For today's interview, I would love to introduce you to C.T. Phipps, who was born in Kentucky to a pair of hobbits who left him on the doorstop of an insurance salesman.
What got you into writing your own stories? I've always been a writer. I just didn't have any talent for it until college. I was probably educated in storytelling most by Dungeons and Dragons, Star Wars WEG, and the World of Darkness. However, I decided to finally give writing a shot with THE RULES OF SUPERVILLAINY and that's been my most successful work.
What genre do you write?
I'm an author of sci-fi, superheroes, fantasy, and anything with the word "punk" behind it
Tell us about your WIP.
I'm currently writing the ninth Supervillainy Saga book. Gary Karkofsky AKA MERCILESS: THE SUPERVILLAIN WITHOUT MERCY is trapped in a fantasy world where he must rely on his genre knowledge to survive.
How would you describe your writing style?
90% snark, 10% high drama. I love writing my characters reacting to the events I've plotted out and seeing them tear my plans apart.
What comes more easily, plot or characters?
Definitely characters. No matter what plot I've written, it's torn to shreds after first contact with the enemy. By which I mean the protagonists.
Do you cross over genres or do you only stick to one?
Oh, I love writing multiple genres. Anywhere you can be a snarky wise-ass. However, my favorite are probably superheroes, high fantasy, and Lovecraftian horror.
What is your "writer's den" like?
I write in the bedroom next to the PS5 and a stuffed kobold.
How do you get into the flow for writing? Do you have any rituals?
I sit down with my laptop, a plastic cup of tea, and as much silence as possible.
What is your personally most significant achievement as a writer, and why? I felt most honored when Crossroad Press decided to pick up the Supervillainy Saga and republish it under their brand. Later, I also received an award for Best Urban Fantasy for my I Was a Teenage Weredeer book at the Indie Audiobook Awards. That was a close runner up for me.
What would be the greatest achievement for you to aim for as a writer if anything were possible? I achieve that every time someone reads and enjoys one of my books. But I hope to reach as wide an audience as possible.
What are you most grateful for as a writer? The help and guidance of my fellow authors, especially individuals like David Niall Wilson.
Do you have a day job? What is it? I am a house husband. I've been lucky to have the support of my wife and family in taking up writing. It was a big relief when it paid off.
Has a real-life experience informed your writing? Share the scene it inspired. Forty odd years of pop culture jammed into my blender and hitting frape. All of my books are the result of living, breathing, and experiencing all of the other fantasy as well as sci-fi books I've enjoyed. The man (or woman) who doesn't read lives once. The man (or woman) who reads lives a thousand lives.
Do you read the same genre you write? Why, or why not? Stephen King once said, "Writing is like milk in the fridge. It tastes like whatever it's up against." Which is to say you should surround yourself in the genre you want to write in. My wife is used to deluges of fantasy, superheroes, detective fiction, and more.
Do you read fellow indie authors' works? Why or why not? Oh, absolutely. So much so that I rarely read any traditional authors anymore. I read: ML Spencer, Rob J. Hayes, Matthew Davenport, David Niall Wilson, Michael R. Fletcher, David Hambling, SC Jensen, Allan Batchelder, Luke Hindmarsh, and many others.
Is there an author who inspires you? Jim Butcher, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Ed Greenwood, Elaine Cunningham, and Patricia Briggs.
Give us three fun facts about yourself.
I love dogs.
I am a powerful necromancer.
What's one of your funniest experiences? Watching my french bulldog attacked by my cat like a lion jumping on a gazelle. The cat bounced off it like rubber ball with the dog looking more confused than anything else.
What is something about you that few people know? My life is a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a burrito.
Do you have any hobbies? Just the usual video games, tabletop roleplaying games, genre reading, and occult sacrifice.
What's your favorite holiday?
Halloween
What's your favorite season?
Fall
Featured Book: The Rules of Supervillainy
"If you love the Eighties, superheroes, video games, and wacky humor then you will love the Rules of Supervillainy."
Who was your favorite character to write and why? Cindy Wachkowski AKA Red Riding Hood. She's my own personal Harley Quinn.
What was your favorite scene to write and why? Gary thwarting a bank robbery so he can rob the bank himself.
What was the spark that started this book? The distilled essence of a lifetime of enjoying comic books, movies, and video games.
Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to be a supervillain.
What was the most interesting random fact you researched for this book? There was a giant statue of Batman in Gotham City Harbor during the Silver Age of DC Comics.
What's the message you worked into this book?
Why save the world when you can rule it?