Author interview with Carole Gill and her latest book: THE CIRCUS OF HORRORS
Hello Carole, and thank you for spending time with me on my blog. So tell me about your latest release….
My new release is CIRCUS OF HORRORS
What is the story about? Who is the main character?
It’s about a lunatic circus troupe during the Depression. They have really been side show performers. There are two murderous midgets, three clowns and Baby Alice who is the fat lady. The clowns and Baby Alice have a penchant for human flesh—but no one’s perfect, right? Seriously, these are all emotionally damaged people.
Their Manager takes care of them. Old Pa, his father, is senile and will not be separated from his much-loved box of souvenirs. Old Pa has one hell of a secret by the way.
After being down on their luck, they happen to meet an old carny who leads them to a big circus he has worked for. It all looks good but nothing is as it seems.
The main character is Fred Dodger, the owner/manager of the special people.
What inspired this tale?
This novel was thoroughly inspired by a short story I wrote which appears in Carole Gill’s House of Horrors
The story that inspired Circus of Horrors can be read for free online:
http://carolegillauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/halloween-treat-complete-story-from.html
How did the story come to you?
I always liked writing about demonic clowns and special people, like Al and Hank, the murderous midgets; they first appeared in some stories on my blog.
The first story they appeared in may be read for free!
Did you have to research for this novel and if so, why?
I did, I looked up travelling circuses, sideshows and anything relevant in order to write a believable novel.
If you did research, what do you think surprised you most to learn and why?
I suppose the fact that many of the people that make up side shows are very well-adjusted people that have a tremendous outlook on life.
I read up a great deal on those actors that appeared in Todd Browning’s film, Freaks who were remarkable individuals and much to be admired.
Do you relate to your character?
Yes, very much so. I can relate a bit to each one, but particularly to Fred Dodger, who cares for his senile father Old Pa (Charlie).
Caring for an aged parent isn’t easy at best. In Fred’s case, he has protected a mind-boggling secret of his father’s all his life. It is at the core of the novel. I felt what Fred felt. I hope readers will, too.
Is your protagonist anything like you personally?
Not really because Fred, although a great son and a loyal and fair employer, has secrets of his own!
What made you write this character; what made them important to you or made you want to tell their story?
I enjoy writing about flawed characters whether they are good or bad. People are complex. Real people are multi-faceted and everyone’s got secrets. If every subterfuge was peeled away, what would we find?! That’s what I like to think and write about!
Is there anything specific you want readers to know about in this piece of work?
Although it’s a pretty dark piece, there is dark humor in it. When they recover from the scares and shocks, I want readers to know they’ve read about good and evil and understand that even monstrous types of people very often have reasons for being what they are.
When will the novel be available for purchase?
AVAILABLE NOW! Only 99 cents! Or FREE with Kindle Unlimited.
