“Grief is a demon we all fear but that needs to be faced if we don’t want to be swallowed by it.”
Davide Tarsitano
Can you tell us a couple of lines about yourself?
Writing, creating, telling stories have always been things I couldn’t stay away from. It has been challenging to find a balance with my daily work but ultimately I found a way to make them coexist and I hope the space I give to my writing will increase through the years. If you mix all that with my unconditional love for horror, then you have got a pretty complete picture of who I am.
How long have you been in horror? How do you see your evolution as a creator?
I feel like I’ve been in horror my whole life. I was a little kid, maybe 5 or 6 years old, when my dad bought me one of the books from the R.L Stine Goosebumps series. It was “The Night of the Living Dummy”. And that was it.
Since I have memory, I have always wanted to be the one telling scary stories to my friends, to watch a horror film that was not allowed for my age. I can see myself exploring new paths below the big umbrella of the horror genre but at the same time I have a curiosity of venturing outside of it. Dystopian is a genre that attracts me deeply.
Tell us about your most recent work, can you give us some insight?
My most recent work is a paranormal horror novel: Hollow.
Hollow is my second published work, after my debut novel, The Tooth Fairy. It is a dark story about an ancient Native American evil that feeds off human negative emotions.
This horror story will make you check every room in your home before going to bed. It will be available for Pre-Order on Amazon from July 1 but will be released in September this year.
Whose string do you think it will pull?
I think every horror fan will enjoy this story. There are some classic elements of horror mixed with some new contemporary concepts that I personally am very fond of.
What’s the strongest message the audience will find in your plot?
We are all scared of grief, terrified by it. If not properly faced and experienced, grief can lead us to dramatic consequences. We, as a society, are not very good, in my opinion, at taking the necessary time to go through the process. Grief is a demon we all fear but that needs to be faced if we don’t want to be swallowed by it.
Are you fond of any character?
Contrarily to my previous novel, where I was incredibly biased towards one specific character, with Hollow I feel a really strong bond with all the main characters. Jack Sullivan is a paternal and spiritual figure that reminds me a lot of one of my favorite characters, Father Callahan from The Dark Tower and Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. He is also a controversial one and I think the readers will love him.
Robert Cooper is a detective with deep scars and a real love for the investigative job. Personally I am
very fond of him.
Do you plan to make a spin-off about any of the characters?
This is a question I get very often. And my answer is always: why not? I can definitely see that happening. Jamie Anderson from The Tooth Fairy or Robert Cooper from Hollow go on their own paths, becoming the main characters in other stories. And why not have them meet in one of those stories? It is a concept that I personally love.
What’s been the most challenging scene to write or film?
There hasn’t been anything more or less challenging. I would describe it as more or less intense. In some scenes the intensity level is really through the roof, in some other scenes not so much. But every scene serves a precise purpose to the story.
Who is your perfect audience?
I think my perfect audience is made of readers that want to experience a new perspective on horror that doesn’t necessarily abandon the most classic pillars of the genre. Everyone that enjoys a book with suspense, relatable characters and paranormal elements will enjoy my stories.
SciFi, thriller and horror. How do they combine?
I’ve always considered horror to be the black sheep in the big family of the thriller genre. Hollow is one of my first attempts at merging them together somehow. I love to read true crime so why not try to incorporate that in my paranormal horror? SciFi and horror? Definitely sounds interesting but I haven’t
explored that path yet.
How did you come up with the idea for your first creation?
The idea for The Tooth Fairy came to me while I sat on a dental chair. Can you believe how vulnerable we are when we sit on one of those things? Half drugged, exposing our mouth to someone handling tools that seem to come from a torture room? That’s how The Tooth Fairy was born.
What kind of horror do you think your work falls into?
Definitely psychological horror for The Tooth Fairy. Paranormal Horror for Hollow.
Which is a scene from a horror movie or book that has terrified you?
To this day The Babadook remains, in my opinion, one of the most well crafted and most terrifying movies I have ever seen. More recently I found the movie Hereditary utterly disturbing. The scene of Charlie’s death still haunts me.
What’s the best and the worst about being a creator?
The best of being a creator to me is the immense satisfaction of having readers. People like me, that just love to read a good book and get carried away by the story. When I am able to do that to someone else with one of my stories, then I have fulfilled my dream of being an author. There is no worst in being a creator. It is just awesome.
What would be your advice for people who want to jump into this world?
The only way to get better at writing is to write a lot and read a lot. If you decide to venture into this world, be ready to do a lot of both.
If you started over your career in this industry, would you do it differently?
Procrastinate less, write more.
What is one thing you regret during your experience in the horror community?
No regrets. I am grateful to keep learning how to move around in this industry.
How do you think horror is evolving?
Horror has a bright future. The horror community keeps growing around the world and, thanks to the incredible reach of social media, authors like me can reach a lot more readers than it used to be possible a few years ago.
What’s the last horror movie that surprised you liked?
I remember watching the movie Smile recently and I absolutely loved it. I am
so glad horror is going back to a golden era. Directors and producers are
doing a great job at emphasizing the psychological aspects of horror.
What are your next projects?
After Hollow I have a couple of projects waiting for me in my drawer. It is in my plan to write a collection of short stories and start exploring the dystopian genre.
If your last work was a song, which one would be?
If Hollow was a song it would be “Demons” by Imagine Dragons
Where can the audience find you?
Visit http://www.dtarsitano.com
There you can find out all about me and my work and connect to me on social media.
