Author Spotlight: Ben DeValve

​Hello, everyone. I had the pleasure of interviewing Ben about his new short story, “The Door That Came To Dinner”. When I came across this title on Amazon.com, I was immediately hooked by the summary.
 

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“Jack is convinced that his housewarming party cannot possibly get any worse. But then his guests notice a door in the wall. A door that seems to have somehow mysteriously appeared...

​Are you brave enough to discover the secrets that hide behind The Door That Came To Dinner?”
 



After reading this, I had to snag him and ask a few questions. So, give Ben a warm welcome and get to know him as I did:
 
Julian: Welcome! This summary to this story was gripping. What inspired you to write this?
 
Ben: The idea for this started off in a dream. The kind of dream where you sit up in the middle of the night, heart pounding, and have to turn on every light in the house before you can even think of getting back to sleep. In the morning it occurred to me, if I could capture even a tenth of that fear I had felt in my dream into words, it would make a great story.
 
Julian: That’s incredible (and terrifying). Sometimes dreams provide fantastic inspiration. Now, is this your first published story and/or short story?
 
Ben: This is my first self-published short story. I have had a very modest handful of stories accepted by some small online publications prior to this.
 
Julian: Wow- very accomplished. I also commend you for self-publishing this. But I have to ask: do you prefer writing short stories over longer pieces, such as novels?
 
Ben: I enjoy both formats. Short stories are neat in that you can explore a brief idea, or a single defining moment in a character’s life. Novels allow you to really explore a character in a depth that is simply impossible in shorter formats. I like reading and writing equally.
 
Julian: Intriguing point. What are the challenges when writing a short story?
 
Ben: In a short story every word becomes much more important. You only have a handful of words overall to immerse the reader in the story. Even a single poorly used or placed word has the potential to spell disaster. Due to the brevity of the format, you have to carefully choose what to explore and explain, and what to allow the reader to imagine and fill in for themselves.
 
Julian: Very well said. Now back to your story…How long did it take you to write and revise " The Door That Came To Dinner"?
 
Ben: I think it took me about two weeks from initial conception to the finished product. I did three drafts and got a round of feedback for each that was followed up with edits and revisions.
 
Julian: Nice! What's next for you?

Ben: Right now I’m working on my first novel “Nephilim”, which I hope to have fully finished sometime later this year. There might be a short story sprinkled in here or there, but most of my mental energy will be focused on the novel.
 
Julian: Well, good luck with that novel- and keep me posted. I would love to have you back on my blog when that gets published. Thank you, once again, for taking to time to stop by and answer a few questions. I think everyone will find “The Door That Came To Dinner” a heart-stopping page turner!
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I really hope you enjoyed getting to know Ben and his short story. “The Door That Came To Dinner” is available at Amazon.com. If you're interested in reading it (like I am), click on the button below!

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TAKE ME TO AMAZON!

PSSST.....There is a free promotion period that starts today, February 28th at midnight PST, and runs through March 4th at midnight PST. Please take advantage of that to discover Ben’s work!

Ben DeValve lives on a horse farm in New Jersey. When he isn’t writing he enjoys playing chess and poker.