(re)Search my Trash

<body> <div align="left"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="800" cellpadding="0" height="100%"> <tr> <td width="100" rowspan="3" background="../stylepix/square.gif" valign="top">  </td> <td width="4" rowspan="3"></td> <td width="592" height="1%" valign="top"> <p align="center">  </td> <td width="4" rowspan="3"></td> <td width="100" rowspan="3" background="../stylepix/squareright.gif" valign="top">  </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="592" valign="top" height="99%">  <p><strong>Your new book <em>Invasion or the Horseshoe Crabs</em> - in a few words, what's it about?</strong><p> <p>50 years ago, a toxic secret sank beneath the waves. Now it’s awake… and hungry. A field trip turns into a fight for survival as mutated horrors rise. The island isn’t abandoned, it’s infested. Monsters are real. And you’re on the menu.<p> <p><strong> <em>Invasion or the Horseshoe Crabs</em> seems to derive its inspiration very much from creature features of old - so is that at all a favourite genre of yours, and some of your genre favourites?</strong><p> <p><em>Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em> is very much a love letter to the atomic age creature features of the 1950s. Films like <strong><a href="../movies/them(1954).shtml">Them!</a></strong> with its giant ants, <strong><a href="../movies/tarantula(1955).shtml">Tarantula</a></strong>, and <strong><a href="../movies/001trolling(2017).shtml">Beginning of the End</a></strong> with those enormous grasshoppers left a huge impression. There’s something timeless about that blend of science gone wrong and nature turning against us that still resonates today. Those films were often rooted in Cold War paranoia and fears of unchecked technology concepts that still feel eerily relevant. I’ve always been drawn to how those movies used practical effects and atmosphere to build tension, even on limited budgets. So yes, that genre is absolutely a favorite. <em>Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em> is my attempt to channel that retro terror into a modern ecological nightmare, mutants, mayhem and all. <p> <p><strong>(Other) sources of inspiration when writing <em>Invasion or the Horseshoe Crabs</em>?</strong><p> <p>While the 1950s atomic-age creature features laid the foundation, I’d be lying if I said <em>Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em> wasn’t also inspired by the wonderfully chaotic world of modern B-movie monster mayhem especially the kind popularized by <em> <a href="../research/resultprodlinks.shtml?The Asylum">The Asylum</a></em>. Movies like <strong>Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus</strong>, <strong>Sharktopus</strong> and of course <strong> <a href="../movies/sharknado(2013).shtml">Sharknado</a></strong> brought back that anything-goes spirit of creature carnage, just with a more tongue-in-cheek, over the top flair. Those films embrace their absurdity while still tapping into genuine thrills, and that balance was something I really wanted to strike. I love how <em><a href="../research/resultprodlinks.shtml?The Asylum">The Asylum</a></em>’s movies lean hard into spectacle and camp, unafraid to throw logic out the window in favor of entertainment. That kind of unfiltered creativity, where the monsters just keep getting bigger and wilder, is infectious. So while<em> Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em> draws from the eerie paranoia of the ‘50s, it also has its claws firmly in the modern era of mutant madness where the rules are simple: go big, go weird, and make it fun. It’s the mutant lovechild of <strong> <a href="../movies/them(1954).shtml">Them!</a></strong> and <strong> <a href="../movies/sharknado(2013).shtml">Sharknado</a></strong> with a bit more menace and a lot more crustacean horror.<p> <p><strong> Do talk about your writing style on <em>Invasion or the Horseshoe Crabs</em> for a bit!</strong><p> <p>It’s such a great journey and honestly, a lot of writers underestimate just how natural it can feel to transition from screenwriting to prose, especially once you find the right rhythm. For <em>Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em>, my style evolved naturally from that background. I focused on visual storytelling, keeping scenes tight, punchy, and cinematic like you’re watching it unfold rather than being told. I leaned into short, impactful chapters each like a scene from a film building momentum and dread as the horror escalates. Dialogue plays a big role too, staying snappy and real, often revealing character under pressure. But what really surprised me was how much I enjoyed digging deeper into atmosphere and internal tension. In a script, you leave that to the actors and crew. In a novel, it’s all on the page, and that was a fun challenge. And huge credit to Eugene Alejandro, his edits and encouragement pushed me to shape the rough idea into something more refined. Sometimes all it takes is one person genuinely believing in what you’re doing. Once that spark hit, it felt like everything finally clicked. So yeah, <em>Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs </em>is part retro monster movie, part ecological horror, and 100% a labor of love born from finally having the time and the right support to tell the story I’ve always wanted to tell.<p> <p> <table style="width: 255; float: left"> <tr> <td> <img height="365" src="../stills/invasionofthehorseshoecrabs-1.jpg" width="250"></td> </tr> </table> <strong> From what I know, <em>Invasion or the Horseshoe Crabs</em> started life as a film script - so what were the main challenges of getting that script filmed, and what prompted you to make a novel out of it eventually?