Brandon Ford  (Writer)

Place Born?  South Philadelphia, PA

Place Grew Up?  South Philadelphia, PA

Favorite Color?  Aqua Blue

Eye Color?  Brown

Favorite Place to Visit?  Jersey Shore

Favorite TV Show?  Seinfeld

Favorite Movie?  Slumber Party Massacre III

Favorite Book?  The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Favorite Music?  Pop/Folk

  Who are your Idols, and for what reasons?  Jack Ketchum for his brilliance as a writer, Stephen King for his ability to spread the horror genre far and wide, John Waters for his twisted wit.

  Who Influenced you the most Growing up and  why?  I was blessed with many inspiring and nurturing teachers all through school who did everything in their power to encourage my writing.  I'd always hand in stories for their feedback and knowing they enjoyed my works was a tremendous influence and it inspired me to generate more.

  Who Influenced your Writing Career the most and why?  Genre authors like Jack Ketchum and Richard Laymon who have devoted years to perfecting their craft and churning out unique and spine-chilling works.  And young adult authors like R.L. Stine who inspired me in my early years.

 Why did you become a writer how long have you been writing and what age did you realize you were a career writer?  I became a writer because there was nothing I've ever enjoyed more than telling stories.  It has been a passion of mine since I was 8 years old and first started putting pen to paper in my spare time.  It was always thought of as just a hobby, though.  That was until I turned 18 and decided that being a writer was what I wanted to do in the long run and that I was going to do everything in my power to make that happen.

  What was your first completed book or novel, what influenced you to develope the story and how long did it take to complete the finished novel?  My first novel was Crystal Bay.  The story was inspired by what I was going through in my own life.  Like my main character, I was mired in a job I really didn't care much about and knew that if being a writer was something I really wanted to do, then I'd have to discipline myself and write my first novel.  The original draft took about 7 months to complete.  It was written all longhand in my spare time.

  What stories do you prefer to write about and when you are writing, is there anything that factors into your method of working? And how do you develop your stories?  My preference is definitely horror, but there is always a touch of humor in everything I write.  I grew up on the genre, so it's really the only thing I know.  And if it's not full-on horror, then suspense, but it has to be dark.  I prefer to write late at night when it's quiet.  Definitely easier to concentrate.  For short stories, I typically spend a week or two plotting them out in my head before I sit down to write.  For novels, it varies.  What has always worked for me is writing longhand.  There is nothing I love to do more than actually put pen to paper.  The computer is nice, but it's more of a printing tool than a writing tool.

  How many novels have you written,  how many have been signed on who are the publishers? What was your last or most recent  novel  and how long have you been working on this project? Did anything influence you to write it?  I've written 3 novels so far: Crystal Bay, Splattered Beauty, and Pay Phone (my most recent novel), all of which were published through Arctic Wolf Publishing.  I'm currently working on a few other projects, but I'm not sure when they'll be released.

  What makes Brandon Ford Tick? What motivates you in life, and how long do you plan to write your novels?  I'm motivated by all of the wonderful literature I surround myself with.  My hope is to one day be as good as the writers I enjoy and to one day write something that could be comparable to the works of those I admire.  I fully intend to devoting the rest of my life to my craft.  This isn't a temporary phase.  It's who I am.

  What goes on in your everyday life when not writing? How do you relax and how do you unwind after long periods of writing?  I don't do anything out of the ordinary.  I spend a lot of time relaxing with a good book, watching bad TV, and listening to music.  Boring, I know.

  Is there anyone special in your life,  do you have any kids? Any pets?  I am blissfully single.  No kids, but 2 beautiful nieces.  No pets.

  Whats your take on having a possible novel of your turned into a movie or TV show? If it's done right, I'm open to the possibility of a film adaption, but I wouldn't want to put my name on something that's miles away from my original vision.  I suppose if it were to ever happen, I'd like to have some relationship with the screenwriter so that we could come to an understanding on what should and what shouldn't be included in the script.

    -Brandon Ford, Apr. 2010