Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

When I was younger, I studied to become a Catholic priest. I attended a prep Seminary, but decided that I wanted a secular life, so I became a lawyer. I got married and have two kids.

I spent the last 25 years of my career writing legal briefs and contracts.  Very boring reading, mostly. However, it instilled in me in the importance of doing accurate research and the power of written persuasion.

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

The antagonist of my first book The Pope’s Butcher – Father Heinrich Institoris. Until now, he escaped notice as perhaps the most prolific serial killer in human history. Most recent estimates put the death toll of his Inquisition at 60,000 to 100,000, although some authors prefer much higher numbers, perhaps reaching into the millions.

We can only prove that Institoris himself took two lives directly: Anna of Mindelheim and Agnes the Bathkeeper. However, he proudly proclaimed that he had personally slaughtered over 200 more. We may never know the exact number, but Institoris’ personal torture manual became a handbook influencing official judges after his death. It even contributed to judges in Massachusetts hanging a dozen more innocent women, centuries after his death.

The term “serial killer” is a modern invention. According to the standard definition, a serial killer murders three or more people, usually in service of some abnormal psychological gratification, with the murders taking place over more than a month and often including a significant period between them. The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines serial killing as a series of two or more murders, committed as separate events, usually, but not always, by one offender acting alone. Over the last century and a half, those who have studied serial killers observe that they are typically Caucasian with an average age of 30 and 97% of the time, they are male.

Like most serial killers, the German-born priest began to manifest proclivities toward sexual violence and religious fanaticism by his early 30s. By that age, he was well on his way toward collecting dozens of the perfect targets for his rage: young and middle-aged women. This group would remain the focus of his obsession for the rest of his life. As his political power grew, he began seeking his ultimate trophies: Women of status like Helena Scheuberin, who he viewed as a witch and the enemy. We have his own written words to give insight into why he chose these targets as the most suitable

Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?


Writing legal analyses, as a lawyer.  The other type of book that I find fascinating are medieval occult grimoires.


The term horror, especially when applied to fiction always carries such heavy connotations.  What’s your feeling on the term “horror” and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?

I think “horror” means anything that conjures deep emotions of fear in our subconscious. While some fears are universal, others are cultural. For example, as Americans’ religiosity waned, our fears became more focused on serial killers rather than demons.

A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?

I think people will grow increasingly fearful of disease. If the COVID-19 experience taught the world anything, it is just how vulnerable we are to it.

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?


Horror has always captured our imagination, as it probes deep into our subconscious and brings feelings to the surface that aren’t that easy to tap into consciously. It forces us to safely contend with the outer darkness of our minds and experiences.

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

Diverse voices and perspectives.

What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?


I find that it is easy to get into teaching too much about history. I find true history very interesting, but readers prefer dialogue and drama to lectures.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?


No.

Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years?

I was a terrible writer in high school and college.  Law school and law practice developed my skills at writing legal documents, but it didn’t help with fiction writing.  In fact, it may have hurt.  However, I have tried to use the legal writing skills and research to help my fitcion writing.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

Don’t stop.  Keep writing.

Which of your characters is your favourite?

The beautiful pagan witch Brigantia in The Pope’s Butcher.  As I explored her character, I found myself writing about a young beautiful woman who was strong and individualistic yet feminine in the Middle Ages.

Which of your books best represents you?

The Pope’s Butcher definitely does represent some of my experiences as a Catholic seminarian, but the book I am working on now titled Salem’s Ropes is set in the modern era, so it connects more to my current lifestyle.

Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?

“She followed closely behind him and laughed to herself under her breath, “’I love Christians. More superstitious than pagans!’”

Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?

My next book is called Salem’s Ropes.  It is a novel based on the true stories of the cursed Ropes Mansion in Salem Massachusetts.

If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

Probably vampires.  They have been written about to death (pardon the pun).

What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?

The last great book I read was probably 1984 by Orwell, which I recently re-read. It is so relevant today, it is scary.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?

“Do you really believe that Satan and his demonic hierarchy is at work influencing humans in the modern world?”  My answer:  “I know it is.”

Joseph C. Gioconda studied to be a Catholic priest before choosing to leave the seminary.  He later studied to become an attorney and graduated from Yale Law School.

