📚 A Bookish Chat with 'Monsterland' Michael Okon | Author Interview | #AuthorInterview
MICHAEL OKON is a best-selling author and award-winning screenwriter whose compelling storytelling spans paranormal, horror, thriller, action-adventure, and self-help genres. With a BA in English and an MBA in Business and Finance from Long Island University, Michael merges his creative passion with entrepreneurial spirit to craft unforgettable narratives across his novels and screenplays.
Born into a family of avid writers and readers, Michael’s passion for storytelling runs deep—writing isn’t just something he does; it’s who he is. Ever since he first watched The Goonies as a kid, Michael has been captivated by the power of adventure, compelling characters, and the ability of stories to entertain and inspire. Whether crafting monster theme parks or penning insightful guidance in self-help, his goal remains the same: to create narratives that stick with readers long after they’ve turned the last page.
Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, a horrendous golfer, and a sucker for esoteric & self-help books. He lives on Long Island’s North Shore with his wife and children.
His latest book is Monsterland.
Connect with Michael on X and Instagram.
Monsterland offers you action, adventure and monsters. Which of these was the most intense for you to write?
I loved writing all aspects of action, adventure and monsters. Writing the actual rides were the most intense because I had to create them, and actually destroy them. Super fun!
Which of the characters from Monsterland do you most closely identify with and why?
All the teens are a part of me. Wyatt, Melvin, Howard Drucker – they are a part of my subconscious, fears I had when I was growing up all manifesting on the page.
What do you think sets Monsterland apart from other books of the same genre?
Monsterland is a mish-mash genre. YA, horror, and fantasy. It’s a monster theme park so it takes all those basic elements and puts it into one place.
Surprise me. What is something that happens in the book that would make my mouth drop without giving too much away?
The zombie we are following throughout the book isn’t just a typical zombie. There is a deep and thematic meaning behind his presence.
Who is your favorite author?
Michael Crichton.
Do you think writing an action adventure novel is more complex than writing books of other genres?
Action-adventure thrives on forward motion. You need to constantly balance high-intensity scenes (chases, battles, escapes) with quieter moments for character reflection and emotional depth. If the pacing slips – too slow, and readers get bored…two fast, and they don’t connect to the characters. By contract, a slower-burn genre like lit fiction has more leeway for extended internal reflection or description.
What’s next for you?
I’m putting the finishing touches on Monsterland Above – the 4th and final book of the Monsterland saga.
Wyatt Baldwin’s senior year is not going well. His parents divorced, and then his dad mysteriously died. He’s not exactly comfortable with his new stepfather, Carter Wright, either. An ongoing debate with his best friends, Melvin and Howard Drucker, over which monster is superior has gotten stale. He’d much rather spend his days with beautiful and popular Jade. However, she’s dating the brash high-school quarterback Nolan, and Wyatt thinks he doesn’t stand a chance.
But everything changes when Wyatt and his friends are invited to attend the grand opening of Monsterland, a groundbreaking theme park where guests can interact with vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by werewolves on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville.
With real werewolves, vampires, and zombies as the main attractions, what could possibly go wrong?
Read a sample here.
Monsterland is available at Amazon.
Here’s what reviewers are saying about Monsterland!
“… brings his buoyant mix of terror and humor to a tale of three major monsters of classic horror … his take on zombies, werewolves, and vampires is rooted in warmly likeably characters … the adventure ramps up to an enjoyably gore-soaked finale … full of both mayhem and heart.”
—Kirkus Review
“… toys with our preconceptions of scary creatures in his delightfully entertaining novel … part satire, part coming-of-age story, part genre gore-fest, Monsterland is smart, campy fun … peppers the narrative with real-life significance … a talented and clever enough writer to imbue his characters with real emotion … it is this deepening of the plot that elevates Monsterland above standard monster fare … the novel will prove an entertaining and thought-provoking read for both teenagers and adults.” —Scott Neuffer, Foreword Reviews
“Michael Okon’s MONSTERLAND is a fun and highly entertaining romp through the territory of all my favorite scary movies when I was a kid.” — Kevin J Anderson, New York Times bestselling author of the Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series
“Teen themes blended with a bevy of monsters makes this a fast-paced, fun read: The Breakfast Club meets The Walking Dead.” – BlueInk Review
“Original, riveting, and terrifically entertaining, “Monsterland” is a very highly recommended read for all fantasy enthusiasts and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Fantasy Fiction collections.” – Midwest Book Review
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