Hey, everyone! The following is an interview/guest post from some good friends of mine. Their new book, KEYPORT CTHULHU 2, is out TODAY! Seriously good stuff from Armand Rosamilia and Chuck Buda. If you’re into Lovecraftian stories set on the Jersey Shore (and who isn’t?), this is the book for you. So enjoy the interview and then go pick up the new book here!

– TM

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The Ancient One Has Arrived

What do Armand Rosamilia, Chuck Buda and H.P. Lovecraft have in common?

CTHULHU

This week, Keyport Cthulhu 2, the much-anticipated sequel to the original, hits bookstores everywhere. Well, Amazon.com. To celebrate the release, Armand and Chuck have stopped by to give us a behind-the-scenes peek at the mythos, how Lovecraft influenced them and the collaboration process. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Whose idea was it to write Keyport Cthulhu 2?

ARMAND: It was Chuck’s idea. He pretty much stalked me, first online and then in person, harassing me to continue the story. I told him it was a one and done deal but I needed to get rid of him. So, I agreed to write a sequel to make him go away. That’s a true story.

What was it about the original that you obsessed over?

CHUCK: I fell in love with Armand’s voice the first time I read his work. As a fan of H.P. Lovecraft and Armand, I felt Keyport Cthulhu was a match made in heaven. Plus, I grew up in New Jersey in a town near Keyport. The setting resonated with me on different levels.

Tell everyone about the collaboration process. Was it difficult?

CHUCK: I’ll take this one, Armand. First, I was petrified that my writing would disappoint Armand. I worried I wouldn’t be able to keep up with him on a creative basis. But it was a ton of fun. Getting to read his parts before the rest of the world. And then trying to ratchet up the story intensity chapter after chapter. I’d never collaborated with someone before. I think I kept up with him.

(Armand shrugs.)

What is it about Keyport that drew your interest for the story?

ARMAND: Of all the towns along the Jersey shore, Keyport is probably the most picturesque. It is a perfect cocktail of times gone by, shaken not stirred, with modern progress. I lived in a real-life haunted house in Keyport for a few years. Even the air in the village hints at something mysterious. It’s also home to some of the best seafood on the planet.

Lovecraft is an obvious influence. He was a controversial figure in the horror/weird communities. What are your thoughts about his legacy?

CHUCK: Regardless of his personal beliefs, H.P. Lovecraft’s mythos has touched us both and influenced thousands of artists, from musicians to writers to gamers. His settings and tone creeped the shit out of us as kids. And the idea that, we as humans, could be so tiny and inconsequential in the universe, is terrifying. Each day we hurry to the store or to work and we love and we fight. But in the end, it might all be a stage show on a small canvas for the mere entertainment of someone (something) so much bigger than us. What could be creepier?

Will there be a Keyport Cthulhu 3?

ARMAND: If Chuck had his way, we would write nothing but Keyport Cthulhu stories. I think there could be a possibility. The clues are hidden in the new release. You will have to read Keyport Cthulhu 2 to find the answer.