Nico Bell 7/1/22 Nico Bell 7/1/22

Interview with Horror Author Nat Cassidy

Nat Cassidy Interview

1. Congratulations on the upcoming release of your book Mary: An Awakening of Terror! Without giving away spoilers, could you please tell us a bit about the premise?

Thank you! I'm so excited for people to get to read this weird-ass book! Let's see, a spoiler-free recap of the premise …

Mary Mudgett is about to turn 50 and she's feeling incredibly unsettled. In life, in her own skin. It's not just the hot flashes or the restless sleep or the body aches … it's the voices in her head urging her to do awful things, and the increasingly terrifying visions of decomposing corpses she sees on the street and in the mirror. Her symptoms are all dismissed as textbook menopause, but she's unconvinced there's not something really wrong. When she's fired from her job in New York City, she decides to accept a job from her abusive aunt back in her old hometown (a tiny desert town in the deserts of Arizona), thinking it'll be a good opportunity to reconnect with herself, her past, and maybe get to the root of what's happening.

But when she arrives, the visions get even worse, the voices get even louder, the urges get even stronger ... and she soon learns the horrifying history of this town and what often happened to women just like her ...

Mary's about to discover how she fits into all this. But that's when the real horror begins.

2. What was your inspiration for this book?

I go into this in depth in the Foreword/Afterword of the book, so I'll try not to repeat myself too much for those who want to read them. Basically, I first wrote a version of this book when I was 13 and its major inspiration then was that I wanted to write an homage to Stephen King's Carrie. I'm a lifelong King obsessive and Carrie is one of my very favorites. (The title of my book rhymes with Carrie quite purposefully.) I knew pretty much nothing about menopause other than the fact that it existed and was a sort of second puberty, but I loved how Carrie tied this universal, biological rite of passage to a scary story, and so I wanted to do something similar with menopause. I became intrigued by the idea of what Carrie might be like if it took place in middle-age instead of High School. What would it have been like for Carrie White to have lived so many decades feeling invisible and neglected and abused? And what if she didn't have any special powers like telekinesis? What if she was just a normal person, like, say, my mom (who would have been in her mid-40s at the time and who was nowhere near as introverted as the character of Mary, but who'd had far more than her share of unfairness thrown at her)?

There was another book that I was also really into, The Parasite by Ramsey Campbell, which is very metaphysical, all about astral projection and metempsychosis and stuff like that, and that's where I got the idea to explore reincarnation. With those elements, the premise for Mary was born.

I revisited the story a few times as an adult, and it was then that I realized there was richer thematic ground than I could've appreciated as a teenager. There was an opportunity to explore more about how society treats women of a certain age, how menopause is still treated as a weirdly taboo subject, how the bullying Carrie White experienced becomes less overt but more insidious. My original attempt at this book had all these ingredients already—the ideas of cycles (both physical and social), of serial killers and the inheritance of violent patriarchy, etc—but now I felt mature enough to see the threads and actually tie them together in ways they deserved. Hopefully I did it some justice.

Oh! And also, J-horror and gialli. Those were big influences on the actual execution of the book as it exists now. I should mention that, too, because, well, how a book is told is just as important as what a book is trying to say, isn't it?

3. You write the female voice extremely well! It’s so refreshing to have a woman protagonist, turning fifty, who is experiencing the symptoms of menopause…Honestly, when I picked up this book, I didn’t pay much attention to who the author was. I selected it because of the description and cover art. Halfway through, I remember thinking, “Wow, this woman can write!” I was surprised to discover that it was written by a man! How did you research this POV? Did you have women beta readers or critique partners help with the voice?

That means the world to me to hear. Women have been the primary influence of my life. I was raised by a single mom (who herself came from a family of three daughters, and the only children my mom's sisters had were all daughters, as well). With a few exceptions, almost all of my closest friends at every stage of my life have been female. I've just always felt much more comfortable around women than I do men, and honestly, most of the protagonists I write tend to be female or nonbinary.

But obviously, with Mary, the story is about something very specific that's outside of my lived experience as a person without a uterus, so I was incredibly lucky to work with a brilliant array of women—from my editor, Jen Gunnells, to a number of beta readers from all sorts of backgrounds and at multiple steps of the drafting process—just to make sure what I was writing sounded authentic and respectful. I also read several books and watched countless videos on the experience(s) of perimenopause. I feel like that's the least you can do if you're going to write about something that's not yours. (And, of course, Mary is narrated from one particular POV but I tried to acknowledge in the Afterword that not every woman goes through menopause and not everyone who goes through menopause is a woman. Just wanted to have that said since I'm running my mouth off about women and menopause so much here!)

4. I’ll admit it. This book legitimately scared me in the most deliciously terrorizing way! What book or movie have you seen recently that scared you?

Yessss. Writing horror is so weird—sometimes you just know when something you're writing is going to be scary, but a lot of the times, you get so desensitized during the revision process that you start to forget how certain moments will actually affect readers. It reminds me of when you're rehearsing a comedy for the stage—after a while, you're so into the mechanics of everything that you kinda forget you're doing a comedy until you finally put it up in front of an audience.

Mary was definitely like that. I was so caught up in making sure the internal logic made sense and that Mary was a complete character that it's incredibly gratifying now to be reminded that, oh yeah, scary shit happens in this book!

As for stuff I've read or seen … Because I'm part of the Nightfire family, I've been incredibly lucky to read the other books that are under the same imprint. Books like Just Like Mother, Sundial, Black Tide, Manhunt, Dead Silence (I haven't read Echo yet but I loved Hex so much that I know I'm gonna love that, too)—it's the honor of my life to be included among them. If you haven't read the other Nightfire titles yet, you're in for a treat; they're each terrifying and brilliant in their own specific ways.

Some other recent reads (or rereads in some cases) I loved include Sarah Langan's Good Neighbors, Rachel Harrison's The Return, Michael Seidlinger's Anybody Home?, Eric LaRocca's We Can Never Leave This Place, Gus Moreno's This Thing Between Us, Richard Chizmar's Chasing the Bogeyman, Jonathan Janz's The Siren and the Specter. Horror is having such a moment right now, it's almost infuriating. There's just so many good books to read.

Plus, I'm so looking forward to reading your Beyond the Creek, Nico! I've got a copy on my Kindle just itching to be cracked open!

My answer's probably getting too long to get into the stuff I've watched lately, too, but I watch a ton of horror movies and TV. If I were to randomly pick one thing that got under my skin recently, I'd say … Koji Shiraishi's Occult from 2009. I just watched that for the first time a few months ago and it's insane.

5. In addition to writing books, you’re also a screenwriter and actor. How is writing a script different than the experience of writing a novel?

Less and less different the more I write novels, actually!

I actually didn't start writing scripts until I was in my 20s, but for the past 15 years or so, that was pretty much all I wrote. Plays, screenplays, teleplays, you name it. So the bulk of my mature, professional writing career has been scriptwriting. It's how I approach breaking stories, outlining, shaping, etc. I try to make sure scenes are vivid and necessary, that information is relayed through interaction, and, more than anything, that the characters are interesting enough that someone would want to play them.

When I decided to get back into writing novels (which I'd spent my childhood doing), at first I was really excited that I'd have all these new tools to play with—access to characters' inner thoughts, an ability to really set scenes and indulge in descriptions and backstory and digressions, etc. However, I pretty quickly realized those are all traps! You still want to keep your novel lean and mean and propulsive, just as any script! Even though a novel writer has access to more tools, the principles are the same. Keep it grounded in physical action, try to have each scene contribute something new, and try to create a sense of escalation with as little redundancy or wheel spinning as possible.

The biggest difference between script writing and novel writing, I'd say, is that a script is a means to something final (ie, a production, a film, whatever) while a novel is the end result itself. So, with scripts, you need to leave more space for collaborators. Your focus is on the characters, the dialogue, the physical action—but, unless it affects something in those departments, you don't have to worry about, say, the costumes, the lighting, the camera movements, and so on. When you're writing a novel, you're ALL of those things. You're the director, you're the actor, you're the gaffer, you're the costumer, you're the caterer, you're in charge of stunts.

But, ultimately, the goal of any writing is the same: keep the audience wanting to move to the next sentence. The methodology and the rules are different depending on the medium, but it's like how music theory is the same no matter what instrument you're playing.

(I will say, though, there's one other big difference between script writing and novel writing that I definitely miss whenever I'm working on a book: when you write a script you can just hand a draft over to some actors and have them read it outloud in front of you over the course of an hour or two, to see if it's working. You get to make a little event out of it, with cheese and snacks and wine. With novels, you have to sit alone, in quiet, and read your own damn work over and over and over again! It's downright brutal sometimes.)

6. If Mary: An Awakening of Terror was every made into a movie, who would you want to play the lead?

I am so embarrassed I don't have an answer ready to go for this! I mean, I'm an actor and director—I should've cast this in my head down to the background actors already, right?

I will say when I made a little mood board during the drafting process, I used Nicole Kidman's character from the movie Destroyer as one of the stand-ins for Mary. There was a haunted, exhausted quality to that face that I really responded to. But the most important aspects of the character that an actor would need to play are that she's capable of both great meekness and great rage, and that even at her most withdrawn she's still got a sense of humor.

7. What is one writing tip you would give to writers trying to break into traditional publishing?

Write about werewolves. It works every time.

No. Just write. And read. Write write write. And read read read. Write write write write. And—you get it.

No one's path into traditional publishing is the same—my own was long and circuitous and strange and happened because I wrote a lot of plays which happened because I was frustrated with my career as an actor—but the only constants I know of are that you have to love writing and you have to love reading. Writing only happens when you write, and reading makes you a better writer (also, if trad publishing is your goal, reading also helps keep you up to date about the business side of things: who's publishing what, etc. It's win win!).