WEBSITE


www.ThePopesButcher.com​

Inspired by true historical figures and events in the 15th Century, The Pope’s Butcher is not only a hair-raising work of suspense and espionage, but an astonishing account of religion and the occult in the Middle Ages.
★ Synopsis ★Abandoned as a child and raised by the Church, young Sebastian works tirelessly in his pursuit of priesthood. But when a shadowy hooded figure passes him a scroll, his careful plans face a turning point. It appears his name has drawn the attention of the Inquisition and his attendance is commanded at once—for retribution, information, or something else, he does not know.

Father Heinrich Institoris the Grand Inquisitor is lauded as a visionary man, driven by a burning desire to cleanse the world of Eve’s original sin by eradicating witches. As Inquisition courts bloom across Europe, he vows to leave no stone unturned, no hovel unexamined, and no woman alive, in his search for justice.

As the Inquisitor’s violent mission unfolds, Sebastian embarks on a quest through dank crypts, crumbling abbeys, and the darkest depravities known to man. Torn between duty and love when he encounters the beautiful pagan Brigantia, he fights to uncover the truth: of his past abandonment, the power of the occult, and just how far he’ll go to protect the Church he loves. A Church that is harboring deadly secrets.

With an intriguing writing tone and a talent to create suspense and mystery from true events, Joseph C. Gioconda delivers a shocking story of serial murders within the Catholic Church. In writing his first novel, he has interviewed leading scholars in the U.S. and Europe and hired professional researchers to comb through newly discovered source material from Germany and Italy.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

Having dabbled in writing for much of my life, for the past few years I’ve focused on writing screenplays, short stories, and most recently a novella, during the little bit of time I have outside of work and family. Most of my writing involves a combination of horror and dark humour, and I’m really enjoying the online community of those who share these interests.

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler for me to say that the non-supernatural antagonists in my work are usually that banal type of evil that one can’t help but witness in the real world on at least a weekly basis. Unfortunately, those people are unavoidable, but I still try to keep clear of them. The Route 66 Apeman, the “Big Bad” in my new novella, is also somebody I’d prefer to stay far away from, because of the odour as much as the threat of bodily harm.

Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?

Definitely comedy. I have to actively fight against my humourous instincts to not let jokes constantly seep into my work to the detriment of everything else, like characterization and story. Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries such as This is Spinal Tap and Best in Show have that magical combination of realism, hilarity, and heart that I aim for whenever I’m incorporating comedic elements into something. My debut novella, Spook City, U.S.A., is my attempt at writing prose that has the tone of a goofy R-rated comedy like Step Brothers while still satisfying that horror itch.  In terms of writers, Kurt Vonnegut’s depressing type of humour is a massive influence, as is A Confederacy of Dunces, which is the funniest thing I’ve ever read.

The term horror, especially when applied to fiction always carries such heavy connotations.  What’s your feeling on the term “horror” and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?

I kind of get a kick out of the stigma against horror and other types of “genre fiction.” Part of its appeal to me is that it’s not for everyone. This helps foster a kind of outsider community, like with niche styles of music. Within an already ostracized genre, my stuff is as low brow as it gets, and I have no shame about that.

However, commentators can make the case that some horror is regressive and “punches down” by relying on tropes that may be harmful. I don’t know much about that, but I think an open dialogue about that stuff is helpful, as is making sure that different voices are encouraged.

A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?

It’s already starting to happen, but I’d love to see even more people from marginalized backgrounds get their works into the forefront of the public consciousness. Horror is now and has seemingly always been the perfect window into addressing cultural wrongs, and people who are much better writers and way more insightful than I’ll ever be, such as Stephen Graham Jones, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Victor LaValle, are doing an amazing job at it. Hopefully their books will one day sell as many copies as Stephen King.

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?

Really great horror can be cathartic, and even mediocre horror is a fun, escapist diversion. I think some people are just wired for it. I know I am.

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

I am just now learning about the indie horror scene, so there may already be people like this already writing that I’m ignorant of, but I’d be really interested to read horror written through an Islamic lens. So many great horror books and films in the English language have a Christian, and often specifically a Catholic, focus, like The Exorcist, The Omen, and The Conjuring series, and I really enjoyed The Possession, which is about dybbuks from Jewish mythology. I’d love to see the Muslim version of this, like a serious book about Djinns incorporating Arab culture.

What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice off?

