We chat with author David R. Slayton about his latest release Trailer Park Trickster, which is the sequel to his debut novel White Trash Warlock, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, David! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
My name is David R. Slayton. Like Adam Binder, my main character in White Trash Warlock, I’m originally from Guthrie, Oklahoma. Now I live in Denver, Colorado and write the books I’ve always wanted to read, namely fantasy novels about characters like me.
As the year draws to a close, how has 2021 been for you?
Honest answer? It’s been rough. Like a lot of people I’ve lost family and friends to the pandemic. I think we’re all feeling the strain of the last few years. That said, I’m so grateful to have the chance to share my books with readers and hopefully provide a little escape and maybe a laugh or two.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I grew up telling stories to myself, living in my head, and creating new roles and characters for my action figures. In that way I’ve always been a storyteller. It took me a lot longer than I wanted to figure out how to, but it’s only in the last decade I’ve honed that into writing fiction.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
It was actually my first grade reader, Shining Bridges, that had a story about an invisible puppy who gets left behind when his visible brothers move so he has to go to a raven who happens to own a spellbook that can help the puppy be seen by others. I bought a copy on ebay some years ago and it’s a treasured possession.
Trailer Park Trickster is the sequel to your debut novel White Trash Warlock and it’s out October 12th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
No more Binder family secrets.
For those who haven’t started the Adam Binder series, what can they expect?
A broke, gay, witch, Adam is an underdog who does the right thing even though it costs him. He’s a good person but a little cocky sometimes, which gets him in trouble more than once. There are darker themes, especially around his family but also light moments of humor like an elven queen who likes to steal to cars. There’s also a love story or two, which is my favorite part, personally speaking.
And for those who have, what’s to come in Trailer Park Trickster?
I set up a lot of secrets in White Trash Warlock and most of them come to light in Trailer Park Trickster. That said, they’re very different books, very different stories. I also got to write my favorite scene ever two of everyone’s favorite characters, Vic and Argent, take a roadtrip through the Spirit Realm.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing the sequel and how you were able to overcome them?
In some ways second books are easier. You know the characters, you know the world. At the same time, you don’t have the freedom to rewrite, to play, and polish the way you did the first time. There’s less discovery and more than a bit of pressure. I also changed the second point of view from Adam’s brother Bobby to Vic, and that meant spending more time with Vic and getting to know him on a deeper level. That ultimately got me where I wanted to take the book, getting to explore his perspective on things, especially this new fantastic world he’s been dropped into.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
There’s this boy, Vran. He’s a character that has haunted me for a long time. He’s popped up constantly in my head, asking is it my book yet? And this time, it finally is. He’s a blast to write and there’s quite a bit of me, of my chaotic good side, in him.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
Rachel Caine, before she passed away, taught me something when we met at a conference: make writing your joy, your escape. That helped me so much during the pandemic. We lost an amazing person when we lost her.
The worst advice, to me, is that you have to write everyday. While I do feel that treating it like a second job is crucial, you have to know your limits and balance all the other stuff that life throws at you. Be careful not to burn out. It’s like exercise for me. Rest is just as important as motion.
What’s next for you?
I have a few other series on submission, including two epic fantasies that I really hope to share with readers soon. I’ve also written a proposal for a spin off set in the same world as Adam’s books. I also have more plans for Adam and his found family if I get the chance to continue the series.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Don’t sleep on K.D. Edwards’s Tarot Sequence. I wish I’d read it so much sooner. Also, anything by Cale Dietrich. His new one If This Gets Out, written with Sophia Gonzalez, is out soon. My latest obsession is C.S. Poe’s Steam and Magic series. Also, her book, A Friend in the Dark, written with Gregory Ashe combines both of their talents so perfectly. They’re both great writers whose work combines into something gritty and amazing.
