A Moment In The Life Of Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc

How can I introduce such an amazing woman? Andrea has lived an incredible life up to date and is still going. And she has been kind enough to come over to this little dark corner of the internet and tell us all about it!

Personally I have been in awe listening to Andrea, she has been so honest and I am so honoured to host her on the Horror Parade, as she is a true Horror Hero.

Andrea Dean van Scoyoc

Hi there and thanks for having me! My life has been a whirlwind of many adventures and all kinds of journey's.

Nothing is taboo.

Horror...my first love...since I was a child. I'd always dreamed of writing and finally had that dream come true.

It was kind of odd, actually. My success was meteoric, once my first book came out. I spent many years “guesting” on others websites while trying to build my own.

Then, my first book came out, the local Borders begrudgingly allowed me a book signing (the area where I live was quite Conservative back then - 2005 - and I probably looked like some child eating demon to them...ha ha), and then the manager came to me just as begrudgingly (she didn't consider me a “real” author because I PROUDLY self published) and told me I'd hit number 1 on the Borders Best Sellers list.

The next time I went in the store, my books were right up front with the New York Times best sellers.

But...my way of doing things made me a lot of enemies...and made me some weird fans.

I've been stalked, had clothing stolen, pulled over a table and had someone show up at an event with the intent of killing me. Luckily he was gotten before he could get to me.

Anyway...I could go on forever with all I've done, my re-emergence into the writing world, my new love, filming and all the other things I do, including voice over work.

One day, I woke up and realized just what I'd put myself through...writing three books at once, the constant convention of appearances and my love of self-publishing came crashing down around my ears.

With the advent of the monster I'd helped create (I was one of the early pioneers that helped push the popularity of self publishing), it seemed that anyone who had a nightmare could publish and call themselves an “author.”

I realized that I'd have to work even harder and I just didn't have it in me any longer, so I retired.

I also retired my two magazines...one of them, Twisted Dreams, was at one time, in contention for major distribution through a store...and had lasted longer than most other small mags on the market at the time, and I decided I was done.

I erased almost ALL trace of me online. Someone remarked to me not that long ago that they Googled me and could find nothing, to which I replied, “Good. When I retired, I did it right.”

And...I did. I burned all bridges, doing almost everything I could to make the public forget me. Looks like I did a pretty good job, too.

I got involved in activism, humanitarianism, animal rights, etc and because of the content of my early books, I'd been on police radar and was FBI profiled, TWICE.

I didn't want any of that following me into my activism. I wasn't sure any group I got involved in would want someone with a “dark” past such as mine, that had already been on the radar, so to speak.

I got certified to teach Yoga and went all love and light, sold incense...I did the whole hippie thing for a while.

But, you can only fight what you truly are, for so long and finally, the call of the night got too strong for me and I couldn't ignore it any longer.

So...I resurrected my Twitter and got started in morbid photography...still fighting my return to the Darkside.

After my last hiatus, I decided not to fight any longer. At 50 years old, I figured I'd just have fun with my black soul and dark heart and I resurrected my photography, my film and my poetry...which was more like small horror prompts.

I was playing around and having a good time...still retired...and enjoying being obscure, and starting all over again...MY way...after swearing I'd NEVER write again.

Then, one day, I opened my e-mailed to a message from a publisher asking to publish my works.

I thought it was a joke.

Nope...I have another book, TEN YEARS after my initial retirement, coming out June 1.

I just released my first audiobook since 2005, just the other day, Graveyard Waltz and my film studio, Destination Desolation Productions, kind of like me...is back from the dead and now I have thrown myself, full force into making what I call, MicroGrimVignettes...films between 10 seconds and 4 minutes...but mostly running around 20-35 seconds long.

I enjoy them so much. Just enough to creep people out and keep them coming back for more, without boring them.

I still do my art too. I post a MGV (MicroGrimVignette) each morning and artwork at night.

That way, I keep both, in front of people. Maybe I'm following in Betty White's footsteps. Ha ha!

Well seeing as Betty White was just as awesome and iconic, it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch Andrea. My word, reading that left me in a state of admiration. Thank you for coming over to the Horror Parade and telling us about your story.

I am so looking forward to listening to Graveyard Waltz, and I will be looking out for your book on June 1st.

And of course, people can find your links and Bio on the “Friends Of Twisty” page, so they can find your Youtube page, website and Twitter!