I’ve just recently started exploring indie horror, so the people whose work I’m familiar with are mostly already established. One of these authors who has stood out to me is Kristopher Triana, who writes mostly Splatterpunk that has exceptional character development. The recently deceased W.H. Pugmire had been around forever, but I only recently discovered him and am kind of obsessed. He wrote the most ornate Lovecraftian prose I’ve ever read; it’s almost more Lovecraftian than Lovecraft himself.

A traditionally published young author that I’ve enjoyed is Edgar Cantero, who wrote Meddling Kids, a thoughtful, grown-up take on many of the same the Scooby Doo archetypes that I tackle from a very different angle in my Shadybrook series. His first English language novel, The Supernatural Enhancements, is his masterpiece so far. It’s a crazy haunted house story with a twist ending that I don’t quite understand, but still really love.

Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?

An early version of Spook City was written in screenplay form, and the most helpful feedback I received about it was that I should either pull back on the explicit themes to make it family friendly or to double-down and embrace the more R-rated aspects, but not to stay in the middle of the road, which is where my initial drafts were stagnating. After choosing to unapologetically write for a grown-up audience and eventually market the book that way, I felt freed up to limit my self-censoring and include more sex, violence, and profanity.

What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?

I dread doing the actual writing, as opposed to the daydreaming, outlining, and revising, which I enjoy much more. Out of necessity due to my work and family obligations, I’m forced to carve out little chunks of time to write and then make the most out of them, which has actually been very helpful to me because it forces me to be productive.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?

Being a straight, white American guy who wants to write diverse characters, I try not to tell stories that might be seen as coopting someone else’s experiences for my own gain. I can’t help being irreverent, so I don’t see myself ever writing about something like the Holocaust or slavery, because I couldn’t do it justice.

Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years?

Thankfully, I wasn’t published until recently, so none of my early works are floating around out there. However, I can’t guarantee Spook City, U.S.A. won’t make me cringe once I have a few more books under my belt. The sex scene in it already does.

Since I’ve never taken formal creative writing classes, I’ve relied heavily on editing and advice from my brother and my wife, who are much more educated than I am. Outside of that, books like Stephen King’s On Writing and Chuck Palahniuk’s recent Consider This have been awesome, as has the writing community at LitReactor and podcasts like This is Horror and The Lovecraft eZine.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

Before I turned my attention to writing prose, I was focused on songwriting for many years, and someone once told me to write the type of songs that I would most like to listen to. Since then, I’ve applied that to every artistic endeavor I’ve undertaken. As poorly as it may reflect on my character, Spook City is totally the type of book that I would most like to read.

Which of your characters is your favourite?

Rory, the three-legged blue heeler that narrates Spook City, has a special place in my heart, as he is based on a real dog that I shared with my ex-wife. The real Rory was absolutely insane and despised me, but I found her to be absolutely hilarious and wanted to mythologize her in some way.

Which of your books best represents you?

I couldn’t imagine writing a more personal book than Spook City, which happens to be my only released book as of now.

Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?

I’m way too proud about the opening line of Spook City: “Welcome to Shadybrook, California, located not far from Needles in the part of the state that the Red Hot Chili Peppers never get around to writing songs about.”

Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?

My new book is Spook City, U.S.A., the first in a series of novellas set in the fictional desert town of Shadybrook, California. It twists the “mystery team with a dog” trope into a raunchy horror/comedy intended for the few weirdos who equally enjoy Scooby Doo, Super Troopers, and Twin Peaks.

Right now, I’m bouncing back and forth between writing the next Shadybrook book, tentatively titled Screaming at a Mall, and a series of short stories about a punk band that solves mysteries.

If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

I love a good jump scare, but I hate a poorly executed one. Also, the “Indian Burial Ground” stuff is pretty played out, and living close to a reservation, I can assure you that it annoys many Native Americans.

What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?

The last great book that I read was Blackwater by Michael McDowell. It’s an obscenely long Southern Gothic saga that was originally published as six separate volumes, each released one month apart in the early ‘80s, similar to how Stephen King put out The Green Mile about ten years later. I’ve become obsessed with McDowell after first reading about him in Grady Hendrix’s Paperbacks from Hell. He wrote the screenplay for Beetlejuice and a ton of over great stuff but is sadly kind of overlooked.

The last book that disappointed me was Gone Girl. I’ve been on a kick of reading many of the extremely popular books of the last ten years or so that had passed by me, and I really liked Gillian Flynn’s Dark Places, so I was surprised when Gone Girl didn’t live up to the hype, in my opinion.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?