Also, one bonus tip: take the pressure off of yourself as far as time or age or anything like that goes. Don't get caught up in the Word Count Wars on social media. I wrote the bulk of Mary during quarantine while taking care of two elderly pets that required constant care and only allowed me 4 hours of sleep a night. I usually only got to work for a couple hours in the early morning, before the sun came up, and most of the time I was so exhausted I barely wrote anything and fell asleep at my desk. I'm not saying this as a way to be like, "Don't complain! No excuses!" Instead, I just mean that, even if you don't feel like you have the time to write (or, fuck that language, even if you straight up DON'T have the time to write), just give yourself space to write even a dozen words a day. A sentence. It'll all add up, I promise—the most important thing is to try to do it as regularly as you can and remember that no one can tell your stories but you. I complained in an answer a few thousand words earlier that writing a novel means you have to play ALL the parts … but that's really the beauty of it, too.

8. Where can readers find out more about you?

Contact your local police department and—

Wait. I have a website. Use that instead. Natcassidy.com

Or find me on Twitter if you want to see me shout about things that make me angry: @natcassidy

Or find me on Instagram, where I'm less active now that both of my pets have sadly passed away and I no longer have a reason to share photos of just how weird they were, but I'm sure we'll be getting some new critters again at some point: @catnassidy

Oh! And after several years away, I finally gave in and reactivated my Facebook profile so I could set up an author page: @NatCassidyAuthor.

Nico Bell 6/27/22 Nico Bell 6/27/22

Interview with Author Stephanie Feldman

Stephanie Feldman 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?

I’m a Philly-based fiction writer. My first novel, The Angel of Losses, draws on Jewish folklore and history to tell a story about two sisters struggling with their haunted past. My second novel, Saturnalia, veers closer to horror, with alchemy, monsters, and secret societies, and a young woman trying to reclaim the future that was stolen from her.

2. Congratulations on your upcoming release Saturnalia! Could you please tell us a bit about the story and what the inspiration for this book was?

My first inspirations are always stories. When I sat down to write Saturnalia, I was thinking about the conspiracies in Foulcault’s Pendulum and the doomed partygoers in The Masque of the Red Death. I also wanted to write a story that takes place over one night and use Philadelphia (my hometown) as a setting.

The other big inspiration—or perhaps driving motivation—was the uncertainty of the past five or six years. Society began to feel unstable in a way that was new to me. What happens when we can’t trust our institutions and networks, when we’re afraid of what tomorrow might bring? Will we work together or fend for ourselves? Will we strive for survival or will we give into hedonism? These are the questions driving my characters.

3. If Saturnalia were ever made into a movie, who would you like to cast as the protagonist?

All actresses interested in playing my main character, Nina, are welcome to contact me! Nina is a particular person, of course—a mid-20s woman from a humble background, someone who has long struggled with her fear of being left in the background. But I like to think her struggles are also universal—ambition vs. self-doubt, pride vs. shame, love vs. fear. It would be exciting to see an unexpected interpretation of her.

4. Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter” in terms of organizing and writing your stories?

I can’t finish a draft without a plan. For me, an outline is both a critical thinking and generative tool: it helps me consider the heart of my story and brainstorm meaningful and exciting moments for my character. Of course, I always stray when I write, following new idea. Then I create a new outline before tackling the next draft.

5. In addition to writing, you are also an editor. What is one editing tip that you can pass along to writers that you feel is invaluable to writing success?

Editing your own work is tough. I always get feedback from trusted readers—and I listen to it. Sure, sometimes a critique is off the mark, but if a reader is stuck on something, it’s worth sitting with and considering.

I always read my own work out loud. That’s not a new tip, but it’s worth repeating, because it’s such a miserable task that we often dismiss it. It’s tedious and sometimes emotionally challenging, but if you’re able, it’s well worth the effort. I hear so many things that my eye misses, from repetition and rhythm to plot elements.

6. There’s a lot of debate in the indie writing world about the value and/or necessity of earning an MFA in Writing. What would you say is one advantage to having an MFA? Are there any disadvantages you’d like to discuss?

I may have an unusual perspective. I don’t have an MFA but I do teach in an MFA program. I see so many benefits for my students: consistent writing and feedback, developing a critical perspective, building relationships within and exposure to the industry. Many students value the program because it forces a sustained practice—submission deadlines, assigned readings—and demands a finished manuscript.

On the other hand, not all writers are born to thrive in an MFA environment, and there are plenty of opportunities to take classes and meet writers outside the academy. I’ve taught amazing students through the independent writing program Catapult and built friendships at conferences.

The other major consideration is cost. Publishing income is fickle and teaching positions are scarce. The return on investment here is personal, not financial (at least, not immediately or dependably). For some writers, it’s absolutely worth it, but for others, it won’t be. And there are MFA programs that offer funding, or tuition-free enrollment.

7. Where can people find you online?

I hang out on Twitter at @sbfeldman and Instagram at @stephanie.feldman. You can also check out my website and mailing list for news on Saturnalia, upcoming events and classes, and coaching and editorial services.

Nico Bell 5/20/22 Nico Bell 5/20/22

Interview with Horror Author Madeleine Swann

Madeleine Swann 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 bit about your writing?

I’m Madeleine Swann and I write weird and strange things. Sometimes they’re funny and sometimes they’re a bit nauseating. Nicholas Day described my stuff as malicious whimsy and I think that’s the best description I’ve ever heard.

2. How would you define bizzarro horror?

It’s almost impossible to define, in my opinion, so I prefer to say I write weird. It’s not exactly “weird fiction,” it’s just weird. I’m reclaiming weird.

3. Let’s talk a bit about your short story collection The Sharp End of the Rainbow. What inspired this work?

It’s a collection of short stories, some previously published and some new. All of my fears, worries and things I find funny are in here, and I like how it shows a progression in my writing. I feel like I’m starting to get the hang of letting a story unfold in its own time, particularly the nightmarish Victorian stories.

4. Do you have a favorite story from the collection?

That’s a really hard question, because some are on the creepy side and some are just daft, but I’ll always have a soft spot for How to make a Live Kitten Necklace

5. I had a blast playing your Choose Your Own Adventure game “Return of the Egg.” I’m guessing you were a fan of the book series when you were younger. Am I right? Where you a book lover as a child or did your passion for reading and writing come later in life?

Reading was one of my main pleasures as a child. I used to hide in the attic for hours reading and my family just left me to it ha! I’m sure it was nice for them to be able to get on with their day and know that I was quite safe.

I did go through a big Choose Your Own Adventure phase but I used to cheat and wouldn’t let go of the old page before checking out the new. We made sure that was impossible with this one, which might have turned people off! I’m really glad you enjoyed it, it really fried my brain. It’s a lot of work and planning, much more than I expected.

6. Who are some of your favorite authors?

I’ve been inspired a lot by Thomas Ligotti. Although he’s not someone I read for the joy of it often, his stuff always has a way of creeping in when I think of things. I also love Leonora Carrington and Dorothy Parker. I sometimes joke to my husband Bill that I’m a cross between the two although, to be honest, I’m not much like either.

7. What’s next for you? Any projects coming up that you’re able to talk about?

I’m putting everything into the book I’m currently working on. I don’t know if it’ll get anywhere, or if people will like it, but I feel like I’ll have told the story deep within me and be happy with it.

8. Where can readers find you?

I hang out a lot on twitter https://twitter.com/MadeleineSwann

And also there’s my YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6wDXC7R4gDR9ZGDX5De3Ew

And website http://madeleineswann.com

Nico Bell 4/22/22 Nico Bell 4/22/22

Interview with Valkyrie Loughcrewe

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?

Well I've been making music and little short horror stuff on youtube under the name surgeryhead for a while, I also make tabletop RPGs and indie games, but this whole time I've also been writing horror fiction. Short stuff mostly, mostly self published- a couple of anthologies and various stories on my website (lordsofthevideowasteland.com) but I've been writing since I was a kid, and it's always been

horror. I don't know why, just has been! And finally with Crom Cruach I seem to have come out with something people reckon is worth printing, so that's exciting!

2. Congratulations on your upcoming release Crom Cruach! Without giving away any spoilers, could you please tell us a bit about this story?

Crom Cruach is about a near future Ireland after a communist revolution has changed everything. There's a series of murders in a small rural community, and a local church is burned down, and even weirder things start to happen. This sort of kicks off a satanic panic as certain townspeople who aren't so happy with the new order pin the blame on a small commune of queer pagans. It's got black gloved killers and a good bit of gore and some really weird supernatural elements. It's also written in a sort of poetic style, like I was trying to get the prose to convey this air of ancient mysticism hanging underneath everything- but at it's heart it's like a weird VHS slasher movie.

3. What inspired Crom Cruach?

Real life politics for one, the spectre of war that hangs over Ireland, all those unresolved political tensions. The spectre of church abuses. Post Colonial trauma. But I'm obsessed with telling real stories about real things through an extremely lurid genre lense, so it's all dressed up like some kind of Dario Argento/Lucio Fulci movie. The pacing and style of the prose as well was very inspired by abrasive experimental techno, especially the band schxchxchxchx, as well as black metal and doom metal- but don't let that put you off, it's just a bit lyrical and rhymy. It doesn't go full house of leaves or anything.

4. In addition to writing, you’re also a musician. How would you classify your music?

With Surgeryhead, I suppose you could all class it as "industrial". I started off doing synthwave/french electro inspired stuff but the metal/industrial edge was always there. I like to flit between electro, dark ambient, metal, EDM... All kinds of styles! I have a thrash metal project as well which I've been having a lot of fun with called Argento. I'm nearly finished the first full length album for that called First Comes Madness... Then Comes Death! Which I sort of released on bandcamp track by track- which was a super messy way to release an album that I won't be doing again.

