THE HORROR OF MY LIFE: NICHO YOUNG

The first horror book I remember reading

I recall reading Jurassic Park on a family trip across the country when I was about 12 years old. The funny thing is I was very squeamish about some of the bits in the book (still am when it comes to real life…or descriptions/visuals of anything to do with finger/toe nails and teeth) that described the gore when the dinosaurs attacked people. And I was the kid who was afraid of everything, so the fact that I made it through that novel and went on to love the genre of horror is quite the wonder.

The First Horror Film I remember watching

Jurassic Park came out when I was 11 years old. And I distinctly remember my older brother going to see the movie and coming home and telling my parents that I shouldn’t see it because it would “give him nightmares”. For a long time during its theater run I was refused the opportunity to see it until one night when a large group of friends and their parents were going to the Drive-In to see the movie and I begged my parents to let me go, and they did, and I instantly fell in love with the movie. It has been my favorite movie since I was 11.

However, if variety is what is wanted here, I would say the fist (non-traditional) horror movie I remember watching was The Ghost and the Darkness with Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas. When you are a teenager who hasn’t been exposed to much regarding horror, lions stalking humans and ripping them apart is fairly horrific. It was also the first Rated R movie I was allowed to see in theaters.

The Greatest Horror Book of All Time

I can already tell this set of questions is like exploding a can of worms. This is a really difficult question to answer, because there are so many different aspects within the horror genre that stand out to me (originality, sheer terror, subtlety, shock value, atmosphere, etc.) and either add or subtract value within the story. I will have to take this one on strictly based on the re-readability factor and excluding the aforementioned (multiple times already) Jurassic Park.

It by Stephen King definitely pops to the top of the list, but then I start to think of the lesser known horror novels I have read and I find myself thinking about The Ruins by Scott Smith and Relic by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. I didn’t read It until a couple years ago and it absolutely fascinated me. The world King created and the depth of the detail within the story held me captive. I am actually reading that one again right now. The Ruins was one of my first forays into truly uncomfortable horror literature. The amount of squirmy feelings I had reading that book hasn’t been matched yet. And the universe Preston & Child began with Relic was so fun and exciting. I need to read through all the Pendergast novels that they have written, but Relic has definitely stuck with me over the years. And we need a proper film version at some point.

The Greatest Horror Film of all time

Gingernuts asking the difficult questions. Yeesh. I am going to weasel my way around on this one and talk about different horror films that I consider in top form for what they did, because there has been so much brilliance in the field, just as there has been in the novel category.

Rosemary’s Baby – Since I didn’t become a fan of horror until I was in my late teens/early twenties, I hadn’t watched many movies within the genre and thought the level of menace and shock value grew over time. Until I saw Rosemary’s Baby. That film was so unnerving and sadistic. That movie opened my eyes to the vicious nature of a lot of films from the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Saw – When I went to the theater and watched this movie, I walked away in awe at how absolutely clever it was. The concept behind it, the twists and turns, and of course Cary Elwes is always fun to watch.

The Blair Witch Project – I remember when this movie came out and everyone was convinced it was real footage that had been found…until the day I went to see the movie and it was spoiled that it was fictional tale set up as found footage. I was still thoroughly engaged and horrified at the film, but I remember the wave of fear that rippled through the country when it was believed to be actual footage. That movie pioneered the art form and, while many films get the concept so wrong, there have been some amazing films made using the technique, including Rec and Searching.

The Conjuring – I am not going to lie: I was a grown ass man when I saw this movie and I was so grateful when I got back to my house at night when I lived alone, only to remember that my sister and brother-in-law were staying at the house for a few nights. The clapping hide-and-seek game sent chills down my spine. I honestly don’t know how I slept that night.

Jaws – The creature feature to begin all creature features. Not only is it terrifying due to the fact that there are really sharks that really randomly attack humans in the real ocean, but the human level of that story make you care for all the characters who are put in danger. A brilliant piece of filmmaking that is still fantastic to watch to this day.

THE GREATEST WRITER OF ALL TIME

Stephen King. I don’t know of any other prolific author with as many published works in as many genres as King. He has dabbled in so many ideas that it is difficult to not recognize him as one of the best authors of all time. I put him there, because of the ability to read the stories he has written again and again. He has definitely inspired me in my writing, and I am always excited when I find out a new book of his is coming out.
Honorable Mentions:

Michael Crichton was my introduction to fictional tales that weren’t Lord of the Rings or Chronicles of Narnia and I devoured so many of his books growing up.
Wm. Paul Young, not just because he is my dad, but also because of the worldwide impact his book The Shack has had. A publishing company was created to publish that book and it has since skyrocketed onto the top 100 sold books of all time. That’s pretty amazing.

Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child introduced me to the concept of a universe continuing over the course of many books, and Agent Pendergast is still one of my favorite fictional characters of all time.

