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AUTHOR + POET + ZOMBIE WRANGLER
Matt Betts was born and raised in Lima, Ohio, and went to college in Toledo. He currently lives in Columbus with his wife, Mackenzie, and their two wonderful boys. Growing up, Matt consumed vast amounts of pop culture. He read comics, watched cartoons, listened to various pop music, regularly viewed the old monster movies on weekend television and read everything he could find.
Matt went to college to study communications, specializing in broadcasting. He signed on with the campus radio station as a news anchor and reporter not long after he arrived at college – before he took his first communications class, in fact. After graduation, he worked for a number of radio stations as a DJ, a reporter and anchor. More than any other format, Matt worked at Oldies stations, which fed his love of Elvis, the Beatles and other great early rock icons.
Matt’s short and flash fiction has focused a lot on humor and horror. His work appears in Arkham Tales, Ethereal Tales, the Triangulation: Taking Flight anthology, Bizarro Fiction! The Journal of Experimental Fiction 37, A Thousand Faces and Cinema Spec: Tales of Hollywood and Fantasy.
Matt’s poetry has been published in numerous venues, and his poem “Godzilla’s Better Half” was nominated for a Rhysling Award, the Science Fiction Poetry Association’s highest honor. His poetry has appeared in Star*Line, Escape Clause, The Book of Tentacles, Illumen, the 2010 Rhysling Anthology, Kaleidotrope and others. One of his pieces was also mentioned in a New York Times article on zombie poetry.
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BRIEF BIOS
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Ohio native Matt Betts is a pop culture junkie—sometimes to levels that are considered unhealthy by the Surgeon General. He grew up on a steady diet of giant monsters, comic books, and horror novels, all of which creep into his own work. Matt’s speculative poetry and short fiction have appeared in a number of anthologies and journals. Matt’s first novel, the steampunk/zombie/alternate history adventure Odd Men Out was a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Award for excellence in independent publishing. He is also the author of the urban fantasy novel Indelible Ink the sci-fi novel The Shadow beneath the Waves and the forthcoming novel The Boogeyman’s Intern. His poetry collections include See No Evil, Say No Evil and Underwater Fistfight.
60 words
Matt Betts worked for years in radio as an on-air personality, anchor and reporter. His fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. His work includes the steampunk novel, Odd Men Out, urban fantasy book Indelible Ink, the dark fantasy The Boogeyman’s Intern, and the giant robot vs giant monster novel The Shadow beneath the Waves. His poetry collections include See No Evil, Say No Evil and Underwater Fistfight.
Extended Bio
Matt Betts was born and raised in Lima, OH and went to college in Toledo. He currently lives in Columbus with his wife Mackenzie, and their two wonderful boys. Growing up, Matt consumed vast amounts of pop culture. He devoured comics, watched cartoons, listened to popular music, regularly viewed the old monster movies on weekend television, and read everything he could find.
Matt went to college to study communications, specializing in broadcasting. He signed on with the campus radio station as a news anchor and reporter not long after he arrived at college – before he took his first communications class, in fact. After graduation, he worked for a number of radio stations as a DJ, a reporter, and anchor. More than any other format, Matt worked at MATTBETTS.COM I [email protected]
Oldies stations, which stoked his admiration of Elvis, the Beatles and other great early rock icons.
Further feeding his love affair with pop culture, Matt also worked as a waiter in a Toledo comedy club while attending college. This allowed him to see how famous comics built and fine-tuned their acts. For comedians, like authors, the ending of a story is just as important as the beginning and vice versa. If a comic couldn’t sell the setup, the audience most likely wouldn’t stay with them for punch line. Over the course of a week, it was possible to see a comedian transform a decent joke into a better one through slightly different wording or different delivery.
