I was lucky to get an interview with Cameron Hopkin, the author of A Gathering of Chaos, and one of this year’s #SPFBO8 semifinalists.

I previously interviewed Cameron, but since he became a semi-finalist, we both felt that a new interview was just the thing…

Please, tell us a bit about yourself…
I was born in Texas but have lived most of my life in Utah. Every time I move somewhere else (and I have: California, North Carolina, even a two year stint in Brazil), I start to feel edgy unless there are tall, craggy mountains in the distance. I’ve worked as an actor, a wedding/bar mitzvah DJ, a waiter, a research scientist, and a desk jockey. These days I teach psychology at a local university, and that’s pretty cool. Understanding humans has always been my jam, and that’s a big part of why I like to write.

What was the first thought that popped into your mind when you found out you had made it to the semifinals?
It took a minute for the penny to drop. I saw that my blogger had made additional cuts, and I forced myself to watch her video, fearing to see my cover pop up at every moment, and it wasn’t until a) my book wasn’t mentioned, and b) Mark Lawrence popped up in the comments saying “I’m going to mark your remaining books as semifinalists, cool?” and she responded in the affirmative… that’s when it hit. I got very excited and marched out to tell my family, all of whom were appropriately cheerful about it.

Why did you decide to take part in the SPFBO?
In all honesty, I threw my hat in the ring because I’m totally clueless on the visibility and advertising fronts. I’ve got this fun little book, and the people who read it seem to like it, but it’s drowning in a sea of millions of books on Amazon. This felt like an opportunity to get some eyes on my work without burning a ton of cash on ads that might or might not pay for themselves. The fact that the estimable Mark Lawrence is at the head of the ship made the decision an easy one.

Why should we buy your SPFBO8 book?
If you like dark fantasy and just a little body horror, A Gathering of Chaos is for you. The world I’m playing in is a fun one, as humanity has had to adapt to both the absence of any minable metals and the absence of the gods who took it with them when they scarpered. I like things to get good and dark before it all gets worked out in the end, and I think this story has that in spades. Also, lest you think I take myself too seriously: there is a chase scene in which flatulence plays a pivotal role.

What got you into writing? And how long have you been doing it?
I’ve been writing without noticing it for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I was on the verge of giving up on my doctoral studies that I decided to take a crack at a novel. It was a tremendous stress relief, and enough people gave me positive feedback that I’ve stuck with it ever since… even though I did manage to get my degree.

Why did you choose to write fantasy? And why pick this particular fantasy subgenre?
I love fantasy because being obviously not on Earth allows you to tell The Truth about who we are without the truth getting in the way. Plus, I’ve always wanted our world to be more magical and mysterious than it is, so going Someplace Else has always appealed to me. As for the why of picking dark fantasy… I dunno. I just like getting down and dirty and really dragging my characters through some nasty stuff. It makes the eventual payoff all the sweeter, in my opinion. It may not serve me well in this case – I have a sneaking suspicion that if I don’t advance to the finals it will be because my blogger really had a tough time with some of my more graphic descriptions – but in the end, we have to write what we like! (I am also open to the idea that I may not advance to the finals because other books are better written than my own. Just putting that out there.)

Which other author has had the biggest influence on your writing?
It was Brandon Sanderson who really encouraged me to make a serious go of it, though from a reading perspective I found him pretty late in the game. I actually had the opportunity to take his master class at Brigham Young University and get personalized feedback from him, which was an incredible opportunity. Hearing him talk about how he found success sparked the idea that I might be able to find a little of my own, and that was all the motivation I needed. 

In terms of books that made me say, “I want to create something like this,” I’d say that the first one was Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card. The melancholy and complexity of that novel absolutely broke my then-teenaged brain.

What’s the best thing about being a writer?
Others may disagree with me on this one, but I love going back and reading what I’ve read. Turns out I really like my own turn of phrase. 😄 I tend to get pretty down on myself as I’m slogging through a story, so going back and seeing that I enjoy what I’ve produced is a greatly needed pick-me-up.

What’s the hardest thing about being a writer?
I’ve heard it said that comparison is the thief of joy, and booooy do I feel that when it comes to writing. Seeing others rise to the top, gaining recognition and acclaim for merely passable work while I pound at a keyboard in obscurity is daunting sometimes. (I’m glad for others to succeed, I promise I am… I just want to be one of them too!)

How do I get into the semifinals? Maybe you have a tip, app, tool, or resource you recommend?
*baffled silence* I… have no idea. Except to keep reading. I never even attempted a novel until I was well past 35, and I’ve been a voracious fantasy reader since age 6. I may not be the most original idea man out there, but I’ve read enough fantasy to know what it’s supposed to sound like, where the major turns are, and that lets me play with those expectations. Also: listen to people talk. Take an acting class and pay attention to the cadence of how people speak, and how infrequently we actually land on the words we really want. I feel like giving the sense of real people talking in your novel can cover a multitude of writerly sins.

What new projects are you working on?
I am in the middle of serializing my next novel Wander the Lost on Royal Road, Wattpad, and ScribbleHub. Once it’s complete in those places I’ll put it up for sale on Amazon. I’m also working on the final scenes of a YA cosmic horror novel that I’m very excited about.

Anything else you would like to say before we close?
Thank you, Rune, for going out of your way to talk to and publicize other self-pub authors. You’re the GOAT. Thanks to any of you who take a look at my novel because of this awesome contest. And thanks to all the authors who deserved this semfinalist spot probably more than I do. Your day is coming.

Thanks to you for keep writing and the very best of luck within the competition, Cameron (and with sales.) Thanks for doing the interview!