DM: When you were coming up with a title for the book, were you trying to beat the record for the longest title for a book?
EK: I’m sure there are some books on the market with much longer titles. For me, the title was a play on words. Kind of what Philip K. Dick did with Dr. Bloodmoney, or How We Got Along After The Bomb, then Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or: (colon) How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb—which, by the way, my editor would say whoever came up with that title wasn’t thinking straight because, grammatically speaking, you never put a colon after a preposition. Love you, Sidonie.
DM: What is the meaning behind the title, Frankie?
EK: I think the title speaks for itself. I wanted to make it as straight forward as possible. When I was first creating the character, Frankie, I asked myself, ‘What if there was a character who was created from a nuclear explosion?’ In Frankie’s case, what if she was born from the ashes of Nagasaki? What kind of adverse, as well as beneficial side-effects would that character possess? What if he or she had extraordinary abilities beyond the realm of science? And if so, would this character harness these abilities to his or her advantage? I think some of the best story ideas start out with that ‘What if’ question. Once the first outline was established, I started to fall in love with the concept of writing a story about one incident that takes place and have it be told through many different perspectives. I asked myself: ‘Surely, this incident will be the same; however, when it is seen through many different eyes, some important details may get lost in the cracks. Even changed.’
DM: Of all sports, why did you choose the girls’ lacrosse team?
EK: Before I started writing the book, I wanted this ‘major’ incident to take place on a highway involving a busload of high school kids. I also wanted these high schoolers to be close to one another. So, I started playing around with the idea of making these high schoolers be an afternoon club, such as a sports team. Originally, the high schoolers were going to be a roller derby club. But I did a little more research and found out that there was already a story—several actually—involving roller derby teams. So, I hit the drawing board and started to think more about Frankie’s abilities, how she could literally bounce from one body to another in the blink of an eye. So, I was trying to imagine Frankie like a ball being passed from one player to the next. Lacrosse seemed highly appropriate.
DM: I thought Frankie happened to be one of your more complex stories to date. Was telling the story through so many POVs—it was around fifteen different POVs, right?
EK: Yes. That’s correct. Twelve people on the lacrosse team, including the two coaches, Pamela and Stewart. Then, the mercenary, the FBI agent—Rashida—and last but not least, Frankie’s caretaker, Roger.
DM: Was it difficult trying to weave the story through those characters?
EK: At the beginning, yes. It was extremely difficult writing these characters through first person. You really have to submerge yourself in those characters—get inside their head. But that’s what I enjoy about writing, the process of trying to understand people, his or her actions, background, upbringing—in essence, why they do the things they do? And sometimes, especially writing several characters, like Frankie for instance, there is no explanation for his or her actions. He or she does these certain things toward the end of the story strictly based off survival. For Frankie, that’s what it boils down to. And she will stop anyone who stands in her way. I really liked that about her, how she was the epitome of a tough woman despite her troubled background. As a writer, crafting a story around a tough woman and watching her kick some real butt is probably the most rewarding experience.
DM: How so?
EK: When I was growing up, all of my action heroes were these macho-looking males who looked like they were carved out of granite. You got Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Bronson, Weathers, Willis, Glover, the legendary Rodney Piper in They Live. The list goes on and on. When I was a kid, I wanted to be the strong, handsome guy in that movie, saving the day, getting the girl at the end of the movie. I think Terminator 1 and 2—2 especially—were really the first movies I saw out there that had a strong female lead. After I saw those movies, I was literally blown away by Linda Hamilton’s performance as Sarah Connor. She turned into probably one of my most-liked characters in film. In the first movie, she was just getting by, which, I think a lot of people can relate to. Working a dead end job. Been there. She seemed lonely and frustrated with her life. Having worked jobs in the food industry or retail, it sometimes feels as if you only see one side of people. So, you immediately feel for her; then, once she realizes she’s being stalked by this walking death machine, you immediately pull for her; then, once she is rescued by Kyle Reece— played by the great Michael Biehn—you’re immediately right there with her every step of the way. Throughout the movie, you can slowly see this character’s arc starting to change. She’s becoming more and more confident about herself. By the second movie, she becomes a warrior, equally as strong as those action heroes I grew up watching. Even stronger.
