ANGELIQUE: First things first, why do you like me better than Eric Butler? 


LATHAM: Well you were able to put up with my drunk ass at AuthorCon so that gives you an advantage over him. However, he did let me go to his house and play with his dogs so I'm not sure I do like you better. 

ANGELIQUE: What's your biggest compulsion?

LATHAM:  My biggest compulsion is making other people happy. It's kind of my toxic trait too because I never think of myself. lol

ANGELIQUE: If you had to die of some horrible infectious disease, but you were able to pick which one, what would you choose and why? 

LATHAM:  Hmmm, I'll have to go with leprosy. The reason I would choose that is because I think it's a pretty cool way to die, I mean body parts falling off?? Hell yeah! Imagine how many people I could freak out just by dropping pieces of myself all over the place!

ANGELIQUE: What are you looking forward to, writing-wise, the most next year? 

LATHAM: I'm looking forward to getting our book finished, as well as finally getting my book Demon Diary done. 

ANGELIQUE: What one book do you wish you had written?

LATHAM: I would have to say The Necronomicon. I would have so much power and be able to get whatever I want. Or die a horribly painful death, either works. 

ANGELIQUE: What's on your Christmas wish list?

LATHAM:  A lot of books and a raised covered garden bed so I can try and grow veggies again next summer. I'm lame what can I say. 

ANGELIQUE: My wife wants to know if you're team Edward or team Jacob?

LATHAM:  Honestly neither, but if I HAVE to choose I would say team Jacob. Edward is such a pansy with his damn sparkles and teenage angst, and he's not even a teenager! 

ANGELIQUE: What piece of work are you most proud of?

CHISTO:  This is actually one of the hardest questions I've been asked. I'm proud of everything I've written. It's all personal in its own way. It's all an accomplishment. It all has its own reason for me to be proud. This is like asking who someone's favorite child is. lol You're proud of all of them. I'm proud of Infection Road because it helped a friend's uncle get a much-needed surgery. I'm proud of my first book Committed because of how many people came to me with their own stories and how much it meant to people. I'm proud of my newest, the Gateway in Apartment 8 because I was told it was awful, that my writing on it was so bad someone couldn't even read it to find out if it was good. Now it's coming out and people are behind it and the first reactions have been amazing. The book fought against the odds and rose above them. I'm always proud of proving people wrong and overcoming adversity. So yeah, that one especially right now, but I'm proud of them all for their own reason. They're good kids, good fucked up little kids.

ANGELIQUE: What one thing would you leave for me, if you were trapped in another dimension, to let me know you needed help?

CHISTO: Umm... Twilight memorabilia with a message that says...where I am, I really love this

ANGELIQUE: How do you eat a banana in front of other people?

CHISTO: First, sensually enough to make everyone uncomfortable and then with an overly aggressive bite to drive it home.

ANGELIQUE: If you could sit with any indie author and pick their brain about their work, who would it be and why?

CHISTO: Just one? Shit. Umm... I already get to talk to so many great ones. Who would I really like to sit down and dig deep into their brain though...? Umm... maybe Brian Berry. Because... why sharks? Like why really? Let's look deeper into what drives that.

ANGELIQUE: What was the first horror movie that really grabbed you and pulled you in?

CHISTO: First horror was Dreamscape in the theater with that terrifying serpent thing when I was little. I think that really made me who I am, but the first one that actually grabbed me and pulled me in was the original Nightmare on Elm street. I had nightmares and my friend taught me to put a coin into the air and insert it into an invisible arcade game and take control, then use whatever hero I wanted to beat Freddy. I chose spider-man. I have aphantasia and can't picture things so my dreams are more feelings and thoughts and dialogue than anything else. I remember feeling like being chased and screaming for spiderman and waking up in an anxiety attack thinking it didn't work because my brain was broken but I had to lie to everyone so they didn't know I was weird. Now everyone knows I'm weird so it no longer matters but I also don't dream about Freddy.

ANGELIQUE: Biggest accomplishment so far as a writer?

CHISTO: This is interesting. I think it's all relative. Having hundreds of stories in anthologies is a big accomplishment. Having my first and most autobiographical book get nominated for an award and taught in a highschool was a huge accomplishment. Every time I get another one written or released is an accomplishment. Helping people with their projects or lives with my writing is an accomplishment. It's all an accomplishment. Just writing is an accomplishment. But If I have to choose, I think having my idol and hero, Simon Clark, write the blurb for the cover of my first non-self-published novel was the biggest. I cried. It was literally a dream come true and every time I look at it I feel emotional. He's one of the reasons I'm a writer and he's definitely the reason I'm still a writer. I about gave up and he wrote me and corresponded and treated me with such kindness and respect, convincing me that I was good at this and not to give up. He's a true role model and gentleman. I picked the right hero.

ANGELIQUE: What's so great about Type O Negative? Were you impressed with the size of his... Member?

CHISTO: I love these questions. Of course I was impressed by his member. I had that Playgirl. I was impressed by the size of his everything. One time when he was talking a picture with me, my head was just under his arm and he said, "Sorry about the armpit sweat" and I cracked up right as they snapped the photo. But the truth is... he was a really torn and gentle soul who struggled. I have some really funny genuine memories with him, and although you could see his pain, he had an incredible sense of humor. I have their symbol tattooed on my arm to which Peter said, "That's gonna be a pain in the ass to wash off in twenty years." I never wanted it gone and I'm still proud of it. I used to say, type o is not a band, it's a lifestyle. The voice, the sound, the darkness, the gothic, the Halloween, the aggression, the lust, all of it. I will always miss Peter and that band, but I'm glad to see Kenny out there still doing it.

ANGELIQUE: Best book you've read this year?

CHISTO:This is hard because I just got Kindle Unlimited so I've read a bunch of really great stuff this year. I think my favorites so far are Bad God's Tower by Erica Summers. Her prose is just magical. She is a master of the written word and will one day be a modern classic I believe. Zola, because of how much more it was than just a gross book. It was such a sad story about the side effects of abuse and how far it trickles even after it's gone. And Maggot Girl, just because Otis Bateman's writing voice is incredible and I think voice is one of the most important things when it comes to grabbing and holding people. Those are my top three. That's the best I can do.