Hello everyone!

Today we have GavinHetherington the writer of Remnants of the Damned with us.

Warm regards. Welcome to an official interview from TheCRYPTIC_ It's our honor to interact with an inspiring writer like you. We hope that you'll have a great time.

1) First of all, when did you decide to join Wattpad and why did you decide to stay?

I joined Wattpad in May 2014 after having already self-published my first novel with Amazon in October 2013. The book did really well on Amazon - it got #1 in the US, UK and Canada for the Dark Fantasy and Horror genres when I put it up for free. I wasn't thinking about money or anything like that, I just wanted people to read my stories because I wanted to be a storyteller so badly. I came across Wattpad on Twitter when I saw an author from Wattpad was getting some grief about her work by a self-published author. I became friends with the Wattpad author (who turned out to be Anna Todd), and I found out about Wattpad from her. I was so inspired by her story and the amazing support she received from her readers. I wanted the same kind of connection with my readers too, which is something self-publishing doesn't allow. I uploaded the entire first book to Wattpad when I joined and started writing my second, and I stayed because people found my books and commented and left me so much support.

2) What is the one piece of work that you are extremely proud of and why?

That first book, Remnants of the Damned, the first in my 'Abyssal Sanctuary' series. I went through five drafts from 2008 to 2013, scrapped hundreds of ideas, wrote over 300,000 words in total for the one book over the five drafts - it was the hardest thing for me to write. It was so hard to write because I felt so passionate about it, I knew this is 'the one', the one book I knew I needed to write. I first came up with the idea of the 'Abyssal Sanctuary' series in my last year at secondary school (so I was 15 for those who aren't from the UK). It was something I held onto for years and years because I felt I needed it to survive. I didn't know where life was going to take me after school, so through college, and leaving college, and going into work, to going back to college, to finally going to university - throughout it all, I've always had my writing to get me through. Remnants of the Damned was my saviour and I love it and I always hope that people who discover it and read it will love it too.

3) Why did you decide to write in the genres you do?

It's a funny story because when I was younger, I couldn't watch scary films without having nightmares and crying. Even Scary Movie, that parody film with Anna Faris, made me cry (in my defence I was 8 when I saw it, but I guess that's still no excuse, I know people younger than 8 who are braver than I was at that age). But I slowly started to get over my fear in primary school when my English teacher would read the class a Goosebumps book almost every other week. I wasn't over my fear immediately (I was still crying at horror movies if I accidentally caught one at a friend's house), but it was slowly starting to make me feel brave. That is why I write horror now. Horror makes you feel brave. Stories put you in the character's situation and while you're safe from whatever horrors unfold, being able to survive the story to the end makes you braver and stronger than before. I love it when people comment on my story saying 'oh my god, that is my worst fear' but they still get through it, it makes me feel like a superhero - I helped them overcome their fear and I love to be part of the reader's experience every step of the way. I discovered Stephen King's works in my teens too, so that helped my decision to write horror because he made me feel brave too.

4) What compels you to pick your pen and write? What inspires you or keeps you motivated?

The first ever spark of inspiration I ever got to become a storyteller was when I read and loved Harry Potter when it came out. It was huge in the UK when it was first released and my primary school was obsessed. I was about 5 when it came out but 6 when I was given my first copy of the book for my birthday. I had always been a bookworm and my imagination was so wild as kid, but J. K. Rowling's stories made me want to actually transform my imagination into a legible story. She was my first ever inspiration to write and so, when I write now, I usually keep a copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on my desk to remind me what started me off in the first place. It also helps that I have a series that I absolutely love to write - I plan so much that I know what's coming and that makes me excited. If I find I'm writing a slowish chapter, I just remember what's coming and I get excited to write it. If I could give anybody advice who find they're stuck in writer's block, I would say to make yourself excited to write it by planning. If you're not excited about what you're writing and what's to come, then why are you writing it at all? Motivate yourself because all writing comes from within - influence is external, but when you influence yourself, you influence your own writing. I feel lucky to love what I write (without sounding arrogant, I hope haha).

5) If there was one thing you wanted to say to a new aspiring writer, what would it be?

I would say that they need to know what they are getting themselves into. Even before I started writing my 'Abyssal Sanctuary' series, I was writing so much (including a series about a young witch). Stories will stay with you, and it can be such an emotional process. It can also be draining. You will find yourself lost multiple times. But just know that if you love what you write, and you just know this is the path you belong on, then you will rediscover yourself on the journey. You can always rely on your writing to save you. If this is what you are passionate about, then you will not regret the journey. You will have the support from the right people, and you may even find your real friends and who really supports you on the way. Don't let anyone laugh at you when you say "I want to be a writer" and make you think your dream is impossible. It is not. Tell your story regardless because if you truly believe in yourself and love what you write, then you will make it. I've been there and I'm here now, exactly where I want to be with so much journey still left in me.

