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AUTHOR | CREATOR | ADVENTURER
ANDY LOCKWOOD is an independently published author. He writes horror, urban fantasy, and supernatural fiction. He has been writing in an official capacity since 2013 when he released his first novel, the contemporary horror tale, Empty Hallways. In 2015, he dabbled with urban fantasy to release his second novel, House of Thirteen – the first installment of an ongoing series. The following year, Andy released At Calendar’s End as he was writing it; a serial novel in 12 parts, each new installment was released on the first of the month throughout 2016. In 2017, he bound the collection and released the collected series as At Calendar’s End: Omnibus. His short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies, including Mutate, Tales of Horror on Halloween Night, Monster Attack! and others.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Website: www.happierthoughts.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/happierthoughts
Twitter: @randomgauge
Photos available upon request
BIOGRAPHIES
50-word bio:
Andy Lockwood is a horror junkie that rekindled his love of storytelling as a filmmaker, and is the author of two novels, Empty Hallways and House of Thirteen; a 12-part serial, At Calendar’s End; and regularly contributes to horror anthologies.
More information about his work can be found at www.happierthoughts.com
100-word bio:
Andy Lockwood is a writer, artist, dreamer, and horror enthusiast. He rekindled his love of storytelling as an indie filmmaker, and is the author of two novels, Empty Hallways and House of Thirteen; a 12-part serial, At Calendar’s End; and is a regular contributor to horror anthologies.
When not at slaving away the keyboard, he buys books he has no time to read, and delves into mediums he has no time to fully explore.
He lives in mid-Michigan with his talented, supportive wife and their cats.
More information about his books, thoughts, and random adventures are neglectfully curated at www.happierthoughts.com
150-word bio:
Andy Lockwood is a writer, artist, dreamer, and horror enthusiast. He got his start in screenwriting and filmmaking where he rekindled his obsessive love of storytelling.
He is the author of two novels, Empty Hallways and House of Thirteen; a 12-part serial, At Calendar’s End; and is a regular contributor to horror anthologies. He is always working on another piece of writing, whether it is a novel, a story, or something else entirely.
When not lashed to the keyboard, he buys books he does not have time to read, and delves into mediums he has no time to fully explore but dabbles in them anyway.
He lives in mid-Michigan with his amazingly talented and entirely-too-supportive wife, a brood of cats, and a misguided idea of what it means to be an adult.
More information about his books, his thoughts, and his random adventures are neglectfully curated at his website: www.happierthoughts.com
Extended bio:
Although born to a small sea-faring town in Massachusetts, Andy Lockwood has lived most of his life far from the Atlantic, surrounded by the fresh waters of Michigan’s lower peninsula.
Though categorically human, Andy has always gravitated toward the creepy and macabre, even from an early age. A self-made weirdo from early on, he found comfortable spaces for himself among the dark aisles of movie theaters and the tall shelves of libraries – especially the horror section. As a growing boy, he sustained himself on rock n’ roll, pop culture, and everything parents and authorities warned children to stay away from. Truth be told, those warnings came from other parents – as many of his influences were cultivated by his father, in the solemn, age-old tradition of “don’t tell your mother.”
Andy devoured the words of the greats: Bradbury, King, Matheson, and many other masters of horror and sci-fi. Many a Saturday was lost alongside his father devouring a creature-double feature, or staying up late to absorb the latest VHS monstrosity. By way of this absorption, it was with little surprise that he adopted role models like Vincent Price and Alice Cooper, while secretly wishing to be adopted into the Addams’ or the Munsters.
His teens and twenties would introduce him to Monty Python, Mystery Science Theater 3000, the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the community of freaks found at any midnight movie. Subcultures revealed themselves at every turn; there was simply no turning back.
He would dabble with writing, co-authoring a number of early ideas with friends. Unaware of the destiny that awaited him, he pursued comics, wanting to be one of the many author-artists that graced the pages of small press at the time. The adventure of storytelling would continue to drive him forward, chasing two film degrees while co-creating a multitude of short films, eventually diving headfirst into Atlas, a superhero film shot on the small-town streets of Michigan.
