[From Outlook Magazine]
Gay Author Rick R. Reed Releases Latest Thriller 'IM'
By Paul E. Pratt
Entertainment Editor
Reed’s A Face Without a Heart, a modernized retelling of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, received raves from horror magazine Fangoria. Before their 2006 re-release, his Obsessed and Penance
collectively sold more than 80,000 copies. He even contributed a short story about his son to the Lambda Literary Award-winning anthology I Do/I Don’t.
Reed’s most recent page-turner IM, a suspense thriller about a serial killer preying on gay men through an internet hook-up site, hit select bookstores in May 2007. In IM – campily subtitled “Instant Message – or Instant Murder?!” -- the author gives readers more than just the crazed gay villain so often found in films such as Silence of the Lambs. He also gives life to its queer hero, an openly-gay member of Chicago’s finest whose career hangs in the balance of catching the killer.
Now the author grants Outlook this exclusive interview. Here the author discusses his not only his new book but also his career, comparisons to other authors and what keeps him writing.
Despite the fact IM is a suspense/thriller rather than horror, you've been called a "gay Stephen King"?
And would Stephen King be the "straight Rick R. Reed?" Actually, to answer your question seriously: my new book is classified as a mystery by my publisher, a reviewer called it a "psychological thriller" and someone else said it was "suspense." People need to label books in order to find them, so I don't mind whether my books are called "horror" or "suspense" or "crime fiction" as long as people can find them. I just set out to write a good story and let others call it what they will (and hope that the naming will be kind).
Rather than Stephen King, IM reminds me a more of Mary Higgins Clark.
I know you like Mary Higgins Clark…we both read her as boys. Who needed Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys? Probably what reminds you of MHC is, I hope, the way I build the suspense in IM. My goal was to keep readers turning the pages, whether they wanted to or not.
How do you feel about the way LGBT characters are portrayed in most books?
That's such a broad question, it's hard to answer. But until very recently, I think homosexuals were portrayed as desperate and self-loathing, often tragically (think Brokeback Mountain). It's refreshing that newer gay writers are coming up with gay characters who can be not only heroic and self-affirming, but just ordinary people. Read a book like The Good Neighbor and you see a gay couple struggling with the same life issues as anyone else, their gayness isn't core to their being.
Do you identify with Ed's emotionally-flawed nature in IM? Have you been as unlucky in love as your hero?
I never really thought of Ed as emotionally flawed. In IM, he's just come out of an extended serious relationship and is still mourning that loss. Yet, by the end of the book…oh but I can't say that, it would be a spoiler. Personally, I have had several relationships that didn't work out, but I've now been in one for five years that has, so I consider myself lucky…and have no regrets about the ones that didn't work out. I loved them once and learned something from every relationship I've been in.
OK, so I tried more than once to figure this out when reading the book. Is Ed a top or a bottom?!
Labels again! Ed said he'd like me to put that he's versatile and that it depends on the guy and the circumstances. He also said he never looks for love online: too risky.
Actually, I think what you're referring to is In the Blood, a vampire novel coming out this November. It's a standalone piece about a trio of gorgeous vampires almost as infatuated with visual art as they are with blood. I loved Anne Rice's early vampire books and I suppose there are some echoes of her breed in In the Blood: the vampires are gorgeous, elegant, somewhat tortured, and can be vicious. I guess how I make it my own is thematically, because the book is really about immortality and the lengths we will go to to achieve it, whether that means becoming a blood-sucking fiend or a world-renowned artist.
What motivates you to continue writing?
I have been writing since I was six years old. It's a constitutional thing for me. I write almost every day. Some days more than others, I have to goad myself into getting started, but I think my discipline over the years makes it easier and easier for the muse to come to me. I don't believe in writer's block. What makes me keep going? I have these pesky stories in my head that won't leave me alone until I write them down.
[From Chicago Free Press]
IM: Instant Message or Instant Murder
By Sukie de la Croix
Wed, 05/09/2007 - 11:33 — Rick R. Reed is a soft-spoken writer of horrific novels. His latest, “IM” (Quest Books), is set in Chicago and tells the tale of Timothy Bright, a troubled man who takes a terrible revenge upon those who abused him by using the Internet as a tool for murder. At Men4HookUpNow.com, instant messaging leads to instant murder and gay cop Ed Comparetto is given the task of solving the crime. The twists and turns in “IM” will bring a knot to your stomach as you follow the plot, all told from the different viewpoints of the characters involved. I spoke to Rick R. Reed while he was sipping a cocktail by his pool in Miami and I was freezing my ass off here in Chicago.