Q: It turns out that all those creatures H.P. Lovecraft wrote about are real and they’ll be showing up in town tomorrow. Can you help us defeat them?
A: Um, sure.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I’m Fred Venturini, a lifetime fan of the horror genre and a novelist with a new horror/action book hitting the streets, To Dust You Shall Return.
I was set on fire when I was 10, so I’m a burn survivor. That’s about as close as it gets to living out a horror movie in real life.


Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

Without question, the villain of my latest book, known only as the Mayor. Imagine that Clark Kent grew up as a prick and decided to dominate and torture Smallville, and that’s the Mayor. He’s obsessed with inflicting pain and crushing the hope of the people he sees as his subjects and playthings.

Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?

The satire and minimalism of Chuck Palahniuk’s work, and the writing community that rallied around him in the early 2000’s. Once I discovered his novels, I started to experiment more with voice, with tense, with POV. I felt the limits of writing lift and my horror sensibilities turned into pure transgressive fiction.

Another big influence is 80’s and 90’s action cinema, and the best action movies of the 2000’s. I always joke that I write books because I grew up in a small town, didn’t know how to make movies, and wanted an unlimited budget. I try to write cinematically and my favorite archetype is the “reactivated badass” that you find in many of these stories. I also love how kinetic and funny action movies can be. You won’t find better audience movies than a well-executed horror movie or a slam-bang action movie.


The term horror, especially when applied to fiction always carries such heavy connotations.  What’s your feeling on the term “horror” and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?

When you say “horror” to most people, they think of iconic slasher movies and Stephen King. This is my unofficial poll, of course. The problem is that horror has so many distinct subgenres and almost everyone has one they just can’t handle, so if they can’t handle the deep end of the pool, they simply refuse to jump in.
We’re left with a reflex to Trojan horse it into stories without calling it horror, which may soften those assumptions over time.

A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?


Because of the pandemic and the political climate, I think we’ll see “living with the monster” as more of a theme vs. fighting the monster. To me that unlocks the potential for a lot of new stories and a deeper sense of dread and terror.

Horror has always been on the cutting edge of commenting on social justice, and I think that trend will continue and we’re going to see some books and movies we’ll be talking about for decades coming out of this era.

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?

Horror is scary, and scary is fun. It’s the same reason a roller coaster is popular.
Another, deeper reason I’ve wrestled with is that it makes us happier. It’s forced “negative visualization” that is scientifically proven to increase happiness and contentment, and has been practiced for a couple thousand years, most notably by the Stoics.

And when you’ve had a shitty day, week, month, or year, or maybe even a shitty life entirely, at least you’re not getting your face wrecked by Freddy Krueger or getting eaten by Pennywise. 

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

Going right to meta and self-referential commentary as an evolution has skipped over some rich storytelling territory.

Instead of commenting on the tropes, I think horror stories exist that can use the established rules to build new stories and worlds without the need to explain those rules. It’s a shortcut and there are interesting, peripheral stories to tell.

What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice of?

The fresh voices and points of view from authors like Stephen Graham Jones, Gabino Iglesias, and Gwendolyn Kiste have blown me away.
Now, SGJ has been writing his tail off for a long time and I think finally, just now, he’s starting to get his due in wider circles.
But the other two? Look’em up if you don’t already know them, and you’re in for a treat.



Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?

I had a capsule in The New York Times and it was positive, so I’ll never forget that one. I certainly don’t sweat bad reviews and find them important to make the good ones stick.

What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?

Marketing your books! Selling eight hours of entertainment for $15 has never been harder. Publishers don’t exactly know how to do it well, and aren’t building new authors. They’re investing in the big, bankable authors and a bunch of lottery tickets, waiting for someone to stick before they push their chips in.

Marketing as an author is exhausting and overbearing and it seems like everyone has a book they’re pushing. I just wish I could write and publish without trying so hard to sell the book.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?

I would write about anything, without limit. But I’d be careful about publishing certain things. There are certain points of view I’d be afraid I couldn’t handle, and I’m not qualified to handle.


Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years?

Writers in their formative years stick to the familiar, as I did. So, you run the risk of feeling and sounding like a knockoff. My writing hasn’t developed as much as my voice has, and the confidence to get away from the familiar and do bold things on the page. I’ve settled into this groove of just accepting I like what I like, and they can exist together: horror and action, horror and superheroes/sci-fi, horror and YA love stories.


