I connected with Paul Piatt when we both contributed to the “MAGA 2020 & Beyond” short story collection. He’s had stories published in the Planetary Anthology Series, the “Places beyond the Wild” anthology by Daniel Humphreys and others.

Tamara Wilhite: What genres do you prefer to write?

Paul Piatt: I enjoy writing in many different genres. I’ve published a wide variety of novels and short stories in genres from urban fantasy/humor to Space Marines to vampire horror, and other genres as well. I even tried my hand at romance, just to try it on – it’s harder than it looks! I believe that a good story and solid characters can translate to many genres, and that’s what I try to do.

Tamara Wilhite: And where have you had the greatest success as a writer?

Paul Piatt: Short story anthology acceptance. I’ve had the great fortune to be included in many anthologies alongside some extremely talented and well-known authors. I still consider myself a hobby writer, and I get a great deal of satisfaction from being included in their ranks. My novel sales are quite modest because I don’t advertise yet, and I don’t plan on investing in a marketing plan until I have a ten-book backlist. Four more novels to go! Check back with me at this time next year, I hope I’ll have better news for you then.

Tamara Wilhite: “The Places Beyond the Wild” zombie anthology set in the Z-Day universe has been selling well. (I’m also a red shirt in Daniel Humphrey’s prior novel.) How does that compare to your novel “The Marchioly Project”?

Paul Piatt: My inclusion in Daniel’s “Places Beyond the Wild” anthology was a great privilege and experience. He’s built a solid franchise that has brought him much well-deserved success. “The Marchioly Project” is a stand-alone vampire horror novel (although I’ve scribbled down a couple sequel ideas). Genre-wise, there’s really no comparison; in fact, “The Marchioly Project” started as a legal thriller to answer the question: “Is a life sentence without parole cruel and unusual punishment for someone who is virtually immortal?” About five minutes into researching and developing the plot I discovered I am not John Grisham, and it quickly became a more conventional (but still entertaining!) vampire horror novel.

Tamara Wilhite: You’ve written quite a bit of military science fiction like “Cherry Drop” and “Honor Flight”. What led to you writing these?  

Paul Piatt: My own experiences in the military, coupled with a desire to write the kinds of stories that I like to read. I think many veterans, along with readers who have experience dealing with the military, will nod and chuckle at some of the circumstances my characters face.

I wrote “Honor Flight” as a stand-alone novel about a retired Space Marine named Abner Fortis and his experiences on a mission to commemorate a battle that occurred fifty years earlier. He and his septuagenarian comrades become the last hope to thwart a surprise alien invasion. After I published it, I decided to go back to the beginning of his career when Fortis was a brand-new Space Marine, or “cherry”. Since I published “Cherry Drop”, I started the next installment of the series, “China Mike”, and I have at least one more novel planned after that. I plan to follow Fortis through his career and chronicle his adventures. Can you tell I’m a C.S. Forester (Horatio Hornblower) and Patrick O’Brian (Lucky Jack Aubrey) fan?

Tamara Wilhite: Can you tell me about the Walter Bailey stories?

Paul Piatt: The Walter Bailey Misadventures novels (“Redcaps Rising” and “Conjurer of Chaos”) are the first two novels in an urban fantasy/humor trilogy. Walter is a young guy who discovers that he is part of a magical dynasty, and he sets off to seek revenge for his grandmother’s murder. Along the way, he encounters bizarre characters and has crazy adventures. The Walter Bailey novels are 98% pantsed, meaning I have only the vaguest idea where the story is going when I sit down to write. The third novel, “Heretic’s Fork”, will be out this summer.

Tamara Wilhite: I know you’re working on at least one science fiction novel. Can you tell me about your current projects?

Paul Piatt: In addition my primary focus on the aforementioned “Heretic’s Fork” and “China Mike”, I just published “Father’s Son”, a sci-fi thriller about the search for aliens who crash-landed near Roswell in 1947. I have a wide variety of works in progress, from a secret agent thriller to a wilderness horror novel, and a number of short stories that come out of nowhere and demand to be written. I like to keep a lot of irons in the fire, to use a tired cliché. I don’t have deadlines or contracts, and I find that writing on a variety of projects keeps me fresh.

Tamara Wilhite: Is there anything you’d like to add?

Paul Piatt: I’m grateful for the opportunity to talk with you and your many readers. I work hard to write quality fiction, and I hope the folks reading this will take a chance on one of my novels. They won’t be disappointed. Whether you’re reading a novel of mine or some other author, please take a minute and submit a review. Reviews matter! Thank you.