Interview with Horror Author Tim McGregor

Tim McGregor Interview

1.     Thank you so much for joining me! For those who don’t know you, could you please introduce yourself and tell us a little about your work?

Thanks for hosting, Nico. I ‘m primarily a horror author that started self-publishing a while ago, and have had some success with my supernatural series, The Spookshow. The series has, bafflingly, grown to eleven books. Lately though, I’ve been drawn to the world of indie publishers who are pushing boundaries in the genre. Hearts Strange and Dreadful was published last year with Off Limits Press, to a very nice reception. This summer sees the release of my novella, Lure, published with Tenebrous Press, a scrappy new publisher that continues to impress with each publication. And yesterday, (how’s that for timing?) another novella was just announced by Cemetery Gates. Taboo in Four Colors will be part of the My Dark Library series curated by Mother Horror herself, Sadie Hartmann. I’m really excited about these two novellas, and grateful both have such fantastic publishers. April was supposed to see the release of Wasps in the Ice Cream, a coming-of-age horror novel, but that book is on hold after the publisher shut down. Back to square one on that project! I also worked briefly in film, penning the scripts to three feature films. These were straight-to-DVD genre fare, but a couple had bona fide stars like Michael Madsen and the late Luke Perry (yes, Archie’s dad!).

2.     Congratulations on your upcoming novella Lure, available July 2022! Without giving away any spoilers, could you please tell us a bit about this story?

Thanks! Lure is a weird folk horror tale about a mermaid who comes to a remote fishing village to sing to the women, not the men, and lure them to her dark power. It’s part The Little Mermaid, part Jaws, and a whole lot of briny bloodshed.

 3.     If Lure were made into a movie, who would you cast as the protagonist?

Hmm... The protagonist is a 15-year-old boy whose world gets turned on its head. Maybe the banjo-playing kid from Deliverance? Remember him? Or maybe shake it up a little and cast Maizie Williams in the role?

 4.     Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter” when it comes to developing a story?

I’m a plotter by nature. I learned to write via screenplays and scripts are all about outlines. But I’ve been trying to break that habit recently by throwing out everything I know about story structure and trusting my gut. A quasi-pantser? Aspiring pantser?

 5.     When did you first realize you wanted to be an author?

Dunno. As a kid, I think, but it seemed impossible. It took a long time and I had to unlearn a lot of bullshit before I could even think of being an author.

 6.     What sparked your love of the horror genre?

Movies, definitely. Staying up late at night as a kid to watch horror movies with my dad. Everything from the classic Universal monsters to inappropriate Cronenberg flicks.

 7.     Who is your favorite author and why?

I don’t know if I have a favorite author. I can be a bit of magpie, flitting from one fave to the next. But there are a number of authors whose work I’ve come to admire and respect, like Catherine McCarthy, Eric LaRocca, Hailey Piper, and Laurel Hightower. Oh, and Christopher Buehlman. His medieval horror epic, Between Two Fires, melted my brain.

8.     Is there anything else you’d like to mention before we wrap up?

Just to say thanks for the chat. Much appreciated.

 9.     Where can people find you online?

Mostly on Twitter, blathering away like an idiot at @TimMcGregor1. There’s also the obligatory author website, timmcgregorauthor.com. Cheers!