SIX MINUTES WITH A.N. SINNER:

Joining LitPick on Six Minutes with an Author is first-time novelist A. N. Sinner! Sinner, author of Enter the Realm of Flesh, describes himself as a longtime outcast, aspiring writer, pop culture geek, movie buff, gamer, and a silent rebel who somehow snuck his way into college. He has been writing on and off again since 2010 and spends more time in front of a PC screen than is reasonable. The 22-year-old currently lives in Germany.

How did you get started writing?

My writing in school was really mediocre. Then one year in high school, all of my essays suddenly started getting really good grades. I was best of my class a couple times. I thought school-essay-writing could transfer to book-writing, so I just went ahead and tried writing a book. I didn't know a single thing about writing a book, but I forced myself to pull through anyway. I did finish that book, and it was awful.

However, I kept writing, just for the fun of it. I produced lots and lots of unfinished book projects and short stories that I don't even want to show anyone, and all of that helped--I think.

Who influenced you?

Above all, Darren Shan. His Demonata series opened my eyes, infiltrated my brain, and seized my soul. Also, classic horror author H. P. Lovecraft. All the movies I watch influence me a lot, as well.

Do you have a favorite character?

I really like the character Haviland Tuf from George R. R. Martin's Tuf Voyaging. He's a weird eccentric who travels the galaxy with his cats, and his spaceship effectively makes him a god.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to be an author?

The industry is tough, and motivation can be hard to come by. My advice: find solace in your own writing. Write for the sake of writing. Write stories that entertain yourself, stories that shock and surprise you. Write texts you can read over and over again. And if you can't, just keep writing until you do. Improve. Persevere.

Where is your favorite place to write?

I only write when I'm the only person in the room. I don't want others to think I'm an author, unless what I'm writing blows them away.

What else would you like to tell us?

Practical effects are superior to CGI. The golden age of film monsters has come and gone. The Thing, The Fly, even Naked Lunch . . . such amazing stuff.

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Thanks for spending six minutes with LitPick, Sinner! It will be fun to read how your love of pop culture and fantasy influences your writing. Enter the Realm of Flesh is available in print and e-book.