Christian Saunders, who writes dark fiction as C.M. Saunders, began writing in 1997, his early fiction appearing in several small-press titles and anthologies. Following the publication of his first book, Into the Dragon's Lair – A Supernatural History of Wales (2003), he worked extensively in the freelance market, contributing both fiction and non-fiction to over 40 international publications. His novellas Dead of Night and Apartment 14F: An Oriental Ghost Story are available on Damnation Books, while Devil's Island, is out on Rainstorm Press. Most recently his work has appeared in Morpheus Tales, Gore magazine, Wicked Industries and Siren's Call. He works in London as a sports writer, and blogs for the Huff Post UK. His most recent non-fiction work is From the Ashes – The REAL Story of Cardiff City Football Club.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I’m just some guy who grew up reading comic books and novels. I love a good story told in any medium: song, book, movie... Whatever the case may be.

Do you prefer the term Horror, Weird Fiction or Dark Fiction?

I’m not 100% sure. If pressed, I would say ‘Dark Fiction’. I think ‘Horror’ holds a negative connotation for some people, dissuading them from reading a particular book or watching a particular movie they may otherwise enjoy.

“THE ALCHEMIST’S NOTEBOOK” was originally a movie that was in preproduction several years ago titled, “The Cry of Cthulhu.”  Unfortunately the project, like many good intentions, never came to fruition.  My concept was an all new Cthulhu Mythos story to be put on film that would have done H.P. Lovecraft proud.  At the time, there had been several poor attempts to place Lovecraft and his dreaded Necronomicon on the big screen.  I had a notion to make an exciting, plus mind-boggling, Cthulhu movie that had the look and feel as if Lovecraft had stood behind the camera.

“THE ALCHEMIST’S NOTEBOOK” embodies the same vision in a literary format.  I have endeavored to pen this Cthulhu Mythos novel as it may have been done if H.P. Lovecraft were alive in the 21st century.  Nevertheless, “THE ALCHEMIST’S NOTEBOOK” consists of three separate narratives that link together a single story, where when one account leaves off, the other continues leading you, the reader, through a terrifying Lovecraftian web of mystery, horror and apocalyptic doom.

I have been known to refer to this work as “THE ALCHEMIST’S NOTEBOOK PROJECT,” because it is the first in a five novel mythos series dealing with mankind’s internal, as well as, outward struggle to control his own destiny while encountering malicious beings from another time and space.

I hope you will enjoy, in addition to being scared stiff, the first of my five part series…“THE ALCHEMIST’S NOTEBOOK.”

Cthulhu Lives!

Byron Craft

Geig Beck is an Australian author residing in Sydney. He spent his youth surfing at Bondi Beach before entering a career in Information technology which took him  around the world. After completing an MBA, he was appointed both an Australasian director of a multinational software company, and tasked with setting up the USA arm of the organisation.

Today, he is  still involved in IT, but spend most of his  time writing... with plenty left over for surfing.

Greig is the author of the rather brilliant series of novels featuring Alex Hunter and his squad of elite soldiers.  The début novel in this series Beneath The Dark Ice saw Alex battling an ancient enemy that had been long buried under the Antarctic ice.  It is a pure blockbuster roller-coaster of a novel that ranks as one of the most thrilling read of all time. 

More information about Greig  and his works can be found at  www.greigbeck.com,

Dennis Liggio is probably some sort of sorcerer or a robot sent back in time to save the future. The cover story he is currently using is that he grew up in New York but somehow ended up in Austin, TX nearly two decades ago. His current whereabouts in Austin are unknown, but there has been some success luring him out of his secret lair with tea, Chinese food, and those fancy little cornbread biscuits that you get at certain restaurants that always seem amazing while in the restaurant but are never close to that good when you get them home. Rumor has it that if you say his name three times in front of a mirror at midnight in a darkened room he will appear and give you Hostess Fruit Pies.

 He has been known to answer the most random of questions with knowledge that is fabricated and an air of authority he surely does not deserve. Ask him, if you dare.

Steve Soderquist started writing at seventeen before realizing he needed to learn a lot more about the how-to's before anything could be published. Taking the time off while learning the craft, Steve became a seasoned musician who played with many successful bands and artists and toured extensively for years. Settling down for the more 'quiet life', the writing bug kept biting and he soon found his way back to the word-processor to pick up where he had left off so many years earlier.
 
After the publication of the novella, 'One for the Road', Steve buckled down and wrote the novel, 'Farm House' which has earned him many great reviews and solidly set his course. Now settled down as a full-time writer, Steve Soderquist has four more novels in various stages of completion with the next book, a psychological thriller called 'Rogue' which is co-written by fellow author Laura Ranger and set to hit the market by hopefully mid 2014.
 
Steve can be found over various avenues including Amazon, Goodreads, Damnation Books along with many other retailers. Just remember what he said once, and I quote: "Hop on in. You can fasten your seatbelt if it makes you feel any better...but it won't make a difference."   

It is with great pleasure and a huge honour to give to you for your reading please an interview with one of the true giants of the genre, Steve Rasnic Tem.  

Steve Rasnic Tem (born 1950) was born in Jonesville, Virginia, which is in the heart of Appalachia. He went to college at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and also at Virginia Commonwealth University. He got a B.A. in English education. In 1974, he moved to Colorado and studied creative writing at Colorado State University. He is married to author Melanie Tem. The couple have three kids and live in a large house in Colorado.

Steve Rasnic Tem's short fiction has been compared to the work of Franz Kafka, Dino Buzzati, Ray Bradbury, and Raymond Carver, but to quote Joe R. Lansdale:

 "Steve Rasnic Tem is a school of writing unto himself." 

His 200 plus published pieces have garnered him a British Fantasy Award, World Fantasy and a nomination for the Bram Stoker Awards.