Please introduce yourself and your book(s)!
My name is Anthony Pernell Rogers, but I go by the pen name of Pernell Rogers (suggested to me by my stepfather!). I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but now I live in a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona. I’m very pretty new to writing, only started in 2012. My main genre is horror because I love horror movies and shows. However, it seems to be shifting more towards supernatural thrillers with elements of horror at the moment. In my stories, I like to put ordinary people in positions where they have to deal with entities that shouldn’t exist.
What inspires/inspired your creativity?
That’s what I want to understand (LOL!!!). Somewhere in my mind is a cog that’s out of whack. I could be looking at the most ordinary thing, and I’ll find some way to warp it.
My inspiration for my very first writing attempt came from my pond. A lily pad had been in my pond for over 5 years and it was getting too big. It took over 30 minutes for me to lift the water-soaked mass out of the water using a shovel, and I was exhausted from the task. When I finally gave it a close look, its white root system was embedded in the nastiest accumulation of muck I’ve ever seen. They almost looked like white worms. It made me wonder what would happen if one of those roots started moving on its own!
That first writing attempt wasn’t the best because I knew nothing of writing at the time, but that’s one way I get my inspiration.
What are the biggest mistakes you can make in a book?
I had to learn this the hard way. I published a story and let people know about it. That same day, I received a few emails telling me I had a many typos throughout the manuscript. I’d read the story over and over, but when I read it after I published it. I found more typos. Since that time, I always use an editor; developmental, copy-editing, and proofreading. But before I send it to the editor, I use a free program that reads my story back to me. The voice is a bit robotic, but I can hear it when the program recites ‘the the’. I stop it and make the correction. Editors are a must!
Also, I’ve created my own covers for all except two of my stories. I purchased a cover for my last story and it’s been downloaded more than any other. Professional covers are the way to go for longer pieces.
How do bad reviews and negative feedback affect you and how do you deal with them?
That’s one of issues I haven’t dealt with a lot. If I get a bad review, I’ll take it as a way to improve my writing. Why get mad or upset about something you can’t control? The reader gave you their opinion, and it is valid. In my case, I don’t have a lot of reviews so I don’t know how well or how bad my writing is. More reviews would certainly be useful to me.
How has your creation process improved over time?
My writing is ever-changing. I read books, articles, and listen to a few podcasts about writing. That’s where I learn techniques. Each of my stories exhibits the technique I was experiment with at the time. I also belong to two writing forums and post stories there for feedback. The member’s comments are invaluable. Also my editor’s comments are amazing. In my latest set of stories (I hope to publish in a month or two), my editor stated I have too much exposition in my short stories. I should focus more on scenes instead of sequences. I did more research on those three terms (exposition, scenes, and sequences), and I’m currently modifying those stories to make the necessary corrections. With so much content about how to write better, I have to pick and choose which one I’d like to follow.
Do you tend towards personal satisfaction or aim to serve your readers? Do you balance the two and how?
My ultimate goal is to satisfy the readers, but since I’m the first reader, I love to read whatever warped story came from my head. My biggest satisfaction comes from those that find my stories interesting enough to download them.
What role do emotions play in creativity?
For the most part I leave emotions out, but everyone once in a while, I write a section that raises goosebumps (it’s happened more than once!). Just yesterday, I was writing a section where a boy’s younger brother was shot and killed. After an officer gave the family the bad news, I had to write a very sad scene that actually brought tears to my eyes. That scene really got to me, and I hope it gets to my readers also.
What are your plans for future books?
I’m working on my first novel, untitled as of yet. It will be some time before it is done. However, my upcoming book will be a collection of short stories about secrets. The title is ‘Revelations of Evil’. The cover I’ve chosen is on my website: