“Blood in the Holler” is a gripping tale of diverse characters – entangled in a web of secrets, romantic tension, and unexpected calamities – whose lives converge and are reshaped one pivotal morning in the vibrant backdrop of rural America. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I think West Virginia is a criminally overlooked state in the country, and after visiting it I knew I had to write a story there. It was fortunate that the short story I’d been working on, which eventually grew into Blood In The Holler, worked so well for that locale. I had the initial idea for the story after reading about a bar fight WWF Champion Shawn Michaels had back in the mid-90’s. It did not go well for him, from how the story goes, and the idea that the wrestlers at the top of the card aren’t necessarily the toughest ones in real life intrigued me. There are a lot of really tough, really scary guys in pro wrestling, but most of the general public aren’t familiar with them. I really wanted to explore that.

Your characters are intriguing and well-developed. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

Realism was my most important ideal. Every person is the hero of their own story, and I tried to keep that in mind with each person in this book. I also wanted to spotlight some of the tremendous diversity you can find in any wrestling company. People from all places and backgrounds come together in a place like MAW, and they all bring something unique to the show. I wanted to capture that aspect of pro wrestling, especially for the people reading this book who’ve never watched a single match in their life.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

Aside from just telling a good story and keeping people on the edge of their seats, I wanted to explore concepts like self-doubt, regret, redemption (both failed and successful), and toxic family dynamics. I also wanted to show people new to pro wrestling that what these people put themselves through is legitimately painful, and I wanted readers to think about the type of people who choose to literally put their bodies on the line to entertain others. These are people who would destroy their bodies for $100 in front of fifty people at a high school gymnasium. They deserved a more in-depth look.

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

I have a few irons in the fire right now, one that’s similar in tone to this one, and another that’s more straight horror. I do have a sequel planned for Blood In The Holler, but that’s going to be book 3 or 4 for me. I’m hoping we’ll have the next novel of mine ready by next year.

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