Being Followed by Derek Muk - Author Interview

Jan 31st sees the publication of Derek Muk’s novella Being Followed (cover by Adrian Baldwin). This is the first time Derek and DEMAIN have worked together. So not long before Christmas Dean and Derek sat down for a quick chat.
DEMAIN PUBLISHING: Hey Derek, hope you’re doing well. Okay, time is precious for us both obviously so let’s get to it, tell us a little about yourself.
DEREK MUK: Hi! I’m Derek. I started writing back in high school. Back then, I belonged to a fiction writers club on campus. I found writing a fun, creative, constructive, and therapeutic way to express myself. I enjoy speculative fiction and movies and got my inspiration for writing from that.
DP: So would you say those times have had some influence on you as a writer or did that come about later…
DM: My professional background is in social work and I would say that’s had some impact on my work. Working with different people from all walks of life (different ethnicities, different socio-economic backgrounds, different religions, etc.) has really been a rich learning experience. You really learn about people and humanity. Working in the field has also provided inspiration and ideas for my writing.
DP: I bet it has – so what was your first introduction to our genre?
DM: When I started writing I was a fan of science fiction, horror, and mysteries. One of my first introductions was The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. I immediately read The Illustrated Man after that.
DP: Ah I love Ray Bradbury so that’s very cool and The Illustrated Man is such a great collection of short stories – can’t believe that was written over seventy years ago now…wow…anyway, before I get all nostalgic/morose for the past, tell us about your novella…
DM: Being Followed is a mix of urban, modern horror, mystery/suspense, and romance, with sort of a political bent to it. It was inspired by the last several years’ worth of news headlines and craziness in our world: the death of George Floyd, the feminist rights movement, the LGBTQ movement, and the January 6 storming/coup of the U.S. state capitol and the political divide in the United States. It was also inspired by 1980s and 1990s popular culture to a certain degree (actors/actresses, movies, music, and sports that I enjoy).  
DP: Yeap, it’s certainly been a crazy few years hasn’t it and sadly I think it’s going to be like that for a little while yet especially when we have elections coming up in the US, the UK and other EU countries…I guess you might not have had to do too much research for the novella because we’re living it…
DM: [I did] Some.  I read up on current events.  
DP: So what would you say is Derek Muk’s biggest creative success to date ?
DM: The Hanging Man.
DP: [For those that don’t know it, The Hanging Man was published in 2023 and is available on Amazon. The blurb reads: College fraternity alumni are mysteriously being killed off, one by one. Some say it’s the work of a ruthless, bloodthirsty psychopath seeking vengeance for a pledge hazing gone awry in the late 1970s. Others speculate that these events are tied to a curse. Professor Albert Taylor and his graduate teaching assistant, Jan, are no strangers to the weird and gruesome and start looking into things. Can they find out who is behind the grisly university murders before it’s too late?} So Derek what other books/authors are you reading right now ?
DM: I enjoy horror, mysteries, thrillers, science fiction, young adult. Some of the authors that have inspired/influenced me are Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Jhumpa Lahiri, Joe Hill, Robyn Harding, Max Tomlinson, Grady Hendrix, Harlan Ellison, Charlie Higson, Richard Matheson, John Lutz.
DP: Some great names…what do you think draws readers into our genre?
DM: I think some readers look for good scares and a solid story (a good escape) that keeps you turning pages. Others look for rich atmosphere and ambiance, setting, mood, emotion, character development and characters that you get invested in and care about.
DP: Is there a book or film you’re looking forward to seeing…
DM: Exorcist: Believer.
DP: Haven’t managed to get around to seeing it myself yet but will check it out. With everything that’s happening in the world would you say that there isn’t a place for our genre and that fantasy/horror is over…
DM: I disagree. The indie horror scene and mainstream horror appear to be thriving from what I read.
DP: And creatively is there anything you haven’t managed to do just yet…
DM: I’d like to try my hand at screenwriting someday.
DP: Nice, so you see ‘writing’ as a long term or short term career (ie not moving into directing/producing etc etc).
DM: Long term.
DP: Great. SO last one Derek, do you interact with your readers…
DM: Yes, I interact with readers (and writers, too) on social media.
 
That’s great to hear. Well, all the best Derek with Being Followed.
If you’d like to connect with Derek Muk direct:
Website: https://theoccultfilesofalberttaylor.wordpress.com
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/DerekMuk
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/derek.muk.7