5. Have you ever made a soundtrack to your own stories?

Oh yes, all my music is like a soundtrack to a story I haven't written yet!

6. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, which bands?

For Crom I listened to a lot of schxchxchxchx and other artists like that- Andy Stott was another one. I have another novella out to submission right now which was a lot of darksynth and Electric Wizard, and I literally just finished writing a novel just before I started this interview which was entirely fuelled by death/doom metal. That one's gonna be gnarly.

7. What sparked your love of the horror genre?

I honestly have no idea. I've always just liked monsters and gore and ghost stories! It's something I interrogated a lot in my early 20s and tried to develop a rationale and philosophy around why I like it so much, and that helped me hone my creative voice, but nowadays i'm just sort of like "I dunno, it's cool!"

8. Where can people find you online?

I am on twitter as @surgeryhead, bandcamp as surgeryhead.bandcamp.com for all my music and lordsofthevideowasteland.com for my fiction, I have some comics I want to upload there, and I need to set up that site to link to my music properly, but the fiction part of it works fine, haha... I can never seem to find a good time to really dedicate to website maintenance.

Nico Bell 1/28/21 Nico Bell 1/28/21

Micro-Interviews with Shiver Horror Authors Jeremy Megargee, Sarah Jane Huntington, and Emily Reinhardt

Interview with Author Jeremy Megargee

1. What was the inspiration for your story?

I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of an old school prison chain gang, and the idea began to stir in my head about what might happen if you were lucky enough to be opportunistic and escape, but the person you’re chained to is a total nutjob. I explore that theme with “Men or Moles”…and I incorporated that dynamic into these two very different individuals being forcibly isolated together during a blizzard.

2. Have you ever had a chilling experience in the cold?

I can’t pinpoint a specific scenario, but for me, the worst part of the cold is the wind. When it’s so bitter out and the wind becomes knife-like, you almost feel like you’re being stabbed numerous times, this invisible blade cutting right through your clothes and slicing down to the marrow of your bones.

3. The Abominable Snowman is hunting you. How do you defeat it?

I’m gonna use a flamethrower. I’ll roast him alive and survive the harsh winter chewing on juicy Abominable Snowman meat.

4. Where can people find you online?

I’m most active on Instagram

Interview with Author Sarah Jane Huntington

1. What was your inspiration: The inspiration for my story Snow woman came from Japanese folklore. There are not many stories about her and I wanted to bring her into modern times. She was my Grandads favorite Yokai and mine also. I like situations where survival seems impossible. I hoped to make the reader wonder what they would do in such a situation.

2. Would you rather spend Christmas in Antarctica with RJ MacReady (The Thing) or spend the winter with Jack Torrance at the Overlook Hotel (The Shinning) and why?

I'd absolutely choose RJ MacReady. The Thing is my favorite movie and I love the whole concept. It may also mean that I'd be able to get my hands on a flamethrower too.

3. What is your favorite winter activity? Favorite winter activity is walking. I like making fresh prints in the snow. My dog loves it too. He has doggy snow boots so we walk happily for lots of miles.

3. I'm only on Twitter

Interview with Author Emily Reinhardt

What inspired your story? It was a passing thought, really. The chain of them that we all have in our minds just led me to thinking about shows like Ghost Whisperer, and the idea sort of materialized from there.
Do you have any spooky chilling stories? When I was a girl scout, the group of us were on a camping trip where they filmed the footage for the Blair Witch Project, because it's a state park that was near where we lived. It was an unnaturally cold fall, or maybe just getting into the winter season, and we were all huddled together in the tent for warmth. Before any of us had even fallen asleep, we started hearing this creepy, mournful-sounding moaning in the distance, like an animal lowing. It kept on for most of the night, and we never found out what it was. The scary stories I told them, using it as background flavor, didn't help anyone sleep, either.
3. Would you rather spend Christmas in Antarctica with RJ MacReady (The Thing) or spend the winter with Jack Torrance at the Overlook Hotel (The Shinning) and why? If we're going by where I think I stand a better chance of survival, I guess I'd rather spend the winter with Jack Torrance. A form-stealing monster seems like a lot for me to handle. I'm much more well-versed in ghosts. If, instead, we're talking about which character/story I prefer more, that's a much more difficult question.
4. Where can people find you online? Aside from my attempted blogs and such, which are relics of a bygone era, I'd suggest checking me out on Instagram, where I go by uniquelyportable.

Nico Bell 1/21/21 Nico Bell 1/21/21

Mirco-Interviews for Shiver Anthology Authors Lillah Lawson, Mason McDonald, and Alex Ebenstein

Horror Author Lillah Lawson

1. What was the inspiration for your story?

Several years ago, my husband (then boyfriend) and I moved into this very old, huge farmhouse just outside of Athens, GA. The landlord told us the day we signed the lease that it was haunted, and went onto say that a previous tenant had been a practicing witch and that we mind find some interesting things on the property. Needless to say, we had some very, very strange, spooky and cool experiences in that house! Spirits were felt, ghosts were seen (and heard), and we found a huge, elaborate pagan altar out in the woods!

2 Have you ever had a chilling experience in the cold?

I'm not sure why, but most of the spooky/supernatural experiences I've had in my life all seemed to occur in the cold months. There has to be something to that...

I've had a few different ghostly experiences in various places and they were all in the winter time! I currently live in "the holler" and we're in a secluded spot up a hill, in front of a huge expanse of forest that leads to a creek. Some of the critters and otherworldly sounds we hear at night will chill your blood!

3. Would you rather spend Christmas in Antarctica with RJ MacReady (The Thing) or spend the winter with Jack Torrance at the Overlook Hotel (The Shining) and why?

I'm sure I'm utterly predictable, but I'm going with ol' Jackie Torrance. Stephen King is my favorite "modern" author and I'd give my eyeteeth to visit the Overlook Hotel. I'd like to think I could match him drink for drink and best him at his own game. If nothing else, I'd be helping Dick Hallorran with whatever he might need. He's my favorite character! True story: I have a horror-movie themed bathroom and we have bathmats that match the carpet from the Overlook.

4. Where can people find you online?

All the usual places: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Goodreads,. You can also find me at lillahlawson.com.

Horror Author Mason McDonald

1. What was your inspiration for your story?

Honestly, and this is probably a lame answer, I don't usually start with an idea in mind for a project. Every time I try to write something with an idea in mind, a goal if you will, it stalls on me. Every finished piece of work I have ever done, this story included, was done simply by me sitting down and writing the first sentence that comes to mind, and going from there. I take pantsing to whole new level, I think. I will say that Lake Namara is named after the late Michelle McNamara. I was reading her excellent book I'LL BE GONE IN THE DARK and wanted to include her name somehow.

2. Do you have any chilling winter stories of your own?

My first time driving in a winter storm was at night as a teenager in 2014 coming home from my shift at Walmart(fastest turkey slinger in any meat department this side of Montreal). Over 2 meters of snow in spots, zero visibility, and nothing but your hopes and prayers to get you home safely. At one point either myself or the driver of a snow plow had veered into the wrong lane and for three or four of the most terrifying moments of my life, I was playing chicken with a snowplow. Needless to say, I survived. But man, did I ever almost not.

3. Do you have a favorite hot drink you like on a cold nigiht?

My favourite hot beverage to drink while reading a cold themed book is an Irish coffee, heavy on the accent, hold the coffee. Twitter is the only place I'm active, @Mas0nMcD0nald.

4. Where can people find you online?

Twitter is the only place I'm active

Horror Author Alex Ebenstein

1. What was the inspiration for your story? (No spoilers!)

The Lost Lake Massacre is based on a true story! Okay…so maybe not quite. But I do have a group of friends from high school that are like brothers, and every winter we go up to my family cottage on Lost Lake with the sole purpose of catching up and finishing a keg of beer. So yeah, every character in the story is based on that group, including me…

2. Have you ever had a chilling experience in the cold?

Alex Ebenstein

I’ve never seen any monsters out in the cold, but one time in high school me and a few friends went to Lake Michigan (in the town near the cottage mentioned above) and decided to walk out onto the pier. Problem was, a Michigan winter of ice and snow had piled up several feet high, leaving a 1-2 foot wide path to walk on, with a drop-off on one side and a steep slope on the other. At one spot my friend slipped and nearly slid down into the icy waters below, with little chance of easy rescue. It was a heck of an experience, but incredibly stupid and dangerous.

3. What is your favorite winter activity?

I’ve lived my whole life in Michigan (and there’s a good chance I’ll spend the rest of it here, too) so you’d probably think I enjoy doing something outside in the winter. Well, I don’t, and I hate winter. My idea of a fun winter activity is literally anything I can do inside my warm house knowing I don’t have anywhere to go and don’t have to risk my life driving on treacherous roads (It’s possible I live in the wrong state).

4. Where can people find you online?

I spend a silly amount of time on Twitter – come say hi. I also have a website that could use a little more love – www.alexebenstein.com

Nico Bell 1/12/21 Nico Bell 1/12/21

Micro-Interviews for Shiver Horror Authors

Michael Tichy Interview

1. What was the inspiration for your story?

I have family roots in Hungary and am drawn to its history and mythology. A lot of the latter seems to have been erased by the church and political forces. I look for little pieces where I can find them and maybe on some level I wanted to reclaim some of the pre-Christian paganism in this story.

