An Interview with Elias Khalil
Elias Khalil is a horror-comedy author from Rancho Cucamonga, California, where he lives with his wife and Velcro dog. He earned his bachelor’s degree in International Business from Cal Poly Pomona and a master’s in Leadership from the University of Arizona. He worked in sales and had management roles throughout his career. A lifelong fan of the strange and supernatural, Elias enjoys blending humor with spooky themes to create stories that make readers laugh and shiver at the same time. His debut novel, The Devil Likes It Here, is a quirky, twisted tale that reflects his love for offbeat humor and spooky fun.
What inspired you to start writing this book?
I wanted to see if I could tell the story in my head. I can think of some beautiful sunsets, but I can’t make the crayons do it justice, so this was my shot.
Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
Deciding the title took a while; I wanted it to be somewhere in the book, but wasn’t sure what that would look like until the demon talked with a toddler. When I wrote that line, it clicked, and I knew that was going to be the title.
Describe your dream book cover.
The cover for The Devil Likes It Here is perfect; it captures a warm feeling of a home that doesn’t necessarily look scary until you read the title, then it’s creepy. Like a playground at night.
If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?
The soundtrack would definitely go back and forth between chapters, with some having songs such as: “Walking On Sunshine,” “Best Day of My Life,” “Good Vibrations”; then just a lot of low-octave drones for the others.
Where is your favorite place to write?
I loved to set up on the couch. I could have a drink within arm’s reach, the TV on, and my dog snuggled up next to me, and I really can’t ask for more.
What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?
Just keep writing, and if it sucks, try again. And don’t be afraid to delete whole pages, either, because if it doesn’t work, don’t force it.
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
I hope that when you lie down in bed and look into that dark corner of your room, even though you “know” ghosts aren’t real, you second-guess if you’re truly alone.
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