Over the moon to today be presenting this interview from a horror author from not just my home city…but someone who lived just streets away from me growing up and attended the same school, a few years after I left. Author of four novels currently on sale, and the host of the increasingly popular YouTube channel Splatploitation where he reviews indie horror novels and classic horror movies, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the extremely likeable, velvet voiced legend that is Stephen Cooper.
Something Wicked This Way Comes - When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Stephen Cooper - Only recently. I used to write screenplays but discovered how much I loved writing books after writing my first during the pandemic. No going back now. It's what I want to do.
SWTWC – We went to the same school, albeit different years. What are your memories of it like?
SC - A mixture of being bullied and beginning to find myself. I enjoyed learning but there where way to many dickheads in my year lol.
SWTWC - where are you now?
SC - Still in Portsmouth. Wanna move away but just hasn't happened yet.
SWTWC - What has your life been like so far?
SC - Very up and down. Things have been alright but been a while since I felt like I had any real momentum in life. Life's a little static at the moment but that will change.
SWTWC - What other jobs have you had?
SC - Mostly retail. Managed a couple of Blockbuster stores and a surf shop. So Freelance Photography work as well. Mostly gig photography and Shooting music videos but I've slowed that down of late to concentrate on the writing
SWTWC - Does writing energize or exhaust you?
SC - Always energise.
SWTWC - What are common traps for aspiring writers?
SC - That need to make everything absolutely perfect. You'll always improve so if you want that first book to be perfect you'll keep at it forever when really that doesn't help you in the long run. Get it the best you can at that moment in time, get it out there, and then move onto the next one.
SWTWC - What is your writing Kryptonite?
SC - Spelling and Grammar.
SWTWC - Have you ever gotten reader’s block?
SC - Nope. If I get stuck on something I move onto something else then come back to it. I need to write almost every day so have no time for writer's block
SWTWC - Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
SC - No. But I would like to write a kids back one day so might for that so I can keep it separate from the Splatploitation stuff.
SWTWC - What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better
SC - I've only just started out really so not sure how many I'd say I'm friends friends with but I pay attention to the community of extreme horror authors a lot. I'm always considering what's being said and how I can apply that if it's relevant.
SWTWC - What authors did you dislike at first but grew into?
SC - Not sure there have been any. I remember not liking Jack Kerouac On the Road at first and later it became one of my favourite books.
SWTWC - What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
SC - I'm sure something like that would have come through film. Maybe Woody Allen's opening monologue in Manhattan. Or De Niros rant in Taxi Driver. Both of those really stick out as incredible storytelling and use of the right words to provoke exactly what they're going for.
SWTWC - As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
SC - A penguin.
SWTWC - How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
SC - I have a collection of short stories from a kids book I was putting together and a first attempt at a thriller/crime novel from like 10 years back. I might turn the latter into a book at some point. On the screenplay front I probably have about 10.
SWTWC - What does literary success look like to you?
SC - Being able to support myself. I don't need much to live on, I live a pretty simple lifestyle so if I could support myself through my writing and the things surrounding it I'd be beyond happy and definitely consider it a success.
SWTWC – Where do you get your inspiration?
SC - Cinema. I think 80/90 % of what I write has some basis in cinema.
SWTWC – How many hours a day do you write?
SC - I set aside 10-4 every day for Splatploitation stuff. Normally look to write for about 3-4 hours of that which is normally about 1000 words an hour. So I probably say 3 hours a day on average.
SWTWC - Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
SC - Yeah I read them. At the moment it's so exciting to get them. Hope that feeling stays. I've had one bad one and a couple where there's some constructive feedback that I definitely took on board. I like to think if I ever get truly bad ones that aren't constructive I'll just be able to ignore them. I read someone say recently that "reviews are for the readers not the authors." I wouldn't mind trying to live by that.
SWTWC - Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
SC - All the time. Nothing big. Just little things that make me smile. I've always done that. Scripts. Music Videos I've shot. Anything creative there's always a little something in there that's just for me lol.
SWTWC - What is your favorite childhood book?
SC - Probably The Twits. Or BFG. Anything by Roald Dahl. Used to love the old Beano and Dandy comics too so read all of those and the old annuals every year.