2. Have you ever had a chilling experience in the cold?

Two winters ago I stayed in an off the grid cabin for an even colder than average Imbolc (February 1-2). It was spooky but I wouldn’t say chilling exactly. I did some ritual magic that marked my serious commitment to this creative path. The only spirits in attendance were definitely on the guest list.

3. What's your favorite hot beverage to sip while reading a cold-themed book?

I don’t drink a lot of hot beverages. But I’ll make you a White Russian that I guarantee will warm your blood.

4. Where can people find you online?

mettamike.wordpress.com is my blog where I post my book reviews and such. Twitter

Mark Wheaton Interview

1. A few years back, I was at a sled dog training facility in Alaska where I listened to several wild tales of real-life trail dangers from mushers who’d competed in the Iditarod and Yukon Gold races, from drift ice to bull moose to the unexplained. I’ve always enjoyed writing stories from the points of view of non-anthropomorphized animals, so it seemed like a natural fit to write a tale that took place in this real-life setting centered around the very capable lead dog of a sled team.

2. I once flew up to a small logging town around Prince George, British Columbia in the dead of winter. Flying miles and miles over endless, snow-covered spruce forests in a tiny, easily tossed plane with the knowledge that if you even survive a crash, you’re hundreds of miles from any kind of rescue was chilling, sure, but also exhilarating (death by wolf...or hypothermia?!). With temperatures well below freezing even in the middle of the day, I’ve never been anywhere so cold before or since.

Mark Wheaton

3. My favorite winter activity is hitting a blizzard-struck Prospect Park in Brooklyn with my kids. They don’t believe in, say, Santa Claus or his reindeer, but they do believe in gigantic fire-breathing ice dragons. Naturally and for years, whenever there’s a big snow in New York, we’ve gone off looking for evidence to bolster this belief. Fallen trees? Must be the landing spot of a flying dragon. A long gash in the slush that to an uninformed observer look like tire tracks? Made by a dragon dragging its scaly tail. A chunk of ice in an unusual shape? Perhaps an ice dragon’s cast-off claw or scale. Suspiciously bald spots in the snow? Evidence of a tremendous fire battle between these monstrosities or, perhaps, a pair of wyverns happily warming each other up on a cold winter’s day when no humans are around.

4. Online I’m at https://www.twitter.com/Mark_Wheaton or https://www.Mark-Wheaton.com

Ian Bain Interview

1. The catalyst for my story in Shiver ("In the Empty, Snowy Field") is a snowmobile crash way out in the bush. This was a pretty easy idea for me, as growing up I'd gotten ATVs and friends' snow mobiles (we just call them "sleds") stuck way out in the forest. As a kid, my anxiety would always kick in and I'd start asking myself am I ever going to get back home? Am I going to freeze to death out here? What will happen to me if I return home without the sled? Snowmobile accidents are also, sadly, extremely common in our neck of the woods; we can't go a winter without multiple fatal crashes. I can't say much else without spoiling the story, but I really wanted to play with the mental effect the cold can have on our minds.

2. Would you rather spend Christmas in Antarctica with RJ MacReady (The Thing) or spend the winter with Jack Torrance at the Overlook Hotel (The Shinning) and why?
As much as The Thing is my all-time favourite movie, I'll take winter at the Overlook. I've never found Jack Torrance to be all that frightening; I think I could take him in a fight.

3: You can find me on Twitter at @bainwrites and my sporadically-updated website ianabain.wordpress.com

Nico Bell 1/7/21 Nico Bell 1/7/21

Micro-Interviews for Shiver Horror Authors Ziaul Moid Khan, Jessie Small, and Sam Sumpter

Interview with Horror Author Ziaul Moid Khan, Jessie Small, and Sam Sumpter

Q.1. What was the inspiration for your story (The Two Bio Lab Skeletons)?

Ziaul Moid Khan

Ans. I was deputed on the invigilation duty during a home board examination in the academic institution I serve as an English instructor. It was a biology laboratory, situated in the basement of the school, where I spotted two human skeletons and suddenly conceived an inspiration to work on this project. So I — at once — took a blank supplementary sheet and began to scribble down the outlines of this work, simultaneously titling it. As the last bell rang and the exam of the students got over, the first draft of The Two Bio Lab Skeletons was finished.

Q. 2. Have you ever had a chilling experience in the cold?

Ans. Yes. I must be eight or ten years old when I first read the Hindi translation of Bram Stoker’s mammoth work, Dracula. It was a winter night. I was in my blanket with a kerosene lamp beside me. And I was reading about the three witches, who were trying to suck Jonathan Harker’s blood. I was scared to my bones as I read the text and it was literally a chilling experience. I had to put down the novel to read it the next day, for I feared to read on at that moment.

Q. 3. The Abominable Snowman is hunting you. How do you defeat it?

Ans. By promising it that I would like to write its story and tell it to the whole world. It would definitely like this idea and befriend with me, for everyone and everything is virtuous deep down the heart. I agree with Selma Lagerlöf’s point of view that the essential goodness in a human being can be awakened through love and understanding. This could be true with a snowman too, I opine. Death comes only once in life, so why to be fearful of it, by the way. Moreover I try to win people and not to defeat them. And a snowman is after all—a snow(man).

Q. 4. Where can people find you online?

Ans. Here and Here and Here too.

Interview with Horror Author Jessie Small

Question: What was the inspiration for your story?

In the before times, I had been feeling a little homesick for Nebraska. A friend took me out for coffee and shopping. At one point in the day we found ourselves in a metaphysical supply store. I was picking out some incense and found a small white rabbit hiding on the shelf. It didn’t have a price tag so I set it back down and moved on. By the time I made it to the cashwrap, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So I went back to find it and asked if it was for sale. The owner asked me why I wanted this particular rabbit (I hadn't noticed it at first but there were a bunch decorating the store). I told her it reminded me of home. She wrapped it up and gave it to me. I wrote the first draft of Bad Bunnies that night.

Question: Have you ever had a chilling experience in the cold?

I grew up in an old farmhouse so the only heat source was a wood burning stove. It was right next to the front door, which was perfect because when you came inside it warmed you up immediately. Even better, the floor in that room was all tile and brick, so if the wood stove was roaring hot the floors would retain heat. I remember my family coming home late one night after our school Christmas concert. It had been snowing and blowing for a few hours. The wood stove was ripping hot so I peeled off my boots and winter clothes to warm up next to it. About a foot away from the stove, the size of a dinner plate, there was this spot that was freezing cold. Everywhere around that spot was warm to the touch. No one had been in the house for hours, nothing had been sitting there prior, it was just this ice cold spot on the floor next to the stove. After a few moments it was just as warm as the rest of the floor.

Question: Would you rather spend Christmas in Antarctica with RJ MacReady (The Thing) or spend the winter with Jack Torrance at the Overlook Hotel (The Shinning) and why?

Antarctica, for sure. Christmas in solitude even with MacReady, no problem. The Overlook has too many doors and surprises behind them.

QuestionWhere can people find you online?

You can find me on Instagram and Twitter

interview with horror author Sam Sumpter

What was the inspiration for your story?

In December 2019, I was driving by myself from Seattle to my family’s cabin in rural Idaho. The drive takes you over a couple mountain passes then into this big high valley. The last part of the drive is off the main highway, using straight dirt roads that cut through flat farm and ranch land. Something about the mountains and the atmosphere often holds clouds down over that flat valley land, over the cows and things. That December, there was the usual couple feet of snow on the ground around the highway, but the road itself was clear and there hadn’t been much falling snow during the drive. It was starting to get dark by the time I got into the valley, and it started really snowing. When I turned off the main highway onto the backroads, it almost instantly got SUPER foggy. I couldn’t remember ever seeing such dense white fog in the winter — whiteouts from snow, yes, but not fog. Between the fog, snow, and setting sun, I couldn’t see more than a car-length or two in front of me, it really felt like driving through a dream in the spookiest and best way. That single stretch of road was such a Big Vibe that it really stuck with me, and when I was writing The Pass, I started out knowing I wanted to end up there.

Have you ever had a chilling experience in the cold?

Honestly, so many. I grew up in Colorado, Nebraska, and Idaho, so I have a lot of cold weather and remote places to choose from, and I’m also a deeply anxious person with an imagination directly tuned into a vast library of worst case scenarios. A lot of the chilling experiences I can think of are times I (stupidly) drove through very bad weather on poorly-traveled windy roads. One non-driving experience is actually the tail end of the foggy drive that inspired The Pass. At the time, I was working on finishing grad school, and had been making next to zero progress on my dissertation while working full time, so I decided to spend a week holed up alone in the mountains to try and finish writing a chapter. I went with just my dog, who is a very confident but ultimately 0% intimidating elderly french bulldog. I joked with people before I left that either my dissertation was going to kill me, or an axe-murderer-slash-monster would, but I didn’t actually expect to be scared by being alone.

When I got in it was fully dark out. The cabin has one main room with a porch that wraps all the way around it, and the curtains on the windows are impossible to completely close. I couldn’t stop imagining that a variety of murderers were standing on the porch peeking through the curtains. To try to relax before going to sleep, I was watching TV on the couch with my dog sitting next to me. Normally she’s really chill and sleepy. But the little jerk (who I love) kept randomly perking up on high alert and barking directly at the door like she’d heard something on the porch. I had a miserable time falling asleep, and in the middle of the night there was this loud crashing noise right outside the wall behind my head — exactly the kind of noise you would expect a league of murderers to make while breaking into an isolated cabin. (In the morning I realized it was a big drift of snow falling off the roof.)

What's your favorite hot beverage to sip while reading a cold-themed book?

My go-to is rye whiskey + lemon ginger tea + a lil honey.

Where can people find you online?

