LH Moore, author of the new Apex Book Company title Breath of Life, joined us for an author feature. Breath of Life is out today!

Breath of Life is a collection of the works of author and poet LH Moore, whose history- and Afrofuturism-inspired short stories, poetry, and essays move between and blur the lines between horror, science fiction, and fantasy.

In the short story “Roots On Ya,” a roots man in rural Virginia has to undo a crossing…and more. A scientist has a harrowing experience as she discovers more than she bargained for in the depths of underwater cave tunnels in “Rule of Thirds.” As a symbol of a new country is constructed, all is not what it seems in “With These Hands: A Tale of Uncommon Labour.” In the short story “Here, Kitty,” a young woman realizes that what is lost is not always meant to be found. As a young woman and her friends come of age, they discover a family legacy that will change them forever in the short story “A Clink of Crystal Glasses Heard.” All three of the “Bice” poems explore The Divine Comedy author Dante Aligheri’s obsession with Beatrice—from her biting, unamused point of view.

Find these and more in Breath of Life. With themes of family and identity, rooted solidly in history and imagining the unknown—both here on Earth and beyond—Breath of Life is an exploration of the unexpected.

Get your copy today:https://www.apexbookcompany.com/products/breath-of-life

Writer, poet and historian LH Moore’s Afrofuturism- and history inspired speculative fiction and poetry have been in numerous publications and anthologies, such as all three groundbreaking Dark Dreams anthologies of Black horror writers; Bram Stoker Award Finalist anthology Sycorax’s Daughters; Black Magic Women; Chiral Mad 4 and 5, SLAY, Conjuring Worlds, StokerCon 2019, Humans Are the Problem anthologies; Fireside, Apex, and FIYAH Magazine. From Washington, D.C., Moore loves classical guitar, graphic novels, and video games.

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What was the inspiration for bringing these particular stories together? How did the collection come about?

I have been writing for a long time now, but my works have been in anthologies and SFF magazines. Maurice Broaddus told me that the Apex team had been talking about how they wanted to publish books again and I was at the top of the list of authors to work with. It has always been great to work with Apex over the years. It’s so exciting to finally have a book of my own with just my name on it and all of my works over the years in one place.

What is the worst piece of writing advice you ever received? The best?

The worst: “You should focus on just one genre.” (Nope.)
The best: “Don’t give up. Rejection happens to all writers. Keep going.”

What is your writing process like? Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I’ve been a pantser for way too long, which doesn’t work for me. I am becoming a plotter more and more just to keep myself on track, especially with longer form projects.

What is your reading process like? Are you an obligate finisher or a reckless abandoner? One book at a time or dozens?

I am absolutely the type who reads a bunch of books at one time and keeps track of them all. I’ve always been like that.

If you could only have one book to read for the rest of your life, which would you pick? Why?

I’m not the type to re-read a book once I’ve read it now, so I’m going to go with one of my favorites Anne of Green Gables, which I read so many times until it became worn. I was so inspired to write because of her character: fearless, outspoken, adventurous,  imaginative and prone to using big words.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Sew, crochet, embroider. Draw, play video games, read comics and nonfiction about history and architecture, laugh with my sons

What are you working on next?

A new book! I. Am. So. EXCITED!

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Favorite recipe (food or drink):

I can’t say that I have a favorite recipe? I can cook, but it’s just not a favorite thing of mine to do? I can tell you my favorite things to eat though…sushi, pho, Ethiopian beef tibs and injera, crème brulee and Twix bars!

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My sketch of my favorite Cenobite:

My classical guitar, Miguel:

 Elle in Greenville, SC:

 My worn copy of Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower:

El Arco, Cabo San Lucas:

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Top Ten Places I’ve Been:

1.       Senegal (the Hut O’Terror)

2.      Ireland (Who investigated one of the country’s most haunted castles? ME.)

3.      Spain (all the jamon iberico that I could handle!)

4.      Curacao

5.      England (I loved Canterbury!)

6.      Italy (Sorry, but Rome was overrated. Fight me.)

7.      Charleston (I could eat shrimp ‘n’ grits ALL DAY EVERY DAY)

8.     Tucson/Southern AZ (tracing the path of Buffalo Soldiers)

9.      Paris (J’adore le salon de thé Angelina en la Rue Rivoli!)

10.  Toronto (What a fun, cosmopolitan city filled with nice folks who waved)

Top Ten Favorite Movie Scenes:

1.       Tombstone (the glove slap: “I said throw down, boy!”)

2.      Like Water for Chocolate (Gertrudis riding away)

3.      Alien (the chest burst)

4.      Constantine (the pool scene with Satan!)

5.      Black Panther (N’Jobu and Killmonger’s ancestral plane)

6.      The Five Heartbeats (the balcony with Red. I know every song)

7.      The Empire Strikes Back (When the door opened in Cloud City)

8.     The Fifth Element (all of Fhloston Paradise)

9.      The Thing (“Kill it with fire!”)

10.  The Prophecy (Lucifer. Always a scene-stealer. “Two Hells is one Hell too many.”)

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Thanks to the author for joining us! Get your copy of Breath of Life today!