What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

I was at an event with Chuck Palahniuk and he gave out a piece of advice I’ll aways remember: live an interesting life. I see a lot of teenage and college-age wannabe writers that don’t have anything interesting to say about the world and just want to be published, so I think this advice is critical.
And at my age (40 if you care to ask), it’s still advice I take to heart.


Which of your characters is your favourite?

Dale Sampson of The Heart Does Not Grow Back was my first protagonist, and man, did I put that kid through the wringer. Somehow he made it out on the other side with his soul in-tact, and he’s out there somewhere even though the world thinks he’s dead, with a gift he’ll be strong enough to share with the world someday.


Which of your books best represents you?

This one is easy: The Escape of Light. If it seems like an outlier in my canon to have a YA love story, it’s because The Escape of Light is the book I had to write just to get it out of my system and open up the pipeline.

It’s about a burn survivor (like me) who shares a couple of unexpected tragedies with me from real-life events.

The novel represents me best mostly because of my belief in resilience as a critical skill and how we can find happiness under any circumstances if we just stop looking everywhere but inside of ourselves.

Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?

I’ve always liked “The suffering of human potential comes from the lack of a true pinnacle.” It aligns with my philosophy, that our misery comes from striving and we fetishize never being satisfied as “drive.”


Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?

To Dust You Shall Return is a passion project of mine I’ve always wanted to see in print, with the things I love the most mashed into one, crazy story.

I wanted to take a classic “reactivated badass” action hero character and drop him smack dab into a Stephen King plot.

I’m working on a novel now that is a different take on the slasher subgenre. I’m interested in why, after being attacked so many times by the same obviously supernatural killer, do the citizens choose to keep living there? What kind of person is attracted to a clearly haunted place that is massacred every few years? Imagine a prestige TV series called Haddonfield and that’s the vibe I’m going for.


If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

Oh, a few. First of all, when’s the last time any of us experienced a car that wouldn’t start?

No one falls down all that much when running for their lives.
And I’m over dumb characters. Stop doing silly things like splitting up or running away from a car without at least hopping off the road.

What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?

Great is such a big word - I’d have to say Stephen Florida. The novel blew me away, and it has this unreliable narrator that intrigues and repels you for the length of the book. While it’s quite the literary novel, I think horror fans would dig it, you feel like something terrible is around the corner at any moment and that Stephen is capable of literally anything in pursuit of his goals.

Writing is a tough enough gig; I just can’t bring myself to call out an author or his/her/their novel for being disappointing in a public space.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?

Can you do a really good impression of Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Answer: I know everyone has an Ah-nold impression but I have lovingly crafted mine over the course of many years and rarely get a chance to use it.

WEBSITE LINKS
​

Website: https://fredventurini.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/venterminator
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fredventurini
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/venterminator/


Book buy links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dust-You-Shall-Return/dp/1684426340/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=to+dust+you+shall+return&qid=1621954947&s=books&sr=1-1
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/to-dust-you-shall-return-fred-venturini/1137992228?ean=9781684426348
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/books/to-dust-you-shall-return-9781684426348/9781684426355
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781684426348

"Venturini doesn't write in words and sentences. Instead, he lines the page with barbwire, concertina wire and spike strips that deliver the story deep into the reader's skin." –#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Chuck Palahniuk
​
A town ruled by evil. A man ruled by darkness. Only one can survive.

Curtis Quinn is a Chicago mob legend with a particular set of skills and a price on his head. When the woman he loves disappears, Curtis follows her trail to the occult town of Harlow, where no one is allowed to leave, and an enigmatic, sinister overlord known only as “the Mayor” rules by an autocratic regime.

Beth Jarvis is a plucky teenager unwrapping the secrets of her hometown―Harlow―and the mysterious ceremony that awaits her on her eighteenth birthday. What Beth doesn’t know is the truth about her sister Kate, who escaped their strange town over a decade ago and has evaded the Mayor and his disciples ever since.

What Curtis doesn’t know is that Kate is the woman he’s fallen in love with, and she’s running from a threat far greater than the mobsters who want to kill him. His fate collides with Beth’s as she tries to escape Harlow and the disgusting fate that awaits her, and Curtis finds himself unraveling a mystery that leads to an impossible and terrifying conclusion―that the Mayor of Harlow is more than just a man, and the hardest target he’s ever tried to kill.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I’m a former musician turned author and I still don’t know which is the more ‘real’ job.

