As part of my efforts to both increase awareness of Metastasis and also allow you a little insight into the people behind the stories, I’m presenting a series of super short interviews with some of the contributors of the anthology. Michael Kellar is one of those contributors. Michael’s story, Oil and Water, is the superhero(ish) story from this collection and is one of my favourites.
Who or what was the inspiration for your story in Metastasis?
Rather than a single source of inspiration, I think that my story evolved from a sense of collective empathy. I was working on the idea of having a young boy possess an unusual ability that was rather nondescript. I knew I wanted it to be both a little bit tragic and a little bit hopeful at the same time – kind of bittersweet. But it wasn’t until I started to get to know my characters that I realized the exact direct direction it would go. I drew upon my memory of a number of families I had known personally who had been affected by this disease, and I suddenly knew that this would be the core issue. The final line just seemed to leap into my head, and I found that I was then excited to go back and rework everything up to that point.
When it comes to cancer, what gives you hope?
Our track record. We have been highly successful at dealing with smallpox, polio, measles, diphtheria, rubella, mumps, tetanus – and any number of other diseases which have afflicted us. Currently, cancer may be more tenacious, but we will get on top of it.
What do you believe is our greatest obstacle to finding a cure?
Misguided or misplaced efforts.
Not long ago there was an article in the “Washington Post” with the title “You give religions more than $82.5 billion a year”. It provided the interesting perspective that even if one religion happens to be true, “it’s undeniable that the majority of church-spending is going to support false doctrines” since no single belief system receives the majority of the funding.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I cannot help but wonder what could be accomplished in the area of searching for a cure for cancer if that annual $82.5 billion were instead devoted to medical research.
There are a lot of good people out there who want to accomplish great things. I just wish more of them would go about it in a different manner.
Michael Kellar is a writer, poet, and occasional online bookseller living in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Other than his story in “Metastasis”, his most recent print publication was a horror story appearing in the anthology “Side Show 2: Tales of the Big Top and the Bizarre”. He has also recently had a story accepted for “The Ghoul Saloon” and a poem accepted for “Gothic Blue Book III”.
Metastasis is available at:
Amazon.com
Paperback – $14.95
Kindle – $6.95
Kobo
ePub – $6.95
Smashwords — Use coupon code LM63L in order to receive 25% off your order
ePub – $6.95
Kindle – $6.95
PDF – $6.95
Createspace — Use coupon code TGERED9J in order to receive 25% off your order
Paperback – $14.95
All coupons codes expire on October 31, 2013.
