When he’s not crafting stories that blur the line between science and horror, he’s soaking up the sun on the coastal beaches, exploring the mountain trails, or catching a late‑night horror flick. His work reflects that mix of curiosity, grit, and Southern storytelling that keeps readers turning pages long after midnight.
Let’s dive into the mind behind Amadeus Creed: The Mad Butcher and find out what drives his dark creativity.
Interview
ZM: What first inspired you to write this book, Amadeus Creed: The Mad Butcher, and what kept you motivated through the process?
JS: The inspiration for Amadeus Creed: The Mad Butcher was from a very bad time and place in history, Nazi Germany. The idea of an evil dictator and a mad scientist came from there and also from Captain America when you look at the Red Skull and Hydra, a scientific branch that goes on to do what it wants with very little control from the dictator. I keep my motivation while writing this book by researching historical facts in order to make the story feel real to myself and to my readers. Sometimes the best fiction comes from real life.
ZM: Was there a moment during your research or writing that surprised you or changed the direction of the book?
JS: I thought I knew my history, but after researching war crimes and other things that have been done in the name of “science,” I realized that reality is much scarier than fiction. My direction of the book changed several times while I wrote this book as I learned new things about history that I added and changed over time, which shaped the characters and story of this book.
ZM: Do you have a writing routine, or do you work whenever inspiration hits?
JS: I am on the road a lot, so I like to write when I am in my hotel room at night. I also get random ideas about everything throughout my day, and when I get an idea, I write it down before I forget it, which is why I keep a pen and paper close by. I currently have over a hundred ideas for characters and books written down, more than I will ever be able to write about.
ZM: What part of this book challenged you the most creatively?
JS: The most challenging part of writing a larger book to me is creating enough words and dialogue to keep the story interesting. I do a lot of research to find scientific and medical terms and lingo to try and make it believable. This is a challenge because I am not an expert in any field, and it's hard to make it sound like I know what I'm writing about. Google is such a great tool for this.
ZM: When readers finish your book, what’s the one thing you hope stays with them?
JS: After reading my book, I hope the readers are entertained but also realize that the things I wrote about in this book have really happened to people in the past and that kind of suffering should never happen again; we must learn from our mistakes and never repeat them. This can make for a good horror story, but in reality we can always do better, and we must build instead of destroy.
-End
J.E. Shook’s passion for storytelling runs deep, from the eerie shadows of Unit 731 to the supernatural tension of The Dogman and the dark mystery of Papa Gumbo. His love for North Carolina’s beaches and mountains, paired with his lifelong fascination with horror, gives his work a unique blend of grit and imagination. Whether you’re a longtime fan or discovering his books for the first time, Shook’s stories remind us that fear, curiosity, and wonder are all part of the same human experience.
Ready for more? Check out Amadeus Creed: The Mad Butcher and experience Shook’s storytelling firsthand. Amazon Link - https://amzn.to/3TsxCeq
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