A Slice of Cake With... Pierre C. Arseneault

This week I am delighted to have a slice of cake with author Pierre C. Arseneault.

Pierre is a dreamer from New Brunswick, Canada. Having mostly been published as a freelance cartoonist, publishing both cartoons and cartoon puzzles in newspapers since 2004, co-writing works of fiction is not as alien to him as most would think.

What kind of stories do you write?

I love all types of stories but my favourites are the ones that keep you in the dark, wondering who did it, or what is behind the bizarre events unfolding. Which is why my first book Dark Tales for Dark Nights, an anthology written in collaboration with my friend Angella Jacob (Cormier), is filled with mysterious dark figures that come in the night, unbreakable bonds, mythical creatures, mayhem, a mysterious old man in a park and a life-changing night for the Jenkins boys.

My second book Sleepless Nights, also an anthology, is filled with mysterious deaths that plague a university town, a strange mystery uncovered while taking up birding, afflicted residents of a nursing home and bizarre journeys of self-discovery. There are tragic tales of unbearable sadness, futuristic murder, bizarre premonitions, a mysterious mute boy, and happenings in a small town where nothing usually happens.

The first two novels in the Oakwood Island trilogy, which were co-written with my friend Angella Cormier, explore an island that is plagued with seemingly unexplainable evil that haunts its inhabitants. 

My novel, Poplar Falls – the death of Charlie Baker, is my first dark comedy. A small city abuzz with gossip after a body is found, the obvious victim of foul play. This book contains a variety of quirky characters, subplots and shouldn’t be explored if you consider yourself prudish.

Be warned.

And because I love variety in stories, I plan to write a variety as well. Book six which is written is horror and book seven which is half-written is dramatic suspense. At least that’s the label I would affix to it so far. 

Can you describe your writing why?

I have a deep love of stories of all genres and the idea that I might be able to tell stories was something that always intrigued me. At the age of forty, I finally decided that I had put it off long enough and started writing, starting with short stories. Since then I’ve written 20 short stories, a handful of which were published in a short-lived upstart magazine and so have yet to see publication in book form. I’ve written 4 novels so far, the last one yet to be published. And with all this, the desire to tell stories is only growing stronger.

Share with us your favourite passage from the book you enjoyed writing the most

The most fun part of writing for me is the very beginning as the possibilities are endless. This is the opening scene from my novel Poplar Falls - The Death of Charlie Baker. This excerpt is used with my permission for publication on this blog interview only.

Standing at the foot of the bed, a salt-and-pepper-haired Senior Detective Franklin Dodge elbowed his partner as if to say, Look at that. The much younger Detective Roxanne Tilley just stared on in disbelief. 

“I didn’t think that was possible,” Detective Tilley said in a hushed tone while shifting her stance a little. Her facial expression was riddled with embarrassment, which her dark skin somewhat hid from her partner, who was clearly observing her reaction. She shifted uncomfortably and tugged at the collar of her white blouse under the grey feminine suit jacket. 

“I guess it is,” Dodge replied, sounding unsure even though the evidence stood before them. He wore faded jeans with a battered suit jacket and his face was flushed. He tugged at his shirt collar and loosened his tie a little in an attempt to cool off. The hot June morning sun shone through the sheer curtains, making the room warm, but under the circumstances it felt even warmer, as being uncomfortably embarrassed can have that effect on anyone.

Tell us about your latest project

The latest project would be the novel Oakwood Island - The Awakening, written in collaboration with Angella Cormier. The second volume in what is set to become a trilogy. In book one of said trilogy, much evil had plagued the small island and its residents. Volume two picks up the story five years after the events of book but also delves into the island’s history, shedding light on some of the island’s many mysteries. And one should know going in that this trilogy is horror.

What is your favourite cake?

I know this will come off as cheesy, but the best cakes I ever ate would be the ones my mother baked when I was little. And while most would assume this wouldn’t need explaining, it actually does. You see, as the youngest of eleven children, my mother’s baking eventually stopped altogether. With most of my siblings being grown and moved out and I still little, she no longer needed to feed so many hungry mouths. Soon this meant store-bought baked goods became the norm in our household. But before she stopped baking cakes, I recall them being set to cool on the kitchen counter so the frosting could be applied. And one thing you need to know about my mother is that being born in the late 1920s, she was not from the Tupperware generations. So the cake would remain sitting on the kitchen counter, simply covered by a cut open paper bag to protect it from dust. This meant the cake would quickly dry up and become stale. For most people, this would be a problem but not for this young boy. With a tall glass of milk to go with it, nothing beats my mother’s homemade cakes. And yes, the staler the better. This is why, to this day, I prefer my baked goods stale instead of fresh. True story. 

You can connect with Pierre at the following places:

Website: http://www.mysteriousink.ca/ and http://www.pcatoons.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mysteriousink.ca

Amazon 

Reviews

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PierreCArsent

Join me next week when I have a slice of cake with Mary McGuire.

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Claire Buss is a multi-genre author and poet, completely addicted to cake. Find out more about her books on her website clairebuss.co.uk. Join the discussion in her Facebook group Buss's Book Stop.