Interview with R.A. Evans

Hello, blogosprites! Hope you're all having a great week so far. To bring a little more sunshine to your day, I've got a fun interview with a great writer. Let's all get to know R.A. Evans, shall we?

Welcome to We Do Write. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm the anti-moth. Just as those creepy bugs are attracted to flame, I tend to be drawn towards darkness. By day I prostitute my creativity for the advertising industry, and by night I write about things that are dark and terrible. In between I balance three kids and a supportive wife who lets me think I am much more dark and mysterious than I really am.

How long have you been writing?

In some way shape or form I've always been writing. I remember as a child reading books and thinking I could improve upon them. I would actually write new endings and ask my mom to send those pages back to the library when we returned the book.

Professionally, however, it really started after college. Of course, it wasn't until 2008 that I officially started my work on Asylum Lake. Now, I'm addicted and I simply can;t stop.

Tell us about ASYLUM LAKE. What’s the story about?

Asylum Lake is about the power of memories and how they can attach themselves to places and things. And no matter how you try to run from them...sometimes, the dark ones, grow restless and come looking for you. The dark memories in my novel lie beneath of murky waters of Asylum Lake and are drawn from the abandoned psychiatric hospital on its northern shore. They've haunted the small Michigan town of Bedlam Falls for years and when the secrets finally surface it sets off a chain of events which, I believe, readers will both connect with and be frightened by. The reviews have been tremendous and the sequel, Grave Undertakings, is scheduled for release in May.

Sounds cool! How did the idea of the story come to you?

I spent 11 years working as the public information officer for the public mental health system in West Michigan. It was during that time that I discovered the real Asylum Lake - a nature preserve in Kalamazoo, Michigan that is right next to the grounds of the Kalamazoo State Hospital. I immediately knew that the place and setting would be perfect for a thriller, but it took me returning home to the small town where I had grown up to really pull the story together. I bumped into my own memories and realized that at the bottom of Asylum Lake the unremembered must be growing restless. That was actually the first line I write.

Can you tell us a bit about GRAVE UNDERTAKINGS?

As the story's chilling conclusion, Grave Undertakings is both a prequel and a sequel to Asylum Lake. Asylum Lake's story unfolded over three time periods - the 1950's, the 1970's, and present day. With Grave Undertakings readers will be taken back even further into the history of the asylum, yet also continue the present day search for answers. Without giving too much away for those who have yet to dive into Asylum Lake, the secrets unearthed in Grave Undertakings shed light on the mysterious hospital superintendent Dr. Wesley Clovis and the ramifications of his dark experiments.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Staying focused on one project. I currently have three different projects bouncing around in my head and I want to dive into all three. It's like choosing a favorite child.

Any tips you’ve learned about writing you’d like to share?

I have a writing schedule and its been fantastic. Each day from 3-6am I write. Some days I am lucky to get 300 words out an others it may be 3,000 or more! It's like anything else, practice makes perfect. And I've found that some of those 300 word days have contained nuggets of gold!

Great advice. I need to adjust my schedule. Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

My MP3 player. Music is vital to my writing process, as the readers of Asylum Lake can tell. I have a variety of playlists that I use for different moods and tones. It's odd, I know, but not uncommon for me to have both Neil Diamond and Five Finger Death Punch on the same playlist. Nothing says "It's time to shed some blood" like a little Sweet Caroline!

LOL! If you could have any super power, what would it be?


X-ray vision, of course! I'd want to see what evil truly lies in the heart of men.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: feather, tornado, and garden slugs.

From the lowly garden slug to the last feather on the birds of the field, the tornado's fury spared not a thing. (ugh! Tough one!)

You did great! Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

First and foremost my wife and kids for allowing me the time and space to pursue my dreams. Having a writer in the family isn't all rainbows and unicorns - we tend to be a selfish and sensitive animal. I'd also like to thank Wendy Mersman, a dear friend who created the artwork and designed the website for Asylum Lake. She believed in me before I even believed in myself.

And finally, where can people find you and your books online?

Asylum Lake is available on Amazon for Kindle at http://amzn.to/hGNex for only $2.99. For those of you who still prefer the printed page, you can get an autographed copy of Asylum lake for $15 by visiting http://bit.ly/fi54Z3. Now is the perfect time to dive into the mysteries of Asylum Lake.


Thank you so much for chatting with us. Asylum Lake sounds like a spooky read that promises to keep us turning the page. Good luck with it and with GRAVE UNDERTAKINGS!