SWTWC - I am a huge horror fan. Mainly of the mid to late 80’s. Do you love horror movies and what is ‘your’ go-to horror era and fave movie?
SC - Love horror. 70s and 80s is where it's at for me. The video nasty movies or the Italian cannibal and gore stuff. The slahsers of that time. Think American Werewolf in London is probably my favourite but the horror that makes me smile the most is a Japanese film called House. It's the most inventive and creative movie you'll ever see.
SWTWC - Favourite cartoons as a kid? What shows made you happy?
SC - Loved a lot of the early cartoon network stuff like Powerpuff Girls and Dexter and Johnny Bravo. My favourite though was probably M.A.S.K. Had all the toys and comics for that and would have loved to write the script for a film if that ever worked out. He Man and TMNT where awesome as well.
SWTWC - Does your family support your career as a writer?
SC - Yeah. Fully. They've seen me pretty much lose my fucking mind in retail so they know this is what I should be doing.
SWTWC - Do you believe in writer’s block?
SC - I believe its a thing. But I think it can be worked around.
SWTWC - What are you planning next?
SC - Have a home invasion book I'm working on and have the next Abby Vs book too. Loads of ideas really but trying to keep it to working on one at a time rather than have to many things on the go.
SWTWC; Now some quick-fire questions, are you ready? OK, let’s do this….television series or movie?
SC - Movies every time.
SWTWC – Delivery or sit-down restaurant?
SC - Sit down.
SWTWC – Board games or card games?
SC - Board games.
SWTWC – Video games or books?
SC - Both. It would have been video games in the past but I love reading now.
SWTWC – Paperback book or eBook?
SC - eBook.
SWTWC – Summer or Winter?
SC - Winter in theory
SWTWC – Beach or forest?
SC - Forest.
SWTWC – Die Hard is an Xmas film, yes or no?
SC - No. That's a silly debate to me. There's nothing Christmasy about it other than the setting. Otherwise every Shane Black movie is a Christmas movie too
SWTWC – Morning or night?
SC - Morning
SWTWC – Shopping in-store or online?
SC - Guess online nowadays.
SWTWC – Shower or bath?
SC - Bath.
SWTWC – Call or text?
SC - Text. 100%
SWTWC – Sausage or bacon?
SC - Bacon.
SWTWC – Cats or dogs?
SC - Cats
SWTWC – Rock or hip hop?
SC - Rock
SWTWC – Coffee or tea?
SC - Coffee
SWTWC – Turquoise…is it blue or green?
SC - I'm supposedly a bit colourblind but I'd say blue
SWTWC – Sleep on the left or the right side of the bed?
SC - Left
SWTWC – Friday 13th or Halloween?
SC - Halloween
SWTWC – The Thing or Alien?
SC - The Thing
SWTWC – American Werewolf in London or Dog Soldiers?
SC - American Werewolf. Dog Soldiers is great tho.
SWTWC – IT (1990) or IT (2017)?
SC - 1990. Thought the remake was boring.
SWTWC – Lost Boys or Fright Night?
SC - Fright Night. But that's a tough one.
SWTWC – Shining or Amityville?
SC - Shining. I'm not fussed about Amityville
SWTWC – Best film in the Halloween franchise?
SC - The OG.
SWTWC – Favourite decade for horror movies?
SC - 70s or 80s
SWTWC – vampire, slasher, werewolf, zombie or ghost films?
SC - Slashers.
SWTWC – Red Hot Chili Peppers or The Foo Fighters?
SC - Foo Fighters. Seen both at Hyde Park though and both incredible live.
SWTWC – Kong; Skull Island or Godzilla; King of Monsters
SC - Love of those types of Movie but thought Skull Island was amazing. Really enjoyed that one.
SWTWC – Marvel or Dc?
SC - Tried all then both now but growing up I always read Green Lantern so probably DC.
SWTWC – An asteroid is about to destroy the Earth in 7 hrs...pick three films to watch.
SC - Apartment. Police Story and Star Wars New Hope. (Would want to feel good and remember important films in my life rather than necessarily absolute favourites)
SWTWC - Pick your last meal on Death Row; starter, main and a desert + a drink.
SC - Loaded Potato Skins. Lamb Shank. Lemon Meringue Pie. Lemonade.
SWTWC – thank you for being probed my dude
Find Stephen Cooper here