</strong><p>  <p>Yes, <em>Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em> actually began as a screenplay I wrote over a decade ago. I poured a lot into it, and for a while, I really believed it could be made. I shopped it around, pitched it to investors, and tried every angle but I kept hitting the same wall: no serious backing. The scale of the story, the location, the creature effects, the ensemble cast was just too ambitious to take on by myself, and after a while, I had to shelve the idea. That was tough. But the story never left me. Fast forward to retirement, and with some mental space and time to breathe, I found myself thinking about it again. That’s when I decided to try something new, something I’d attempted in the past but never quite nailed: writing a novel. Turning the screenplay into a novel gave me the freedom to expand the world, dive deeper into the characters, and explore the horror at a more psychological and emotional level. The turning point was my editor, Eugene Alejandro. He believed in the story right away. His passion, feedback, and encouragement lit the fire I needed to see it through. Suddenly, the thing that seemed impossible to make as a film started to thrive on the page. My hope now is that the novel finds its audience and maybe, just maybe, catches the eye of someone who sees the cinematic potential I always saw in it. With the right hands, <em> Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em> could absolutely become a modern creature feature classic.<p>  <p><strong>How closely does <em>Invasion or the Horseshoe Crabs</em> the novel follow the original script, and are there any story elements you've had to abandon or could finally add due to the change of medium?</strong><p>  <p>It’s pretty close, honestly. The core story, the toxic barrel, the isolated island, the mutated creatures, and the group of students trapped in a fight for survival remains intact. But turning it into a novel gave me the chance to refine and expand in ways the script never allowed. There were definitely some minor adjustments, mostly scenes or moments that I couldn’t quite envision filming back then, either due to budget limitations or technical hurdles. In the novel, I could finally go there, bigger set pieces, more grotesque creature encounters, deeper emotional beats. I was no longer confined by what could realistically be shot, so I let my imagination run a bit wilder. The biggest upgrade was the ending. I always felt the original finale in the script was fine but now, with more time and creative flexibility, I was able to craft something more satisfying, more chilling, and more earned. It ties everything together with a darker, more lasting impact. So yeah, while the novel stays true to the original vision, the freedom of prose allowed me to push the horror further, flesh out the characters more, and finally tell the version of the story I always wanted.<p> <p><strong>How does writing prose actually compare to writing for the screen, and which do you actually prefer?</strong><p> <p>Great question and honestly, I still prefer writing screenplays. It’s what I’ve been doing for over 40 years, and to me, it’s just more natural. The structure, the pacing, the visual storytelling, it’s all very intuitive. I can knock out a full draft of a screenplay over a weekend if I’m in the zone. It’s fast, efficient, and plays to my strengths. Writing a novel though, that’s a whole different beast. It takes more discipline, more time, and a different mindset. You can’t rely on the director, actors, or cinematography to fill in the gaps. You are all of that. Every emotion, every sound, every flash of fear or tension has to live on the page in full detail. It’s more demanding but also rewarding in its own way. <em>Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em> took me about six months to complete, and it tested me creatively. But I’m proud of how it turned out. Still, if I had to pick one format to stick with? Screenwriting all the way. It’s in my blood. But I’m glad I stretched those novel-writing muscles, it gave me a deeper appreciation for both forms, and it let me tell a story I care deeply about in a way that finally feels complete.<p> <p> <table style="width: 255; float: left"> <tr> <td> <img height="375" src="../stills/invasionofthehorseshoecrabs-2.jpg" width="250"></td> </tr> </table> <strong>Do talk about your writing process as such!</strong><p> <p>I can’t just sit down and force words onto the page either. I have to feel it. For me, writing starts long before I actually type anything. I need to be in the zone, and that means having a clear vision in my head. Sometimes it comes from a dream, a strange headline, a real-life event, or just a sudden "what if" moment that won’t let go. That spark is crucial, without it there’s no point in even opening the laptop. Once the idea grabs me, I let it simmer. I visualize scenes, hear bits of dialogue, and picture the mood or tone I’m going for. I walk around with it for days sometimes weeks until it clicks into something I can structure. Then, when the moment feels right, I sit down and write. With<em> Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em>, I already had the bones from the original script, but even then, I had to reconnect with it on a deeper level. The atmosphere, the isolation, the dread I had to re-immerse myself before I could translate it into prose. I’m not someone who writes every day just to write. For me, inspiration has to lead. The writing follows. And when it hits? That’s when the real work and the real magic happens.<p> <p><strong>The $64-question of course, where can <em>Invasion or the Horseshoe Crabs</em> be obtained from?</strong><p> <p>You can get the novel form or Kindle version on Amazon: <a href="https://a.co/d/3trkjVA" target="_blank"><strong>https://a.co/d/3trkjVA</strong></a><p> <p><strong>Anything you can tell us about audience and critical reception of <em>Invasion or the Horseshoe Crabs</em> yet?