Twitter (which I dislike and rarely use)

Website: samsumpter.com

Nico Bell 10/23/20 Nico Bell 10/23/20

Horror Author David Sodergren #Interview

David Sodergren Interview

1. Congratulations on the publication of your most recent book Dead Girl Blues? Can you please tell us a little about it?

Thank you very much! Dead Girl Blues is a violent mystery-horror that takes inspiration from hard-boiled noir detective fiction and slasher films, particularly the Italian thrillers of the 1970s known as giallo films. It’s a tale of obsession, as one woman is drawn into the murky world of snuff movies.

It’s my third novel, and moves away from the more explicitly supernatural elements of my first two into a grittier, more realistic style.

2. You’ve self-published multiple novels. What is something you wish you knew about self-publishing before you started that journey?

To be honest, I’m still learning every day! I think most people are. Some elements — for example advertising — I’ve not even scratched the surface of. Then there are the tiny details, the minutiae that I had never even considered when I first sat down and started writing. For example, what size do I want the book to be? I prefer the smallest trim size, closer to the classic mass-market paperback size, but that means less words per-page, which then means more pages, and ultimately less profit per-book sold, as Amazon charges per-page for their printing costs. But I’ve muddled through with the help of some authors who’ve been here before me.

And Google, of course. Where would I be without Google?

3. For those who want to self-publish, can you share some marketing tips you’ve found successful?

If I knew the answer to this, I’d have sold more books haha! For me, social media is key. I was lucky in that I had a mildly popular Instagram account when I first published, so I had a built-in audience ready to buy my first book. After that, all you’ve really got is word-of-mouth.

Otherwise, just be yourself on social media. Post about your interests, try to be funny. I’ve lost count of the amount of books I’ve bought purely because the author seemed like a nice person who was clearly very into horror. It doesn’t always pay off, but I’ve discovered some of my favourite new authors that way, people like Bradley Freeman, Steve Stred, and Gemma Amor.

4. What is your horror “brand”?

I guess it’s a sort-of ‘modern-retro’. All my influences are from the 50s to the 80s, and my work definitely shares a similarly grimy, sex-and-violence packed aesthetic with those books and films, from the covers to the contents. However, I got fed up with the lack of diversity in old horror stories, and in particular the trope of the square-jawed, pipe-smoking professor-hero so prevalent across the genre. Due to this, I try to make my main characters a lot more interesting and relatable to a modern audience.

5. When did you first develop a love for horror?

It goes back as long as I can remember. My earliest memories are watching the 1933 King Kong on TV, as well as Jack Arnold’s fifties monster classic Tarantula. Before I started school I was collecting rubber skeletons. By age eight I had my own glow-in-the-dark replica Jason Voorhees hockey mask. It’s in my blood, and several decades later, I’m still as passionate about the genre as I have ever been.

It helps that horror is in such a healthy state at the moment, especially in literature. It feels like every week there are a bunch of great new releases, and exciting up-and-coming or brand new authors. Critics of self-publishing maintain — sometimes correctly — that it has allowed any old numpty with a computer to publish their garbage. That may be true, but it’s also opened the doors to many immensely talented authors. I find myself reading less and less traditionally published material these days. The fringes are always where you get the most exciting stuff.

6. What are you currently reading?

I’m reading Kill River 3 by Cameron Roubique, the third part of his epic slasher trilogy, and it’s been worth the wait. By the time I finish that, Laurel Hightower’s new book Crossroads should be out. I’m also re-reading Stephen Thrower’s two epic books on the life and films of Spanish erotic-horror specialist Jess Franco.

7. Let’s have a little fun. Would you rather live in the world from A Quiet Place or live in Derry from It?

It would have to be Derry, as I live with a pug who is incapable of staying quiet. If he’s not barking at shadows cast by the trees, he’s slumped across my shoulders snoring loudly.

We wouldn’t last five seconds in A Quiet Place!

8. What’s next for you? Any projects you can discuss?

Next is my Halloween release, a blood-drenched folk-horror tale called Maggie’s Grave. I’m very excited about this one, it’s a return to the supernatural horror of my first novel, The Forgotten Island. After that, I have a collaboration coming up with Canadian horror author Steve Stred, which should be out first quarter of next year.

9. Where can people find you online?

Best to find me on Twitter or Instagram

I use Twitter mostly for discussing old horror films, and Instagram for posting photos of the aforementioned pug posing alongside vintage horror books. I always enjoy hearing from readers.

10. Last chance! Anything else you’d like to say?

Please support independent horror. Like I said before, it’s where most of the really exciting stuff is happening, be it in film or literature. Support diverse authors, read widely, experience the world and other cultures through someone else’s eyes.

Have fun, stay safe, and wear a damn mask!

Nico Bell 9/10/20 Nico Bell 9/10/20

Horror Author Thomas Gaffney #Interview

Thomas Gaffney Interview

1. Congratulations on the release of your award-winning book Stranger Things Have Happened! Can you tell us a little about this book?

TG: Thank you! It’s still weird to think about. It started off a vanity project, I had a few short stories (around 1500 words max) that I submitted to contests and anthologies but were rejected. I was really enjoying writing short stories at the time, so I wrote a few more and collected them together. I self-published Stranger Things Have Happened to get the stories (and my name) out there, and submitted it to any contest that came along. I was very fortunate Stranger Things Have Happened anything, honestly.

2. Without giving away any spoilers, do you have a favorite story from the collection and why?

TG: That would have to be FEEEEENIX or FRAXINUS AMERICANA. FEEEEENIX is a very personal story to me. It’s the first one of these short stories that I wrote, the two main characters are based on me and my wife, and my father was a firefighter (but, luckily, both my parents are still with us). FRAXINUS AMERICANA is the second story I wrote and the one I was most “in the zone” while writing. That one flowed from like I creating a new world, and it was the most I felt like a “real” writer.

3. How long, from conception to final edits, did it take you to write Stranger Things Have Happened?

TG: I’d say a full year to write all nine stories that appeared in the book, and probably another year to edit them all with the help of a writer’s club I belonged to when I worked for Barnes & Noble. Some stories, like FRAXINUS AMERICANA and EIGHT DAYS A WEEK came easier than others.

4. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

TG: Growing up, I made my own comic books and Choose Your Own Adventure books for the neighborhood, but I never equated that to wanting to be a writer. I always assumed it was from my love of drawing. I stopped writing stuff until rereading Stephen King’s IT in my mid-thirties. It’s a masterpiece of 20th century storytelling, IMHO. After that, I sat down and said, “I want to tell stories.” And having grown up devouring horror novels (and King in particular), I knew exactly what genre I wanted to write.

5. What would you consider to be the hardest part of writing?

TG: Whew. I would have to say the monotony more than anything. I never had an issue coming up with ideas. Nor any problems with “killing my darlings” in the editing process. Yeah, I would hit some writer’s block, but I could usually transition to another chapter, or another project, until I got through it. The hardest thing for me is sitting at the same desk and working on the project for years on end. I have a completed novel in the middle of a third draft that I’ve been working on forever, and I had to put is away for a bit and work on something else, because working on that for 3 years straight finally got to me.

6. What changes would you like to see in the horror writing community over the next ten years?

TG: I’d like it to continue the path it’s on. More tension and less reliance on blood and guts. The best King books had their share of gore, which helped cement his reputation, but they also were adept at delving into the human psyche and that got overlooked by the death and gore. I want to see more diverse characters, and more of the everyday world where a tiny corner gets peeled away and underneath the bad day you’re having at work is a horror so unimaginable, it turns your hair white. And I do think the horror writing community is on the right path with that. The best horror stories, IMHO, are what would YOU do if you walked into your usual Starbucks and your regular barista was turned inside-out by a hell demon and begging for your help?

7. Is there anything you won’t write about?

TG: Off the top of my head, nothing is off-limits, per se, but I’m trying to make it a point not to put any romance into my stories. One, I’m probably terrible at writing it. And two, just because the story might put two strangers together to get out of a situation alive doesn’t mean they have to fall in love over the course of the book. A good portion of my stories have a female main character, and honestly, she doesn’t need a boyfriend or any man to help her save the day.

8. What’s next for you? Any projects you can discuss?

TG: I’m working on the first draft for a horror novel about haunted/cursed dice. I pitched the idea to one of my Creative Writing professors (who is a Bram Stoker nominated author) and he thinks it could potentially be purchased by a publisher. I wrote a short story about the same cursed dice for another Creative Writing class (it’s a sort-of prequel story) and it’s on a short list to be bought by an online magazine for their next anthology (fingers crossed). After that I’ll go back to the 3rd draft of a completed horror novel about a woman with unique eyesight and the creature that’s after her.

9. Where can people find you online?

TG: You can browse my website or find me on twitter where I’m most active. I’m also trying to use my Facebook and Instagram more often . Stranger Things Have Happened is available anywhere ebooks are, from Amazon to Apple to B&N to Kobo to Smashwords and Google.

10. Last chance! Anything else you’d like to say?

TG: If you want to be an author, stop making excuses. Believe me, I tried them all. But the writing bug never left me, and I found that any excuse is lame. I think my writing is junk, but I keep at it. The only way to get better is to practice by writing more. I work 40 hours a week, I simultaneously take online classes at Southern New Hampshire University, and I’m married and juggling home life as well – but I can always find time to write. Yeah, I wish I had more time, but there is always time if you want there to be time. Stop with the excuses.

