About J. Paddy Spaight:
J. Paddy Spaight, author of Shadow’s Prisoners, works as a logistics analyst at his day job. Otherwise, he works on his blog, Paddy’s Place, and is writing several short stories. He lives with his wife, Billie M. Spaight, a medical editor, and their two cats, Corduroy and Gizmo, in the borough of Queens in New York City. His interests include films, genealogy (especially about Ireland) sports, art, music, politics, and paranormal phenomena.
What inspires you to write?
I have to be passionate about a topic in order for me to put my heart and soul into writing about it. Shadow’s Prisoners came to me out of the blue. At least that is what I originally thought. Another author reminded me that a person’s life experiences can greatly affect their work. Although I never grew up in a Funeral parlor like the hero in the book, I do know what scares me. The rest ofthe book came to me by piecing together instances in my past. I then put an added twist to them so they appear unique and not out of place.
Every morning while riding the subway to work, I pulled out a small spiral notepad from my back pocket and wrote. Certain times, if I was lucky, and if the train stalled between stations, thoughts would come to me at lightening speed. Each night I would rewrote my thoughts and polished them until I smiled.
Tell us about your writing process.
I can’t type worth a lick, so longhand is the only way to go for me. Crowded subway cars are my best inspiration.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I have to carry on a nice discussion with them in order to know more about them. Sometime I have a sketch of a character.
What advice would you give other writers?
Never stop writing. The minute you stop, the harder it becomes to get back in the rhythm. Some authors have to write a specific amount of words per day. I don’t understand that. Do what feels comfortable and don’t force the writing.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
At first I wanted to go the traditional route of shopping for a literary agency and have that person get my book published. However, I was advised by my sister-in-law to read a book on self-publishing (Let’s Get Digital). That changed my views about the traditional rout immensely.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
The future of traditional book publishing looks bleak. Few new writers are taken on and if they do get published, the company that publishes their work returns the rights back to the author after several years. Most of the books are taken off shelves are turned into pulp within that same time.
On the other hand, self-publishing is on the upswing. Once a writer self-published their book if they couldn’t land an agent. Not anymore. Self-publishing is taking off substantially. More so each and every year.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Horror, Paranormal, Adventure
What formats are your books in?: eBook
Website(s)
J. Paddy Spaight Home Page Link
