Although this is not the usual way Chris and I interview folks for the podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Tony Nesca and Nicole I. Nesca, for this written piece. The couple run and publish their books under their self-publishing house, Screamin’ Skull Press and, although I am sure we will have them on the podcast very soon, for now, enjoy their opinions and enthusiasm for the written word below.
While not erotica writings per se, this couple embraces pretty much the same ethos as Chris and me, and I think you will find their words quite inspiring.
Can you give us a little history on how, where and when you created SSP?
NICOLE-I’ll have to defer to Tony for that answer, as Screamin’ Skull was created before he knew me.
TONY-I founded Screamin’ Skull Press in 1994 as a cool sounding name to publish my books under. At the beginning it was just 45-50 page chapbooks of stories and poems, then in 2001 I wrote and published my first full length novel called Dishpig. My wife, Nicole Nesca, a great poet and writer in her own right, joined in 2008 and has written and published six books of her own under the Screamin’ Skull banner. We have also been published by traditional publishers, and currently have a publisher for our digital editions, and my latest novel Calabrito, was published by them, not by us.
Is print really dead? Has digital killed it?
NICOLE- I don’t believe print is dead. Two of my favorite smells: opening a new book and opening a brand new album. Vinyl is back. First, it was cassette tapes, then C.D.s, digital, streaming, and then (sound the horns) vinyl is back. I believe books and print will never go out of style. There is something absolutely magical about turning a page or just the weight of the book in your hand. No?
As you mention them in your site’s pages, might I play devil’s advocate from the jump here and ask…given the current weak global culture we live in and the social media dumbing down of the populace is it even possible we will see another Anais Nin or Hunter S. Thompson in our lifetimes?
TONY-Well, outside of Nicole and myself, there are a few, but not many. And when I compare ourselves to two writers such as Thompson and Nin, I don’t mean personalities or lifestyle, I mean writing styles, that renegade rebellious sort of rock and roll scorn for the mainstream. That breaking of the rules of grammar, writing to your own rhythm, experimenting and reinventing, all that stuff. There are a handful that we are aware of, and I’m certain that there are more, that want to do something more honest, more from the guts and heart. But, as you laid out in your question, the dumbing down of the masses has enveloped everything that is art and culture.
NICOLE-I have to be brutally honest here; I would say unlikely. Very unlikely, considering that the “woke” cancel culture has pretty much shamed, blamed, or canceled anything or anyone who doesn’t agree with them. I’m positive writers like these exist but won’t be found on social media.
What’s coming for the future for both of you?
TONY-We are trying to make a rock and roll record; I am writing music and Nicole and I are going to co-write lyrics. We already have a bunch of songs (music only) recorded, just need to figure out the lead vocalist factor. Nicole is almost finished her 1st novel and 7th book, and I am working on a poetry and photography book. We are also in the process of trying to arrange some personal appearances, some book signings, some small touring, but have nothing concrete yet. Always working hard, always…
NICOLE- I’m currently seeking therapy so that I can take over our Instagram properly and appropriately. Hopefully, I can finish that first novella (possibly novel) and get our YouTube channel started and then growing.
Find Screamin’ Skull Press here: Screamin’ Skull Press – Renegade Prose and Poetry (screamingskullpress.net)
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