Writer Keith Anthony Baird chats with me about his dystopian/cyberpunk novella, SIN:THETICA.
Bio:
Keith Anthony Baird began writing dark fiction in 2016 as a self-published author.
After five years of releasing titles via Amazon and Audible he switched his focus to the traditional publishing route.
His dark fantasy novella In the Grimdark Strands of the Spinneret was published via Brigids Gate Press (BGP) in 2022. Two further novellas are to be published in 2024 via BGP – SIN:THETICA and a vampire saga in collaboration with fellow Brit author Beverley Lee – A Light of Little Radiance (November).
He is currently writing an alien invasion/post-apocalyptic novel called Wind Rust which will be the first of a planned trilogy.
He lives in Cumbria, United Kingdom, on the edge of the Lake District National Park.
What do you enjoy most about writing short stories/novellas?
Both are quite a challenge in terms of telling a full story via a shorter medium. The pacing can be a fun aspect too. I started my creative writing journey by penning two novels, both over 100k, which was very time consuming given I was in full-time employment back then. It took three years to write those so I was ready for a shift in my approach. Shorts and novellas provided a means to escape the long-term commitment a novel takes to bring it to fruition. Also, once I’d decided to move away from self-publishing, I found a lot of indie publishers were interested in the novella format and so it made sense to invest my time in writing those kinds of titles.
Can you give us a little insight into a few of your short stories – perhaps some of your favorites?
I’ve always insisted on not being pigeonholed when it comes to what stories I want to write. Therefore, I’ve always considered myself an author of dark fiction. As such, I’ve written stories which are just pure horror, dark fantasy, psychological thrillers, science fiction and its associated sub-genres, or apocalyptic. In truth, I like genre mash-ups the best because I can take whatever elements I wish from all of the aforementioned and create a fusion of styles. A few favourite shorts I’ve penned are ‘Born of a Barbed Wire Womb’ and ‘And the Godless Shall Come to Dust’. The former appears in the HEX-PERIMENTS anthology and centres on Nazi experiments in World War II and the latter is included in the ALONG HARROWED TRAILS anthology by Timber Ghost Press, and is the story of a cursed town in the American West.
What genre are you inspired to write in the most? Why?
I like to have the freedom to explore many dark avenues. I’m usually drawn to doing something different after I’ve just finished a piece of work. I think it’s that sense of being free to choose a different path that keeps things fresh and interesting for me.
What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m currently working on an alien invasion/post-apocalyptic novel called WIND RUST. I’m aiming for around 75k words given that it’s going to be the first of a planned trilogy. I can’t really say too much about it without giving away the plot, but suffice is to say humanity is plunged into a primitive future and must fight for survival against an overwhelming force with superior technology.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
That would be around 2016. So I’ve been writing roughly eight years now. When I started I wasn’t seeking to have my work in the hands of publishers. I was strictly DIY via Amazon for the first five years. But, I found it very hard to do everything on my own and felt I’d probably gone as far as I could flying solo.
How do you research markets for your work, perhaps as some advice for writers?
That’s a tough question. I’d say try and keep abreast of what agents and publishers are looking for. You can work that out by looking at an agent’s wish list and by watching for publishers’ open calls. Study the criteria but also look for announcements here and there. That will give you a good starting point to help you tailor your work to the marketplace. But it’s not easy trying to negotiate the minefield, that’s for sure!
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Not an easy question because I doubt many writers point their observational skills at themselves! I guess probably that I don’t write anything down while I’m creating a piece of work. It all lives in my head, even very complex scenarios which need working through in order to have them make sense to a reader. I’m saying that’s unique in any way, but it’s definitely my method.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I was always creative. I think very early on I wanted to be an artist as I was always drawing and painting. Then I pursued being a musician and was in bands for many years on and off. In the back of my mind there was always the thought of being an author and I think the other things I did were just an expression of that, because now I believe I’ve found my niche.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I’d like you all to get a bargain book, and so the opportunity to do just that is here and now! My publisher, Brigids Gate Press, has kindly put SIN:THETICA on price promotion right up until its launch on May 21st. That means the Kindle version is just 99 cents in the US Amazon marketplace and at a matching low price in other marketplaces too! Post launch, the ebook will be $4.99 so it’s a huge saving!
Links:
Twitter (X) | Instagram | Goodreads | Website | Universal Amazon link for Sinthetica | Universal Amazon link for In the Grimdark Strands of the Spinneret