6) Why did you decide to be a writer / storyteller?

I realised, when Harry Potter swept through my primary school, just how inspired people were to read. J. K. Rowling had the same effect on me except she also made me want to write, to share my own ideas and imagination. I wrote garbage as a child but they were stories I thought of and loved and I hoped that one day, I could be like J. K. Rowling and inspire someone too. As I said before, I want to make people feel brave and feel like they can overcome anything, including their worst fears. I want my readers to feel like they can do anything. I want to make a difference to someone's life. While my stories might be horror, I lace every story and character with meaning. They all have something they're dealing with and there are morals and messages throughout. The comments that mean the most to me are those that respond to the real-life horror the characters deal with of prejudice and hate, because even though it's fictional, it's very real in today's society, and they need to feel as though there is a light at the end of the very dark tunnel.

7) If you were alone on an island and were allowed to choose three users from Wattpad to stay with you, who would it be and why?

This is so hard to narrow down but I'm going to try. I know for a fact that the first person I would choose would be Kelly Anne Blount (KellyAnneBlount). She discovered me after I did a Live Q&A on Twitter with Wattpad HQ for Fright Week 2015, and she invited me to be part of her Block Party, she also invited me to be a panellist at the New York WattCon in 2016 and she invited me to part of the 2017 anthology Snow (along with 15 other incredible writers). She has given me so many opportunities and I owe her so much. She's also an incredible friend who has listened to my every problem and when we met in New York, she was everything I dreamed she would be and more. I love her so much and she would be amazing on an island with me.

Another person I would choose would be Shaun Allan (ShaunAllan)  He's an OG horror writer I personally look up to and I've met him and he's incredible and I chat with him online and he's a little crazy but funny so he would be fantastic company. And I just know I would have to have Rachel Meinke (knightsrachel) too. I love her to bits and she's so fun to be around, at the WattCon in New York everyone looked up to her to provide some entertainment, and she so did. She's been a great help to me since and I always, always love our conversations. I really could pick so many more people to join me but I would definitely start with these three incredible inspiring people.

8) Do you have any pet peeves?

Hmm. I have so many pet peeves when it comes to my younger brother but I'm not sure that's what the question is really asking haha. In terms of pet peeves with what I read, I am actually a very relaxed reader. I find myself enjoying a lot of what I read. But in the writing world, my biggest pet peeve is when I see an author bashing a whole genre (something I have witnessed very recently by a pretty big author). It's totally fine not to like fanfiction or horror or romance or whatever, but please don't insult the people who take their time to write in that genre, or the readers who love that genre. There's no need to insult people for a genre you personally don't like. I'm not a big fan of erotica but I appreciate the talented writers who write erotica, and the readers who read it. Everyone has their own tastes and I have mine.

A big pet peeve of mine is when I see someone comment on my board or PM me and say "omg I loved your work will you read mine" yet I never saw a single vote or comment or any kind of indication they actually read my work. Also when I literally just update a story and the first comment I get is "when is the next update?" Wattpad writers sometimes take their time and I'm one of them; I want things to be perfect. I understand people want to know but don't just say that on the very day I update.

9) And lastly, do you prefer sweet or salty?

For years and years, it had always been sweet. It is still my main choice of popcorn when I go to the cinema. But for the past couple of years, nothing has tasted better than the two combined. It's always refreshing to get a bit of salty mixed in with the sweet, it tastes incredible. It's also what I would describe my writing as sometimes, I like to play with emotions that either result in a sweet moment or a salty one. Reactions can be interesting to that.

Cover:

Blurb:

Within Lakefield View, a remote town closed off from the rest of the world, a group of five young workers at a picturesque café witness the public murder of a family member. This event sets into motion the awakening of a forgotten past that connects the five friends to the creatures and killers that lurk behind every corner of their forsaken town.

Following the horrifying death, Justin Rutherford is attacked on a subway train and his boyfriend is kidnapped by the feared Ripper, leading to the revelation of his abilities to see and talk to the dead; Christina Mayer is followed home and is soon terrorised by men in white masks, all the while having to protect her little brother; Eric Watson tries to uncover his own personal family history after the death of his father opens up questions about the disappearance of his mother years before; Tiffany Hawkins is shocked by the public death of her sister, but her suffering is prolonged when her sadistic stalker will not leave her alone; and Carmen Stevens reveals the most shocking secret of all - she killed her brother, and now she has to hide the body.

The pieces of the puzzle slowly start to fit when they realise that the only thing worse than being alone in the dark, is finding out they're not.