In which Janine Pipe talks to indie author Glenn Rolfe about his latest Flame Tree Press book, August’s Eyes, and what it is like to be the second most famous writer out of Maine.
Glenn was one of the first authors I stumbled across in the indie horror scene and he immediately became a firm favorite of mine. I have read almost all of his work (including some as-yet-unreleased manuscripts) and was positively frothing at the bit to get my hands on August’s Eyes, due for publication this August. It is always a pleasure to talk with Glenn, who selflessly shares his experiences with others and has been a much-needed mentor and friend. We sat down and chatted about the new book, the almighty Don D’Auria, and what might be next for him.
CEMETERY DANCE: Hey, Glenn! Great to chat with you (again). I have been lucky enough to read August’s Eyes already and I’m excited for its release. What can you tell people about it?
GLENN ROLFE: Thanks, Janine. I hope you and your fam are having a great (and safe) summer! August’s Eyes is the story of a man who witnessed something awful as a child in the ’90s. Years have passed, he’s older and married and he starts having these strange dreams. In the dreams, he’s a kid again and he’s with two odd boys (One Eye and August) in a place called Graveyard Land. As the story progresses, dreams start bleeding into reality, messing with his life. Basically, the forgotten scars from his past resurface in the present. As with any of my books, I hope people are wondering as they race toward the end — “who will survive?”
August’s Eyes is more thriller-esque than the works you are more well known for like Until Summer Comes Around and Blood and Rain. Will we be seeing more serial killers and less monsters in the future?
I hope so. I love my monsters, but I’ve never wanted to be tied down. I want to have the freedom to write whatever scares me. I have a lot of ideas sketched out for some less-monstrous books. I’m preparing one for Flame Tree Press right now. Hopefully, they’ll like the idea enough to contract it. Stay tuned!
Working with Don D’Auria and Flame Tree Press must be amazing. Do you find it is harder to pitch your next book idea to them since they are so well known and revered?
Not at all. I’ve worked with Don since 2014 when he signed my first novella (Abram’s Bridge, Samhain Publishing). I know I have a fan in Don. Someone that gets what I do. I always wait with baited breath for his response to any submission, but I have a pretty good track record with him. There’s nothing like knowing someone like that. Someone who is just as eager to read your next book as the readers are. Flame Tree has been good to me. They truly are a great publisher.
Has it been easier to promote August’s Eyes this year now that COVID restrictions are relaxing or has that side of things still been more difficult than in the past?
Honestly, I haven’t really started the promotion stuff yet. I have already talked to the local Barnes & Noble and we’re aiming to do an in-store signing there. I hope to get out there this time, local radio, tv, that sort of thing. We’ll see.
How easy is it to juggle a full-time job, being a father and writing? When do you find the time to churn out all these amazing books and short stories?
It’s hard, but it’s all about finding those pockets to work in. I can write any time of day or night when I’m isolated. I tend to go-go-go, and over extend myself, but somehow, I still make it work. When you love something, you do what it takes to do it.
You share a lot of advice on your Patreon and are always very humble, open and down-to-earth. How important is that side of things to you — interacting with readers, fans and paying it forward with support and guidance?
It’s all about paying it forward. Our community has always been about helping each other out and not just focusing on ourselves. With all the promotions we have to do on social media, it can get sickening even to the author to keep blathering on about our own works. Giving shout-outs to friends and up and coming authors is a great way to break that up. Plus, it feels good! I believe in pushing the positivity everywhere I can.
How does it really feel to be the SECOND most famous author to come out of Maine, and what would you say to Mr. King if he were to knock on your door right now?
I don’t know about that. Rick Hautala was way more famous. He’s got a great library of books, so if you haven’t read him, check him out! (I love his short story collection Bed Bugs). If King came to my house, I’d be shell-shocked. I’d probably say “ah, hi” in some weird way. After that, I don’t know. Invite him in and hope he’d talk to me about writing for the rest of the day and evening. Oh, and then I’d ask him to read to me until I fell asleep.
Thanks so much for chatting with us, Glenn! Where can people find you?
Twitter @authorgrolfe
Facebook: www.facebook.com/glenntheory
Instagram: www.instagram.com/grolfehorror
Youtube: Search Glenn Rolfe
August’s Eyes is available for pre-order.
Glenn Rolfe is an author from the haunted woods of New England. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University and continues his education in the world of horror by devouring the novels of Stephen King, Richard Laymon, Brian Keene, Jack Ketchum, and many others. He has three children, Ruby, Ramona, and Axl. He is grateful to be loved despite his weirdness.
He is a Splatterpunk Award nominee and the author of Until Summer Comes Around, Ascension Agenda, Blood and Rain, The Window, Becoming, The Haunted Halls, Chasing Ghosts, Abram’s Bridge, Things We Fear, Boom Town, and the collections Slush and Land of Bones.
Trading in a police badge and then classroom, Janine Pipe is a full-time Splatterpunk Award-nominated writer, whilst also being an awesome mum, wife and Disney addict. Influenced by the works of King from a young age, she likes to shock readers with violence and scare them with monsters — both mythical and man-made. When she’s not killing people off, she likes to chew the fat with other authors, reviewing books for Scream Magazine, Cemetery Dance and Horror DNA, and conducting interviews on booktube. You’ll likely find her devouring work by Glenn Rolfe, Hunter Shea and Tim Meyer. Her biggest fan, beta reader, editor and financier is her loving husband.