Frustrations stemming from budget conflicts and creative constraints would drive Andy to his keyboard, finding the creative process in writing to be the liberating experience he was looking for. The crux of his liberation would be the overwhelming isolation a writer can experience, leading him to reach out and seek the supporting on- and off-line community around NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). This community of coffee-addled writers would help him see his first novel, Empty Hallways, to completion, and would support a number of creativity-fueled projects… some of which have yet to see the light of day.
But it was during the struggle of self-publishing Empty Hallways that Andy’s life would change forever. The manuscript was already finished, two drafts complete, and the wisdom loomed that he could not finish the project with only his own eyes to guide him. He needed someone wiser, someone smarter… he needed someone who knew how commas actually worked. This quest would lead him to Bailey – whose own adventure in editing was also just beginning. Their partnership would begin on Empty Hallways and would continue with Andy’s future projects.
Bailey would prove to not only be a formidable editor, but supportive companion, and unflagging supporter. She would assist him through a maddeningly unusual creative process as he tackled the first installment of his series House of Thirteen. Together, the strength of their bond would keep them sane and focused as they tag-teamed the writing and editing on the 12-part serial, At Calendar’s End.
Working so closely together would introduce them to other common bonds, and eventually, these bonds would be so plentiful that they knew the only one they were missing was an official bond – marriage.
So now, they share a house, an office, and a multitude of cats. What they do not share is a mutual opinion regarding proper comma use and the color yellow. Even so, Bailey is still Andy’s first reader, foremost editor, and favorite tablemate at events.
Even as adorably ensconced in love as he might be, Andy has never let go of the nightmares that lurk in the shadows, the things that go bump in the night, or the monsters under the bed. Haunts and scares have become cozy friends and he pursues new terrors in the hope of recapturing that old creeping fear he craved in his youth.
Andy continues to live in mid-Michigan with Bailey, amazingly talented and entirely-too-supportive wife, and their brood of cats.
More information on his books, thoughts, opinions, and other nuances are neglectfully curated at his website: www.happierthoughts.com
INTERVIEWS | REVIEWS
The Horror Tree Presents… An Interview with Andy Lockwood
https://horrortree.com/the-horror-tree-presentsan-interview-with-andy-lockwood/
The Curious Owl reviews House of Thirteen
Indie Reads TV, Episodes 7: A discussion with Andy & Bailey Lockwood, part one
Indie Reads TV, Episodes 8: A discussion with Andy & Bailey Lockwood, part two
BLURBS
“Andy Lockwood captures a creepy atmosphere really well and I was truly spooked whilst reading this book which I think is really hard for an author to achieve!”
- Author Samie Sands, on Empty Hallways
“Supernatural and eerily compelling, I was on the edge of my seat.”
- Author J. Thomas, on Empty Hallways
“[Empty Hallways] is an engaging story that keeps you locked in from the opening chapter. The cast of characters was well-rounded and at times I found myself being drawn wanting to know more about the secondary characters.”
- Author J. M. Horn, on Empty Hallways
“On the whole, I enjoyed “Empty Hallways”. The writing is often quite evocative and occasionally even poetic … Andy Lockwood is clearly talented, and he has a good sense for an interesting and compelling plot.”
- GoodReads reviewer Zachary, on Empty Hallways
“Author Andy Lockwood has a real creative talent which shines through in his writing. Highly recommended!”
- Author Samie Sands, on House of Thirteen
“This author has such a beautiful command of the English language that I ALMOST forgot to read the story because I became so enamored with a phrase or description.”
- Author J. Thomas, on House of Thirteen
“Excellent read. Immersive and engaging right from the very beginning. Can’t wait for the second book in the series!”
- Author Chad Lee Erway, on House of Thirteen
“This novel has so many different elements to it, that contribute to a harmonious sound and quality that I don’t think I’ve seen in very many supernatural-based novels.”
- Curious Owl reviews House of Thirteen, YouTube: https://youtu.be/eQJ6jd09tuo
“Lake Effect by Andy Lockwood had some good metaphoric usage within—a page-turner, too.
Here’s a modern story about nature versus man or maybe it wasn’t nature—maybe there was something more maniacal hidden in the snow? The major plus with the story was how Lockwood showed a knack for narrative.”