DM: What did you think of the Terminator remakes?
EK: The remakes? Can I plead the Fifth?
DM: If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all. Am I right?
EK: They were interesting to say the least. Without going into any detail, I’ll stop here by saying that they weren’t for me.
DM: Perhaps there should be a law against remakes.
EK: I wouldn’t go so far as to make it a law, but you do indeed make a valid point. Either Hollywood should gamble with new ideas or at least wait like fifty years before making a remake. Unfortunately, those ‘risky’ movies don’t get the big budget they deserve or the exposure.
DM: What do you think of all these superhero Hollywood keeps spiting out left and right?
EK: I thought Christopher Nolan’s vision—or better yet, revision—of Batman was well done. Unlike the Tim Burton movies, which I still adore till this day, these newer movies not only had more of a darker tone, but they were also more expansive and grandiose. I’m not a fan of prequels but I didn’t mind how Nolan delved into Bruce Wayne’s childhood, as well as his evolution into the ever so enigmatic Batman character. I think one of the main problems with Nolan’s Batman was that every director tried to replicate what he had done for the Dark Knight with other ‘revisions’ of superheroes.
DM: If Hollywood made another Batman movie, who would be one of your dream directors for the job?
EK: If they ever did, I’d love to see David Fincher direct a Batman movie. Based on the movies he has directed, I can’t see him doing a Batman movie. But shouldn’t that be a topic of discussion in the next fifty years?
DM: I probably won’t be alive for that.
EK: The way I look at it. There’s always going to be remakes of remakes of remakes. It’s gotten to the point where it’s become acceptable.
DM: Your next book was Spell of the Eye. I found it to be one of those stories that I can’t really speak a whole lot about without ruining the surprise of the story. The third act was completely—how should I say?—out of bounds. Where did you come up with such a wild idea?
EK: I’m a very visual person. Usually, when images come from inside, I grab hold of those images and completely run with them. I will create a story based off one particular image or even a scene that I’m completely obsessed with. Spell of the Eye was spawned from these images I had one day—I forget what I was doing, but when they hit me, they were as vivid as a lucid dream. I saw this young man dressed as a ghost running through a shopping mall and trying to scare people but people were not scared of him; in fact, they were ignoring him. The images played out in slow motion in my head. I couldn’t get the images out of my head. I wanted to know why this young man was running around a shopping mall. Most importantly, why was he disguising himself as a ghost? These were the very questions I addressed in the original short story that I wrote a long time ago. I believe I was in my late teens or early twenties. It was one of those stories that I wrote just for the hell of it. I didn’t have any plans to get the story published. I wrote, put it aside where it collected dust for years. Not long ago, I revisited the short story because I felt as if it needed to be turned into a full length novel. The story was set in the 80’s, followed a young man named Hogan and his tight knit group of friends after they come across a severed hand laying on the sink inside the bathroom of a fast food restaurant. The foundation of the story was about a young man battling time and being consumed by that fear of growing up. When you’re a kid, you can’t wait to grow up. When you’re an adult, you wish you could turn back the hands of time. While developing Hogan, I asked myself: ‘Would I do things differently? What would happen if I took this road instead of this one? Where would it lead me? Would I be a different person than I am today? Or, does life have a way of turning you into the person you are supposed to be?’ Originally, the short story was written as a love letter to my favorite directors when I was growing up as a child: Spielberg, Scott, Cronenberg, Carpenter, De Palma, Landis, Hughes, Kubrick. I expanded the original story, renamed the story from This Way The Night Whispers to Child of Night—the acronym being CON. After I completed the novel, I researched the working title and discovered that it was already taken. So, I changed it to Spell of the Eye, which seemed more appropriate.
DM: In the story, there is a character—a great warlock—called The Eye. Was there any symbolism behind that particular name?
