Today I would like to welcome Christopher Slayton, author of Chaos Company, to the Howling Turtle! I'd like to thank him for taking the time to answer a few of my questions!
When I am not writing I’m usually working, reading, playing videogames, or exercising. I currently work full-time for Uber and Lyft and take up odd jobs on the site Taskrabbit. All three jobs allow for me to have more free time to write and to talk to people one on one about my book "Chaos Company," which is out now.
As for reading, I can’t put down the Walking Dead tie-in novels! I’m currently reading the second one and am fortunate to know there are still eight more books to go!
When it comes to exercising, I find it easier to get and stay in shape when I have something physically challenge to look forward to. Right now I’m training for the 2017 Spartan race in August which will be held in Philly!
One phrase a lot of reviews use to describe "Chaos Company" is "action packed." What's the key to writing an "action packed novel?
I strongly believe putting yourself in physical and critical thinking activities is the key to writing an action-packed novel. I myself have been practicing martial arts on and off since I was six years old and started competing in martial arts fight when I was in college. I’m a huge fan of lazertag, paintball, and action/adventure shows, films and video games. Now I’m not saying you have to live and breathe all these things to write an action novel, but going out and finding something that gets your heart pumping is the key to bringing action to life in a novel.
What sort of research went into writing this book?
My research was split into three parts. The first is obviously from reading thrillers I love and admire such as Anthony Horowitz’s Alex Rider novels, the Halo novel series and Robert Kirkman’s Walking Dead tie-in novels. The second source for writing Chaos Company was researching DC and Marvel entertainment, from their comics to their films and shows. The final source was from tactical and strategic video games such as Rainbow Six and XCOM. Now I know that just sounds like having fun lol, but I always made sure I was taking note of the appeal of the stories of each product, either by having a notepad close at hand or quickly make a memo on my cell phone. That way when it was time to write I could refer back to my notes and implement them into my writing while still keeping my story original.
If "Chaos Company" were going to be made into a movie, who would you want to be the director, the artist/composer in charge of the score and/or soundtrack, and an actor to play one of your main characters and why?
Haha! Isn’t that the dream for all writers? If it were to happen (fingers crossed) I would love for Maurissa and Kevin Tancharoen to co-direct “Chaos Company”. I’ve been following them both for years now and love the work to do. Any viewer who has experience d their projects can tell that the two of them put a lot of energy in their work, and that is exactly what I would want in a director.
As for a musical composer, I would want Steve Aoki to be in charge of the score and soundtrack of “Chaos Company.” I know film scores are not his specialty, but I believe his style would make a perfect fit for “Chaos Company.”
Are you working on any new writing projects right now?
Oh, absolutely! Right now I’m working on a vigilante novel I’m hoping to have released by this fall. And there is definitely a sequel to "Chaos Company" that I hope to have out by February 2018. I have a few other projects but as of right now they are only outlines.
If you could travel to the story world of any books which would it be and why?
Oh, it would definitely be the Harry Potter Universe! The dangers aside, who wouldn’t want to go to a school of magic and learn how to cast spells and befriend mythical creatures?
About "Chaos Company"
The highly effective team of super-powered soldiers code-named Chaos Company has returned to the United States to be commended for their bravery. While on leave the team finds themselves at odds with the highly dangerous mercenary Liam King, who has been contracted to assassinate President Jennifer Grey. Chaos Company thwarts Liam’s attack, but at the cost of team leader Tyler Young’s life.With their leader killed the team looks to Desmond Striker to guide them in a hunt for Liam. During their hunt the team will find themselves in the cross-hairs of a private military company and have their abilities pushed to their limits. Before Chaos Company finally comes to blows with Liam they will discover that their greatest threat is a leader within their own country.
Disclosure: this post contains links to an affiliate program (Amazon), for which I receive a few cents if you make purchases.
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