Just a couple of months ago iHorror brought an exclusive interview with Winlock Press author Kya Aliana. Now we will take you deep into the world of the paranormal with another Winlockian author, David Reuben Aslin. David has written several books, however he is most known for his renowned Ian McDermott Paranormal Investigator Series: Loup-Garou – The Beast of Harmony Falls (Book 1); Red Tide – Vampires of the Morgue (Book II); and coming soon SCHIZOMEGA- Fresh Meat (Book III). David is a man that wears many hats, not only is he a writer of Horror, Suspense/Thrillers, David is an entrepreneur; he is a co-inventor/co-patent holder of the popular beverage dispenser, The Brew Tender.

Ian McDermott Paranormal Series

I cannot help but to feel apprehensive when starting a new book or series, more so than when I start watching a new film. For myself reading is an investment of time. I consider it to be a very extensive, enlightening experience, for myself. Not knowing anything about the Ian McDermott Paranormal Investigator Series, I took the plunge and read them. David has an esoteric writing style that completely engulfs the reader in the story. I felt as though my brain had been dormant, and reading of these books shocked it like a defibrillator shocks the heart! The Ian McDermott series took me to a special world, allowing me to escape the hustle and bustle that we call life. The stories are tightly knitted together; no unintentional loose ends are left and many are suspect which complements these incredible stories.

The first book in the Ian McDermott Paranormal Series is titled Loup-Garou-The Beast of Harmony Falls. This particular book follows cryptozoologist Dr. Ian McDermott, Ph.D. as he is called upon by law enforcement to uncover the ugly truth behind mysterious deaths that have plagued the town of Harmony Falls. McDermott is also struggling with his inner self and is desperate to locate the killer whom law enforcement believes is a monster.

The second book in the Ian McDermott Paranormal Series is titled Red Tide – Vampires of the Morgue. Bodies are turning up along a modest river located in Astoria, Oregon, every ounce of blood has been drained from these bodies. Paranormal Investigator Ian McDermott is hot on the trail and follows leads to a new hip nightclub, that is very outlandish. Gaudy owner, Salizzar, a self-proclaimed vampire arrived in town around the same time the disappearances started happening. McDermott must determine if Salizzar is a fake, or indeed this dangerous creature of the night.

iHorror was fortunate enough to pick the brain of this superb author. Enjoy our exclusive interview below!

iHorror: How did you get into writing?

David Aslin: How did I get into writing? Well, that is kind of an interesting story at least for me, in retrospect. (laughs out-loud). Many many years ago when I was still in high school, I was challenged by an English teacher to do a paper for some sort of literature class. At that time, I used to dread writing papers like that because I used to just cringe at all of the red marks that would come back. I was very poor in particularly at spelling and grammar. So I get this paper back, and I can’t remember this teacher’s name, still bugs me. There were more red marks than I could find my original black ink, and I am thinking oh jeez as I flip through it. At the end of it he gave me an A+ I am just scratching my head thinking how in the world, this paper is just torn apart. Anyway, there was a note that said, see me after class, and I am so confused. Well, I meet the guy and I wanted to say his name was Mr. Jennings but I am not too sure. But anyways, he comes up to my desk, and he sits down and says, “you’re probably wondering why I gave you such a high score,” and I said, “yeah.” He then says, “Dave, honestly..you can’t spell!” I said, “tell me something I don’t know.” (Actually over the years I have gotten better). “You can’t spell, your grammar is atrocious, you don’t know the difference between a sentence and a paragraph. However, you might just be the best story teller that I have had the pleasure of teaching.” And he had been teaching for about twenty years. The story that I had written was about getting away with the perfect murder. The teacher had told me that I could always hire an editor, “I think that you should consider a writing career.” At the time, I was interested in all kind of other things. Now fast forward thirty years into the future. I was working at a mill, and we were given work to complete in an allotted amount of time. My team and I used to hustle and finish early, and afterward we read books. I really read one book that sparked my interest in a way; it was Rlik la. When I was done reading the book I came home and looked my wife in the eye, and said “you know that is the best book that I have read in a very long time! But, there wasn’t any one part of it that had impossible talent behind it.” Well, then I thought, I can tell a story! I am a pretty good story teller. I then decided, Hey I am going to write a book.

iH: Were there any particular influences for you to write the Ian McDermott series?

