(A New!) Interview With Author D.D. Campbell

D.D. Campbell's "That Which Binds Us" is a haunting, atmospheric story about love and loss told through the supernatural. It gripped us when it read it and struck us with its quiet, compelling voice, and we were doubly excited to find that we'd be publishing a second piece from D.D., whose moving piece "Rebirth" was the first story we selected for our first edition in summer 2024. Read on to learn more about the author's favorite books and favorite weirdos!

Advice on creating that you’ve learned by trial and error.

It’s a beautiful thing to create something new, and the process is sometimes as important, if not more important, than the final product.

What's your favorite obscure novel or short story (a work you never hear anyone else talking about)?

Uzumaki by Junji Ito. I don’t think it’s fair to say this manga is obscure, but I need more people in my life that I can talk to about it and share in the ever-loving WTF-ness that it encompasses.

Do you have a favorite book on writing or creating that's been a helpful resource?

On Writing by Stephen King is an excellent resource. For someone who struggles to get the words on the page, I found myself basking in his stories of personal failure (yes, I admit, I suffer from the occasional schadenfreude). For a prolific author like Stephen King, it easily could have been an entire book of boasting and recounting numerous success stories. Instead, he discusses how truly hard it is to write, and how mountains of failures are just a part of the game. Without being overly cheerful, he provides support and advice along with real-life tools to add to your writing toolbox. It’s nice to know that other people think writing is hard work, and that it isn’t always fun, and that it usually isn’t pretty. And you know what? I like knowing that King sometimes feels the same way I do, as if all I’ve done, despite my best effort, is to “shovel shit from a sitting position.”

What is your favorite banned book?

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. It is just too important to ignore, especially in the current world we live in.

Do you enjoy book series or do you prefer stand-alone novels?

I am a stand-alone novel kind of guy. My reading tastes are so eclectic and I am always deep in my “To Be Read” hole that I just can’t stand the idea of knowing I’ve got X-amount of books ahead of me to get the whole story. I like a single-stop-shop for my literary experience, thank you.

Do you have a favorite weirdo? (Could be famous, obscure, fictional, or a personal connection.) 

That’s a toss-up between Shia LaBeouf and Rob Zombie. Both are weirdly brilliant and unafraid to be themselves.

Unpopular opinion, go: 

I look good with a mustache.

D.D. Campbell lives in the suburban wilds of Massachusetts. He dabbles in the dark art of word processing and occasionally conjures up something that people like to read. Look for his work scattered randomly around the internet.