Matt met and interviewed comedian and actor Larry Miller one night at the club. Larry gave some advice that stuck with Matt long after. Larry was a classically trained musician who still played regularly and when asked if it was all too much, Larry suggested that creativity is creativity. You don’t have to do just one thing. Whether you’re writing a poem or a script, that creativity feeds the other things you do. It helps you be a better actor, musician, etc. It is advice Matt has applied to his writing career from the beginning, allowing his love of pop culture to infuse and inform all of his work, including poetry, short fiction and his longer works.
Matt’s short and flash fiction has focused a lot on humor and horror. His work appears in Arkham Tales, Ethereal Tales, the “Triangulation: Taking Flight” anthology, Bizarro Fiction! The Journal of Experimental Fiction 37, A Thousand Faces, “Cinema Spec: Tales of Hollywood and Fantasy”, and others.
Matt’s poetry has been published in numerous venues, and his poem “Godzilla’s Better Half” was nominated for a Rhysling Award, the Science Fiction Poetry Association’s highest honor. His poetry has appeared in Star*Line, the “Escape Clause” anthology, “The Book of Tentacles”, Illumen, the 2010 Rhysling Anthology, Kaleidotrope and others. One of his pieces was also mentioned in a New York Times article on zombie poetry.
Matt is a member of the Horror Writers Association (HWA), the Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA), The Ohio Poetry Association, and Pennwriters. He has taught workshops and classes for libraries, schools and conferences.
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REVIEWS/BLURBS
“Matt Betts doesn’t seem to know all writers get put into a box. He ignores genres and boundaries and simply writes what his imagination wants. His stories are what make reading fun.” —Greg Hall, Everyone Hates a Hero
“It’s impossible to say this too strongly: this steampunk-horror-historical-thriller crossbreed is an amazing book. Word of mouth could turn this from an under-the-radar debut novel from a little-known imprint into a genre-busting cult classic. Get on board now.” —David Pitt, Booklist on Odd Men Out (starred review)
“The stakes are high and the action and surprises are nonstop as Betts skillfully mixes elements of steampunk, alternate history, science fiction, and horror.” —Publishers Weekly on Odd Men Out
“A compelling story line, light humor, and a steampunk vibe make this an interesting and fun read.” —Library Journal on Odd Men Out
“Betts has built a vivid steampunk history of the Reconstruction, one where giant lizards and zombies roam a desolate United Nations of America.” —Paul Melko, Award-Winning Author of The Walls of the Universe and The Broken Universe, on Odd Men Out
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“Matt Betts is a god of pop culture. His debut novel, Odd Men Out, is a glorious blend of everything that is right with the sci-fi genre. He manages to put together a book with shades of Firefly, Miyazaki, and Godzilla while keeping it fresh and true to his own deliciously askew voice.” —Mercedes M. Yardley, author of Beautiful Sorrows, on Odd Men Out
“Matt Betts’ book Odd Men Out has a ton of things that anyone of sound mind should like.” —Joe Crowe, RevolutionSF.com on Odd Men Out
“Dark, imaginative, and thrilling, Indelible Ink is part urban fantasy, part crime novel, and completely enthralling. A first-rate adventure from the ever-reliable pen of Matt Betts.” —Tim Waggoner, author of Dream Stalkers, on Indelible Ink
“Women assassins, guns, black magic and government conspiracy; what’s not to love about Matt Betts’ latest novel, Indelible Ink? Grab a copy now, before the powers that be decide you can’t be trusted with the truth.”—Tom Barlow, author of I’ll Meet You Yesterday, on Indelible Ink
“A thrilling, clever, and quick paced fantasy!”—Ellie Ann, NY Times Bestselling Author, on Indelible Ink
“Mysterious powers and perpetual mayhem rip through this secret world where guns are bad, but something worse can lurk beneath the skin.”—Nayad Monroe, Editor of Not Our Kind, on Indelible Ink
