Michael Phillip Cash - Writing Bestselling Horrors

Michael Phillip Cash - Writing Bestselling Horrors
author of the day

When Michael Phillip Cash is not whipping up delicious dishes for his family, he writes bestselling paranormal, horror and science fiction novels. His novel, The After House, is no exception and already counts over 200 rave reviews on Amazon. Today, we chat with Cash about The After House, why he weaves so much humor into his stories and he shares some insights in the underlying message of this book.

Please give us a short introduction to The After House

The After House is a story of redemption, of finding your center. Remy Galway is the cosseted daughter of elderly parents. She marries unwisely, has a child and her world is shattered by her husbands infidelity. She moves into a three hundred year old cottage with her young daughter, hoping to rebuild her life. Shs is unaware that she has stirred the ire of a cranky ghost living there.

Remy Galway is rebuilding her life after a failed marriage. Why did you give her this back story?

Remy has to grow up. She is pampered by her overprotective parents. Her story parallels Eli the ghost. It's about self-realization and new beginnings.

The After House contains a lot of humor, which is quite unusual for haunted house stories. Why did you pick this approach?

I don't find ghosts scary. I live with quite a few of them. 

Your book contains quite a couple of twists. Did you plan them out before you started writing or did they just "happen"?

In this book, I did not write a screenplay first, which is how I usually plan a story. These characters took on a life of their own and told me what they wanted to do. 

Does The After House have an underlying message that you are trying to convey?

There are several messages. The first is about love and soulmates - when you find yours- you'll know. 

The second message is about redemption. We have to learn to forgive ourselves. Another message is about staying true to yourself and not live a lie.

Your descriptions of the locations are very vivid. How did you pull this off?

I live in the area. I have spent my whole life exploring the small towns with my family. Now I take my wife and children. 

What is it that drew you to writing in this setting?

I was at the Whaling museum and saw a diorama of a whale being killed by whalers. It was horrific and the first scene took place. I then stood in a long boat and knew my characters. The woodsmoke of the old building sealed the deal.

You brought some characters from "The Flip" back into this book. Why?

People loved them and so did I. I liked revisiting them.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Don't sweat the stupid stuff.

What's an aspect of being a writer that you didn't know about going in?

Marketing. It's complex and if I didn't have a whole team behind me, it would be harder.

Which of your characters has been the most challenging to write for?

None. I love them all.

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I am a good cook. I do all the cooking for the family.

What are you working on right now?

Just wrapped Monsterland 2 and working on getting it published. 

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

http://www.michaelphillipcash.com/

https://www.facebook.com/MichaelPhillipCash?skip_nax_wizard=true

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=michael+phillip+cash

Wendy L Owens - Romance Amidst Rival Mafia Families
FEATURED AUTHOR - Wendy Owens was born in the small college town of Oxford, Ohio. She loves to paint and travel in her free time. She writes both romance and psychological thrillers. When she's not writing, this dog lover can be found spending time with her tech geek husband, their three amazing kids, and three pups. As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about her book, Crimson Ties: A Dark Mafia Romance.