BUY STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED HERE

Nico Bell 8/14/20 Nico Bell 8/14/20

Horror Author Kit Mann #Interview

Kit Mann Interview

1. Congratulations on the release of your horror novel A Distant Whisper! Can you please tell us a little about it?

Ya know. I am proud of that novel for personal reasons. Professionally, it is a bit outside my comfort zone, with the romance story that weaves throughout. But there is a wild story behind that novel and how it came to be. The story itself is about a man who has kind of lost himself, until he meets a woman who changes his perceptions of what love is…and then tragedy strikes. He begins seeing her as a ghost, even though she is still alive….and the ghost has a message for him that leads him to some big decisions.

2. Can you give us a little peak behind the curtain? What is your writing process like? Are you a pantser or plotter?

I plot. I don’t understand how you can’t, really. I know people that pants it and they ALL, invariably, hit road blocks and plot holes and contradictions – it’s my experience that plotting and outlining and committing to the story, keeps me from giving up and moving on to something else. It’s an investment. Also, there are FAR less revisions to do when you’re done, because you have been faithful to your story arc from the beginning. But hey, that’s how I do it. I have an extremely specific process for outlining and doing character profiles before I even start writing. I don’t write a word until I have a beginning and an end. I know where I need to go and THAT enables me to get there more efficiently and it enables me to have a high daily output. If you don’t have to worry about what to do next, it makes the writing so much easier.

3. What have you learned about self-publishing that you wish you knew before starting the process?

I went into with my eyes open. I have some traditional publishing experience, so I knew the obstacles. There are two things that I wish others would know, however and that is…Put some money behind your work. The biggest difference between Trad and Indie publishing is the marketing and final product. Pay for a professional editor and pay for a cover designer. And, if your goal is to sell books, then realize that you must invest in marketing. It doesn’t always mean an investment of money. It could be time. But the less money you have for marketing, the more time you will have to spend and vice versa. There it a lot more to marketing without a budget than sitting on Twitter all day begging other authors to buy your books. I know that my next book will have a FAR different approach than I had with DISTANT WHISPER. I have a marketing strategy and I have hired an amazing cover artist and an editor with more of a horror background.

4. What was the first horror book you ever bought?

Not counting children’s books? First adult book that I ever bought was THE EXORCIST. In fact I can quote you from my bio: "The first book I ever bought with my own money was The Exorcist. My junior high school (that's what middle school was called back then) principal took it away from me, tore it in half and handed me a Bible.

And then he called my mom.

My grandmother, seeing how distraught I was, took me to a used bookstore and told me I could spend $2.50 for any of the $0.50 paperbacks that were in there.

I bought the Exorcist again. Amityville Horror. Ghost Story by Peter Straub. Salem's Lot by Stephen King and an Edgar Allan Poe anthology. And I was hooked…..

6. Just for fun: Would you rather spend a night in The Overlook hotel with Jack Torrance or the high school gym during prom with Carrie?

Probably the Overlook. I think I could take him. Carrie always freaked me out. There was something about her that actually gave me the willies. I think I could kick Jack’s ass though.

7. What are some of your hobbies outside of writing and reading?

I play the guitar. I think I am pretty good. I used to play in front of people, but now it’s more of a meditative thing. I pick it up and everything else just fades away. I play disc golf in the summer and I like working in the yard and building stuff for the house.

8. What’s next for you? Any projects you can discuss?

My next book is DRAW BLOOD and it’s back to traditional horror for me. Its an old west Vampire story with kind of a True Detective eeriness to it. eArcs will be available in September and we’re shooting for release in late October. By Halloween for sure.

9. Where can people find you online?

My website

www.thewrites.show

Twitter

Instagram and I have a Patreon page as well.

10. Last chance! Anything else you’d like to say?

I appreciate you letting me ramble here. I love that there are people out there that are into supporting horror or whatever genre they dig. As writers, when we do things to help each other, it makes the process of being indie more enjoyable. There are already so many people trying to kill your dreams because they are jealous. It is nice to have support. That all being said, my goals in 2021 are to connect more with READERS through the internet and in person. We have extremely high hopes for DRAW BLOOD and am already getting some amazing feedback. Unlike A DISTANT WHISPER which was more of a personal thing for me to publish, the next three books are all aiming at the traditional horror reader. I can’t wait!

BUY A DISTANT WHISPER HERE

Author Kit Mann

Nico Bell 7/31/20 Nico Bell 7/31/20

Horror Author Justin Fulkerson #Interview

Horror Authro Justin Fulkerson #Interview

1. Congratulations on your most recent release Crossroads! Can you please tell us a little about this collection?

The first three stories (Unfinished Business, One More Cup and Knackelflerg) were some of the first I published to Amazon back in 2011-12. I was playing around with the platform back then and wanted to get my name out into the publishing world. The last three are novellas I wrote shortly afterward (Paranormal Alien Crap, Koyaanisqatsi, and Gate of She’ol). These are all the first stories that I shared with the world and I thought it would be fun to collect them into one volume. The introduction explains the origins of the stories and a few tidbits about each one.

2. Without giving away spoilers, what was your favorite story in this collection and why?

I would have to say Koyaanisqatsi. What could be better than Lee Harvey Oswald, Charles Manson and Jim Morrison teaming up to defeat time-traveling demons and aliens in order to save the world?? The story takes place in an alternate timeline when the Cuban Missile Crisis leads to nuclear Armageddon and the survivors are drawn to a figure named Phoenix that promises them safety. Hope that doesn’t qualify as spoilers, lol.

3. I’ve had the pleasure of reading your terrifying book Freckles the Clown. It was a delicious blend of disturbing gore and horror. Can readers expect this level of horror in your other works? In other words, how would you describe your horror brand?

I think Freckles the Clown pushed the envelope more than most of my past writing. My horror brand deals more with the human side of horror and the fact that there are no real ‘good guys’ on the world. Everyone has a dark side or secrets they do not want brought to light. The majority of my works are character-driven. The characters are the heart and soul of the horror I produce. Sure, in my novel Hallowed Ground there are a few zombies, in An Hour for Magic there is a power-hungry demon set to take over the world but the majority of my antagonists are human. Psychology plays a major part in my story-telling. Unfinished Business follows an elderly serial killer in search of his fiftieth victim on a Texas highway, One More Cup takes on the subject of an innocent person being accused of following someone else and how these situations can spiral out of control.

4. You’ve published eight horror books. What’s one tip you wish someone had told you before you began your journey as a writer?

Don’t give up!!!! Several times I stopped writing because I could not find a market. I even had one retired agent tell me that horror was dead and had been for more than ten years. He said there was no market for horror and that I should try something else. I won’t say his name, but he was a big name agent. It hurt momentum for a while, but then I became determined to prove him wrong. Write what you love and what you feel is a good story. Let the chips fall where they may and go for it. There will be a lot of people in the way, but you have to ask them to step aside and give let you take the path.

5. There’s a theory floating around the artist community that creative people need to experience suffering in order to write about suffering. True art comes from suffering. What do you think of this idea?

Wow. Well, suffering does give you fuel. But feeling sorry for yourself will get you nowhere. I am going to tell a story that I don’t share with a lot of people. To make a long story short and leave out the sordid details, I have been supporting myself since I was seventeen years old. I have worked full time since then. I am now 44 years old and I can truly say that I owe no one anything. I have gotten through this life without being indebted to anyone, including family or friends. Sure I owe my mortgage and bills, but have never had to ask anyone to help me financially.

6. Who is your favorite author and why?

Of course, you know the answer to this one. Stephen King. One of the most significant reasons I ever read him was because my mother was whole-heartedly against it. She said when I was 12 that I could read whatever I wanted, as long as it wasn’t Stephen King. So, I went behind her back and my father (they were divorced) bought me Cujo one month. I was hooked. My mother was livid but eventually came around. She said, ‘okay, as long as you don’t read The Shining.’ Well, what do you think I did next? Now I have an entire wall of my office papered with pages from IT, ‘Salem’s Lot and The Gunslinger. I have covers from Carrie, The Shining, Pet Semetary, The Stand and Misery polyurethane coated to the counter. I have 6 books signed by his son Joe Hill. So, yeah, I am a big fan of Stephen King. It humbles me when sometimes I am compared to him in a review.

7. What’s next for you? Any projects you can discuss?

I am working on four at once, but two of them are quite promising. Space Hobos is coming along nicely (you got a sneak peek of this one). Here is a blurb for those interested:

A galactic adventure rife with cultural relevance in today’s political and social media driven climate, Space Hobos launches the reader into a plausible sci-fi drama and never drops out of orbit.

For quite a while the future has been bleak for Holistic Henry and Cancer Carl and it isn’t getting any better. As the government begins to round-up the homeless population for an involuntary mission to space, Henry and Carl attempt to evade capture, fleeing with acquaintances Junkie Julie, Castaway Carl and Bike Mike. But their luck quickly runs out.

Trillions of dollars behind schedule, the government and sponsoring corporations scramble to find enough manpower to finish preparing Mars for imminent colonization. Current social economic challenges give them the perfect opportunity to capitalize upon. They make themselves champions of the homeless, forcing upon them a permanent solution to their predicament. A potential workforce of 554,000 homeless is at their fingertips.

Exiled to Mars, the hobos must stick together in their isolation. What the rest of the world sees as opportunity for them, they see as a death sentence. The people in charge have a deadline and don’t care what they have to do to meet it.

When an uprising begins, orchestrated by Carl and Henry, the powers that be see the imminent threat and decide to quash it before it can gain momentum.

Will Henry and Carl survive not only the harsh living conditions of Mars but live long enough to see their revolution become a reality?

Sounds good, right? This is my first stab at a full sci-fi novel.

I am also working on a post-pandemic novel from two different perspectives with my friend Dan Hubbard. It is called Cabin Fever.

Two families, one apocalypse.

