'Dropping Fear' Author Michael Catalano at Kinnelon Library 5/25/11

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAM BONGIORNO

Do you enjoy horror as a literary genre? Would you like to hear what it took to write a (first) book? Come meet Kinnelon's Michael Catalano, author of Dropping Fear, at the Kinnelon Library on May 25th at 7pm.

Here's how the Kinnelon Library describes the event:

Kinnelon High School’s own, will be coming back… for blood! Please, don’t be afraid. Well, be a little afraid. 

Mike Catalano, who graduated from Kinnelon High School in 1996, just had his first book, a horror novel called DROPPING FEAR, published through Living Dead Press. 

Now, Mr. Catalano has happily agreed to visit the Kinnelon Public Library. He will be speaking on what it took to actually write a book, his thoughts on the horror genre, possibly the perils he went through while growing up as an average kid in the utterly chilling suburb of Kinnelon, and anything else anyone wants. 

So feel free to join him for some fun and scares! Please call the Library at 973-838-1321 to register.

In anticipation of the Kinnelon Library event, I caught up with author Michael Catalano to ask him a few questions...

C.B.: Mike, what did you like most about growing up in Kinnelon?

MC:  What I liked most about growing up in Kinnelon was the quiet, forest-laden community.  Perfect fodder for a horror story setting.

C.B.: Does your family still live here?

MC:  Yes, my family still lives here in the same house in Kinnelon.

C.B.: How did you get involved in writing?

MC:  Not sure exactly how I got "involved" in writing.  I just always liked telling outlandishly wild stories.  Life can be pretty mundane, especially in Kinnelon, so the idea of something fantastic or even horrifying disrupting the boring always intrigued me.  I started writing for fun in high school and just continued through college.  The more I wrote, the better I got.

C.B.: How did you get interested in horror as a genre?

MC:  I never liked horror stories or movies when I was very young - I guess the gore scared me.  Then, when I was older, I got passed one horror movie. It was like I had to make up for all the years I missed out on when I was younger. 

To me, a story just instantly becomes more interesting, and, in terms of writing, more fun when I can add a completely out-of-the-ordinary and dark element such as horror.  I try to always base whatever horror story I'm telling in some form of reality to keep it somewhat grounded and relatable.  Then, I mix in the scary or horrific stuff to spice the tale up.

C.B.: Mike, any advice to share with would-be authors?

MC:  In terms of advice, I'm not sure if I can give anything beyond what any other writer usually says...  Keep at it.  Don't give up.  Use all resources available while pursuing your writing dream.

And lastly, if anyone ever has a specific question, please feel free to email me.  I was an unpublished author for a very long time and I vowed that if I ever was lucky enough to become published that I'd do whatever I could to help anyone else in my previous unpublished position.

C.B.: Thanks, Mike! Congratulations on your first fearsome book. Something tells me this is the first of many gruesome tales!

Definitely read Local resident has first horror novel published from NorthJersey.com with great perspective on writing Dropping Fear.

And here's the setup for Dropping Fear which you can purchase from Amazon as well as from Living Dead Press.

On a dark night 25 years ago, masked maniac Derek Haddonfear went on a bloody rampage... Today, Derek's son, Will, is happily married, but still struggles to distance himself from the harsh memory of his father. He and his wife, Kerri, have been trying to get pregnant for years with zero success. Infertility begins to take its toll on their marriage. Kerri can't live without becoming a mother and Will can't live seeing his wife so distraught. Upon coming into contact with a doctor working on an experimental fertility drug, a desperate Will and Kerri decide to give him a shot. What results from the procedure sends Kerri on an uncontrollably violent path that is all too familiar to Will. Is it her hormones? Is it the drug? Or is Will's chilling past coming back to haunt him in the most bizarre of fashions? Regardless, no one will be prepared for the birth of the newest and most unexpected psychotic slasher in the history of horror.

Don't forget: call the Kinnelon Library at 973-838-1321 to register for this terrific opportunity to meet and speak with Kinnelon's Michael Catalano about his new book, Dropping Fear.

If you don't, you'll be sorry! < fade sound of creepy laugh from Thriller >