Interview with Australian Author – Cameron Trost
“Australian Authors” – Tell us a little about yourself? Perhaps something not many people know?
Cameron – I once had romantic relations in a Brisbane cemetery.
“Australian Authors” – What made you want to become a writer?
Cameron – I think there’s only one reason anybody can want to become a writer. I have stories to tell that haven’t been told before and I want to tell them to myself and others my way, using my perspective and style.
“Australian Authors” – Now, the big question, are you working on another book?
Cameron – I tend to think in terms of stories rather than books. I have several in the works and try to find time alone to write them.
“Australian Authors” – What genres do you prefer to write in?
Cameron – I write what comes naturally to me. My fiction tends to be suspense, mystery, and psychological horror. I want to entertain, intrigue, and get the reader thinking. When I write a mystery, it’s always as a puzzle to test the reader’s wits, and when I write suspense or horror, the intention is to prompt the reader to contemplate society and human idiosyncrasies.
“Australian Authors” – What do you think about the ebook revolution?
Cameron – I sell more ebooks than print, so I take them seriously, but I prefer having a physical book in one hand and glass of whisky in the other. Call me old fashioned if you will.
“Australian Authors” – Do you start a book with a definite plot, or do you just write?
Cameron – Every story is different. I don’t decide; the story does.
“Australian Authors” – Do your characters seem to hijack the story, or are you always in control?
Cameron – In general, I create characters to suit a story. If they hijack it, they’re so bloody good I don’t even notice.
“Australian Authors” – Are your characters based on real people or completely imagined?
Cameron – I have no idea. Is there a difference between real and imagined people? Can I imagine somebody without some subconscious input from my experience? I doubt it.
“Australian Authors” – Who are your favourite authors?
Cameron – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Roald Dahl, Ruth Rendell, J.G. Ballard.
“Australian Authors” – What’s your advice to Authors? On writing? Publishing? Marketing?
Cameron – Be yourself. Write your story. Rewrite. Put it away for six months. Reread. Rewrite. Edit. Reread. Then consider submitting.