Sukie de la Croix: In the same way that nobody took a shower without locking the bathroom door after watching “Psycho,” I can’t imagine anyone cruising for sex on the Internet after reading “IM.” How do you feel about pooping on everybody’s party?
Rick R. Reed: I have never been into scat, yet I feel the urge to poop on as large a party as possible. Considering that my bowel movements are both healthy and frequent, we should have good coverage. Oh wait a frickin’ minute! You were speaking metaphorically, weren’t you? I suppose “IM” could be looked at as a cautionary tale, and I don’t really think I’m pooping on any parties by urging people to take sensible precautions when inviting strangers into their homes. And even if one does throw caution to the wind when it comes to online encounters, how many people have actually been stabbed while taking a shower…to the accompaniment of shrieking violins?
SdlC: In all your books you explore the dark side of the human psyche; you seem most comfortable and at home writing about forbidden fruit. I also notice that your characters, even the heroes, are often flawed or damaged in some way. I think we can all relate to that…I’ve always felt that everybody is fucked-up to varying degrees. I wonder if the reader will peer through the terrible window that “IM” has opened up and ask themself—“Am I also capable of murder?” Are you capable of murder, Mr. Reed?
RRR: Sometimes, when driving in Miami traffic, I think I might be capable of murder, but for the most part, it’s a pretty foreign concept. In my writing, I do like to explore the dark side of human nature, what obsession and hunger can compel us to do when we think no one else is looking. I like to explore shades of gray; I don’t think any of us is either black or white—that dichotomy only exists in bad novels. I wonder myself why I write about what I do—the gruesome, the macabre—and have to wonder if I’m working out something dark in my own psyche. Thank God I can write or who knows how these thoughts might express themselves.
SdlC: It seems people have become desensitized to gore through the autopsies and cadaver-poking of TV series like “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and “Crossing Jordan”—it has also made everyone an armchair expert on forensic science and crime detection. Do you think this greater awareness will ultimately affect the way mysteries and thrillers are written? When you think about it, if the Victorians had been aware of DNA, we never would have heard of Jack the Ripper. Do you think science is the great plot spoiler?
RRR: Not at all. I think forensic science and DNA testing present new ways and different tools to solving crimes. The process itself can be fascinating. So, while the days of the butler doing it may be a quaint anachronism, the new breed of mysteries and crime thrillers present a new way of looking at murder. But at the heart of it, what really fascinates us is motivation and why people do the unthinkable. I don’t think science can ever supply us with answers to those shadowy regions of the soul and that’s what will continue to make this kind of reading attractive to certain readers.
SdlC: Have you ever thought about writing a book about nice things like raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens where nobody makes an early exit ass-up and prick-down on a lab slab?
RRR: The problem with raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens is that they’re boring. At least to me. I’m interested in the pricks—on the roses, of course—and why the serial killer tortured kittens when he was a little boy. I wouldn’t quite know what to do with a book where everything was viewed through rose-colored glasses and the world was like what Dorothy sees when she opens the door to Munchkinland. I think we have to have the witch’s castle somewhere to make it interesting.
SdlC: I noticed that after Seung-Hui Cho, a troubled student, recently went on a shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, the first thing the authorities turned to was his gory fiction writings. There now seems to be a witch-hunt in progress examining student writings. As a horror writer, what are your thoughts on that?
RRR: Wow. It’s funny you should ask that because I had thought of writing something on this very topic but had never gotten around to it. I had thought I could put in some spectacularly gruesome scenes from some of my work to illustrate the fact that people can write gory stuff and still be as gentle as lambs—as I am. I’m sure Cho’s writings were disturbing—I read a few of his short plays—but the difference is that there was no distance in what he wrote. You could tell this was the workings of a mind in terrible pain, whereas professional horror or crime writers are more calculating about what they write: there’s a structure underneath, an attention to details like pacing, plotting, and characterization. The gore or gruesome details serve to move the story along, to define character. Cho’s writing reflected an unhealthy fascination with pain and death and he was all about that than about telling a story. People have to make a distinction between literature, entertainment and true cries for help.