EK: Sure. When my editor first read the story, she thought The Eye wasn’t an actual person at all but more of a representation of time. I really can’t say anymore than that without ruining the story. But, I believe the Reader can put together all of the little clues that I planted throughout the story to determine who The Eye really is. To me, he may represent time; however, to someone else, he might represent someone else. The Eye could be Hogan. I wrote it so the Reader can figure it out for himself or herself.
DM: Now, for what I like to call ‘softball’ questions. What’s currently in your CD player?
EK: Let me think. Right now. Boo Boo by Toro y Moi.
DM: What’s the last movie you saw in the movie theatre?
EK: mother!
DM: By the way, what are your thoughts on mother!?
EK: I, personally, thought it was a brilliant movie. It was fresh, bold. It was thought-provoking. It might’ve been marketed all wrong, but it’s just one of those movies you have to see and judge for yourself.
DM: Favorite video game of all time?
EK: Of all time, huh? That’s a tricky one. There are so many.
DM: You can go back as far as you want to?
EK: On that note (thinking): Ghouls ’n Ghosts.
DM: Wow! That’s like beyond old school. That’s ancient, my friend (laughing). Wasn’t that game on the Commodore 64?
EK: Yes. As a matter of fact, I believe it was. I used to play the game on—I believe—Sega Genesis.
DM: If you think about it, a lot of those original games started out on computer. Then, from there, I guess everything became more portable.
EK: Sure. I can recall another game in particular. Prince of Persia, that was it. Prince of Persia was another contender as one of my favorites. That, and there was this motorcycle game that I would secretly play during computer science class. I think, by then, it was available on either the Apple II or the IBM. Not sure which one. At the time, there was this massive boom in the gaming industry. You had Nintendo, TurboGrafx-16, Sega Genesis, Sega CD—which I thought was way ahead of its time—Dreamcast. I remember, though, when I was in middle school—either seventh or eighth grade—every now and then, I’d have to hitch a ride with my mother. She taught at the same middle school that I was attending. Since she was my ride, I’d have to wait on her after school while she was doing lesson plans, grading homework, etc.; and while I was waiting, I’d hang out in the computer room and play Prince of Persia for hours. At times, I didn’t want to leave when it was time to go.
DM: I remember Prince of Persia. I also remember the countless times I’d miss a jump and get impaled by one of those spikes. It’s amazing how some games just stick to you.
EK: Absolutely (laughing).
DM: Favorite book?
EK: Of Mice and Men. No doubt.
DM: Favorite character in a book?
EK: I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the wife from Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. Amazing Amy. I loved that character—and at times, hated her (laughing).
DM: Last book you’ve read?
EK: A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane.
DM: Any books you’re currently reading?
EK: At the moment, yes. I’ve been reading Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance and Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. As I’ve said earlier, the next book will take place in West Virginia.
DM: That brings me to the next question: Do you do any research while writing a new book?
EK: I do just enough. For my next book, as I’ve said, I did more than usual. Now, if I was writing nonfiction, of course, I would have to do a lot of research. When writing fiction, however, I try not to over-research because it takes away from the joy of creating.
DM: Finally what’s next for Ellis Kross?
EK: After my next novel, you can expect more stories being released at a much faster pace. Look at it, if you will, as sort of a break from writing novels. These stories will be much shorter and snappier. ‘Fun reads’ is what I like to call them. Doesn’t matter if you’re a slow or fast reader. You’ll be able to read them in one day. I do plan on cataloging these next stories into a collection, which will eventually be released in print. As far as now, I’m leaning toward releasing them in the digital realm.
DM: What are your thoughts on ebooks?
EK: I’m not a fan of ebooks. Never have been. Being a bibliophile, I never quite understood the fascination with ebooks. To me, a book can last forever. An ebook does not. It just gets read, then discarded, deleted. I don’t see much of a future in ebooks, but I could be wrong. The fact: I can’t predict the future. Nobody can. I don’t know what the future is going to look like thirty years from now. I have an idea of what it may look like. But I feel that, in my books, I can control the future. I can play God. And that’s pretty darn cool.
