Author Interview: PIERRE C. ARSENEAULT

I'm pleased to welcome another author to the blog today to talk about their journey to publication and plans for the future.

Here we go... 

Follow Pierre here and here! 
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Check out Pierre's books here! 
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The Interview...

​Who are you and what do you write?
Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you?

My name is Pierre C. Arseneault, and I’m the youngest of eleven children. I’m from New Brunswick, Canada and like many others; I decided I had put off the urge to tell stories for far too long. At the age of 40, I decided to try writing. In the decade that followed, I wrote and co-wrote fiction, publishing five books so far. The first was in collaboration with my good friend Angella Cormier. The small anthology Dark Tales for Dark Nights contained stories of horror and thriller with elements of fantasy and paranormal. We followed that up with two books in our Oakwood Island series, with more to come. Solo, I’ve published an anthology of mystery, thriller, suspense stories called Sleepless Nights. Also I published my first dark comedy, Poplar Falls: The Death of Charlie Baker. My next book is a horror novel and I’m currently working on a dramatic suspense and so as you can imagine, I’ve no plan to limit myself to any genres as the story idea will dictate the genre, if not a blend of genres it becomes.
 
 
How has the journey to this point been?

A brief history of my life as a writer has to start with me as a cartoonist. At the time I started writing in 2010, I had already been a published cartoonist since 2004, publishing in weekly newspapers. Eventually I illustrated a card game for a small gaming company which led to my being published as a writer. In my journey so far, I’ve managed to cross off quite a few thing on my writer’s bucket list but I’m far from done.
 
 
What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far?

I’d have to say, pushing past the self-doubt part and writing my first solo novel was the toughest part. In the beginning, while writing short stories, things were flowing well and confidence was building. And when writing in collaboration, you work together to push past the hard parts. But in writing my first solo novel, I had to learn to be patient and not stress over it. Since then I’ve learned what my strengths and weaknesses are and I know now that I will forever be learning and evolving. There will never be a time when you’ve perfected the craft and have nothing new to learn.
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​And the most enjoyable?
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Holding a finished book in your hands is even more satisfying than getting a great review. Mostly because it’s finished and at this point, you’re more than likely happy with the project coming to fruition. But starting a new project is almost as thrilling as the possibilities are endless.
 
 
Would you go back and change anything?

Perhaps I wouldn’t start with an anthology was my first thought when I read this question but that made me realise that short stories are the perfect springboard into bigger and better things. So maybe the answer to this should be start earlier, at a much younger age. But then again, I don’t think I had the wisdom, patience and life experience I needed to write yet. With that said, I’m not one who dwells on the past so at this point, I don’t think I would change any of my life experiences as they molded me into the imperfect happy person I am today.
 
 
Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10?

I would love to have access to the resources some of the great writers have. Why? Well to have more time and energy to dedicate to writing of course.
 
 
What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out?

I would quote George Carlin: “Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things.” In other words, don’t stress over any of it. Just try and enjoy it all. You’ll only write your first book once. You’ll only hold your first book once. Enjoy it.
 
 
And most importantly...

Ketchup or Mayo? Ketchup. I’m a simple man so ketchup wins easily.
Night or Day? Both have their perks but if you meant for writing, I find I do my best writing in the late hours, as long as I have left over energy from my day. But I’ve never had the opportunity to try writing during the day enough to know how that would work for me.
Inside or Outside? Both. But right now, inside wins as it’s pollen season and so outside is hazardous to my health.
Dogs or Cats? While I enjoy a cuddly cat, mine was an independent lazy insufferable little fur ball. My dogs however were quite the characters. One dumb as a post while the other was a gem of a girl who I still miss.
Twitter or Facebook? Both have their perks. Facebook is better suited to keep in touch with friends, family and coworkers while Twitter is better suited to making new acquaintances and share insights. We won’t mention debating politics or sensitive subjects though. People need to learn to disagree without hate again.
e-book or Paperback? Paperback every time. I’ve yet to purchase an eReader.
Sun or Rain? Both. I’m more than ok with being home on a rainy day, but sunny days are better for wandering and discovering. Better for new adventures.
Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? I assume you mean for writing and so keyboard. Pencils are for drawing. Just my little opinion.
Comedy or Drama? For fiction, I much prefer drama. I’m a movie buff and will chose a good drama over a comedy nine times out of ten. Although a good mystery wins over both.
Chips or Chocolate? Chips, occasionally. Ruffles sour cream and bacon, if you really want to know.