As a self-professed horror fan and a blogger, I've come to find that the internet is teeming with like-minded individuals who are also working hard, writing about the things that make them happy and reliving their memories of childhood wonder. In an effort to bring this community closer to home, Strange Kids Club will be hosting a series of interviews that take a look at several of the bloggers I've come to admire. To kick things off, let's welcome Johnny "Boots" Squires from Freddy in Space...
So Johnny, tell us a little about yourself.
I'm a 23 year old bearded man from Long Island, New York who loves writing about horror movies as much as he loves watching them. My real name is John Squires but I own a dirty old ragged pair of boots that I refuse to throw out or stop wearing, thus the name Johnny Boots was given to me by a friend a couple years back. I also have a wonderful and sexy girlfriend named Jen, who is thankfully also into horror movies. That's about me in a nutshell.
So when did you decide to start your own horror blog and what inspired you to start it?
For years I wanted to start a horror website but it wasn't until almost two years ago now that I decided to finally take the plunge. It was a trip to my local Blockbuster that inspired it. This was the same Blockbuster that in my youth had a massive horror VHS collection and seeing that it now had a tiny little selection of shitty made for DVD horror movies really made me yearn for the days when horror was in its prime. So I decided to take to blogging to try and recapture those days.
How did you build your readership? What do you think makes you stand out from other horror-related blogs?I guess i'd have to thank IMDb for some of my readership, being that they featured me on the 'Hit List' of their main page a couple times towards the beginning of my blogging career. Other than that, I just wrote and people just kinda started reading. I've always thought that what makes me stand out is the fact that i've injected my personality into the blog, by showing my face, stating my real name, and talking about my family and girlfriend.
There's nothing more boring than a blog with nothing but reviews.People don't want to read some faceless and nameless persons thoughts on movies and I think because I put so much of myself into the blog, people got to know me a little bit and were then interested in what I had to say. That and the fact that I don't just merely review horror movies, like most blogs do. There's nothing more boring than a blog with nothing but reviews.
How did you come up with the name Freddy in Space?
Well like I said, the blog was inspired by seeing how much horror had changed and sort of died in a way since I was a kid and I've always said that the ultimate death of the horror genre would be sending Freddy Krueger to outer space in some lame desperate sequel. So that's kinda the first thing that popped into my head when I was thinking of a name for the blog.
I've always said that the ultimate death of the horror genre would be sending Freddy Krueger to outer space...How often do you post on Freddy in Space? Do you prepare content in advance?
I used to post a lot more often, several times a day, but that was when I didn't have a day job. Now that I have a day job it's harder, but I still try to post several times a week and keep things fresh. I usually do prepare content in advance. In fact, I have a little notebook that I scribble ideas in whenever they pop into my head.
Do you blog full-time or do you have a day job?Whoops, I guess I got ahead of myself there and already answered this one but ya, I have a day job working at a family owned pharmacy/convenience store type place. I'd love to someday blog or write in some context full time.
How do you keep yourself motivated to write?
My girlfriend gives me sex for every post I write, which always manages to motivate me. I kid, I kid. Comments from readers are what really motivate me. When I see that people are reading and digging what i'm writing, that's all the motivation I need to keep doing it. My girlfriend does really motivate me too, in all seriousness.
What's your top 5 favorite creature features?
This is always a tough question for me as the answers are always changing, but at this very moment off the top of my head i'd have to go with The Shining, Near Dark, Hatchet, The Thing, and Friday Part 4 —it doesn't get much better than Corey Feldman sticking a machete into Jason's head piece.
—it doesn't get much better than Corey Feldman sticking a machete into Jason's head piece.Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster and Wolfman walks into a bar... what happens next?. Hopefully one of them texts me their locale and we all drink the night away.
Any big plans for Freddy in Space in 2010?My plans are to just keep doing what i've been doing, to grow as a writer, and to hopefully gain some more readers.
To close things out, what's the strangest thing you remember doing as a kid?
I used to be a huge wrestling fan and I would often climb up onto the roof of my garage and jump off onto pillows that were laying prone on the trampoline. Looking back, I guess that was pretty odd... and slightly dangerous.
For more of Johnny Boots and his observations on horror, be sure to check out his blog. Interested in free horror swag? Check out Johnny's other blog, Win Free Horror Shit for contest listings. Tell him Strange Kid sent ya.
Hilarious. Love this guy.