[From readerviews.com]
Interview with Rick Reed
By Tyler R. Tichelaar
Rick R. Reed's horror fiction has been referred to as "a harrowing ride through cutting-edge psychological horror" (Douglas Clegg, author of “The Attraction”), having "a knack for presenting the gruesome lower depths of a soul" (“New City”) and "brutally honest" (“Fangoria”). “Unzipped” magazine, in its October 2006 issue said, "You could call him the Stephen King of gay horror..."
Tyler: Welcome, Rick. I’m happy to have you here today. To begin, would you briefly tell us what “IM” is about?
Rick: “IM” is a suspense/horror novel about a serial killer who uses internet “hook-up” chat rooms to lure his victims. The title stands for instant message, and it is through these instant messages that the killer seduces his victims into inviting him into their homes for what they think will be an evening of romance, but what turns out to be an evening of brutal murder. The twist of the book is that the killer himself may be dead, a victim of a similar crime to the ones now being perpetrated. It takes a recently out and ousted gay Chicago police detective to try and discover the truth and to stop the killer—dead or not—before he kills again.
Tyler: Where did you first come up with the idea for “IM”?
Rick: I guess I must have been thinking about the potential peril gay men, especially, put themselves in by using these online hookup services, like Adam4Adam, M4M, etc. There’s a whole slew of them and finding sex online nowadays is as easy as ordering a pizza. And I’d be lying if I said I had never availed myself of the opportunity. But the thought crossed my mind at one point, “What if one of these people you’re inviting over wants to do you harm? Or even kill you? Who would know? How would anyone trace any connection from you to the killer?” That “what if…” is a big question for writers and it started me on the course for writing “IM”.
Tyler: A book like “IM” could not have been written even twenty years ago when the internet was not widespread. What advantages do you feel advances in technology have created for storytelling?
Rick: Well, I think the internet has many possibilities for storytelling. A while back, I read an excellent novel called “I.D.”, which was about a woman whose identity is stolen. I also believe there’s a young adult novel out told entirely in IMs. The cyberworld is a whole new setting!
Tyler: I know you’ve set “IM” and some of your other novels in Chicago, and you live in Chicago. Is there a reason why you choose to set the books in the town where you live?
Rick: Actually, Tyler, I lived in Chicago for eighteen years. In October of 2006, I moved to Miami, FL with my partner because of a job relocation/promotion. But to get back to your question, I set so much of my work in Chicago because the city was a true inspiration to me. I knew it so well it was easy to visualize the locales as I wrote. And the hardiness, the people, the beauty, and the vitality of Chicago all contributed to making me want to set what I wrote there.
Tyler: I have also read your book “Penance” which I enjoyed, but what really made “IM” stand out for me by comparison was your use of multiple first and third person narratives, and you allowed the serial killer to speak in first person. Why did you choose to alternate points-of-view and what did you feel were the benefits and drawbacks of doing so?
Rick: I like using different points of views first because it helps me get inside the character’s head and feel what he’s feeling, thus bringing it alive for the reader (sometimes I go to some pretty dark and dangerous places!). Second, I like to do it because I think it brings the reader much closer to the character I’m writing about. You know the scene in the movie “Halloween” where the little Michael Myer is going to kill his sister? You see this through his Halloween mask, and hear him breathing beneath the mask…and I think that’s what makes it more personal and terrifying for the viewer. In “IM”, we get to see things “up close and personal” from the killer’s and his victims’ perspectives. I like having that immediacy and bringing readers right into my own little nightmare world.
Tyler: One thing I found interesting about the serial killer in “IM” is that you gave the reader background information on him and why he became who he was. Even with showing his motivation, however, I’m not sure he ever became sympathetic. Did you feel sympathy for him at all?
Rick: Yeah, I do feel some sympathy for Timothy. You’ve read the book, so you know he endured some pretty horrible abuse growing up. I don’t really expect anyone to feel sympathy for him, but I hope they can at least have some understanding why he became the way he is. I think of people in terms of shades of gray and I think that makes them a lot more compelling as characters than one-dimensional stock villains or heroes.
Tyler: Rick, do you ever receive negative criticism about your novels because of their violent or sexual subject matter? And if so, how do you respond to those critics?
Rick: It’s interesting seeing some of the reviews for “IM” and how almost all of them warn that there’s pretty graphic sex and violence, yet all of them say it’s not gratuitous and it has to be there to advance the plot. That makes me feel good because I never put graphic stuff in simply to shock…it always has to pass the test: does it need to be there? Could the story work without it? I think my answer is always, “Yes, it has to be there.”
