John Cosper on Wrestling and Horror

Yesterday, I interviewed author John Cosper. We had so much ground to cover, I split the interview into two parts. In the first part, John discusses his wrestling biographies, while in the second part, talk turns to his fiction works. As the proud owner of several of his books from each genre, I assure you, they are all highly entertaining.

Not only an author, John is a wrestling historian. Among his many book subjects are MadMan Pondo, Chris Candido, Wahoo McDaniel, Princess Victoria, Elvira Snodgrass, Mars Bennett, Tracy Smothers, Jim Mitchell, Dean Hill and June Byers, his latest. He has also covered broader topics with Bluegrass Brawlers, Louisville's Greatest Show and others.

John digs deep into all his subjects, interviewing as many close folks as possible and scouring the internet and libraries to gain more knowledge. Each book is a history lesson in itself. I consider myself a wrestling fan, but I have learned so much from John's books.

One of the things I love about John's wrestling books is the selection of wrestlers. While all are quite accomplished in the squared circle, some are lesser known than others, yet all played a big role in the history of wrestling. While I certainly heard of each wrestler and knew a bit, John delivered so much more, bringing amazing details and fun stories from their lives, most of which I never previously heard.

As a proponent and frequent reporter of women's sports, I especially enjoy his books on the women pioneers. With no disrespect to other more well-known women, John shows there are several more successful wrestlers who haven't been covered on current wrestling promotions and television shows. The women John has covered deserve to share in the accolades and enjoy their place in history.

In our interview, John discusses his latest projects, while mixing in some fun stories. He also talks a little about Ohio Valley Wrestling, one of his frequent stops that is quickly gaining national exposure and popularity.

In the second part of the interview, John gave a quick recap of his start in fiction writing, before turning his thoughts to his Dead Park series. Prior to Dead Park Plaza, John wrote several other fiction books, including Charlie Kruel: Escape From VHS Hell, the story of the origin of everyone's favorite purple-haired maniac. Now known as Charlie Pierce, she is an independent wrestler and one of my favorites.

Dead Park Estates is the fourth book in the Dead Park series, which started with Dead Park Plaza. Described as The Office meets Tales From the Darkside, the Dead Park series is a collection of short horror stories combined with just enough quirky humor. The series started in an office building setting, but has since expanded to other related areas. John masterfully weaves short tales of horror containing interesting twists.

I was hooked from Dead Park Plaza. Each book presents a bittersweet issue for me though. I want to savor each story, making the book last longer, but I always end up binge reading because it's too good to put down.

I really appreciate John's time, friendship and the hours of entertainment he has given me through his books. Whether it's a wrestler's bio or a fiction short story, if it's written by John, I know I am in for a great read.

For more info on John's wrestling books, go to EatSleepWrestle.com. For more on John's fiction, including his Dead Park Series and other books, go to DeadParkBooks.com.