Tim Cody:
Hopelessly optimistic; bright and sunny coating with a dark and twisted interior.
A lot of writers claim that they aren't “typical writer-types,” but Tim Cody has yet to meet a fellow writer as into the nerd trifecta as himself. Video games, anime, and comic books are as much his passions as writing, and as such he uprooted his life in 2009, moving from Delaware to Seattle, Washington to pursue a day job in the video game industry.
After working at the likes of Nintendo, Microsoft Games Studios, and Sucker Punch Productions, he considers himself to be one of the very few, if not the only, optimists in the video game industry. He firmly believes that if you work hard a
nd truly attack your dreams head-on, you may eventually achieve some of them—hopefully some of the better ones, too.
Many don't suspect that such a sunny disposition would be capable of weaving tales so wicked they infect and warp kind souls' dreams for weeks on end. The tragic, heartbreaking protagonists and the terrifying, twisted demons that roam the pages of his books betray his outward appearance, often catching readers off guard. But soon they all learn the truth: Lurking just beneath the friendly smile and lighthearted humor is a truly surreal and twisted carnival of visceral and fear-inducing images sure to rob your nights of many winks.
The first installment of his young adult supernatural horror series, Crimson Soul, was published in April 2011. He is currently working feverishly on its sequel and would very much like for you to read it. :)
Next up, we have a bit about what Tim's writing and other projects.
Every writer needs their muse. Mine happens to be a PlayStation 3 named Sebastian Mk.II.
I haven't encountered many writers as willing as myself to admit that a primary source of inspiration for their writing comes from video games. Perhaps it's a belief that video games aren't for serious storytelling, or perhaps there just aren't too
many serious writers who are also serious about video games.
However, a bulk of my inspiration for writing horror does indeed come from horror video games—as opposed to other horror books, or films. Games such as Silent Hill, Siren: Blood Curse, Fatal Frame, they're terrifying video games that tell amazing stories. They get horror right, they know their themes: The fear of isolation, abandonment, the sense of absolute panic you experience when something normal is suddenly weird—there's so much in them to inspire a writer, especially of horror. Incorporating these classic and ever-important themes into my own writing in a way that is fresh and exciting is always a good time.
Video games may be easy for a lot of writers to overlook since they're not exactly a “traditional” medium, but the stories they weave rival that of any novel. The deep lore of the sleepy town of Silent Hill, the often heartbreaking yet awe-inspiring war story of Valkyria Chronicles—interactive storytelling at its absolute best; a great, largely untapped source of inspiration.
There's something peculiar about responding to fear by moving toward it instead of away, and something special to be said about those who can elicit such a reaction. I'll never forget the sense of fear inspired by those key scare moments in my favorite games. Standing in a bathroom in Silent Hill and watching the walls bleed and decay all around me; the eerie feeling of absolute discomfort that was a result of watching a woman staked to a sacrificial altar as children sung a creepy nursery rhyme. It's that moment for which horror writers strive. For that moment
when someone says “This is terrifying and going to give me nightmares, but I have to know what happens next.”
These moments, when the audience is captivated and uncomfortable, disgusted yet they can't look away despite the fact they have complete control, this is what I strive for in my writing—to lure the reader willingly ever deeper down a dark and twisted road, inhabited by that which we fear most.
If you're down with the nerd trifecta, writer or non, or if you just want to check out a writer who tweets at least one random thought a day, feel free to drop me a line at @Tim_Cody. You can also help to expand by burgeoning ego by visiting my
blog, www.tim-cody.blogspot.com. Thanks for tuning in, everyone, and remember: Stay scared!
Crimson Soul, by Tim Cody (also available via Barnes and Noble and Smashwords): http://www.amazon.com/-
/e/B005ETT36E
Just to wrap it up, I asked my new pal Tim (he doesn't know we're pals yet, but we are.) what kind of suspenders he would have and what he thinks that says about himself. So here's where the prizes come in. I'll tell you what kind of suspenders he picked, and you tell me what that says about him. Whoever gets either a) the closest to his answer or b) the most creative, gets their own author spotlight. Hopefully, that's awesome enough for you guys to come up with something really great. So what did Tim answer?
"My suspenders would be made out of taffy."
Okay guys, have at it. What does taffy suspenders say about Mr. Cody?