“Betts’s horror caper has its charms, including the portrayal of Deena’s changing mind-set as she grows younger and then older again, and a sniper whose hallucinations of his mother, mentor, and childhood teddy bear constantly berate and insult him.”—Publishers Weekly on Indelible Ink
“Treasure hunters, giant robots, and genetically modified monsters collide in this sci-fi romp set in the aftermath of a future world war. Betts drags readers along for a thrill ride and keeps them guessing while he’s at it. Briskly paced and exciting with an endearing cast of characters, The Shadow beneath the Waves will appeal to fans of sci-fi and adventure alike.” —Carrie Gessner, author of The Stroke of Thirteen on The Shadow beneath the Waves
"Betts has created an engaging novel that doesn't rely on the standard monster vs robot tropes - he embraces them and then makes them his own. The plot twists are well thought out and adds to the whole experience. Could easily become a movie!" — Monster Dear Monster podcast
"You had me at 'sea monster vs. giant robot.'" -- Joe Crowe, DragonCon's American Sci-Fi Classics Director on The Shadow beneath the Waves
“What starts out as a quirky tale about a burnt-out Imaginary Friend turns into a locked room murder mystery for a creature that cannot die. An entertaining mash-up of "Monsters Inc." and "Chinatown" in a world populated by Bigfoot, Tooth Fairies, and Boogeymen. Perhaps, the start of its own genre: Imagin-noire.” - Josef Matulich, author of Camp Arcanum on The Boogeyman’s Intern
"In The Boogeyman’s Intern, Betts injects equal shots of wit and humor into a genre that often takes itself too seriously, all while never jeopardizing what makes it unique. With deft prose and sharp dialogue, this book is a refreshing take on the fantastical." - Tim McWhorter, author of the horror thrillers, Bone White and Blackened on The Boogeyman’s Intern
“The Boogeyman’s Intern rips the veil away from The Hill and its infamous residents. Written with his characteristic humor and heart, Matt Betts illuminates the characters who appear in both our dreams and our darkest nightmares. Quite simply, he’s done it again.” - Mercedes M. Yardley, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of Nameless: The Darkness Comes on The Boogeyman’s Intern
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WORKS BY MATT BETTS
THE BOOGEYMAN’S INTERN
ISBN: 978-194787904 GENRE: DARK FANTASY/HUMOR PUBLISHER: DOG STAR BOOKS
Not everyone lands their dream job.
Take Abe: He's bottomed out as an Imaginary Friend and has to find a new job before his bosses assign him a truly crappy one. Just as he's about to resign himself to a life of making toys in a workshop, he's given a reprieve-- of sorts. Now he has the opportunity to be the first policeman on the Hill and solve an impossible murder.
For assistance he ropes in his career counselor, a Bigfoot, and his best friend, a Boogeyman. The job requires him to talk to Tooth Fairies, Leprechauns, Yetis and everything else humanity has dreamt up over the years. None of them offer any clues, but since Abe's supervisors are Mother Nature, Father Time and Death, he can't just give up and walk away.
Dream job? Dream on.
https://www.amazon.com/Boogeymans-Intern-Matt- Betts/dp/1947879049/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
THE SHADOW BENEATH THE WAVES
ISBN: 978-1925711677 GENRE: SCIFI/HORROR PUBLISHER: SEVERED PRESS
A group of treasure-hunters hits the high seas chasing a tip from a mysterious source. If it’s true, it could be their biggest score yet-literally-a massive robot the size of a skyscraper lost since the last war, worth a sizable reward, and bragging rights. But in trying to the raise the Cudgel, the crew of the Adamant accidentally unleashes a beast trapped by the battle machine years ago. The giant monster awakens to complete its war- time mission to destroy the Pacific Northwest. Using their wits, their experience and a few contacts in the government, the crew sets out to fix their mistake and stop the menace. Can a handful of eccentric sailors resurrect the gigantic robot in time to stop the vicious creature’s assault?
