The Horror Club speaks to writer/editor A. A. Medina about his plans for 2018, and his upcoming novella, Siphon, due to be released via Hindered Souls Press on Friday, February 2nd.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself?
Well first, I guess I can start with the two A’s in A. A. Medina stand for Adrian Alexander. I was born and raised and still reside in Phoenix, Arizona with my wife, Samantha, and our cats, Ishtar and Monkey, and puppy, Sansa.
2) Tell us about Siphon? How has the anticipation for its release been?
Siphon is a transgressive/psychological horror where we follow a lonely man, Dr. Gary Phillips, as he descends into a world of lust, pain, and self-discovery. I can’t really give anymore details without some spoilers—so I won’t.
I initially had the idea for the story during my first bout of college (I studied sociology) when I was eighteen. For the most part, the whole story was plotted out in my head, but I didn’t have the storytelling/technical knowhow to put it on paper in a way that satisfied me. Almost twelve years later and after a second round of college, I think I figured it out.
The anticipation has been awesome. I’ve been shown a ton of support by friends, family, and the indie author/publisher community. It’s my first “official” published work, so I’m ready for it to be released. The people who have already read it seemed to enjoy it, so that’s a good sign!
3) Being an editor of a magazine, how do you balance the work with your personal work?
I still haven’t figured that out. I’ve always been a scatterbrain. I jump from one project to the next and do sort of a juggling act. I try to keep busy, so the existential crisis doesn’t sneak its way in. Jokes aside, I’m deadline oriented. Slap a deadline on me and it will get done, leave it open-ended and I’ll casually poke at it whenever.
4) On a personal level, what are the rest of your plans for 2018?
Personally, I have a few things I’d like to get going. The first issue of the dark fantasy comic that Gunnar Larsen and I have been working on, Void & Valor, should be wrapped up by this summer at the latest. Dustin Schyler Yoak and I are planning a creative endeavor outside of Aphotic Realm, and I’ve been outlining a novel for the last few months. I’m hoping I can get the first draft done by winter.
5) What are the plans at Aphotic Realm for 2018?
So much. In February, we have another “thing” we plan on releasing, but I’m not sure if that is public yet or will be public by the time this is posted. CLASSIFIED comes out early March, after that, we start preliminary work on the next issue of Aphotic Realm Magazine.
There is a handful of other things in the works that I can’t really talk about yet. Sorry!
6) As both an editor and writer, what do you look for in a story? What do you think makes great dark fiction?
As a human, I know that everyone has different tastes. Sometimes I totally dig a story that Dustin doesn’t like at all and visa-versa. But, for me, it is really about characters that evoke some sort of emotion out of me. Make me feel or make me think.
Obviously, plot, the level of skill in their writing, et cetera, all play factors into it as well, but a great story with flat characters isn’t a great story. The characters don’t have to be likeable, but they must feel real. Fearless authors that don’t shy away from those human vulnerabilities.
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