Tyler: That’s an excellent response, Rick. I agree it’s important that such elements as violence are used to advance the plot. Do you feel there is too much violence today in books, films and television? I am always surprised by the number of crime shows on television today. How do you think your books or such programs reflect American viewpoints today?
Rick: It’s hard to gauge how much is too much. I think the test I mentioned above is a good one: is the violence necessary? I think movies like “Hostel” and “Wolf Creek” take it over the top and for me personally, they go a little too far. The gore and violence just seem like they’re there for their own sake (remember that sentence for the correct usage of variations on “there”!).
Tyler: Do you feel your works exaggerate reality by being sensational, or is that the fun of writing within a horror or suspense genre?
Rick: Most of my stuff is the kind of horror that can really happen (save for a detour into the world of vampires occasionally), so I would say that I don’t think the crimes and the suspense are exaggerated. I think what makes them terrifying is that they could really happen. I have always been a true crime buff and it fascinates me how people can bring themselves to do horrible things (which I could never do). Writing about these things is a way of examining crime more closely.
Tyler: What really strikes me about your works and especially “IM” is that they focus on gay characters, and yet those gay characters are victims of sexual crimes. Do you feel your books reflect some sort of homophobic feeling that still exists in America, or perhaps the fears of the gay population about not being accepted by the mainstream?
Rick: I don’t think I consciously set out to write anything themed that way. As I’ve said before, I just set out to write a good page-turner, not a “cautionary tale” or to hold a mirror up to society. I suppose, though, if you peel back the layers of “IM”, there is an element of self-loathing that some gay men have and that’s what causes them to seek out highly risky behavior, even sometimes at the expense of their own lives.
Tyler: Why do you choose to write gay horror? Why not just a gay coming out story?
Rick: Gay is just because I am; I know those people best. I think my “gay” books could just as easily be straight ones…my first concern is with the human condition. My characters’ sexuality makes them more alive to me as I write them and hopefully more alive to the reader. Horror is because I have always been fascinated with the dark side of things and always loved the delicious tingle you can feel from fear (the kind of safe fear you can have between the covers of a book or on a movie screen, though!).
Tyler: How did you feel about “Unzipped” Magazine calling you the “Stephen King of gay horror”? Do you think that’s a fair comparison?
Rick: I love the marketing angle that someone comparing me to King has given me. And I love the comparison because he’s always been a favorite. I’ve been reading him since I was a boy and have read almost everything he’s written. That said, no, I don’t think we’re alike at all. Our styles, subject matter, and perspectives are very different. “Unzipped” picked King because he’s probably the most recognizable name in horror, not because we are actually all that alike as writers.
Tyler: You mentioned the film “Halloween” and of course, Stephen King. Which writers and/or films have been influences upon your writing?
Rick: Some of my favorite horror movies are “THE HAUNTING” and an Asian film called “AUDITION. In both of those, the sense of dread is pervasive and, at least with the former, much of the chilling stuff that happens occurs off-stage, which makes it even more frightening. As far as writers who’ve had an influence, the three that come to mind would not be classified as horror writers, but I really love their sense of suspense and the grotesque: Flannery O’Connor, Patricia Highsmith, and James Purdy. I think they have all influenced how I write characters.
Tyler: How difficult was it for you to publish a novel with gay characters in it? Being gay yourself, did the thought of becoming famous make you nervous?
Rick: It’s taken me a long time to accept myself as a gay man (I didn’t come out until I was 30) and now I’m happy with who I am and don’t care who knows it. I would be happy to be known as a “gay author” and be famous for it. Our community needs more “out and proud” people standing at the forefront, so people can see we come in all different shapes and sizes. I started out writing straight horror books and I was very lucky to have the first two picked up by a huge NY publisher like Dell and I suppose I could have continued down that path. But I wanted to write what I wanted to write and now I’m very comfortable publishing with a small GLBT house.
Tyler: How would you yourself describe your work? Is it horror, suspense, thriller, gay fiction, or do you prefer some other term?
Rick: I prefer the term, “good story.” I’m a storyteller and hope that the main thing I can avoid is boring people. If I can give them a couple or three hours of entertainment and escape from their usual world, I’m happy. If I can make them think a little along the way, that’s a bonus. I leave the labels to publishers and bookstores. They use them to make me easier to find. But I suppose if pressed I would say my work is suspense/horror, in that order.
