PHOTO: Kevin Matthew Hayes seated in a study, surrounded by books and manuscripts, reflecting his literary passion and focus.
Reflections On Writing Craft And Creative Vision
Kevin Matthew Hayes discusses blending historical research with horror and western fiction, the inspiration behind his novels, and the insights gained from founding his independent publishing company.
Kevin Matthew Hayes writes with a keen sense of history and a vivid imagination, weaving the past into narratives that feel both authentic and thrilling. From the shadowed halls of vampire lore in Reckonings: An All Hallows’ Eve Tale to the sun-scorched plains of 1858 Florida in Ethan Tucker’s Job, his work explores the intersections of human struggle, folklore, and historical reality. There is a quiet, reflective intensity in the way he reconstructs worlds long past, inviting readers to experience the grit and beauty of eras often overlooked.
Hayes’ fascination with history is never mere backdrop. In his horror and thriller tales, historical events shape his characters’ choices and moral dilemmas, turning them into echoes of real human experiences. This same meticulous approach carries into his western fiction, where the untamed landscapes and forgotten towns of Florida are rendered with remarkable precision, allowing both setting and character to breathe with authenticity.
Beyond his writing, Hayes’ role as the founder of Live Oak Key Publishing speaks to a desire for creative autonomy and careful stewardship over his work. This dual engagement with storytelling and publishing highlights a rare combination of artistic vision and practical enterprise—a commitment to craft that extends from the page to the process of bringing books into the world.
For readers, Hayes’ stories offer more than entertainment; they are careful examinations of resilience, choice, and the subtle forces of history that shape human life. Whether through the lens of a vampire’s tragic past or a frontier cowboy’s grit, his narratives linger, asking us to reflect on the worlds we inherit and the ones we dare to imagine.
Your recent western novel Ethan Tucker’s Job is set in 1858 Florida – what drew you to explore this lesser known frontier period and location for your storytelling?
I was born and raised in Florida and remembered hearing stories about the cattlemen of the region. I was just fascinated by the history. Everyone knows about the romanticized American West, but few people know about the Florida cowboys, or cracker cowmen, a nickname that is believed to have come from the cracking sound of their whips used to drive cattle. There were major ranchers such as Jacob Summerlin and cowboys such as Morgan “Bone” Mizell. There were also wild towns such as Pine Level, now a ghost town, known for gunfights and the hideout of the Sarasota gang. Florida even had range wars and cattle were not required to be fenced in until the 1940s and 50s when the population was expanding quickly.
How did your background in horror and thriller, evident in Reckonings: An All Hallows’ Eve Tale, influence your approach when switching genres to western historical fiction?
I’ve always been a fan of history. When I write the All Hallows’ Eve Tales books, I try to use historical events that help drive the storyline and influence the characters. I think it helps the reader better relate to the characters and understand why the characters react to certain situations. In Reckonings, Jacques, one of the vampires, was greatly changed by the horrors of the New Mexico Campaign of the American Civil War. This ultimately turned him into a monster, or vampire in his case. When I wrote Ethan Tucker’s Job, I did a lot of the same research as I would for the All Hallows’ Eve Tales books. I tried to make the background of Ethan Tucker’s Job accurate while showing how the rough environment and history of Florida might influence the characters.
Reckonings centres on an off campus Halloween party unraveling into a vampire thriller – how did folklore and your interests in history shape the creation of your antagonist’s mysterious backstory?
The vampires in Reckonings are metaphors. As we go through life, we are often put in hard situations and we have to get through them as best as possible. The vampires in the story are people who had hard lives and they are easy to feel sorry for, but they decided to give up. For example, Jacques, went through the terrors of the New Mexico Campaign and everyone turned on him out of fear for housing a Confederate soldier. At one point he was dying. He could have fought to the end, but he gave up and became a monster. Antonia, is a little more mysterious. She is the leader of the vampire coven and the oldest of the vampires. Something may have happened to her, but no one knows for certain. Maybe she represents something evil from another realm and it’s her job. Who knows? But Antonia is the driving force of the coven. She is always looking for victims to turn. They must have some kind of grudge so they are easy to manipulate and control.
You founded Live Oak Key Publishing in July 2024 – how has running your own publishing house impacted your creative process and control over works like Reckonings and Ethan Tucker’s Job?
I think it’s like any venture. It took me several months, but I finally worked out the issues that arose and found a healthy balance between writing and keeping my publishing company up to date. The publishing company has been very beneficial. I’ve saved costs, saved time, and I have complete control over my works.
The prologue of Ethan Tucker’s Job received Frontier Tales Magazine’s Best Story, and it earned the Literary Titan’s Book Award – how does this recognition influence your confidence and future writing decisions?
It was certainly a confidence booster. It felt great! I can guarantee I’m going to write more westerns in the future. This genre is very popular and they’re a lot of fun to write. I have a few ideas, but I don’t want to say anything just yet.
Both your works draw on precise historical detail – what research methods do you employ to ensure authenticity, especially for settings such as rural Florida in the mid 19th century?
I typically use multiple resources. In the past, I’ve reached out to local historical societies, researched maps from the same time period, and researched other authors who have written books based on the setting I’m researching. I’ve even looked at old census records to find out what names were popular for my characters.
What one piece of advice would you offer aspiring authors hoping to publish across diverse genres and even launch their own independent publishing ventures?
I would offer two pieces of advice. First, write what you enjoy. It makes the writing process much easier. If you’re having fun with the subject, it’s going to be a great story. If you struggle with it, your readers are going to know. Second, give it a year. If you plan to start a publishing company, there are going to be unforeseen issues that arise. Give it a year to work out all the kinks.