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

The villain from He Waits. If you’re meeting that guy, it’s already over.

Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?

Roald Dahl’s work. I love the way he approaches the logistics of fantastic things. Dreams have to be sucked in through tubes and spat into our ears, witches have to wear wigs because they’re bald and so their scalps itch… that fascinates me. That and 90s comic books.

The term horror, especially when applied to fiction always carries such heavy connotations.  What’s your feeling on the term “horror” and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?

It’s a blessing and a curse; when I first released The Stone Man I billed it as a ‘sci-fi horror’ novel, as it’s a scary book. Then people came in expecting gore, and it isn’t that kind of book, so there were a handful of outraged reviews. Then when I changed it to a ‘sci-fi thriller’ novel people complained that it was too dark. To break past it I think the horror community needs to branch a little out of traditional horror tropes and look at work that is a little more on the edges of what is seen to be ‘horror’.

A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?

I think paranoia about misinformation and ‘the man’ is going to proliferate dramatically.

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?

It’s a release, I think. Something so removed from most people in the west’s relatively safe everyday lives.

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

Psychological horror that doesn’t always turn into a straight-up slasher.

Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?

Not a review, but a hilariously smug email. The guy sent an example of how one of my chapters could have been better after berating me for several paragraphs. I wouldn’t have minded, but his chapter was awful.

What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?

The isolation. Oof.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?

I don’t think so.

Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years?

I’ve learned more about agency for characters and objectives, and the need to clarify them. That’s very important.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

See above!
Which of your characters is your favourite?

Probably Charlie from In the Darkness, but Andy from The Stone Man will always be my favourite curmudgeon.

Which of your books best represents you?

Probably The Stone Man.

Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?

I do like this one: Different sides of us, brought out by different situations, and we can never truly know who we will be from one day to the next. You can be one of them more than you are any of the others, and decide that is you ... but when you are caught unawares, the dice of your personality is rolled and the outcome is not given by any means.

Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?

My last book is You See the Monster (coming out on June 14th!) and the next will be the third book in my Stone Man series.
If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

The supernatural antagonist only teasing its victims until the third act for no reason and then disappearing when someone else walks into the room. Drives me insane. Why would it wait?? Very, very annoying. It’s why I wrote You See the Monster!

What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?

I’d say Bird Box was the last great one I read, and I wouldn’t like to say which one disappointed me.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?

“How about a free massage, sir?”

Luke Smitherd is the author of the #1 bestselling novel THE STONE MAN, shortlisted for Audible Book of the Year 2015, recently followed by it’s sequel THE EMPTY MEN. He also created the #1 bestsellers IN THE DARKNESS, KILL SOMEONE, THE PHYSICS OF THE DEAD, and THE MAN WITH ALL THE ANSWERS as well as his new modern horror novel YOU SEE THE MONSTER, out June 14th.

A former singer and guitarist, Luke now writes full time for a living. He can't quite believe it. He currently travels and writes, and ignores cheap jibes about not having a 'proper job'. 

WEBSITE LINKS www.lukesmitherd.com
Amazon Author Page
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Facebook.com/smitherdbooks
Instagram.com/lukesmitherdyall
Twitter.com/lukesmitherd

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

Sure! My name is Luke, and I'm an avid reader and aspiring author of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. I'm also an experimental musician and passionate outdoorsman. If I'm not working, writing, or recording, I'm probably somewhere far outside of cell phone service.

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

Bocephus Bodine from Early Retirement, no question. He's a racist, homophobic bigot who thinks himself above repercussions due to family connections in high places. In short, a rather disagreeable fellow.

Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?

I'd say my two biggest influences outside of the horror genre would be George R. R. Martin and Joe Abercrombie. Fantasy was my first love, and it was Martin's exceptional work in A Song of Ice and Fire that inspired me to seriously pursue my childhood dream of writing fiction.

A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?

I think that we will see a sizable influx of plague-based apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic horror due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While this sub-genre has been consistently popular for decades (especially if you include zombie fiction under this umbrella), it's been just over a century since humanity has had to face a global catastrophe of this magnitude. Prior to last summer, few people alive today had ever experienced firsthand the kind of overwhelming apocalyptic dread upon which works like Stephen King's The Stand or Cormac McCarthy's The Road are predicated. I predict that the coming years will see a host of more personal, poignant, and chillingly relatable stories published in this sub-genre.

