The noted French person Camus said the absurd hero rebels simply by living. David Dunwoody is 43, making him less a hero than a legend. Over the past 20 years Dave has written seven novels, four collections, and appeared in dozens of anthologies and magazines. Very few reprints, which is why he is broke and doing conferences for the food.
His career began in the early 2000s, placing short stories in indie publications off and online. His first novel, compiled from an online serial, was published in 2008. If you come to the Cantina, he’ll tell you how that same book was later re-released by Simon & Schuster in 2010. Just kidding, he’ll tell you now. They wanted another author’s book from the same small press; the owner went above and beyond and got S&S to ink a multi-author deal; and Dave’s book Empire was one of their bestsellers.
Right there, I—yes, it was Dave writing this whole time!–think you see the chaotic mix of connections, talent and dumb luck where art meets commercialism. Things since then have been down and up and down again. This ride just refuses to stop until the end. I love telling stories. I love bending and blending genre conventions, and examining creativity through the lens of mental health. And maybe it’s because I write horror, but I really love to laugh.
All that said, if you happen to know James Patterson, I’ll totally write some of his books. Already got a title: Hot Cross Buns.
Schedule:
- Fri, 1pm: “Mental Health and Writing” (panel)
- Fri, 3pm: “Beyond the Jump Scare : Incorporating the Elements of Horror into Your Storytelling” (panel)
- Sat, 11am: “How to Persist in Obscurity” (panel)