Tyler: I understand your next novel will be about vampires. Are you leaning more toward writing horror?
Rick: No, if anything I’m leaning more toward suspense/mystery. But people often assume books are written chronologically in the same order they’re published. I wrote “In the Blood” some time ago, based on a short story I wrote even longer ago (and that was published in an anthology of historical vampire fiction called “Dark Destiny”). I love the whole romantic, savage mystique of vampires though and expect I’ll get around to exploring them more in my fiction.
Tyler: What do you feel is the attraction in recent years surrounding vampires in horror literature? Why does the vampire figure speak to modern audiences?
Rick:I don’t think the attraction for vampires is recent; it goes way back. I think we’ve always been fascinated by the possibility of immortal life…and I believe that’s what’s at the core of the appeal of vampire fiction.
Tyler: Thank you so much for being here today, Rick. “IM” had me on the edge of my seat all the way through and I definitely recommend it. Can you tell our readers where they can find out more information about your books and where to purchase a copy of “IM”?
Rick: Sure. From Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com, Starcrossed Productions, Lambda Rising, and other online booksellers. It's also available for order from any good bookstore.
Rick:Thank you, Rick. We’ll certainly be looking forward to your next book.
[From Dasef Central Blog]
IM: Do You Really Want to Hit Send?
By Marva Dasef
Rick Reed writes horror. Rick writes gay horror. That thought intrigued me, so I asked Rick if I could get a bit of clarification on this sub-genre.
A few words about Rick, first. Rick has written a basketful of books, all of them available from Amazon. Simply search for Rick R. Reed and you’ll come up with several novels that deal with the seamier, more demented side of the psyche.
He recently moved from Chicago to Florida, so he's probably in a somewhat culture-shocked state right now. His latest book, IM, is just being released this month from Quest Books.
IM, stands for Instant Message or is that Instant Murder? A serial killer stalks men through gay instant message sites. This is a chilling tale of the dangers of high tech friendships.
In the Blood is scheduled for release in November and Deadly Vision: Book One of the Cassandra Chronicles is scheduled for release in January, 2008, both from IM book trailer on YouTube.
Marva: Welcome, Rick. Thanks so much for stopping in.
Rick: You’re welcome. I couldn’t resist, especially when you have cookies set out. And martinis.
Marva: First up, tell us a bit about your latest book, IM.
Rick: IM is a light-hearted romantic romp about the trouble one can get into when one goes searching for love online. Readers might be dismayed to find those troubles can include murder and dismemberment. But seriously, IM has been called a "deliciously nasty psychological thriller" by one reviewer and I think that’s a pretty good descriptor. It’s about a serial killer who may or may not be dead himself luring his victims through Internet hook-up sites. It has a lot of twists and turns and I think keeps readers guessing right up to the end.
Marva: A cautionary tale? It makes me think twice about instant messaging. The theme of people walking into dangerous situations unthinkingly is a horror icon. Was that part of your thinking? To warn about consequences of risky behavior? After all, every teenager in horror movies just has to explore that creepy house by the lake.
Rick: Another reviewer called it a ‘cautionary tale’ and I can understand why, since one doesn’t have to look too far to see a warning about the perils of inviting strangers you’ve met online into your home. I don’t really set out, though, to write tales that are ‘cautionary;’ I just set out to write good stories that keep readers turning the pages. If anything is ‘cautionary,’ it’s because horror and suspense come from dangerous situations. So, using that logic, any book about a dangerous situation might be labeled cautionary.
Marva: You wrote a blog on questions asked by a friend about the label 'gay horror writer'. Tell us about that.
Rick: First, he asked me if it bothered me being labeled a gay horror writer. He wondered if I resented the label and if I just would prefer to be called writer and let my writing be looked at simply for its own unique characteristics rather than under some arbitrary labels, especially ones that had the potential for being loaded, like "horror" and "gay." I told him that booksellers and publishers were very fond of labels and of fitting writers into niches. More than fond, it was almost a necessity. I said that I didn't really mind because labels help readers find me. If people out there are looking to read some good gay horror, I'm happy to be found on that particular shelf. I'm happy to be found anywhere, because I have been known to be invisible, but that's another blog, or a topic for discussion with a good psychotherapist.
Marva: Do you feel as if you're a spokesman for gay horror writers?
