We are thrilled to present this genre and multi-media hoping author, Jay Sandlin. His short story "Hate Sky" will be featured in our newest upcoming release "It Calls From the Sky", which is available for pre-order now!
From a young age, Jay Sandlin wrote short stories and comics to entertain himself and friends. From age 8 onward, theatre was his main storytelling passion and he appeared in over fifty productions from 8-23, including a selection of short plays written from Ray Bradbury stories. Jay met Ray in person at one of these performances and never forgot the interaction.
In 2015, he shifted to writing regularly. In 2018, he won the Mad Cave Studios talent search, leading to publishing his first comic books. Over the Ropes was his first comic series, followed by Hellfighter Quin all available in trade paperback. More comics are coming in 2021. He’s also published a short story collection of his own, Space Police Files, which has been described as COPS meets the Twilight Zone.
There’s more stories, comics and books to come from Jay. To keep up, visit JaySandlin.com and sign up for his newsletter. Follow him on twitter or Instagram @JaySandlin_. You can also get the latest episodes of his podcast, GeekOPedia on his website or any app hosting podcasts.
Have you always written, or was there a catalyst that prompted you to begin this journey?
When I was younger, I wrote short stories and comics to entertain myself and my friends. From age 8 onward, theatre was my main storytelling passion. I appeared in over fifty productions from 8-23.
The catalyst to pursue the writing further came from a desire for more permanence in my storytelling. I did three plays in a row; a drama, musical and a comedy. Few people came to see some performances and when it was over, it was really over. All the hours of work, rehearsals and preparation shot their wads and I had nothing to show for it.
At that point, I decided to pick up writing again and never stopped. With the pandemic going on now and theatre no longer being an option, I’m very grateful for my choice.
Do you have an author that has influenced your writing the most?
Jim Butcher for the way he weaves his original ideas with ancient myth, folklore and other fandoms.
Do you remember the first piece of writing shared publicly? What were people’s reactions, but more importantly how did you react getting it out there?
When I was in the third grade I loved Goosebumps books so wrote an on-going series of horror short stories in a spiral notebook called Jay’s House of Horrors. No Internet, I simply passed the notebook around to my classmates. When a teacher caught wind of it, she read it to the class and told everyone I made Stephen King look bad. It was a hollow platitude but it gave me a high I kept chasing ever since.
What is your workspace like? What kind of atmosphere do you need to write?
Messy, cramped and chaotic—much like my mind. In terms of atmosphere, just let me write in my space, with the door closed, and I’m just fine.
Horror occasionally veers into the paranormal or supernatural, that's what makes it fun in my opinion. Do you believe in the supernatural, and if so is there a story?
I’ve been an atheist for a long time so I’m not sure I believe in a supernatural, per say. There is a quality to the universe which remains unknown and unexplained with forces at work beyond our understanding. One night in college, however, we did fish a ouija board out of a dumpster and used it in the dorms to try and talk to ghosts. What happened next I’ll probably use as a short story or comic sometime.
Without giving too much away, tell us about the short story you have featured in “It calls to the Sky”. What inspired you?
In my story, "Hate Sky", Willard Skye is a poor man’s Rush Limbaugh struggling to keep his right-wing radio show on pirate airwaves. He wants to keep his listenership, but when his signals cross frequencies with a swarm of angry bats, they all show up to take a bite or two out of him. Hope you like the twist at the end!
Jay has also agreed to be our signing author for the US, so if you preorder your very own copy or book bundle, Jay will be happy to sign and send you your copy!
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Terror reigns the sky, and there is nowhere left to hide.
Ferocious storms, winged beasts and falling angels are just some of the dark tales locked within these pages. Discover a world where carnage falls from the sky, and delve into the frenzy of a world gone mad as Heaven opens and all Hell breaks loose.
Eerie River Publishing brings you another round of exceptional horror created by award-winning authors around the world. We dare you to take this journey with us and find out what madness awaits you!