- Bertram Allan Mullin, on Lake Effect from A Picture is Worth 1000 Words
“… All different kinds of creepy stories that will make you laugh or creep you out, it is here. My two favorites include A Christmas Miracle, which was a real creepy story.”
- Montzalee Wittmann, on Christmas Miracle from Mutate
PUBLISHED WORKS
EMPTY HALLWAYS
ISBN: 978-1490527475
GENRE: HORROR
PUBLISHER: CREATESPACE / SELF-PUBLISHED
David Hartlet is a troubled man. His demons are many and his option few. His only hope appears to lie in the care of the skeptical Dr. Schraeder. Schraeder, a scientist and psychologist with a lengthy history of caring for the mentally ill, believed David to be making more of his troubles than are actually there. What Dr. Schraeder, and even David himself, cannot know is that David’s troubles are far beyond his own scope. Many years before David’s visit to St. Marguerite’s Hospital, tragedy struck and left a mark upon the hospital that no amount of time could heal. That mark, deep and scarred over, was ripped open again by David’s own tormented heart. David and the rest of the denizens of St. Marguerite’s have found themselves face to face with the ugly spirit of the hospital, alive and aching for a revenge it believes it is owed. Can David and Dr. Schraeder find a way to stop the spirit? Or will they be forced to relive the dark secret of St. Marguerite’s firsthand?
HOUSE OF THIRTEEN, BOOK ONE
ISBN: 978-1517030872
GENRE: URBAN FANTASY
PUBLISHER: CREATESPACE / SELF-PUBLISHED
Everything happens for a reason… doesn’t it?
Ren never put stock in sappy clichés… at least, not until the day she died.
She’s alive – again – but in hiding, adopted by the strangest of foster families: The Delaneys. Now, part of a sisterhood drawn together by the same unknown force that spared her life, she will begin a journey she could never have imagined: leaving her everyday world for one much more bizarre. It will be harder than she imagines, but alongside her newfound sisters, Ren will soon discover that everything does happen for a reason, but sometimes, those reasons are better left unknown.
AT CALENDAR’S END
ISBN: 978-1544711355
GENRE: SUPERNATURAL THRILLER
PUBLISHER: CREATESPACE / SELF-PUBLISHED
Time is a fickle thing. Sometimes, so are those that wield it. But as the holidays set in and another year comes to a close, the beings that keep the cycle of time moving forward are being killed off. Whatever is killing them off seems to be taunting Ember, saving her for last.
With only a handful of days before the new year is supposed to begin, can she figure how to stop the killer before time – literally – runs out for everyone?
Q & A
Q: Do you try harder to be original or to deliver the story readers want?
A: I’ve heard on more than one occasion that by the time you hear about a trend, it’s already passing by – markets move fast, and I don’t have the resources to keep ahead of that curve. Instead, I’m focused on telling good stories (at least I hope they’re good) that I would want to read, and hoping that the readers agree with me. Originality is all about perspective – sure, ghost stories are nothing new, but have you heard me tell a ghost story? Something about my take on it has got to be unique, right? That’s what I’m going for.
Q: Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you building a shared universe within your body of work?
A: I’m trying very hard to do both. Each and every book should stand on its own. Even House of Thirteen, which is the start of a series, should be able to stand on its own as a novel. If it doesn’t, I’ve failed to tell a concise story. But within those stories, there are opportunities to connect and intertwine. I include little nods and references to the stories and characters in my other books – sometimes vague, sometimes direct – and dare the reader to find them all. I’m not even sure I am aware of all the references I’ve included.
Q: How often do you write?
A: There’s no consistency in my writing schedule. It’s not my full-time job yet, but it’s my passion. I love storytelling. I meet regularly with some writer friends and we’ll sit at a coffee shop for a couple hours and write together. Some days, I can write for most of the day, until my stomach is aching because I haven’t eaten, and my butt hurts from all the sitting. Other times, I’ll go days without writing a single word – but that doesn’t mean I’m not working. Stories are always brewing in my head. When I’m driving, or working, I’m thinking about plot points. I’m coming up with next steps in the story. It’s not all just words on paper; there’s a process – sort of.