Rick: The guy who asked me about gay horror was of a mind that I was the only writer operating under such a mantle. I told him first that I was not the only gay horror writer. There are many other very talented writers out there who might also be labeled the same way: Doug Clegg, Christian Muncy, Michael Rowe, Clive Barker, to name just a few. But if I were given a tiara and a sash that read "Gay Horror Queen" I would wear it with an enormous amount of pride and would endeavor to fulfill all the duties (including being a spokesperson and letting the world know how gay horror can contribute to world peace). In the end, though, I’m just a writer who wants to tell goosebump-raising stories; I leave the spokesperson stuff for the ad people and politicos.
Marva: Some of your previous books don't have a 'gay' theme (whatever that is). IM, your latest book, is very upfront about that. How does it advocate 'gay' anymore than, say, King's Misery advocates overzealous book fans?
Rick: These questions coming right now seemed fitting. As you said, IM is probably one of the gayest of gay horror books I've written, even though one reviewer (bless him) said that it could be enjoyed by any fan of mysteries or crime fiction. I don't mind being a gay horror writer, but it's always nice to cross over. But IM really deals with the gay community, particularly the community that is exploding onto sites like Manhunt, Men4Men, AdamforAdam, Gay.com and so on. I do think IM will resonate with gay men especially because of how it ties anonymous sex to the potential for anonymous murder. I think any "community" has its own unique horrors...and with IM, I just explored one I knew.
Marva: A friend of mine mentioned he didn't read horror because it didn't scare him. What does IM offer somebody like my friend? How would you entice him to read it?
Rick: Your friend and I would get along, because I’ve said the same thing about both horror movies and books. I’ve become too jaded to scare easily. But I would tell him to not close the door completely because when something does succeed and does scare me, then it’s priceless. One movie that did that was an Asian horror film called AUDITION. It still disturbs me to think about it. I’d like to think that IM would have the kind of dread-filled moments in it that might frighten your friend. Even though we’ve had all this talk about it being gay, I think the fear in IM is pretty universal. Gay, straight, or whatever, I think we’ve all taken risks when it comes to making a human connection for love or sex, and therein lies the fear. All it would take is one mentally unbalanced person, thinking, "it could never happen to me" and allowing yourself to be alone with this person. I think what makes IM scary—and what makes a lot of my work scary—is that in my definition of horror, it could really happen. When a stranger you met online comes over, looks harmless, and then pulls out a hunting knife, I think that’s pretty damn terrifying.
Marva: I like to end with an invitation for a writer to say/plug anything they want. 500 words or less. Go.
Rick: I love nothing better than plugging myself. Thank you. I’d just like to encourage anyone out there reading this to stop by and visit my website at http://www.rickrreed.com/ or my MySpace page, www.myspace.com/rickrreed. A quick visit to either place will give you a pretty good snapshot of who I am and what I’m all about. I would also encourage all of you to pick up a copy of IM…it’s sure to make you deliciously unsettled.
Thanks, Marva
Marva: You're entirely welcome. Grab another cookie on the way out.
[From Express Gay News ]
An Online Dating Nightmare
By Sheri Elfman
May 25, 2007
What makes writer Rick R. Reed’s new fiction book so scary is the fact that the scenario is a realistic one. His fourth book, “IM,” is about a killer who finds his prey through the gay hook-up internet sites M4M and Adam4Adam. Reed says that he was inspired by the real-life risks of meeting strangers online.
“I’ve done it myself,” he says. “We really don’t know who we let into our house and often there is no trace of someone being there. It’s a very dangerous situation.”
In fact, the nationwide epidemic of online crime hit home here in South Florida last summer when the Express reported on three local gay men who were robbed by dates they met online. Two of them alleged that they were robbed by the same suspect, John Lloyd.
In Reed’s fictional novel, he really gets into the head of a cyberspace killer. A lot of the dialogue in the book is in instant message format so the reader feels like part of the action.
Another character in “IM” is an openly gay police detective who is on the killer’s trail.
“He was on the scene for the first murder and interviewed the person who found the body,” Reed explains.
In a supernatural twist, the detective finds out that the killer was actually murdered two years ago. “So, he could be dead himself,” Reed says. “It works itself out in the end. It’s a page-turner — a nasty psychological thriller.”
This isn’t the writer’s first foray into writing about the supernatural. His first book, “Obsessed,” was about a serial killer who thinks he’s a vampire. Published in 1991, the story takes place in Chicago, where Reed lived for 18 years. In fact, all of his books take place in Chicago. “Chicago is a great city,” he says. “It’s hard-boiled.”
His next book will be set in the Ohio River Valley, which is where he was born. The 48-year-old author moved to Miami six months ago with his partner of five years. “I’m still getting used to the traffic,” he says. The author says that he could envision writing a book set in Miami.
Reed’s second book is called “Penance” and is about street kids in uptown Chicago who sell their bodies and the pedophiles who prey on them. His third, “A Face Without a Heart,” is a modern-day version of Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” a cautionary tale about a young man who gets his wish to remain forever young while a portrait of him ages. “I thought we needed a modern-day version of it,” he says. Although he did an updated version of one of Wilde’s most popular stories, he isn’t necessarily a fan of the legendary writer. “I have eclectic reading taste,” Reed says. “I like Flannery O’Connor and James Purdy — people sort of fascinated by the gothic and darker, seamier side of nature.”
Reed himself has been called “the Stephen King of gay horror.” He likes the comparison.
“It’s really nice because I have been reading him since I was a kid,” Reed says. “I don’t think we have a lot in common, but it’s a good hook.”
Reed says that it takes a lot to scare him. The last book to achieve that was Shirley Jackson’s “Haunting of Hill House.” “I’m pretty jaded,” he says. “It takes a lot to scare me.” Reed has always been fascinated by horror. He lived close to Pittsburgh while growing up and would watch the local station’s “Chiller Theater.” It was a double feature of cheesy horror movies, Reed explains.
Although he’s a big fan of horror, his work also falls into the categories of suspense thriller and mystery. “I wrestle with these labels all the time,” Reed says. “I write about things that are dark.” Reed’s main focus is to write “realistic” horror. “Most of my horror is real-life horror,” he says. “Stuff that can really happen is truly scary.” He says that he gets his inspiration for his books all over.
“It comes from a lot of different places,” he says. “It’s hard to say.” “IM,” which came out on May 10, was inspired by news programs on the subject of internet predators, including “Dateline NBC’s To Catch a Predator.”
Reed did research to make sure that his story was as realistic as possible.
“The most concrete research I did was into instant messaging,” he says. “I wanted to check the traceability of things on the internet. E-mails are easily traceable. But an IM in cyberspace is not very traceable at all.”
[FROM Mysterical-e magazine]
By Joseph de Marco
In their October 2006 issue, Unzipped magazine said about me: “You could call him the Stephen King of gay horror.” Now, that's a comparison I'm extremely pleased with. I can only hope I can actually live up to it. My published novels include A Face Without a Heart , Penance , and Obsessed . My horror short story collection, Twisted: Tales of Obsession and Terror was published in April 2006. My most recent novels include a thriller about a serial killer using a gay hookup website to find his victims called IM (Quest Books, May 2007); and a vampire love story set in 1950s Greenwich Village and modern-day Chicago called In the Blood (Quest Books, September 2007). Coming up: a paranormal page-turner about a psychic reluctantly caught up in the murders of two teenage girls in her small western Pennsylvania town called Deadly Vision (Quest Books, January 2008); a reincarnation love story called Orientation (Regal Crest, November 2008) that crosses boundary and sexual orientation lines; and a sexy thriller called High Risk about a bored housewife who chooses a very handsome—and psychotic—stranger to come on to (Amber Quill Press, Spring 2008). My short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies. I live in Miami , FL with my partner, Bruce, and our Boston Terrier, Lily. Visit me on the web at www.rickrreed.com .
What is your approach to writing a novel: that is, do you outline or not? Do you keep files and piles of notes? What are some of the tricks, pitfalls, etc. that you need to keep in mind when writing a mystery novel/story?
I'm too disorganized to have outlines or even piles of notes (what quantifies a pile, anyway?). And the only tricks I mess with are far in my past; I'm a happily “married” man, now. But seriously, what I usually write from is a germ of an idea which I will develop into a page or three of notes, sketching in what the story is about, major plot points, and key players. I don't like to plan too much because I think my best writing so far comes from being spontaneous, from the surprises I encounter along the way. I'm a great believer in trusting instincts…they're almost always right. It's really no different for mysteries. All I have to do is come up with the problems and the characters. If the characters are good, they'll figure out the solutions.
What is it that kick starts a project for you: a character, a situation, or…?
It really depends on the project. With IM , it was the idea of the dangers of hooking up online and inviting strangers into your homes. With In the Blood , the idea started with three urbane, art-loving vampires and a spooky house on Sheridan Road in Chicago . But I will say that the characters have to be sympathetic and real in my head to go the distance of writing a novel.
