Interview with James Yates, Author of The Consequence of Your Decision – NewInBooks

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

This book was inspired by an idea I’ve been drawn to for years. The very first novel I ever attempted to write revolved around a Faustian bargain, although I never finished it. The concept stayed with me, the idea of trading morality, identity, or even love itself in exchange for the life you think you want.

What interested me most with this book was grounding that supernatural idea in something very real and domestic. I’ve always found horror works best when it grows out of recognisable human emotions and relationships – love, insecurity, selfishness, grief, obsession. Beneath the horror elements, this is really a story about human desire and the uncomfortable truth that many of us want perfect lives while convincing ourselves our choices are justified.

In many ways, the book became a kind of thought experiment: how far would someone go for the ‘perfect’ relationship or version of happiness? And at what point does love become possession, selfishness, or denial? Those questions were at the heart of the story from the beginning

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Horror is my number one. I do dip into Thrillers and sometimes Crime novels. In some of my other work, you can see the different genres poking through.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Robert McCammon – Stinger
Joe Hill – The Fireman
Bentley Little – The Handyman

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

My favourite scenes to write were probably the ones involving Luna. She was one of the most interesting characters in the book to me because she had these dual layers to her personality. Outwardly, she has this performative pizzazz and confidence about her. She knows how to control a room and present herself a certain way, but underneath that, she’s actually quite jaded, cynical, and a little grumpy.

I enjoyed playing with that contrast because it made her feel more human to me. A lot of her personality is almost a performance, but there are moments where the mask slips and you see someone much more tired and emotionally worn down underneath it all.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Yeah, my quirks are pretty boring. I can only write between the hours of 5am and 7am. Even if I’ve got nothing to do all day, I have to get up and get those two hours in. I can edit and polish any time of the day but oddly I can rarely seem to get the writing brain engaged other than then.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

Succeed in silence. Create quietly and shock loudly.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

It is just a book, and not every character is supposed to be likeable. Lol.