Author Spotlight: P. A. Hayden and L. A. Cunningham
TJ: Hello! Welcome to Author Spotlight where both new and veteran authors share a little about themselves and their work. Today we have P. A. Hayden and L. A. Cunningham. Let’s get into it. Care to tell readers us about yourself?
L. A. Cunningham: I am a dark fiction and comic book writer from a small town in the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. When I graduated high school, I boldly moved the massive thirty minutes north into the big city of Calgary where I still live today with my family. I have a one small human child and one small canine child; both of whom love eating food off the floor and watching squirrels out the window.
P. A. Hayden: I’m from the UK and am the owner of ASAP Comics UK. I’m a proud dad of one sassy adult child, one sweet angelic teenager, and one over-energized demon child! All of our first initials make up the company name. I have been a lifelong fan of comics and decided in August 2020 to take the plunge and start ASAP. Since then, I have co-written a book with L. A. Cunningham, and the first comic issue of Messiah; all stories are set in the same world.
TJ: What inspired you to become a writer?
L. A. Cunningham: Back in 2013, I lived in Ghana for a chunk of time. While I was there, I kept a travel blog to keep connected with my friends and family back home. When I moved back to Canada, a number of people mentioned how much they enjoyed my writing, and I ended up taking a few creative writing courses for fun. It wasn’t until a course in publication and promotion, where one of the assignments was to join Twitter to create an author platform, that I started calling myself a real writer. And once you tell people you’re a writer, you should probably write. So I started writing a novel. I originally began writing dark fantasy novels and short horror stories, but then I ran across P. A. Hayden, and he lured me into working with his company, ASAP Comics UK, and now I also write stories for the ASAP Comics universe.
P. A. Hayden: A teacher. It’s quite an ‘O Captain! My Captain!’ story. I was basically a little swine who would rather joke in class than do my work, and I preferred making people giggle than give a crap about my own education. My English teacher gave me a detention on one of my sassier moments and made me write a piece on my behavior and how I could creatively explain it. Well, I ended up enjoying every second of it, and from that point I fell in love with writing. I owe him a lot!
TJ: Wow. Both of your journeys sound fascinating. Such different beginnings! I have a question that I like to ask all of my authors. If you could meet any person dead or alive, who would it be and why?
L. A. Cunningham: Honestly? My co-author. I’ve known P. A. Hayden for almost two years now, and it’s strange working on so many projects with someone you’ve never actually met in person.
P. A. Hayden: Seconded on that! We’ve had a great friendship from day one and work well together, so it would be great to actually high five each other one day! But also, Neil Gaiman! I bloody love him; for as talented and successful he is, he remains humble and is still just a fan himself.
TJ: That’s awesome you collaborated over the internet. Side note: I love Neil Gaiman, too! I had the opportunity to see him speak here in Seattle. He read from Good Omens and his children’s book. It was a wonderful experience. Okay. Back to business. Can you tell readers a little bit about your current projects?
L. A. Cunningham: I am currently working on a graphic novel for ASAP Comics UK, called Sister Grim: Purgatory.
In late 2020, P. A. Hayden and I co-wrote and released a book called Points of Villainy/Points of Virtue. The book is 16 different stories, told by 16 different people, surrounding one mysterious and catastrophic event that takes place in Central London. One of stories is told by Sister Grim before she was Sister Grim, and it is a glimpse at her origin story. The graphic novel picks up three months later, and follows Sister Grim coping with the aftermath of The Event and coming to terms with her new identity.
P. A. Hayden: I have a lot going on right now. I have the pleasure of working with some very talented people! As stated, L. A. Cunningham is working on Sister Grim: Purgatory, we also have Sarah Butcher writing Tales of POV, and D.W. Howard and myself are working on a full character database based in the ASAP universe called Level 8.
As well as that, we have Messiah issue one out now and I’m working on The Artefact which will act as a prequel to Points of Villainy/Points of Virtue.
We also have regular content through our Patreon.
TJ: Thank you for visiting my blog. Hope to have you back again!
L. A. Cunningham: Thanks so much for giving us the opportunity to share our stories and talk about our writing!
P. A. Hayden: Thank you very much for taking the time to interview us!
Where to follow L. A. Cunningham:
Website: www.lacunningham.com
Twitter: @laurcunn
Instagram: @lacuinsta
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH7ejilRq2luWZ4DoEbC7hg
Where to buy L. A. Cunningham’s books:
For weeks there have been encounters: people experiencing things they can’t explain, horrors coming out of the shadows, people’s worst fears come to life.
Appearances have been increasing dramatically, until one day there is a surge. An army of terror appears and attacks Central London in what will forever be known as The Event.
One event. Two anthologies. 16 people. 16 stories of terror.
Print Edition available for purchase:
Kindle Edition available for purchase:
Where to follow P. A. Hayden:
(Don’t worry if you don’t have any of these. Leave links to where you’d like readers to follow you. No personal accounts, please.)
Website/blog: www.pahayden.com www.asapcomicsuk.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ASAPComicsUK/
Twitter: @writerphayden @asapcomicsuk
Instagram: @asapcomicsuk
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/asapcomics
Where to buy P. A. Hayden’s books:
POINTS OF VILLAINY/POINTS OF VIRTUE
For weeks there have been encounters: people experiencing things they can’t explain, horrors coming out of the shadows, people’s worst fears come to life.
Appearances have been increasing dramatically, until one day there is a surge. An army of terror appears and attacks Central London in what will forever be known as The Event.
One event. Two anthologies. 16 people. 16 stories of terror.
Print Edition available for purchase:
Kindle Edition available for purchase:
MESSIAH ISSUE #1
‘An unwilling hero with an unwanted and flawed power.’
Daniel must come to accept his old life is over and learn the extent of his new abilities all while on the run from the mysterious Level 8.
Print Edition available for purchase:
Kindle Edition available for purchase:
Are you a science fiction and/ or fantasy author? Would you like to be interviewed about your current projects? Go to the Contact page and send me your email, link to your author website, and your books.