by Alex Mcdermott:
Anne Michaud is an author of many talents, especially getting distracted by depressing music and dark things. She likes to write and read everyday, and speak of herself in the third person.
Since her Master’s degree in Screenwriting from the University of London, England, Anne has written, directed and produced three short films, now distributed by Ouat! Media in Toronto, Canada. The lyric documentary Worth a Thousand Words (2006) can be seen here.
And then, after hundreds of hours spent on studying and making films, she changed her mind and started writing short stories, novelettes and novels. Some have been published, others will be soon enough.
Keep your eyes open, she’s behind you. (via http://annecmichaud.wordpress.com)
Alex Mcdermott: Many authors today see vampires as the boyfriend/ rockstar creature. You take a different view in your short story as your protagonist rejects the immortal creature! What is your perspective of the vampire?
Annie Michaud: I’m grouchy and got fed up of the glamour that surrounds vampires these days: they’re all rich and try as much as possible to keep their humanity, to be normal when they clearly are not. Ugh. For me, the point of writing with vampires is to explore how human becomes beast, and the fact that they remain human in form but turn into monsters through their desires and need – which is what I wanted Liriel to represent. She looks human, but she’s far from it; she’s a monster and she’s scary, which is the point of writing horror.
Alex M: Horror is a very male-dominated genre. How do you address critics that say women can’t write convincing horror?
AM: I don’t really care about misogynistic remarks. Haters will hate, nothing will change that.
Alex M: There is a huge gulf between “literary horror” and splatter/ gore these days. Where do you see your writing?
AM: I truly hope I’m more of the lit side of things. I’ve never been a fan of graphic horror in films or books (blame my vivid imagination and easily triggered gag reflex), so I don’t try to gross people out. But if I can bring the chills with a creepy scene, then I’m a happy camper. Plus, I love a good voice, une belle plume as we say in French, and I’m always looking for a more literary approach to genre writing in every book I choose to read.
Alex M: What influences your writing? How do you reach those dark places for good horror writing?
AM: I’ve always loved creatures of the night, the moon and the stars, dark music and dark books, so to reach my dark place is very easy: I rarely leave it. Even when I don’t write horror, I keep the themes and plot to grittiness, sadness and melancholia. I do believe music (old school goth and 90’s industrial) is crucial for mood setting, and a proper rainfall makes any writing session perfect.
Alex M: Why make the switch from film to writing?
AM: I fell in love with writing, what else can I say? I’m of the solitary type, too, which was a problem on a busy set full of big egos. When I write a story, it’s mine and stays that way – people crit and editors cut, but it’s my voice and vision. With a film, you’ve got so many people involved, that what’s yours slowly becomes theirs, and you lose sight of your story and your characters. I don’t regret the switch, not in a million years.
Alex M: How is film making different in terms of the creative process?
AM: Both are very long and tedious processes, but filmmaking is about teamwork and writing is about oneself (most of the time). While making a film, you work with tons of people, they change your story into something tangible, they bring in their own perspective and ideas, they morph this world you created into a co-operative project. Writing evolves inside your head, through your imagination until you put it on the page, so it stays trapped in ink, motionless but for the imagination of the reader.
Alex M: You travel extensively (China for example!). How does this shape your writing? Does it help create a more universal aspect to it?
AM: Being immersed in another culture for a certain period of time will leave an imprint, whether you want it to or not. Smelling other smells, walking on foreign land and seeing different ways of living has influenced my writing greatly, for old and future projects. Travelling brings so many ideas—ideas I would have never thought of if I had stayed home—that each country I visited taints my work, voluntarily in many cases. I don’t know about a universal aspect, since I often write about outcasts and rebels, but I do try my best to not fall into the mold.
Anne Michaud is a featured member of DarkMediaCity, a free social network for those who like it Dark. Whether it be literature or film, music or art, horror or sci-fi, paranormal romance or paranormal investigation, we’ve got something for you. www.DarkMediaCity.com
She can also be found on her website.
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