Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryan Asbury.
Bryan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m originally from Pueblo, Colorado. Pueblo is commonly referred to as the “steel city” because the steel mill has been a major industry in our town for nearly a century now. In fact, driving into the city, one of the first things your eyes are greeted with is the ominous smoke stacks off on the horizon. It’s a small town and sometimes gets a bad rap, but it’s my home, and it’s often the setting for the twisted worlds that I create in my stories. Growing up, not only was I an only child, but living in a small town, there wasn’t a lot for a kid to do, especially in the early to mid-nineties. You could bum around the mall or play video games with friends, in-person mind you, there was no online gaming back then.
But then there were movies. . . fantastic escape routes from reality. I would get lost in those movies and television shows. Stuff like “Tales from the Crypt,” “Cape Fear,” “Falling Down” and “Unlawful Entry,” just to name a few. To me they were suspenseful, gripping, terrifying and even sometimes inappropriately funny. They were movie magic, and I was hooked! Then my parents bought me what has become one of my favorite books up until this day, “Night Shift” by Stephen King. It was my formal introduction into how amazing short stories could be. I’m sure I was way too young to be watching and reading this stuff, and I’m also sure that my warped writing style is the by-product of some of this.
I was an average student in school but excelled in English and art. I began to dabble with writing short stories that mimicked “The Twilight Zone” and “Tales from the Crypt.” I would share them with some of my friends and I loved the creeped-out reactions that I would get. All these factors seemed to work together to influence who I am today as a creator.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Success is not just going to be handed to you, that’s not how it works. Persistence is the key, that’s one thing my parents always taught me and they were absolutely right. If I could add one more thing, it would be vision. If you can pair those two, I feel like you have a recipe for success. I’m not yet where I want to be in my writing journey, but I know I’m on the right path. Trust in yourself and the people close to you, as they will never steer you wrong. Take a leap of faith, be fearless, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Brush off the naysayers as they are just dead weight. Before I finally began getting my book into Barnes and Noble, I was met with many who told me that as an indie author, I would never get my book on the shelves of a major retailer, and I just flat-out refused to listen to them.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a horror author. I was fortunate enough to be given a chance writing for the popular, global horror podcast “Chilling Tales for Dark Nights.” My first story that appeared on the network was “The Chair in the Closet,” and that strange little tale changed my life. From there, I followed up with “White Coat Syndrome,” “Outskirts of Meeker,” “The Last Level,” “A Token of Gratitude” and my most recent one, “Son of a Bitch.” I have since published my book “A Windowless Room: Excursions Into Horror” which is now slowly making its way onto bookshelves of Barnes and Nobles nationwide. I’ve also published two e-books, “A Token of Gratitude” and “Son of a Bitch.” There are extreme horror writers, there are gory, gross-out horror writers, there are suspenseful horror writers and then there’s what I’m doing. It’s horror in nature, but it’s like a mutated, hybrid Frankenstein variant that encompasses elements from almost all genres. I like to put it this way. I’ve never aimed to write the scariest or the goriest stories, but what I’ve always tried to do is write the most entertaining stories and I think that’s what will ultimately win over an audience. I also hate artificial dialogue. When I hear something or read something and it just sounds “off” or not like how people really speak, the story just kind of loses me. I’ve always tried to sort of become the characters that I create, at least for that moment in time when I’m composing a story. It can be mentally taxing at times, but the end result is a more authentic character and that’s what I’m becoming known for.
What makes you happy?
I think happiness is largely derived from contentment. The thrill of completing a story or meeting fans at a book signing brings me happiness. The goal I have of collaborating with Danny Trejo on my latest story, “The Mariachi Man,” brings me a sense of happiness. My family and friends though, are what give me lasting happiness and what I put the most value in.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088202096482&mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Youtube: Chilling Tales for Dark Nights Bryan Asbury
