Shadowgod

[Warrior1]

I think most of you know Shadowgod the author and poster here who used to be active here once, if not personally then through his stories: Living in Surreality and Dreams and Clipped Wings among many.

 

I once read a interview of him, but I can't remember where. I can't find it anywhere. He talked about his characters, his motivation to write, the methods he uses, even his personal life...

 

Can someone point out where I can get it?

[wildone]

I searched way, way, way back in the gallows of GA and couldn't find too much. I did find a private team forum back when GA used to do a newsletter but I don't know if it was a newsletter or if it was posted in a forum.

 

Either way, here is what the interview was, enjoy:

 

Interviewee:  Shadowgod

Interviewer: Phantom (Eric)

 

 

 

 

 

We recently interviewed GA's own hosted author, Shadowgod. He's the author of such stories as 'Dreams & Clipped Wings,' 'A Shot of Bourbon,' 'Living in Surreality' and other stories. He is also a familiar figure on the forums and can usually be found in his own forum protecting himself from accusations by the goat, the tech support forum helping members with various questions, and sometimes in C James forum keeping GA's resident goat on his toes. Taking time out of his busy schedule we interviewed him hoping to shed some light onto our favorite Shadowgod.

GA: What brought you to GA?
SG: As the goat so lovingly likes to point out whenever he gets a chance I have been around the whole "online gay fiction" scene for a while. Mostly on nifty's IRC chatrooms. Anyhow I had several friends there recommend Dom Luka, as in the world would cease to spin and the sun would fall from the sky if I didn't read. So, giving in to peer pressure I came and checked ol' Dom out. I read, and read and there was a link to his forums, and the rest is history.

GA: As we all know you won the Best Hosted Story award for 'Living in Surreality', How does it feel?
SG: I don't remember but I do remember hearing the news and being honestly shocked. Reason being CJ gave me the good news and I thought he was having a row with me. It took me a few minutes to even believe him. Its not everyday the newest hosted author wins the Best Hosted Story of the year award, not to mention I was up against more seasoned and decidedly more popular GA authors. It was kinda cool, like a Disney sports movie where the under dog wins in the end.

GA: For those who haven't read your stories what type do you write and why?
SG: Well for those who haven't read them they are definitely gay themed. That aside, they are more a slice of life romances. I dunno I just can't wrap my head around the energy and action that another author has mastered. I like my conflict more blurred, Life doesn't have a bad guy. It's just a series of interactions between desperate people with their own motives.

GA: How did you come up with the name of Shadowgod?
SG: I know it doesn't seem too possible but I am rather reserved when I am not hiding behind a computer monitor and an Internet connection. That coupled with the fact that growing up in a large family there are certain members that can and do fade into the background. That was me. Plus I wanted something that sounded cool... I was 16, give me a break.

GA: Where did Blackheart come from and why switch to Shadowgod?
SG: I've always had the screen name Shadowgod, or some variation on the spelling. Blackheart was created as a pen name to protect my closeted rear. That idea however was a double-edged sword. Those where my words, and people would praise this blackheart fellow. I didn't care for that much, I didn't like having to tell people, no I wrote that. So when I joined GA I figured I'd retire Blackheart completely, and just be me.

GA: Does it bother you that your old name 'Blackheart' appeared as a bad guy in CJ's story 'For The Love?'
SG: Nah, I had a good laugh about that. I got even, and its not the last we are going to see of the mounted goat. For the lack of reference, it was the eating crow chapter in D&CW.


GA: How do you get your ideas for the stories?
SG: Life mostly, or hopes of what life can be. However, I don't start stories with a set plot, My writing stems from the character. Once I come up with a character, they write their own story in many ways. I may take bits and pieces I experience and throw those in but for the most part the stories I write evolve. I do however have something different I'm working on that should look familiar to anyone who has heard of Blackheart.

GA: Care to give us more of a hint?
SG: It plays a lot on the lore of the vampire and Egyptian mythology.

GA: Do you do anything else on Gay Authors besides being a hosted author?
SG: I do a few different things. I work with tech support, doing the coding for my own site and the sites of a handful of our other authors. I also help members that have technical problems in the forums, and technical issues with eFiction. I'm a moderator, though, I think that is kinda my side job for the most part. Then I have been known to dabble in the newsletter from time to time.