What started you in writing? What kept you going?
An overactive imagination. A fear of the dark at the back of the closet. Living as a child a good part of the time in my imagination or in books. Everything that started it is still true.
Can you tell us a bit about the first story you had published -- how did that come about? And how do you feel about it now?
The first story? Or do you mean the first novel? The first story I had published was a porno story in a gay men's magazine, so the less said about that, the better. My first novel was Obsessed , which was one of the first books published in Dell's new horror line (at the time) called Abyss. I tried for years to get it published and didn't have any takers, so one day, in complete desperation, I called up Stephen King's agent at the time, and surprisingly, got to talk to her. She said they wouldn't consider unpublished authors. I asked her if I could at least write to her and she agreed. So, over the next several months, I wrote her some of the most well-written letters I've ever crafted. Finally, either because she was impressed or she wanted to get rid of me, she recommended me to another agent, who took me on and sold Obsessed and my next book, Penance , to Dell.
How have you grown as a writer? What has gotten better? What things have you dropped along the way?
I look at each book or story and always try to see growth. When I stop seeing it, that's maybe when I'll consider hanging up my hat. I think what has gotten better is that I trust myself more and more and that means writing more simply and realizing it's less about my command of language and derring do with prose than it is about communicating and telling a good story people will want to read.
What are the three most important pieces of advice you'd give to writers?
Write, write, and read…a lot.
How long does it generally take you to complete a novel – from conception to completion?
Again, it depends: on what's going on in my life at the time, what roadblocks I encounter. If my slate is clear as well as my vision, I would say the best time for completing a novel would be three to six months.
How many revisions do you normally go through when writing a novel?
Generally, not that many. I'm a very careful writer and edit as I go along. Usually when I'm writing a book, I will go back to the section I wrote just prior to that and edit it to get myself in the mood to write the next portion. So, for me, it's usually a couple drafts…and then probably a little more working with an editor.
What's the most difficult stage in the writing for you?
The middle. The beginning and end are usually fun. It's the work part of a novel to get through the middle, to make the journey.
Who are the authors that you admire most, who inspire you, whose writing you think is most beautiful, moving, exciting?
I'd say my favorites are Flannery O'Connor, Patricia Highsmith, James Purdy, Stephen King, and Ruth Rendell. I read a lot of different stuff—true crime, horror, mystery, and some non-fiction. Right now, I'm reading the DEXTER series by Jeff Lindsay about a Miami serial killer who specializes in killing off the bad guys.
Does the world you create in your non-series novels continue to live in your mind long after you've completed the novel? What implications does that have in terms of wanting to do a series in the same setting?
The characters have to become real to me for me to write, so yes, I do miss them when I'm done. If their story arc is finished within a book, I generally have had no pull to write more about them.
What other kinds of writing do you do?
For nine years, when I lived in Chicago , I was a theater reviewer and also wrote a column called “Tales from the Sexual Underground” which dealt with people in the sex trade and fringe sexual practices.
What tips do you have for beginning writers?
Same as above, write a lot and read a lot. It's really the only way to learn.
Is the publication of each book as thrilling as that first one?
Oh yes. That's a thrill that never gets old.
What are your goals as a writer?
To tell stories that people want to read.
Why do you think mystery is so popular?
People like being engaged…mysteries get them involved in solving a problem.
Talk about your most recent book and what it means to you.
Since I had two books come out this year, I'd like to talk a little bit about each. In May, IM came out. I'm excited about this one because it's so topical and fits right in with a lot of today's headlines. It's about a serial killer who uses Internet hookup sites to find his victims. The twist is that the killer may or may have himself been a murder victim. I hope readers will find it quite suspenseful. Some people have called IM a ‘cautionary tale' but I was just trying to write a good story. I guess if there is a message, it's to be careful out there, especially about inviting strangers into your home when you only have an online conversation to go on.
This September, my “tragic vampire love story” makes its debut. In the Blood is, really, about immortality…not just in the sense of how we think of that term when we think about vampires, but also in the sense of the timelessness of good art (two of the key characters are artists who stand to lose their creativity if they accept the “gift” of vampiric immortal life) and the timelessness of love (these same two consider making that sacrifice for the love of a vampire). I hope this book is a scary read, but also hope it takes a very well-worn genre into new directions.