Q&A with A.L. Soto, author of Fresh Meat: Definitive Edition

This article is a small set of interview questions conducted initially by some friends in 2023, before the book Fresh Meat: A Horror Novel was out. This small collection of interviews was collected and expanded upon for the second edition of the book Fresh Meat: Definitive Edition(2025).

Feel free to comment below or add any questions.

What made you settle on Fresh Meat as your first novel?

I have always been fascinated by horror, which ranks alongside Action, Adventure, and fantasy in my book and film tastes. While full of clichés, horror has the potential for originality and is a perfect genre for taking risks.  Here I am, taking a risk with my first novel.

What do you expect readers to walk away with after reading Fresh Meat?

My expectation is that my book will entertain people. In addition to expressing my creative juices, my intent was to ask: Can I write something that people will enjoy, regardless of subject matter or genre?

Why Fresh Meat? And not Secret Ingredient.

Secret Ingredient was the original title until I expanded the story from the venue (also named Secret Ingredient) to the larger town of Rowe.  So I asked myself, how do I honor the Secret Ingredient without using it as the title for my story? So I went after that fundamental question: what is the secret Ingredient? 

Spoiler alert: if you made it this far, you must’ve finished the book. But if you haven’t, stop reading now or skip this question.

During their entire stay in Rowe, they were nothing but fresh meat on the menu, which resonated with me. When you realize that people are the secret Ingredient, fresh meat is the secret Ingredient. Plus, let’s be honest, Fresh Meat has a nice ring to it.

Is there any particular book or film that inspired you with this book?

There are too many to mention (laughs). I try to follow my writing instincts, but if you’re as aware of pop culture as I am, I’m confident you’ll see some similarities and notice the inspirations. 

Speaking of film? Do you see this story being turned into a movie? Or a TV show?

While that’s not entirely up to me or precisely what I’m after, it would still be pretty neat and quite an accomplishment if it were. But who knows?!

What makes Fresh Meat unique to you?

Completing one of my stories is the culmination of a ten-year process. It has been a hell of a journey. The characters inside the story itself; I found myself relating to them as individuals, and bringing them to life and putting them through the wringer was fun in a non-morbid way. 

Lastly, holding a completed book I created with my hands is truly something special.

Are you only going to write horror novels?

No, I have other genres in mind, including my passion for fantasy(more to come).

Why the Lost Chapters?

I wanted to show my readers some of this content, which I had removed for various reasons. While not necessary in the main narrative, it expanded the world a bit. It also provided more context to the viewers from a character in the story who made a difference but were not given enough book time. As I looked at re-releasing/ relaunching Fresh Meat, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity.

Speaking of relaunching, what made you restart?

This is a great question.

2024 was about proving to myself that it can be done (becoming a self-published author). Out of all the stories in my head, Fresh Meat was the easiest to put together. And as I did, it came to be an actual book launched in April 2024, which you recognize as Fresh Meat: A Horror Novel.

I was satisfied with the result and am proud of it as a serious freshman effort. But since then, I’ve done more research, expanded my knowledge, and improved my craft after I first attempted to review my first book objectively (yes, I did that, lol). I could see that it was just a simple version of something more.

However, what I didn’t know then, I certainly know now. This series has the potential to be bigger; the reception has been great. Feedback has been mostly good, save a few (as to be expected).

I challenged myself to rethink, redo, rewrite, expand, and release the ultimate version I could tell, all before I released the sequel and my future books.

As an author, too!

By the end of Fall 2024, I had a serious conversation with myself about my goals and aspirations(I do that too, every so often), and I’ve come to terms with the fact that, yes, Mr. Soto, you have serious potential here to be more. That is why I am improving every part of myself as an individual, both personally and professionally.

I’m very optimistic about my future success as an author. I feel I always owe it to myself and my readers to deliver top-notch content. Thus, I decided to start over, like the Phoenix. And Fresh Meat: Definitive Edition is the first step toward that!

And it’s not only about the book; Fresh Meat: Definitive Edition represents me as a full-fledged author rather than just someone who writes books as a hobby. In my humble opinion, it is early enough in this career that I can afford to make such a move after just one book. But don’t worry. Fresh Meat: A Horror Story will be the only book I will rehaul as I move forward.

But yes, I am here to stay!

Do you have another book in the process?

I have a dozen ideas waiting to be brought to the spotlight. Currently, my focus is on marketing Fresh Meat, building a community, and supporting my readers. That being said, I am focusing on three specific ones now, but that’s all I will say for now.

One book is nearly complete, another is at the midway mark, and the third’s first act is complete. Stay tuned for more info.

This doesn’t include the shorts that I randomly post on my site.

Is one of them a sequel to Fresh Meat?

Yes (laughs).

That’s interesting. I thought you didn’t want to write sequels. What changed your mind?

That’s not necessarily true(laughs).

Sequels are usually made due to high demand but tend to underperform because they aren’t ready yet. The quality is often downgraded, or they expand too much, losing focus on what’s important. This applies to both movies and books.

I don’t want to follow that path for any of my books as an author. I refuse to publish poor-quality sequels or even prequels for the sole purpose of making more money. At the cost of the reader’s time? Never!

At the end of the day, it’s all about the story. So I have to ask myself, “Anthony, do you have a story worth telling?” If I can come up with something worth telling, worthy of the reader’s attention and enjoyment, then I will.

Fresh Meat: A Horror Novel being a one-off wasn’t always the case; at the time, as a new author, I had to keep the consideration to my readers that I may never publish another story. So, for me to leave a book off with a serious cliffhanger where it’s obvious the story continues was a big no-no. That wouldn’t be fair to my readers. Nonetheless, I also wanted an ambiguous ending so the reader could decide whether this person survived.

Leaving that entirely to the reader brought a sense of conclusion that was satisfying for me. That’s not to say I didn’t know where the story would’ve gone had I kept writing; I did. But in my mind, at the time, I wasn’t sure it could come up with a very good story. That is, until I cracked it! This was only possible due to the motivation the readers gave me as they asked for more on this world.

I can assure you I am very excited about Fresh Meat 2. I firmly believe it’s a superior work. You’ll let me know (laughs).

What are the names of the other books?

Stay tuned to my website or subscribe to my newsletter!

When is Fresh Meat 2 coming out?

I am targeting a September 2025 release. The actual date is yet to be determined, but I will announce it as soon as I have it.

Anything else you want to say to the reader?

Yes, follow your dreams, work for them, and don’t give up. We all have a story to tell. As for Fresh Meat itself, thank you for reading this novel. I hope you enjoyed it for what it was. But if you hated it, it’s all good (laughs).  I still thank you for your time.

Best regards!

A.L.Soto

Thank you for your time, and don’t forget to check out Fresh Meat: Definitive Edition!

Click here to see the pre-order portal.