INTRODUCING NEW INTERVIEW FEATURE-NINE FOR THE NEW!!!
CWR: I’ve had two comic books published by Modern Pulp Comics through Rorschach Entertainment (Lucifer Fawkes: Blood Flow and The Blind Ones) as well as a number of short stories through Pro Se Productions’ Peculiar Adventures and the upcoming issue of Pro Se Presents Fantasy and Fear.
CWR: Music and movies have had a huge influence on my style of writing. I tend to listen to a lot hard rock though not exclusively. I like horror movies, action flicks, historical and science fiction. I like anything with a unique twist and has a pulse, it’s gotta move for me to get into it. I think the main writers that have influenced me are Stephen King, James Clavell and Warren Ellis. What I write kind of fuses those three together on some level. I write a lot of paranormal adventure tales that range from immortal hitmen to werewolves to super heroes. That’s my comfort zone right there.
CWR: I think writing the hard sci fi stuff. I’m not too techno savvy so I don’t go that route very often.
CWR: I think all writer’s bring their own perspective to everything they write. No one is going to tell a tale the way I do. I run heavy on physical drama, dark themes, psychologically I think the more complex the characters are the more engaging it will be for the reader.
AP: You have a recurring character that is a part of the Pro Se Productions stable. Can you tell us who Virgil is and where that idea came from?
CWR: Virgil is a hitman that made a deal with something very dark in the 1920’s. That thing gave him the power to resurrect himself should he ever die. Hitmen live a rather dangerous life to begin with but if one had no fear of dying you can imagine how the body count might go up. The problem is the entity that empowered him needs Virgil to keep killing. That’s the deal, kill for me and I guarantee you eternal youth and life. Stop killing for me and there are consequences. Virgil made the deal in haste when he was young and angry. It didn’t take long for him to regret the decision. The story takes place in the present in McQuade, Nevada where Virgil has just landed. It has been a long road and he wants out of the deal. His prey are as plentiful as ever. There’s a lot of backstory I flashback to which allows me to write in different time periods which helps keep things popping for me as the writer. Virgil has rather come full circle now as he is more frustrated than ever to be this otherworldly entity’s slave.
I came up with the character some years ago. He was originally a familiar of a vampire that kept his master chained and weakened in his coffin. Something to use as a food source and the familiar didn’t have to do any labor for his master, he could be his own man. I don’t recall how he made the jump from familiar to lazarus hitman but the original idea must have gotten tired to me and things built on one another and just evolved.
For some reason, the idea of something other than a bear mauling him before showing up in Rock Creek hit me. What if it was a werewolf? The idea had merit, I thought. Wild Bill versus a werewolf? What isn’t fun about that? Seems like a fine way to test the gunslinger. Other elements were added later like the Philosopher’s Stone and a vampire but the wolf and Hickok were the nuggets that got my attention. I think werewolves are a natural fit for the old west. Vampires not so much as they have to hide from the sunlight. The Native Americans called the lupines skinwalkers so it’s built right into the time period. It was great fun to write and way out of my comfort zone. Liking western movies doesn’t mean you know how to write a western. It allowed me to stretch some muscles I didn’t know I had.
CWR: I sold a few tattoo designs recently and a piece to Pulp Works Press but the majority of my gigs have been coming from Pro Se Productions.
AP: What’s coming from CW Russette in the future? Any projects you want to discuss?
CWR: Thanks for having me!