When society breaks down after a worldwide pandemic, two families set out from opposite sides of the country in search of a safe haven. Two separate stories running parallel on an inevitable collision course until the two families finally cross paths. Forever changed, they each realize what sacrifices have to be made in order to survive the horror around them.

Both of these stories will be completed in the near future.

8. Where can people find you online?

My website or Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

9. Last chance! Anything else you’d like to say?

Thank you for taking the time, that is all I ever ask. Let me tell you a good story and make you think about how good your life is in comparison to my characters. Enjoy the ride and please leave a review when you read a story. A few words is all it takes to help an author like me gain attention.

Nico Bell 7/10/20 Nico Bell 7/10/20

Interview with Sonora Taylor

Horror Author Sonora Taylor #Interview

Congratulations on your new book Seeing Things! Please tell us a little about it.

Thank you! Seeing Things is my third novel and follows a teenager named Abby who discovers she can see the dead. Unfortunately, none of them want to talk to her. She leaves for an annual summer visit to her uncle’s house with tons of questions, and it’s during that visit she gets answers -- but she may not like what she finds out. It’s a contemporary Gothic story and definitely turns some dark corners as Abby figures out just what the hell is going on.

What was the inspiration behind Seeing Things?

I used to see this elderly man walking through my old neighborhood every so often. He never had anyone with him, and no one else ever acknowledged his presence. I used to pretend that only I could see him. From there, I thought, wouldn’t it be funny if someone could see the dead, but none of them wanted to talk to her?

The idea started as a short story prompt, and was originally more about grief and letting go. I wrote some notes and several passages, but felt stuck; so I set it aside. I revisited it in summer 2019, when Little Paranoias: Stories was out for edits, because I was struck with an idea: what if instead about grief, it was about dark secrets? I also thought up Abby’s family, and from there, it expanded into a novel.

Have you ever seen a ghost?

Never seen one, but I’ve heard them. Usually it’s something rustling or a bit of static. I’ve also seen ghost lights and flickers of paranormal activity.

This is your sixth novel. What is one tip you learned along your writing and publication journey that you wish you knew ahead of time?

First, to clarify, it’s my third novel -- my other three books are short story collections. It’s definitely been quite the journey writing and releasing all of them. It’s a journey that was very nerve-wracking, and as such, I was afraid to promote myself in the beginning. I didn’t want to seem like a show-off, like someone needing attention, etc. But other writers I met online made it a point to say that marketing is part of the job. You wrote this thing -- you should be proud, and you should tell people about it! So, I’ve tried to promote myself more, even if it means saying some version of “Hey folks, me here, I hope you’ll buy the book I wrote. Link is below.” I wish I’d known that earlier, because now, I need to do retrograde marketing for the earlier books! But that’s the beauty of books: they’re out there as long as they’re being published, so they always have a chance to be found and read.

You are the co-founder of www.frightgirlsummer.com, which is an inclusive platform to boost the signal for women in publishing. Please share a little about this. How did this idea come about? What do you hope Fright Girl Summer accomplishes?

The idea originated with V. Castro, author of Maria the Wanted and the Legacy of the Keepers and, most recently, Hairspray and Switchblades. She wanted to create a festival to celebrate authors on the margins and have it be for the summer. I believe she said “Something like Hot Girl Summer but for books,” so I suggested, “How about Fright Girl Summer?” So she chose that name, and then I contacted her and volunteered to help with the website as well as curating reading lists and putting out calls for fiction, nonfiction, art, etc.

I hope it encourages people to read beyond what they’re used to, and to keep doing it throughout the year. As our list shows, there are TONS of books to choose from that aren’t written by cis white authors. Expand your TBR. Add more Black voices. Add more queer voices. Add more.

How can individuals participate in Fright Girl Summer?

If you’re an author, essayist, blogger, or artist, you can submit to us! We want to read your work. Check out our guidelines on the front page: frightgirlsummer.com

For readers and authors alike, you can participate by writing reviews, filming yourself doing readings, and most of all, reading books! We’re challenging participants to choose three books from our list to read this summer. Check out our page for more: https://www.frightgirlsummer.com/reading-list

How can people find you online?

My website is the most efficient way to learn more about me and my books: sonorawrites.com

I’m also active on Twitter. In addition to tweets about my books, I talk a lot about hockey (when it’s on), movies, and beer.

I’m also on Instagram and post a lot of the food I cook. I aspire to be like Ina Garten.

I’m also on Facebook and Goodreads.

Finally, you can find my books for sale at the links below:

Amazon

Bookshop.org

Is there anything else you wish to add? Closing thoughts?

Nope! Thanks so much for interviewing me.

Nico Bell 7/3/20 Nico Bell 7/3/20

Horror Author Loren Rhoads #Interview

Loren Rhoads Interview

1. Congratulations on your upcoming novel Angelus Rose! This is a sequel to Lost Angels, a book you co-wrote with Brian Thomas. Can you please tell us a little about the series and what we can expect with this much anticipated new book?

The As Above, So Below series explores the story of the succubus Lorelei who saw Azaziel in her master's nightclub and thought it might be fun to bring an angel down. She never expected him to possess her with a mortal girl's ghost -- and he never expected to fall in love with her.

Angelus Rose is your basic Romeo + Juliet story, if Romeo had wings and Juliet had a barbed tail -- and all the angels and demons of Los Angeles were trying to keep them apart. The angels were inspired by Chrisopher Walken in The Prophecy. They think they are the good guys.

2. What inspired this series?

My co-writer Brian Thomas found a burned-out church in LA and wondered who might have lived there and how he might have provoked Hell to set fire to his home. One weekend when I was down in LA visiting Brian, I noticed that one of the apartment buildings near his house was called The Lorelei. Pieces started falling together, almost like fate.

3. If this series was made into movies, who would play Lorelei and Azaziel?

Wow, casting Lorelei is hard. When we first started writing the book, we were inspired by Angelina Jolie, especially as she played Kate Libby in Hackers. These days, Elodie Yung (she played Hathor in Gods of Egypt -- definitely the best part of a bad movie) or Rosa Salazar, who has been in the Maze Runner movies and Alita: Battle Angel. Azaziel is easier. I envision him as Matt Ryan, who has played John Constantine on a couple of different TV shows.

4. How autobiographical is your work? Do you draw off real events?

There are scenes in Angelus Rose that are very autobiographical. Lorelei and Aza have a date in Westwood Memorial Park, the cemetery where Marilyn Monroe and several of the cast of the Poltergeist movies are buried. Brian took me there one evening. He meant to get us there about sunset, but we couldn't find the cemetery. It's really tucked in amongst the skyscrapers. By the time we found the graveyard, it had gotten really dark. Red vigil candles burned on some of the graves, but other than that, we couldn't see much. It was surprisingly quiet in the heart of the city. I was glad to be able to work that memory into the novel.

5. When did your love of the horror genre develop?

I grew up watching the black & white Universal horror movies on TV on Saturday afternoons. My mom pointed out that many of the monsters were inspired by books, so I read The Invisible Man and Frankenstein and Phantom of the Opera and Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. I really fell in love with horror novels when I read Mina's baptism of blood in Dracula. After that, I was well and truly hooked.

6. What tips would you give newbie writers looking to break into the industry?

Join the Horror Writers Association and work with a mentor. It's wonderful to be able to have a professional who can answer your questions and help make connections. Mentorship is free, beyond the price of a membership.

7. What book(s) are you reading right now?

I'm reading E. M. Markoff's The Deadbringer. It's a Latinx-inspired dark fantasy about colonization, indigenous gods, and necromancy. It's completely unlike anything I've read before.

8. What is next for you? Anything in the works?

I drift back and forth between writing fiction and nonfiction. I think my next project will be to finish a guide to the pioneer cemeteries in the San Francisco Bay Area. The area's Western population began with the Spanish missions in 1776, then exploded with the Gold Rush. All kinds of people are buried here from Levi Strauss to survivors of the Donner Party to Wyatt Earp, Mary Ellen Pleasant, and Robert Ripley. The cemeteries are threatened by earthquakes and erosion, of course, but also by California's wildfires. I want to record them before they vanish.

9. Where can people find you online?

10. Thank you so much! This is you chance to say anything that wasn’t asked. Closing thoughts?

I've read some really great horror recently. Leigh Bardugo's The Ninth House was amazing. I just finished L.S. Johnson's story collection Rare Birds got better and better each story I read. I'm looking forward to Dana Fredsti's third Lilith book. This is such a great time to be a horror reader.

Nico Bell 4/17/20 Nico Bell 4/17/20

Horror Author Azzurra Nox #Interview

Azzurra Nox Interview

1. Congratulations on your success as a multi-published author! Let’s talk a little about your books. Cut Here is about a sixteen-year old named Lena Martin whose mom dies in a hit and run. What inspired this book?

The concept of CUT HERE, all began with a dream I had in the summer of 2008. It wasn’t really a dream, but more of a nightmare. It was Christmas time in Catania, Sicily and a girl sees a book on display at a bookstore kiosk entitled CUT HERE. The book’s cover had a bloody line across a faceless person’s neck, bleeding the title. Shortly after, sounds of sirens invade the dream, and as the girl rushes to the sounds, she sees a trail of blood on the asphalt and a mink coat on the ground. Everything is red. Flash forward to me seeing the same girl again, but this time she’s in a bookstore, holding a copy of the book, CUT HERE, waiting for it to be autographed by a Japanese author. But the girl is in danger, and so she runs away. I soon wake up with a sense of dread. I usually don’t often write down my dreams, but that time I did cause it left me with a haunting feeling. At the time I didn’t know if I’d ever use that dream for a short story, poem, or novel. It sat there gathering virtual dust on my computer for three years before I decided to re-read that dream, one night in January of 2011. Soon, that dream would become Lena Martin’s tortured past.

