1. Tell us about yourself and your most current project/s?
I am an award-winning publicist, I host 4 different podcasts, The Jimmy Star Show with Ron Russell, The Indie Sound with Jimmy Star, Collector’s Corner with Jimmy Star and Dark Frights Horror News with Jimmy Star. I am also a movie producer, horror being my favorite genre and author of both fiction and non-fiction.
Current Project- Screams For Sale: How Horror Became Hollywood’s Most Reliable Money Machine
Screams for Sale: How Horror Became Hollywood’s Most Reliable Money Machine
By Jimmy Star
Why does horror never die?
Why does it outperform bigger genres with smaller budgets, fewer stars, and almost no marketing?
And why do audiences keep paying—again and again—to be scared?
In Screams for Sale, horror author, filmmaker, and entertainment personality Jimmy Star pulls back the curtain on the psychology, history, economics, and global power of the one genre Hollywood can always count on. From the birth of the monster movie to the rise of prestige horror, from slashers and final girls to viral trends and streaming-era breakouts, this book reveals how fear works—and why it sells.
Packed with cultural insight, behind-the-scenes analysis, and a fan’s passion sharpened by an expert’s eye, Screams for Sale breaks down:
why the human brain craves fear
how horror turned into a billion-dollar business
the emotional and psychological science behind scares
the evolution of monsters, villains, and archetypes
horror’s global explosion and international influence
why certain films become icons while others vanish
where the genre is headed next—from AI nightmares to immersive terror
Whether you’re a filmmaker, writer, horror fan, or someone who simply wants to understand why this genre refuses to die, Screams for Sale is the definitive guide to the business, psychology, and irresistible thrill of fear.
Horror isn’t just entertainment.
It’s an industry.
It’s a language.
It’s a mirror.
And it’s the most bulletproof money machine Hollywood has ever built.
2. Where did the inspiration/idea come for these projects?
I am considered to be an expert in horror and have produced many horror films so I thought it would be fun to write a book using my knowledge to help other horror aficionados and people interested in making horror movies.
3. What does the writing process look like for you?
I write very quickly.....I usually come up with a concept first, then a book cover for inspiration, and then I outline all the chapters I think will be needed to have a complete book, whether fiction or non-fiction. (I have published both)
4. How do you handle writer’s block?
I don’t usually get writer’s block as I usually come up with concept and think about it for a week or two before I start putting anything together....my favorite genres beside nonfiction are YA Fantasy/superhero novels and horror stories
5. How do you feed your creativity when feeling drained?
As I use my creativity for every thing that I do, I don’t really feel drained...maybe tired....then I take a nap or catch up on my sleep....I am basically a very upbeat person who sees the glass as half-full, and am so blessed to be able to support myself doing what I love, so I am usually a pretty upbeat person.
6. What advice would you give writers who feel stuck or uninspired?
I would say look around you and your environment....ideas for my books come from everyday life, things I see, and topics I enjoy...I basically write for myself and hope others like what I am doing.
7. Have you ever thought about giving up writing? If so, what pulled you back?
I used to write many years ago with a friend of mine. We published about 7 novels that we worked on together. He decided he did not want to be known as a writer, so we took them all down...one of them went to #1 on Amazon. So I took about 10 years off from publishing, although I was writing all the time. I recently decided to start publishing the novels I had written over the last 10 years as a new career and a new way for people to identify me and hopefully enjoy the stories I am releasing.
8. How do you keep your voice or ideas fresh over time?
I basically write what I would like to read....I love warlocks, horror and the supernatural and am always creating ideas that I think will be fun to work on. I have written what I think are some really fun books, and the feedback I have received has been very positive, which also helps me to keep my voice as it is always nice when others react positively to what I am writing.
9.cWhat do you wish more people understood about the creative process?
I think it is important to realize that everyone’s creative process is different and that there is not only one way to do it....don’t compare yourself to others, be yourself it will serve you in the long run.
10. What is the most honest thing you’ve ever written - and did it scare you?
I have not really written about myself personally, as I have three non-fiction books and nine fiction books.... so they did not scare me lol....I will probably write a book on podcasting in the future as all 4 of my shows are usually in the top of their podcast categories around the world and it is something that I am very well versed in, which would have a lot of honest things in it.
Where can my audience find you?
BIO:
Jimmy Star has 45 years experience working in the TV/Film industry in many capacities including actor, director, producer, writer, costume designer and publicist. He has worked on 247 titles, 43 of them as producer and 152 as an actor.
He is #5 on the lists of actors who have been in the most billion dollar movies.
Jimmy Star is a publicist at World Star PR, and was named the Best Entertainment Publicist in the United States, working with filmmakers, actors, writers, musicians, singers, directors, authors and bands, many of which are extremely well known in the entertainment industry.
Jimmy Star is a social media expert, with a following over 1,000,000 followers strong, as well as an entertainment blogger, whose website https://www.jimmystarsworld.com is ranked #38 of the top 100 celebrity entertainment websites in the world.
He also hosts The Jimmy Star Show with Ron Russell, the top webshow in the world, interviewing celebrity guests in all areas of entertainment. The show just broke 1.2 Billion Streams, and is popular all around the world. The Jimmy Star Show with Ron Russell was named the 10th Best Celebrity Interview Show in the World.
Besides writing the foreword to the Amazon #1 Best-Selling Book “Success Factor X”, he has begun publishing his own fiction/non-fiction books on Amazon. He enjoys writing YA Novels with warlocks and superheroes, and horror stories.
Nice piece! Jimmy has had me on his show, he’s an incredible human being! 🤩🤩🤩