GA: I've read your poem that you have posted entitled 'My Frailty,' why don't you write more?
SG: Me and poetry disagree... If I were to write more of them, I'd be too involved in perfecting the poem to do much of anything else. 'My Frailty', I felt everything in that poem, and as great as I think it is. I'm not sure I want to go through that again for a little poem.

GA: Which story of yours do you think was the hardest to write?
SG: Everything has its own challenges. As far as having a concrete direction, the hardest is definitely Dreams & Clipped Wings. For a while, I had five or six different endings.


GA: What is this I hear about SPiCE in the forums? Can you give us a little input into this?
SG: Ahhh SPiCE, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Eric. Its a bit of a running Joke at CJ's expense. The Eric is Eric Carlisle from his popular "Let the Music Play." He was putting poor Eric though all manner of horrible stuff. It was really uncalled for, so I started a grassroots effort to put an end to it.

GA; What is it like to work with GA's resident goat and why does it seem that he pins all blame on you?
SG: First of all he eats my chapter notes, that should tell you something right there. Why does he blame everything on me? I dunno, perhaps its the way goats show love. Like the little boy and the little girl. Girl likes boy she kisses him. Boy likes girl he pulls her hair... Just kidding honestly the ribbing is double sided, the goat just partakes in it more than I do. That way my ethos is on solid ground. There is a parody in here somewhere... the goat that cried CLIFFHANGER!

GA: There have been rumors that you have added (or at least suggested adding) evil cliffhangers to C James' chapters. What have you to say about these accusations?
SG: Funny how the only person (quadruped) that makes these accusations, is the one that would face the ire of his readers. I mean I've never heard Graeme post that I included a cliffhanger in one of CJ's chapters. In that vein, consider the source.

GA: There seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding chapter 26 of Lost in Surreality, mostly perpetuated by a certain goat, do you have anything to say about it?
SG: I have a lot to say about ch. 26, namely that it could have been worse, a lot worse. I know a someone who likes to point out the phrase "last and final." What he doesn't tell anyone is that he added one of those words in his beta of the chapter. My fault I accepted the addition.

GA: How did you achieve such unrivaled mastery of Cliffhangers?
SG: I read the goat, CJ taught me everything I know.

GA: How did you become so purely evil?
SG: Again I had the extreme and very painful tutelage of the goat.

GA: Does it ever bother you, even a little, that you are so hideously cruel to your characters?
SG: Cruel to my characters? If you think I'm cruel you should see what the goat has in store for MY characters under his matted fur.

GA: Do you wish to add anything before we finish the interview?
SG: Just want to give a big thanks to everyone who has read what I write. Bigger yet to the people who have commented on the forums or via email, even though I'm bad at replying to emails.

[W_L]

I remember that interview, but I think all the oldies remember the fun relationship that he and C James had in their stories, sharing characters and having fun all the way.

 

Guys we might need a historian for GA soon, we've lasted for more than a decade now; there's history from the memorials of our former authors, the big fights that led to the fall of the Old Soapbox, and to the Present day writers and readers.

[Drew Espinosa]

I remember that interview, but I think all the oldies remember the fun relationship that he and C James had in their stories, sharing characters and having fun all the way.

 

Guys we might need a historian for GA soon, we've lasted for more than a decade now; there's history from the memorials of our former authors, the big fights that led to the fall of the Old Soapbox, and to the Present day writers and readers.

One of the things I'm not clear about is E-Fiction. What made it different from GA Stories?

 

EDIT: Thanks Steve, that interview makes me wish I'd met Shadowgod

Edited October 27, 2015 by Drew Espinosa

[W_L]

One of the things I'm not clear about is E-Fiction. What made it different from GA Stories?

 

Prior to the current setup, we had a different story set up, E-Fiction was the predecessor to GA Stories today.

 

Less organization, no tags, and a lot less editing. Basically, think of Fiction Press (Which is where I have a few non-LGBT poems and a rousing story about Ants rebelling against humanity from when I was a teenager ). That's how I think of the point of reference.

Edited October 27, 2015 by W_L

[Benji]

....Damn, that was some time ago I remember when Eric interviewed Steve. Not sure what happened to him, seems like he took a long break, hope the goat doesn't get stuck up on some cliff.

[TalonRider]

At one time, GA did publish a News Letter. It contained interviews, story reviews, games, and other types of articles.

[Krista]

I miss him.

[Graeme]

I miss him.

Me, too

[Warrior1]

Umm ... thanks a lot, but this wasn't the interview I was looking for.