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UNDERWATER FISTFIGHT
ISBN: 978-1935738824 GENRE: POETRY PUBLISHER: RAW DOG SCREAMING PRESS
Poet. Pirate. It’s all the same really. They both pillage, plunder, drink rum, look for treasure, and sometimes, after too many drinks, they’re known to throw a right hook or two. But that’s the beauty of poetry and piracy-it’s unhinged, a stream of emotions that make you laugh, cry, bleed, bruise, and eat oranges to prevent scurvy. It’s an adventure. It’s feeling the wind on your face from the sea or the page. It’s tasting the salt in the ocean or in your tears. But most importantly, it’s the experience of getting from one port to another, one page to the next, killing one more siren and murdering just one more darling.
You see, piracy is about rules, and the number one rule is that there are no rules. Pirate-poets live for the journey, they do what has to be done to survive, and hope that karma, or a Kraken, doesn’t come around and bite them in the arse. Poetry is like that, too. It’s a fleeting moment, an image, that the writer is hoping will leave you breathless, bruised, and stranded on an island.
Underwater Fistfight does just that, because Matt Betts is a pirate-poet who takes science fiction and throws it in the brig with horror while he sits outside the cell, laughing as they duke it out. He’s a regular Davy Jones, a sailor’s devil, claiming the lives of these poems and dragging them down to the locker to dissect, inspect, and sift through their stories and characters like plunder.
INDELIBLE INK
ISBN: 9781935738749 GENRE: URBAN FANTASY/SCIFI PUBLISHER: DOG STAR BOOKS
Something lurks inside Deena Riordan. She never once questioned her life in the criminal underworld as the star of Mr. Marsh's illegal empire and his youngest assassin. Her ruthless demeanor and dark magical powers have kept her at the top of the heap for years. But one day she pushes the sorcery too far and something snaps. Only then does Deena realize she's always been a puppet of that dark power with no true will of her own.
Now, in order to get out of the crime business for good, she needs to save her sister from Marsh's angry clutches. It won't be easy. She'll have to make her way through friends turned foes, dodge determined federal agents, and stay out of a particularly stubborn fellow hitman's sights. Worst of all, Deena will have to wrestle with the darkness inside to keep it from MATTBETTS.COM I [email protected] swallowing her up again.
ODD MEN OUT
ISBN: 9781935738466 GENRE: SCIENCE FICTION/STEAMPUNK PUBLISHER: DOG STAR BOOKS
The Civil War has ended but not because the South surrendered, instead it's on hold while both sides face a new enemy - the chewers, dead men who've come back to life. Cyrus Joseph Spencer didn't fight in the war and couldn't care less about the United Nations of America that resulted from it. His main concern is making money and protecting his crew from all manner of danger. But when tragedy strikes, he's forced to take shelter onboard a dirigible piloted by the U.N.'s peace-keeping force. It's soon apparent that many more dangers are lurking and Cyrus must decide whether to throw in with strangers in a desperate bid to protect the country or cast off on his own.
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SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTACT INFORMATION
Twitter: @Betts_Matt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattbettswrites/
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.mattbetts.com
Photos: Available upon request
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Q & A with Matt Betts
GENERAL
Tell me about your travels. I love travelling. I get a lot of writing done in my head on long car trips. It’s great for me, but terrible for anyone I’m travelling with, because I’m so focused on driving and writing, that I don’t do a whole lot of talking on the drive. I don’t get to do nearly as travelling as I used to, as I have two young kids. They’re getting older though, and I think we’ll get into some adventures soon.
I went to Europe with my high school French club years ago. I’d love to get back to London and Paris again to see what’s changed. We went to Nice and Nimes and many other beautiful areas around France, but it was such a whirlwind tour that we didn’t get to see a whole lot in detail. I’d love to go back and take my time with some of the landmarks.
In college I liked to take long road trips with friends and sometimes alone. Usually it was an arbitrary destination, as the joy was in getting there. We once drove to Cincinnati for waffles in the middle of the night. It was a great bonding experience for us. Plus, the waffles were excellent.
