If you haven’t heard of Jeremy Wagner yet, where in the heck have you been? He’s a rock and roll writer, making his way up the charts, with a bullet. And, he’s a personal hero of mine, since it’s my own goal to write about rock and roll, too. Here’s a short bio for those of you who have been living under a rock:
ABOUT JEREMY WAGNER
Rock Star Turned Novelist
In this youth, Wagner would find himself writing short stories. The hobby grew with him as he combined his love for stories with his songwriting as guitarist in the band Broken Hope. He found that he enjoyed writing horror lyrics and that it helped him become a better writer as a whole.
Because, he says, “all of the hundreds of lyrics I’d written were like flash-fiction pieces—all exercises in writing, crafting, and editing small blasts of fiction within the framework of a song,” says Wagner. “Lyrics turned into short-stories and eventually, short-story writing turned me into a novelist.”
Writing short stories based on his lyrics, Wagner’s stories began to be published. In the mid-’90s, Wagner started writing his first unpublished novels. Combining his writing with his knowledge of music, Wagner came up with the basic idea for THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD (kRP; September 6, 2011).
Wagner has written lyrics to more than 70 published songs along with recording six albums, two MTV videos, and touring in 16 countries with his bands, Broken Hope and Lupara. Wagner has been published in RIP, Terrorizer, Metal Edge, Microhorror magazines and works of short stories through Perseus Books, St. Martin’s Press, and Ravenous Romance.
Wagner’s most recent published works include the short story, Romance Ain’t Dead, which appears as the first story in the zombie-romance anthology Hungry For Your Love (St. Martin’s Press), and the short story The Creatures From Craigslist in the anthology, Fangbangers: An Erotic Anthology Of Fangs, Claws, Sex And Love (Ravenous Romance Publishing). Wagner is an active member of the Horror Writers Association and sponsors HWA any chance he can.
I was lucky enough to score an interview with Jeremy, who is a personal hero of mine, since it’s my own goal to write about rock and roll, too. So, without further ado…
Hi, Jeremy!
Thanks so much for agreeing to an interview for my silly blog. Your website, I must say, is awesome! I couldn’t find much ammunition to use against you in an interview, but I’ll try to make this fun anyway.
1.) First love, music or writing? Do you love them equally or is one more like a chore than a passion?
*Funny you ask because I’ve recently been telling interviewers that being a novelist…a writer, is kind of in first place with my artistic love. I always say, that writing music and writing fiction are my 2 greatest passions. That said, I find writing fiction less of a chore than music. I love my band-mates in Lupara, but in a band, your creativity has to pass the QC of the other band-members (unless you’re in a dictatorship-run band like Guns and Roses). So sometimes if I really like music I wrote, the other guys might not. Writing fiction is a solitary thing and I don’t have anyone to answer to—well, I answer to editors on some level, but it’s not likely my book will be tossed out a window. So, to give you the straight answer, my wife AND writing fiction are my first loves (smiles), but music may be first love again over fiction when I’m drawn back into that muse in between books.
2.) If you were in a fight club, whom would you fight?
*Racist-extremists. I’d love to pummel those bastards into the pavement.
3.) Jellybeans: For eating or slingshot ammo?
*Depends on the flavor for me…I’d say I like about 5% of jeelybean flavors, so that leaves 95% ammo! Haha.
4.) What’s your favorite song that you wrote and why?
*My newest song that we just finished for the second Lupara album. It’s aptly titled after my novel, The Armageddon Chord, and it rips!
5.) If you could own a Pokemon, which kind would you choose?
*Probably an Aerodactyl. I like prehistoric-looking things.
6.) Who is your favorite band? What’s your favorite song?
*Damn hard question here. Let’s go with my favorite song today: “Roll Gypsy Roll” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
7.) How did you go from writing a music column to novels? Will all of your books be music-related?
*I got a break in the ‘90’s when I was in Broken Hope. The editor of RIP Magazine was intrigued by my lyrics and short-fiction and gave me opportunities to interview bigger bands and do concert reviews for RIP. I then submitted stuff to other music mags and got a column later for Chronicles of Chaos. I later turned all my energy into getting my short stories published and now I’m here with my debut novel. No, not all of my novels will be music-related. Everything I’ve written have been stand alone books. I have finished 2 new novels since The Armageddon Chord and they are pure horror with no music theme. That said, I DO have ideas for novels that may continue the story of some of the TAC characters.
8.) What’s the best birthday present you’ve ever received? Given?
*Best birthday present received was a new wardrobe from my wife. Best present given will be a surprise this July 4th on my wife’s birthday in Ireland (I can’t tell you yet)!
9.) Why the attachment to ESP guitars?
*I was drawn to ESP guitars when I first saw them in a music store at age 16. Once I was raging on guitar, I bought my first ESP and have been loyal to them since. I’m semi-endorsed by ESP and have a great relationship with the entire company. They are, in my opinion, the best electric guitar manufacturer on the planet.
10.) Have you ever been to Build A Bear?
*No, but I’ve walked by one at the local mall at least 1,000 times!
11.) Best guitarist of all time? (Johnny Marr, right?)
*Haha! Johnny Marr is fantastic. In terms of talent and superhuman feats on a guitar, I have to say, Steve Vai.
12. Last note: Shannon, thank you so much for giving me this fun interview. Keep writing and keep the Smiths in your ears!
