A Bookish Conversation with Kraig Dafoe

Kraig Dafoe was born in Potsdam, New York and grew up in Canton. He played high school football and joined the Army Reserves at the age of seventeen. 

Kraig has earned his BA in English writing and graduated cum laude from Washburn University in 2017.

Kraig has published two novels and published poetry. He is currently working on another writing project.

His current novel is A Collection of Twisted Tales.

You can visit his website at http://www.kraigdafoe.com.

Most of these stories have one thing in common, death. Although death is the common thread, there is nothing common in the way that it comes about.
This collection is chock full of interesting characters scattered among various settings that inspire the imagination, such as a Lavish English mansion or the dark interior of a rundown home.
This book is inspired by and written in the style of, Edgar Allan Poe.

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PRAISE:
"A Collection of Twisted Tales is an ambitious project that testifies to the author's appreciation of Edgar Allan Poe's fiction in particular. In this collection, Kraig Dafoe offers a creative homage with many original ideas and unexpected twists."
Professor Vanessa Steinroetter, PHD

Thank you for this interview!  I’d like to know more about you as a person first.  What do you do when you’re not writing?

When I’m not writing, I’m typically working, doing one of three things. I work part-time as a delivery driver, delivering for the Fed Ex Brand, I work as the Editor in Chief for the Kaw Yearbook at Washburn University and I am currently working on my master’s degree in Leadership and Communication, having just graduated with my BA in English writing.

When did you start writing?

I started writing many years ago, but I think it became serious about ten years ago.

As a published author, what would you say was the most pivotal point of your writing life?

I’m not sure I’ve reached it yet. If I had to choose a point now, I would say the first time I had a poem of mine picked up for publication. I don’t fancy myself a poet, so it’s a good feeling when others do.

If you could go anywhere in the world to start writing your next book, where would that be and why?

This is tough. I’ve been to Canada, Ireland, England, France and India for extended stays and always thought I would like to get inspiration to write when I visit these places, but find I am always distracted by the beauty and culture. I would like to find myself back in the English countryside with nothing else to do for about a year. Then I would write.

If you had 4 hours of extra time today, what would you do?

It’s sad, but I’d probably sleep. It’s difficult to write when you’re tired and though I have found time to carve out a few books, my time as of late is filled with obligations.

Where would you like to set a story that you haven’t done yet?

I would like to set a story someplace original, though I’m not sure that’s possible at this point. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. I have another novel I’m trying to find an agent for, set in New York City and I have a middle grade mystery I’m working on, set in the Hudson Valley, so I guess those are out.

Back to your present book, A Collection of Twisted Tales, how did you publish it?

I published this book through createspace. This project, though still time consuming, is a little smaller and consists of some short stories and poetry, which makes it difficult to pitch traditionally.

In writing your book, did you travel anywhere for research?

I did not travel for research, though I did study quite a bit. This book is inspired by the writings of Edgar Allan Poe and it is written in Poe’s style.

Why was writing A Collection of Twisted Tales so important to you?

I had to get the demons out of my head.

Where do you get your best ideas and why do you think that is?

I am inspired by the decades of work produced before me. I get ideas when I’m watching television. I get ideas driving down the street. I get ideas looking at my feet. When I close my eyes or when I stare into the sun, ideas abound, ideas run…rampant through my mind. As for my best ideas, I do not know for I have yet to have them.

Any final words?

I will leave you with an original quote: “Happiness is the absence of what makes you miserable.”