Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming C.D. Gallant-King to the Town’s End. He’s recently released his latest book: Hell Comes to Hogtown. It’s fun romp, chock full of gratuitous violence and unusual characters. Now, here’s all the info!
A comic book nerd and a pro-wrestler try to clear their names in a kidnapping while evading a bloodthirsty demon hobo…
THE TRAILER!
THE INTERVIEW!
Tell us about Hell Comes to Hogtown.
Hogtown is a horror comedy about two losers who get involved in a paranormal mystery and wind up in way over their heads. The protagonist, Fitz, is an awkward, socially inept underachiever whose life is turned upside down when he encounters a beautiful woman in a comic book store. Through twists and turns completely outside his control, the chance encounter ends up getting him implicated in a murder and kidnapping plot involving the prime minister’s family. His best friend Dee – a narcissistic, drug-addled professional wrestler – winds up dragged along for the ride. In addition to the cops and the feds on their tail, Fitz and Dee have to deal with an even more dangerous threat: a drunken, demonic hobo with a taste for blood.
A number of weird and interesting people pop up in Hell Comes to Hogtown. Where do you get your characters from?
Shoeboxes. I find them under my bed.
Seriously though, there’s no particular trick or source. The two main characters in Hell Comes to Hogtown – Fitz and Dee – had been some I’d been thinking about for a long time. The hapless, underachieving comic book store employee always spoke to me. I like apparently loser characters who don’t have any special skills or redeeming qualities; they have nowhere to go but up. The skeevy wrestler was also one I wanted to try, because I love writing jerks. I just didn’t realize they would go so well together. They’re both losers and they play off each other well, and the dynamics of their platonic but antagonistic relationship provides a great deal of the thrust of the story.
Do you have a favorite character?
I had a lot of fun with most of the characters in Hogtown. They’re all screw-ups, weirdos and terrible people, but they all have their charms and I think you’ll want them to succeed (and survive). If I had to pick just one it would be probably be Dee, the wrestler, who is a narcissistic, drug addicted womanizer and all-around jerk but hot damn, is he ever fun to write. I never know what’s going to come out of his mouth, but usually it’s the most offensive thing I can think of.
Do you have conversations with your characters?
Nope, that’s silly. Sometimes I think about having sex with them, though.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Just write. Don’t chat on Facebook groups about writing, don’t worry about the best software to use or your marketing plans, and certainly don’t read interviews by independent writers who have no idea what they’re talking about. JUST WRITE.
(And maybe read. Reading is also good.)
You use a lot of comedy in your work. Tell us a joke!
BANANA PANTS!
I don’t get it either, but it’s my four-year-old’s go-to. He think it’s hilarious, but I guess I just don’t get modern humour.
I keep falling for it, too. Like he’ll start with a knock-knock joke:
KID: Knock, knock!
ME: Who’s there?
KID: BANANA PANTS!
And then he’ll just keel over and bust a gut laughing, and I feel embarrassed for having fallen for it again.
Anyway, I think I’m losing the point of this conversation. Go check out my book!
THE BOOK!
Title: Hell Comes to Hogtown
Author: C.D Gallant-King
Genre: Comic Horror
Length: 65,000 words
Cover Art: Jason Salvatori and Max Covers
Editing: Amy Allen-MacLeod
Release Date: July 1, 2016
Fitz is a broke night manager for a grubby comic book store. His only friend Dee is a drugged-out, womanizing pro-wrestler. Together they’re the most pathetic losers on the face of the planet. Their lives cannot possibly get any worse.
And then they’re implicated in the kidnapping of the prime minister’s wife.
On the run from the cops, Fitz and Dee discover there is something far worse than the RCMP stalking the dark streets of Toronto. They are being hunted by an ancient demon of unspeakable evil with an insatiable taste for blood… or maybe it’s just your run-of-the-mill giant murderous hobo?
Either way, life in prison might be better than whatever the creepy drifter has in store for them…
THE LINKS!
THE WRITER!
Writer, tabletop gamer, pro-wrestling aficionado. Dad.
C.D. Gallant-King is an independent writer originally from Newfoundland, Canada, though he’s not fond of fishing and hates boats. He moved to Toronto to study theatre, and then later moved to Ottawa where he does absolutely nothing related to theatre.
He hangs out on Twitter and Facebook, and blogs at Stories I Found in the Closet and Rule of the Dice.
Do you like comedy horror? What do you think of the blurb? Are you a comic book fan?
Great interview! Made me giggle in places – especially Banana Pants. I could just imagine a cute four year old busting a gut at that. Cute. Best of luck to C.D. and his new novel!!
Thank you!
Banana Pants IS cute. Unfortunately he’s also recently discovered the hilarity of fart and burp jokes. I thought we had another couple of years before he got into that.
Ah, lucky you! I hear those jokes will continue until adulthood…
Banana Pants IS cute.
Unfortunately he’s also recently discovered the hilarity of fart and burp jokes. I thought we had another couple of years before he got into that style of comedy.
And that’s what happens when you think the comment didn’t post the first time so you write it again.
I guess I need to open more shoeboxes.
In my books, Athee was hot, but not sure I’d want to have sex with her.
Banana pants – does that have to do with Minions?
That’s probably where it started, but honestly it’s taken on a life of its own.
Great interview–love the answers. I’ll have to look under my bed to see if someone left a shoebox full of writerly stuff there.
Congrats on the book and here’s to lots of sales. (I’m clicking coffee mugs with everyone.)
If it’s not under the bed, check The Closet. I always find my best stuff in there.
*clink*
Congrats to C.D. Gallant-King on the book!
I think you too had released a book recently. Congrats to you, too!
Sounds interesting!
Screw-ups, weirdos, and terrible people. That sure does sound like an interesting cast of characters!
CD and the whole interview were hilarious! I wish I had half the fun writing my books as he obviously did writing this one. And I admit I’d get a lot more writing done if I followed his advice. Social media is my greatest frenemy. I’m un-plugging now. Kidding! BANANA PANTS!!
Fun interview!! I really like the idea of a comic book store employee as a character too. And lol! Lexa beat me to yelling banana pants. 😉
Awesome interview. I like horror-comedies. They take the edge off the harsh stuff, but still spook me nonetheless.
I love dark comedies. It’s like combining peanut butter and chocolate. Who knew the two could be so good together! Best wishes for a smashing success! And the post is worthy of a Tweet.
Stephen Tremp
http://www.stephentremp.com
C. D. you had me laughing throughout the interview. Now, I need a copy of your book. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
Holy crap, I’m so glad I stopped by! Not to be self-centered (ask Loni…I’m not…at least I hope she’ll say I’m not), but I love this: “Just write. Don’t chat on Facebook groups about writing, don’t worry about the best software to use or your marketing plans, and certainly don’t read interviews by independent writers who have no idea what they’re talking about. JUST WRITE.” Thank you! I just wrote a post about this.
Also, amazing trailer. These characters must have been a blast to write. 🙂