</strong><p> <p>It’s still early days, since <em>Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em> just dropped this past Friday, but the initial response has been really encouraging. People have been excited and incredibly supportive. Friends, family and fellow genre fans have been grabbing copies, and while most are still working their way through it, the feedback I have gotten so far has been really positive. What’s been especially cool is hearing how surprised some folks are not just by the horror elements, but by the heart of the story. I’m known more for slashers, so diving into a sci-fi creature feature was a shift. But readers seem to be really enjoying that change of pace, especially the blend of retro monster-movie vibes with modern ecological themes. I’ve had a few people tell me it plays like a movie in their heads, which is the ultimate compliment given my screenwriting background. The monsters are hitting the mark, the suspense is landing, and the concept itself is grabbing attention. I’m hoping as more readers dig in, word will spread and maybe even catch the eye of the right people in the film world because that’s still the dream, to see these monstrous horseshoe crabs wreak havoc on the big screen.<p> <p><strong>Based in your experiences writing <em>Invasion or the Horseshoe Crabs</em>, will you ever write another novel?And/or other future projects you'd like to share?</strong><p> <p>Absolutely I’ve got the bug now, no pun intended! Writing <em>Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em> was a real turning point for me. As tough as the novel writing process was compared to screenwriting, it opened up a whole new way of telling stories, and I’m definitely not done yet. Right now, I’ve got two projects already with my publisher awaiting the greenlight: <em>Survive the End</em>, an apocalyptic survival thriller, and <em>Stingrays: Tides of Terror</em>, another creature feature, this time diving deep into oceanic horror. Beyond those, I’ve got four other novels in the works, some in the writing phase others being polished up with my editor Eugene Alejandro, who’s been an incredible creative partner throughout this whole process. His input has really helped shape these stories into something special. Each project lets me explore different shades of horror and sci-fi from end of the world chaos to nature striking back in grotesque and unexpected ways. So yes, <em>Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em> was just the start. I’ve got a whole universe of monsters, disasters, and survivors waiting to crawl out of the shadows. Stay tuned.<p> <p><strong>Your/Your book's website, social media, whatever else?</strong><p> <p> <table style="width: 205; float: right;"> <tr> <td class="auto-style1"> <img height="257" src="../stills/jacker3-poster200.jpg" width="200"></td> </tr> <tr> <td><img height="5" src="../stills/phantom5x5.gif" width="5"></td> </tr> <tr> <td>  </td> </tr> </table> Right now, promotion is pretty grassroots. The book’s mainly being advertised through my<p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/phil.herman.969"><strong>https://www.facebook.com/phil.herman.969</strong></a> <p>Amazon: <a href="https://a.co/d/efn0cxy" target="_blank"><strong>https://a.co/d/efn0cxy</strong></a> <p><em>Raven Publisher</em>: <a href="https://raventalepublishing.com/home" target="_blank"><strong>https://raventalepublishing.com/home</strong></a> <p>I don’t have a dedicated website or official social media pages for the book yet, but that’s something I’m definitely considering as things pick up steam. For now, I’m relying on word of mouth, personal connections, and the horror community to help spread the word. If you’re a fan of creature features, retro sci-fi, or survival horror, and you’ve enjoyed the book, sharing it really helps. Every post, every review, every recommendation goes a long way in building momentum. And who knows if enough interest grows, maybe <em>Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em> will get its own little corner of the internet… along with some monstrous sequels. <p> <p><strong>Anything else you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?</strong><p>  <p>Honestly, I think you’ve covered just about everything but if there’s one thing I’d love to add, it’s this: While<em> Invasion of the Horseshoe Crabs</em> marks my official entry into the world of novels, I’m still a filmmaker at heart. That hasn’t changed. I’ve got three big films in the works <strong>Jacker 3: Road to Hell</strong>, <strong>Actor’s Curse: A Tale of Twisted Fate</strong> and <strong>Phil Herman’s A Soldier’s Descent</strong>. And coming next year, the long-awaited <strong>Crowbar</strong>, along with a brand-new horror anthology, which has become a yearly tradition with my team. So yeah this novel might be a new chapter, but it’s just one piece of a much bigger horror legacy I’m continuing to build. Whether it’s on the page or on the screen, I’m still telling twisted stories, still collaborating with passionate people, and still chasing that next scream, shock, or gasp from the audience. If you’re into creature features, slashers, or psychological horror stick around. There’s a lot more on the way.<p> <p><strong>Thanks for the interview!</strong><p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="592" valign="top" height="1%">  <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"> currentyear = "2010"; </SCRIPT> <SCRIPT language="JavaScript" src="../scripts/endcreditsart.js"></SCRIPT> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"> dosworsdonn(); </SCRIPT> </td> </tr> </table> </div> </body>