2. Your book Doll Parts is a collection of three short stories. Which is your favorite and why?

My favourite short story from that collection is, “Scared of Girls,” it's one I wrote while I was in college. It explores homophobia and gender identity and poses the question, Do we fall in love with a person or a gender and what happens when your soulmate doesn't conform to a specific gender identity? Even after all these years, the social topics that the short story explores are very timely. Plus, that short story is set in Catania, Sicily where I was born so that's another reason why that story in particular has a special place in my heart. Plus the two protagonists, Marzio and Viola are just characters that I really cared about a lot. They ultimately were very passionate and kind.

3. Bleed Like Me is a book of poetry “for the broken”. How autobiographical is this piece?

They say that there's a piece of the author in every book they write, and to some extent it's true. However, Bleed Like Me is the most autobiographical one of the bunch. 96% of the poems in the collection were written between the ages of 13-20. That age bracket is when you react most emotionally to life. A broken heart as a teen is the end of the world. As you grow older, one begins to see things with more hindsight and realize that many of the people you put up on pedestals and adored at that age, were only bringing out toxic elements in yourself.

4. I consider myself a feminist horror author, but that term has different meanings to various people. Do you consider yourself a feminist horror author, and if so why?

I do consider myself a feminist horror author, even if I have dabbled in other genres throughout the years. But if I am writing horror, I rather have the female be strong than simply be the victim. And sometimes, women are also the villains in my stories, cause to make women appear as only the hapless victim or final girl is kind of saying women can only fit in those two spots. That's why I really love books like Audition, where in the novel it's the woman who is far more twisted than the men who peg her as sweet and docile, could ever imagine her to be.

5. Where did your love of horror come from?

It started at a very young age. Probably around two years old. I think my dad noticed that I had a flair for watching horror movies and so would always have me watch them (he always told me I shouldn't be afraid as it was all “Hollywood” so I never had nightmares over the movies I viewed). So horror has pretty much been a part of my life since I can remember. Which the earliest memory I have of watching horror is seeing Elvira presenting the horror movie of the week.

6. When you’re not writing horror, what are you up to?

Writing DOES take up a lot of my time, because when I'm not writing fiction, I'm writing blog posts for my lifestyle blog that I update twice a week. But, when I'm not doing that, I pretty much live at the theatre where I'll check out any new horror, thriller, or drama films, plus I love to dance, read, and I'll admit that I have a skincare and cosmetic obsession so I'm always looking for new products to try out.

7. What is one tip you wish you knew about writing and the publishing world before you got started?

The biggest tip I can give aspiring writers is to read, read, read, and read some more, especially read the genre that you're planning to write about! My reading background is very classical, meaning I grew up reading a lot of Shakespeare and Dickens, which is awesome, but as a teen when I was writing short stories rereading them now, I know they have more of a Victorian feeling to them, which wouldn't have been terrible if the stories were taking place in Victorian England and NOT in contemporary time! As far as the publishing world goes, I think it would've been helpful to have known how important marketing yourself was going to be. Many novice writers have this idea that writing the book and having it appear in bookstores or online stores is enough. That it's going to sell itself or that your publisher will roll out tons of money to promote you and send you off on a book tour around the nation. And all of those things are wrong, cause sure, authors like Stephen King will get that sort of support because he's popular, but for a newbie you have to do a lot of the legwork to get noticed.

8. What is next for you? Anything in the works?

My newest anthology that I edited, Strange Girls: Women in Horror Anthology will be out on February 18 during Women in Horror Month. It's a collection of short stories featuring many talented women authors that explore the meaning of what it means to be a strange girl. So the collection features stories about vampires, selkies, succubus, mermaids, and creepy dolls just to get an idea of what you may find.

9. Where can people find you online?

Twitter, Instagram, Website, Blog, Goodreads

CHECK OUT STRANGE GIRLS: WOMEN IN HORROR ANTHOLOGY HERE

PURCHASE CUT HERE NOW

Nico Bell 3/20/20 Nico Bell 3/20/20

Cosmic Horror and Weird Fiction Author Curtis M. Lawson #Interview

Curtis M. Lawson Interview

1. Congratulations on the release of you book Those Who Go Forth into the Empty Place of Gods! Can you tell us a little about the plot?

Thank you so much! The book is about an underachieving genius who inadvertently gets sucked into a world of cosmic conspiracy when he gives the wrong answer on a TV quiz show. His answer, a bit of trivia he remembered from his dead grandfather, awakens a cabal of immortal guardians of forbidden knowledge and sets in motion events which can undo creation itself.
It’s a fast-paced blend of cosmic horror, black comedy, and pulp adventure. The closest book I can think to compare it to would be John Dies at the End.

2. What was it like writing this book alongside Douglas Rinaldi?
It was great working with Doug. Years before either of us wrote fiction, we both played in metal bands and we played several shows together in the early 2000’s, so it was cool to reconnect years later and discover we were on similar artistic paths again.

The book was Doug’s idea. He approached me with the concept and the first scene, then I helped him flesh out the story and the mythology a bit more. Once that was done, we made a scene by scene outline and divided up the parts based on what we were most interested in and what parts might play to each of our strengths.
This was my first time doing a writing collaboration, and I’m glad it was with Doug. He’s an easy guy to work with, we have a lot of mutual respect for each other, and our styles mesh well.

3. I’ve seen several reviews that describe your “brand” as cosmic horror. Would you agree with that, and for those who aren’t familiar, what exactly is cosmic horror?

I have a deep love of cosmic horror, and I would say the themes behind it—humanity’s insignificance compared to the vastness of space and time, existential nihilism, fighting losing battles against entropy—those things influence most of my fiction. My body of work spans wider than cosmic horror, however. Almost everything I write has a supernatural or ambiguous element to it, which I would say puts it more into general weird fiction, which is another nebulous term. Sorry about that. Weird fiction readers and writers have spent a lot of time trying to define weird fiction, but for me it’s more a vibe that the work gives off. It’s kind of like punk rock—you know it when you hear it.

As for cosmic horror, that’s a bit easier to describe. Cosmic horror pits the smallness of mankind against the enormity and indifference/malevolence of the universe. It’s man versus nature combined with man versus god, if both were taken to the furthest extremes.

4. You’ve written several novels, short stories and comics. What tip would you give a newbie writer who is looking to break into the writing industry?
Write what you love and approach it as honestly as possible. Odds are you aren’t going to make much money, and chasing markets and trends is mostly a waste of time. I’m not trying to be a buzzkill, but that’s the truth of the industry. Once you realize that, you can stop worrying about making money and focus on making art.

Even if your book bombs, which you often can’t control, you still have the thing you created. No one can take that away from you, and it’s the only guarantee in this whole business, so make sure that your work is genuine and give 100% to every project. Make sure it’s something you can look back at on your deathbed and say “yeah, I’m happy with that piece of me living on”.

5. Where did you love of horror and weird fiction come from?
Since I was ten years old or so I’ve been exploring this ever-expanding web of weird, dark art. It started with the horror section at June’s Video Hut, my local video store. John Carpenter’s Christine and A Nightmare on Elm Street are both directly responsible for making me fall in love with horror. After that I was consistently attracted to dark art in all forms, and one thing led to another. Through Ghost Rider I discovered old Tomb of Dracula trades. Dungeons and Dragons brought me to mythology and occultism. Horror punk led to death metal and death metal to black metal. Stephen King and Bram Stoker opened the doors for horror books. Clive Barker and H. P Lovecraft hooked me for life.

6. Do you have a favorite author?
H. P. Lovecraft is my favorite author. There are books that I like better than Lovecraft’s best work, but no other writer has so consistently enraptured me with their imagination and their voice. Clive Barker comes close.

7.      When you’re not writing, what are you up to?
      I’m a stay at home dad so most of my time is spent writing and raising my son. I try to do a fair amount of reading of course, and I’m making a real effort to get in better shape this year. I used to play a lot of tabletop RPGs, but I don’t really have time for that these days, unless I’m playing something with my wife and son. I’m very dedicated to self-improvement and to working towards making things better for my family.
      When I do have some time to myself though, I suppose I most like to spend it exploring museums and parks, having conversations with good friends, or relaxing with music or a movie. I’d like to make more time for seeing live music as well. I’d love to start going to the symphony a few times a year.

8. What is next for you? Anything in the works?
I’m currently working on a collection of short stories that all take place over the course of a single Devil’s Night in Detroit. Each is a standalone story, but they are loosely connected with nods to events and characters from other stories in the book.

For those unfamiliar, Devil’s Night was what they called the night before Halloween in Detroit up through the 90s. It started off as a mischievous kind of thing with harmless pranks, but through the 70s and 80s it turned into a free-for-all of crime and arson. It peaked around 1988, when over 500 fires burned throughout the city.

The collection, aptly called Devil’s Night, explores straight-up supernatural horror, urban folk horror, weird crime, dark fantasy—all sorts of interesting sub-genres of dark fiction. The limited edition hardcover is slated to come out from Weird House Press in September or October of this year.

9.      Where can people find you online?
      My website and I have a Patreon page with exclusive poetry and short fiction at patreon.com/curtismlawson
      For those more into social media, I’m on facebook as Curtis M. Lawson, instagram and twitter

10. Thank you so much! This is you chance to say anything that wasn’t asked. Closing thoughts?
Thank you so much for having me! There are so many great people in the horror community—readers, reviewers, writers, publishers—and I am so thankful for all the connections I’ve made. I’d love to connect with more people, so for anyone reading this, please feel free reach out to me for any reason!

BUY THOSE WHO GO FORTH INTO THE EMPTY PLACE OF GODS HERE

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