Coffee, tea, or milk? Not a big fan of any of them. Trying to drink more milk to be healthier and set a good example for the kids. I generally drink iced coffee or something when I’m in the mood. This all goes back to my early days as a DJ in radio. My earliest gig was on the overnights at a station from 11 pm to 5am. One night I was dragging and was nearly asleep. I wasn’t a coffee drinker, but I figured I would give it a shot if it kept me awake. I MATTBETTS.COM I [email protected] went to the break room and made my first pot ever. It was awful. I don’t know what I did or didn’t do, but it tasted so bad that I never wanted another cup. I’ve tried coffee since then, but I just can’t get into it.
What else can you do besides write? My father raised my brother and I in preparation to join the circus for some reason. He taught us to juggle, ride unicycles, walk on stilts, etc. I haven’t done any of it in years, but it seems to come back every time I try. I’ll probably pass it on to my kids someday.
What are your favorite books? I try to read everything I can get my hands on. A couple of my top picks are Glenn David Gold’s “Carter Beats the Devil”, Cherie Priest’s “Boneshaker” and “World War Z” by Max Brooks. I love Brooks’ book because of the untraditional way he tells the story. It reads more like a history book or a timeline than a novel and that is pretty impressive. As far as authors, I love William Faulkner, Stephen King, Elmore Leonard, and Erik Larson.
Pop culture or academia? Pop culture. My novels and poetry collections are filled with references to my pop inspirations. It’s just the way I grew up. I watched too much TV, sat through too many movies, read too many comics and… wait. Is there such a thing as too many comics? Ah well. These are definitely touch points for me and for my work. With my background in radio, music is big for me as well.
Food you could eat every day. Big Pizza fan. Love all kinds. And there are so many kinds, toppings, varieties, etc, that you can switch it up and never get bored. I have gone extended periods where I’ve eaten pizza daily. I’m really into BBQ chicken pizza lately and I’ve found a couple of places that really do it well. Luckily my family is just as in love with it.
Are you into sports or other physical activities? Did I mention I have small children? Chasing them is a full-time, full-contact sport. You’ve heard of the runner’s high? Try wrangling two little bundles of energy into their rooms at bedtime on a school night. There’s your parental high.
Celebrity crush? I’ve always loved Regina Spektor. Not only is she stunningly beautiful, but so incredibly talented. Her music is quirky, but so musically challenging. Her lyrics tend to be poems I wish I’d written. I finally got to see her live a few years back and it was just plain old wonderful. Best concert I’ve seen in a while, possibly ever. I could gush more about how talented she is and how much I love her songs, but it would be unseemly.
My wife is aware of this situation and allows it in moderation.
Do you still watch cartoons? I have 2 young sons. Yes. I watch cartoons. Would I still watch without them? Yep. In fact, several pieces in “Underwater Fistfight” were written based on 80s cartoons. For research I watched some of these episodes over and over, to form an idea for a piece. You know you’re doing too much “research” when your kids are sick of watching cartoons with you and ask to change the channel.
What's next? Writing. A bunch of writing. I’m working on a follow-up to my first book “Odd Men Out”. It’s a steampunk adventure set around the time of the American civil war. I also have a couple of other novels that I’ve been plotting and outlining. MATTBETTS.COM I [email protected]
Specific to The Boogeyman’s Intern What were your influences for your book (movies, comics, TV, books, etc.)? I’ve always loved weird stories about the unknown. I love stories about Bigfoot, ghosts, the Loch Ness Monster, and UFOs. I remember going to the library as a kid and checking out all of the books I could on those subjects. To me, it seemed like an extension of all of the sci-fi movies I loved, like Godzilla and King Kong. So, I think all of those things make some kind of appearance in the book and certainly, they influenced the ideas behind the book as well.
So you believe in all of those things? I want to. I was so fascinated by those stories, and I still am, but I just haven’t been convinced of all of it. I think the internet has contributed to my skepticism. For every cool picture of a UFO, there’s someone to point out the strings, or the smoke and mirrors behind it.
