Q & A

On this page, you find previously asked questions concerning the book. Here are the answers to those questions.

Q1: “Is Claire truly a villain—or is she just a pawn in something bigger?”
— Jordan B., Mission Hills, CA

A: Claire is truly a villain. The reason for this is because was acting of her own accord. She was not sent by the devil to do the things that she does. She tries to claim the soul of a living girl so that she may walk around freely and get close to her true target, who is Brian.

Q2: “Where did the inspiration come from for the serpent? It’s unlike anything I’ve read in horror fiction.”
— Lucas F., El Cajon, CA

A: The inspiration for the serpent came from the Bible, but it was a little of fantasy involved as well. The reason is because the devil is referred several times as being a serpent, including in the beginning when the serpent tricked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. Also, because the serpent is a basilisk, which has the ability to kill people with a glare, but only those people who look it in the eyes.

Q3: “Is Brian Genderson’s writer’s block symbolic of something deeper?”
— Erika S., San Diego, CA

A: Brian’s writer’s block is simple. Each writer deals with writer’s block at some point in his or her career, and I just wanted to point out that it happens. However, I believe that if it is symbolic of something deeper, then it would be that possibly his time of writing horror novels is done, because the human spirit can only endure so much before it is too much. As it is, Brian’s inspiration for his prior novels always came from haunted locations that he had either lived in or near throughout the duration of his writing to ensure that he captured realistic emotions for his characters.

Q4: “Are we going to learn more about the death knight’s backstory in a future book?”
— Monica D., Oceanside, CA

A: There is possibility that the death knight’s backstory will come out in a future book. However, at this point there are no plans for that to happen. Moreover, this question provides enough curiosity to be able to write another novel based on the death knight during his lifetime, which would have been during the medieval times in England—also the Viking era. This is something that I could work with to ensure that the death knight, Grevanon Langston, receives true recognition as an important character within The Mausoleum.

Q5: “Was the photo on the restroom floor a clue—or a trap?”
— Reuben L., Chula Vista, CA

A: The purpose of the photo on the restroom floor was meant to be a clue for Brian to determine who the ghost was before her untimely passing at the age of 6. Brian considered it a clue when he saw the photo appear on the news while eating his breakfast the first morning in the house that he is renting. It was this photo and other events that led him to the Catholic priest where he finds out the identity of the girl.