Q: Do you hide secrets in your books?
A: Yes. I think every author does. Some of them are simple secrets: sometimes they’re characters from other books, references to other stories – some I haven’t released yet, but they’re still secrets.
Sometimes they are deeper secrets. When you’re writing a book, you can’t help but insert yourself into the story and expose a part of yourself to the open air. Whether you like it or not, you’ve given a part of yourself to the entire world to do with as they wish, and that is terrifying.
You have to put on a brave face and remind yourself that not everyone is going to see those secrets through the story and metaphor to that secret part of you.
Q: What was your favorite book when you were growing up?
A: I had a few, but I think the one I feel strongest about is There’s a Monster at the End of This Book – It’s a Sesame Street book, starring Grover. It might have been my very first exposure to the horror genre.
No, really! Hear me out: this book starts with Grover telling us that there’s a monster at the end of the book, and we shouldn’t proceed any further. That’s page one – but what’s on page two? You don’t know, and you know you still have so much more of the book to go, so it’s ok to turn one page, right? So, you turn the page and Grover is freaking out because we’ve gotten closer to the end, and it goes on like this for the entire book. Grover is freaking out, and you’re freaking out a little, but you’re also exhilarated by the unknown. You’re putting on a brave face for Grover, but Grover is driving up the tension and the anxiety, and at the end, there’s a good, kid-friendly payoff.
But I think that’s where the genre starts: in moments like that. Where you can build tension and anxiety in people, but provide them a payoff that makes it worth enduring. Then we’re hooked and we have to find the next payoff. Thanks, Grover.
Q: Do you have any writing quirks?
A: I don’t know if it’s a quirk per se, but there are times when I am trying to get some writing done, that I will fall asleep at the computer – but I won’t necessarily stop writing. I will keep writing for a bit – I might wake up, I might keep sleeping and finally stop writing.
Only once, (so far) I wrote a whole story while I was in that sleep-writing state. I was working on one of my novels – I think it was House of Thirteen – I fell asleep at my desk a lot while I was writing that one. There were a lot of late nights trying to get that story out of my head. But while I was working on it, I accidentally wrote a short story. I didn’t even know it was there until I came back to see where I left off the next day. You could see the point in the story where I was still talking about the Delaneys, and then the writing took a sharp, weird turn. I cut it out of the story, but I saved it. It hasn’t seen the light of day yet; I’m not sure it will.
Q: Where do you find your inspiration?
A: I find it everywhere. I find it in my own desires and fears; in stray thoughts when I am bored at work; in passing comments I overhear when I am out and about; in song lyrics on the radio. Inspiration can be anything, it’s more about being open to the possibility.
Sometimes, when I am watching a movie, the story goes in a different direction than I was expecting it to. That thought, the one where the movie characters were moving in a direction the move didn’t take – that’s your idea now. Where the characters go in that story is a brand-new story that the movie never thought of. What can you do with that?
Q: Coffee, tea, or water?
A: Yes, please. I’m a big fan of coffee – but not coffee like you are thinking. I used to practically live at an all-night truck stop in town, hanging out with friends and drinking coffee till I couldn’t see straight. We could drink coffee for hours for a buck – one dollar. So naturally, I learned to enjoy the taste of coffee that was a little burnt and a lot angry. Really, there is nothing good about the sludge you find in every truck stop restaurant and most late-night diners. Coffee has flavors now! There are blends from around the world! I appreciate all the new revelations in coffee these days, but that black abyss will always be what my heart yearns for when I want coffee.
Tea is a newer appreciation for me. I’d had some now and again in my life – my dad enjoyed tea. I didn’t honestly get into tea until I had to research it for a book. I needed to understand flavors, and find something that my characters might enjoy – so I had to find something I might enjoy. I’m a pretty big fan of orange-anything; especially orange spice.
I can’t even imagine how dehydrated I was in my 20s, just walking around dying of thirst and not realizing it because I was always drinking coffee, or soda, or worse. I used to hate water – I don’t know how. I’m a lot better about drinking water these days. Maybe that’s adulting.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
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