Tana French’s writing is sublime. Her ability to impact the reader with her stories is phenomenal, and her insights into human nature are fascinating.
Orson Scott Card is another author that slips into the subconscious of the reader and lingers there for a long while. His world building is so intricate and introspective.
Pierce Brown, in my humble opinion, took the concept that Suzanne Collins utilized and exponentially improved on it. I enjoyed the Hunger Games books, but I felt like I was much more invested in the Red Rising series.

THE BEST BOOK COVER OF ALL TIME

This is truly a difficult one, because book covers change over time as new editions and versions of a book releases. A book cover definitely goes a long way in piquing my interest (don’t judge a book, yeah yeah). But I am going to have to say The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. The cover tells you what kind of a tale you are in for without giving anything away. It is sublimely beautiful.

THE BEST FILM POSTER OF ALL TIME

Another one where there are so many versions of movie posters that it makes it difficult to claim a Best. First off, I am removing all ensemble movie posters (Avengers Films, Fast and Furious films, etc.) because there is literally no nuance to them; they are simply announcing who to expect in the film. I am a big fan of the minimalist movie posters that have become popular over the last ten years or so. Original film poster? I would have to go with either the poster for Airplane! or The Dark Knight Rises. The pretzeled plane is simply comedy in itself, and the Batman logo in the skyline of the city is pure brilliance.

THE BEST BOOK / FILM I HAVE WRITTEN

Well, since the only one I have written in its entirety so far is Grim Fate I would have to say that one. I honestly feel that it is a twisted take on the horror genre. I don’t think anyone who reads it expects where I take it. One person told me they expected it to be just a horror novel where there was no investment in the characters, because they were just going to die anyway, but they were surprised to find it much more introspective. That was a huge compliment.

THE WORST BOOK / FILM I HAVE WRITTEN

There is a whole list of unfinished stinkers in my arsenal (most of which have been lost over the years…weird how that happens). I have a couple I want to rework and try again with, but many times I look back at stories I started to write, and I cringe. Ridiculous concepts, poor execution, lack on inspiration, and a plethora of other issues.

THE MOST UNDERRATED FILM OF ALL TIME

The Frighteners hands down. It is a criminally underrated Peter Jackson Horror/Comedy with Michael J. Fox. It is a brilliant bit of storytelling. I mean, I am extremely envious that I didn’t come up with the concept of a paranormal investigator who works with the ghosts to make money. The concept is phenomenal and there are pieces of the film that are truly (pardon the pun) frightening. One second you are laughing, and the next moment all your muscles are tightening because you know some shit is about to go down. Wonderful film.

THE MOST UNDERRATED BOOK OF ALL TIME

Sphere by Michael Crichton. I know they made a movie about it, but the book is so much more subtle and horrifying and I think the movie didn’t do the book justice, and because of that it wasn’t as successful of a book as it really should be. It is such a claustrophobic tale, and really gets the heart rate going. I would say it is almost a horror version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

THE MOST UNDERRATED AUTHOR OF ALL TIME

Tana French. I know there are definitely people who know about her, but I feel like, especially in the US, her powerhouse presence is not as well known as it should be. The psychological aspects and twists and turns in her novels are things of beauty. She builds her stories so wonderfully, and her characters are excellent.

THE BOOK / FILM THAT SACRED ME THE MOST

The Conjuring takes this prize. Where most films rely on false jump scares to build tension, everything that is happening in this movie actually has a payoff. And when those creepy hands came out of the wardrobe, I believe I actually tried to crawl into the seat I was sitting in, because it was such a terrifying concept. They built the fear and unease so expertly, showing the audience what was right in front of the characters’ faces without letting the characters in on the terror of it all.

THE BOOK / FILM I AM WORKING ON NEXT

I am working on my second novel right now that deals a lot with psychology. The concept of what if this is really what it appears to be instead of just existing in my head. It centers around a Detective duo from a small town who begin investigating a seemingly cannibalistic cult who have started taking victims and leaving them eviscerated near the forest. But, of course, things aren’t always as they appear, and one of the Detectives ends up much deeper in the conspiracy than he could have imagined. I hope to publish it in October of 2021.

Nicho Young grew up in the Pacific Northwest and currently resides in the state of Washington with his wife and 3 (soon-to-be 4) children. When he is not writing he can be found playing with his kids, live streaming online, and watching shows and movies with his wife. 
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Writing has always been a passion of his and he is excited to be able to share his storytelling with the world. Grim Fate is his debut novel, and he plans on continuing to write and bring stories to everyone for decades to come.

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Marcus Grimm is a paranormal investigator who has made a living determining if supernatural events are occurring. Although he has a special intuition and connection to the Otherworld, he remains a skeptic, which allows him to figure out if there is a genuine event or if a family is trying to get their fifteen minutes of fame. When Marcus meets John Billings and his children at their house, he has a sense that the events John describes are very real. As Marcus explores the house for signs of supernatural activity he not only learns more about himself, but uncovers truths that will change his life forever. And he discovers that sometimes accepting invitations can have dire consequences.

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