How important is humor to your writing. Wildly important. I have trouble with some books, especially horror, that won’t let you take a breath. Or they don’t use humor to enhance their story, when it could really make a character more sympathetic, or a situation more tense when used correctly. I think when I look at books and movies, the funny parts are the ones that stay with me, rather than the frights.
What do you want readers to love most about your book? I never really set out thinking that I’ll send something off with someone when they’re done. You know? I want to tell a good story, and I’d really love for the readers to enjoy themselves. Do I try to sneak deep messages into my novels? That’s pretty secondary. For me, it’s all about the reader’s fun.
Specific to The Shadow beneath the Waves What the heck is a Kaiju? It’s a term for a giant monster. Like, seriously giant monster. Godzilla, Gamera, the monsters from “Pacific Rim”, things like that.
What were some of your influences for this book? I really started out trying to write a science fiction version of a Clive Cussler book… only mine would have giant robots and enormous monsters. I started with a group of adventurers and treasure hunters and then just started putting them in harm’s way. It was fun to see the story evolve as I went. I really like the twists and turns it took. Another influence was the movie Pacific Rim. I loved seeing these huge machines battle it out on the big screen with the Kaiju and wanted to see what kind of spin I could put on it.
Your cast of characters is pretty diverse. Was that on purpose? Not necessarily. I had this idea of what the crew of this ship would be like, and as I got into the story these characters took on a life of their own, so to speak. They really just came off the page fully formed at some point. MATTBETTS.COM I [email protected]
Specific to Underwater Fistfight What is speculative poetry? Speculative poetry is different in that it deals with certain genres: horror, science fiction and fantasy. It can still cover all of the same subject matters as any other form of poetry, it just uses these additional interesting ideas to do it. Certainly, the poems can cover zombies and vampires and such, but they can also present grounded ideas like the consequences of artificial intelligence, the effects of space travel and predictions for the future. It all depends on the poet.
Which poem from the collection is your favorite? It’s tough to pick just one, really. They were certainly all fun to write. “Notes on Ordering a Deathbot by Mail” was one of my earliest published poems. I think it was pretty exciting to see it make it into an anthology so early on in my career. The idea for that one came from a toy I had as a child that came with too many accessories and too many configurations. It was too much of a conundrum for my young mind.
What were your influences for your book (movies, comics, TV, books, etc.)? I’m a huge pop culture junkie and get inspiration from movies, music, television, you name it. I especially love monster movies from the 50s and 60s. I remembered watching them on the weekends on network television. Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera and others were so much fun for me in my childhood and I continue to love them today.
How long did it take to write these poems? I’ve been amassing these pieces since my first collection came out a few years ago. About half of the poems in “Underwater Fistfight” have been previously published in magazines and journals, and the other half was written in the last year or so. Many of my pieces take a while to get going, so I may have a scrap of paper with a few words on it laying around for a year before I figure out where it belongs. Other works may come almost fully formed, needing only a little editing before it’s ready.
Who are some of your favorite speculative poets? I love a number of speculative poets. Michael Arnzen was one of the first speculative poets I really read. He writes some pretty gross horror poetry, but he’s a wonderful advocate for poets and their work. Another poet and good friend of mine is Stephanie Wytovich. She’s just an amazing talent and someone worth reading again and again.
Do you read any mainstream or non-speculative work? Yes. It’s really important to me to study all kinds of poetry. It helps to know what’s come before in order to understand poetic forms and styles. I love former Poet Laureate Billy Collins, his style is so easy and accessible. Another poet I love is Aimee Nezhukumatathil. Her book Miracle Fruit is just amazing—and is still one of my favorites. She makes each poem personal and complex, but never dense.
What do you want readers to love most about your book? I really just want readers to have fun. I want everyone who picks it up to come away with an appreciation for poetry that they might not have had before. I really hope that the subject matter makes it easier for readers to give poetry a chance.