DA: Oh Definitely!

iH: Did you base these characters on anyone in your life?

DA: Actually, that is a really awesome question!

iH: These characters were so real!

DA: Ian Mcdermott is by no means a reflection of me. A lot of authors put themselves into their characters. For the most part, he is a hybrid of Fox Mulder of the X-Files ak Sherlock Holmes (The Robert Downey Jr. version). He is very brilliant and is not snobbish.

iH: Exactly he is very modest and humble.

DA: He has an education but has chosen to walk an uncommon path, and he could have made a lot of money as a zoologist, the guy conventionally could have done very well. He is damaged, but he can be heroic when he has no other choice.

iH: Do you plan on working with Winlock Press on future projects?

DA: For the foreseeable future I do plan on working with Winlock and have no intentions of leaving. But that does not mean that Winlock will never leave me.

iH: What author(s) have influenced you the most?

DA: The author that has influenced me the most hands down is Stephen King. I know that does become a generic bi-line, but staring at my bookcase and I have books from almost any author you could think of, but I have 49 books of Stephen King. I am a huge Stephen King fan! I do not think that is the god of writing or the world’s greatest writer, but I think he is a hell of a storyteller. I also enjoy Anne Rice a lot. You know, whenever I get in a rut I go back and read the classics. I am really into Dracula Bram Stoker la ak Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; I just love the classics. That is another thing I should probably interject. I kind of tell my stories using an element of the 1940 classic Universal Horror monster movies. It needs to be set on a Halloween night, in a castle-like setting; I like the old Gothic influence.

iH: In your books you really take the time to describe the town. In Wouj mare, it was always gloomy with some haze or fog, and a lot of rain. This gave the town a lot of personality, and it felt as though it was a character in your story.

iH: Do you plan on writing anything else or sticking with the Ian McDermott series?

DA: Well at some point in time I need to finish the other two books in the Evilution trilogy. But (giggles), it is hard for me to deviate from the Ian stories because they are son interconnected. I usually leave them as cliffhangers and Wouj mare sets it up for Schizomega.

iH: That was perfect, it was enjoyable knowing that Wouj mare was setup for another book.

DA: Schizomega is definitely going to setup for a fourth book. If there was every a book that I had wanted to write, it is this fourth book. This story will just be a major pivotal point for Ian and Shizomega sets up for this fourth book more than any other, it completely sets the stage.

iH: Do you think that there is a chance of collaborating with other Winlock authors and bringing characters together for a book?

DA: I am not opposed to the idea. There is not one Winlock author that I would be opposed to writing with; they are much more talented than myself.

iH: Dave, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and your creative mind with us today!

 

David’s Novels Can Be Purchased From Amazon & Google Play ! 

Amazon - Loup-Garou: The Beast of Harmony Falls (Ian McDermott, Paranormal Investigator Book 1)

Google Jwe - Loup-Garou: The Beast of Harmony Falls (An Ian McDermott Paranormal Investigator Book 1)

Amazon - Red Tide: Vampires of the Morgue (An Ian McDermott Paranormal Investigator Novel Book 2)

Google Jwe - Red Tide: Vampires of the Morgue (An Ian McDermott Paranormal Investigator Novel Book 2)

Amazon -Evilution: Rise of the Antichrist (Dark Tomes I)

Google Jwe - Evilution: Rise of the Antichrist (Dark Tomes I)

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Ryan Cusick is a writer for ihorror.com and very much enjoys conversation and writing about anything within the horror genre. Horror first sparked his interest after watching the original, The Amityville Horror when he was the tender age of three. Ryan lives in California with his wife and nine-year old daughter, who is also expressing interest in the horror genre. Ryan recently received his Master’s Degree in Psychology and hopes to some day write a novel. Ryan can be followed on twitter @Nytmare112