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?

I think that the appeal of explicit gore in media stems from a wider sociocultural shift away from localized agrarian living towards a globally integrated and industrialized lifestyle. Contemporary western culture has largely separated us from our mortality by sterilizing our conception of death. Our death rituals are performed in pristine funeral homes over meticulously embalmed and life-like cadavers, our meat is skinned, trimmed, and packaged in neat portions before being sold in white-tiled and coldly lit supermarkets, etc. We're not forced to confront the inevitability of death or the nature of our bodies as briefly animated sacks of flesh in any real or visceral way.

Violence and death are inherent aspects of the human experience, wether we like it or not. The less that we confront them in our daily lives, the more we stoke a primal need to engage with them via our art. In this sense, I would argue that the prevalence and popularity of extreme horror fiction is a positive cultural sign in that we are turning to fantasy, rather than reality, to engage the least savory manifestations of our collective human psyche.


What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

I think a greater effort could be made to incorporate the strengths of different sub-genres within horror as a whole. Why do we split splatterpunk apart from psychological horror? Why are creature features distinct from Lovecraftian fare? I feel like there's a level of elitism peppered throughout the publishing industry that prevents appreciation and synthesis between various approaches, and that same elitism trickles down to the genre level as well.

What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice off?

As embarrassing as it is to admit, I'm fairly out-of-the-loop when it comes to my fellow up-and-comers in the genre. As I mentioned earlier, I'm a fantasy aficionado first and foremost, so my reading habits still tend towards the more established, mainstream side of horror. But my reading list is growing all the time, and I can't wait to dive deeper and deeper into the underground of horror!

Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?

One reviewer remarked that Early Retirement “walks that edge well of original and fan-fiction” in specific reference to John W. Campbell Jr.'s Who Goes There. I found this remark fascinating because I have never once read any of Campbell's work. Though I have since watched (and loved) John Carpenter's The Thing (a film adaptation of Who Goes There), I was unfamiliar with the story while writing Early Retirement. I am perennially enthralled by the evolution of individualized narratives into wider cultural myths and motifs over time, and this is such a beautiful example of that phenomenon. Campbell's work so profoundly impacted those writers who have influenced myself that his narrative fingerprint can be found in my own work, despite my never having read him myself. It really is incredible the impact that one voice can have on the evolution of a genre or medium as a whole.

What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?

Just sitting down and hammering out a first draft is by far my least favorite part of the process. I love big-picture world-building and plotting, and I get a ton of satisfaction out of revision. But the step in between, the actual process of forcing a giant, amorphous blob of ideas into a coherent string of words, can be extremely frustrating.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?

If pressed for a one-word answer, I would say no. I believe that imposing limits on one's artistic endeavors is an ultimately self-defeating practice that stifles creativity and shackles creators to mediocre ideas in the pursuit of “playing it safe.”

That being said, however, I do think that it is crucial for any artist to thoughtfully examine the social context and cultural ramifications of their work before putting it out into the world. I disagree with the popular notion that some topics are strictly off-limits, but I do think that the more sensitive any given subject matter might be, the more crucial it is to treat the subject with care, compassion, and attentiveness.

Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years?

Nearly ten years ago I decided out of the blue that I was going to sit down and compose a sprawling, epic fantasy series unlike any the world had ever seen. My debut novel would stand beside the likes of The Fellowship of The Ring, Dune, and A Game of Thrones as a pillar within the pantheon of great works which have ushered in new eras of speculative fiction.


Obviously this did not happen for a multitude of reasons, chief among them being that I had zero writing experience and was therefore not very good at it. So I would say my biggest growth has come in humbling myself, tempering my expectations, and taking the craft of writing seriously for what it is: a painstaking and difficult endeavor that takes even the greatest storytellers a lifetime to perfect.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

I've always loved this quote from Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft: “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”

I feel like that's such a simple, yet profound statement. Nothing was ever accomplished by waiting around. If you want to achieve something, you have to just do it.

Which of your characters is your favourite?

That's a tough call, but I would probably say the mercenary-turned-community leader Krevynyn from my upcoming fantasy novel, The Chains of Fate. He is my first attempt at a genuine redemption arc, and I really enjoyed cultivating his growth from cynical, bloodthirsty nihilist to upstanding steward of a burgeoning spiritual movement.

Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?

I really like this passage from Early Retirement, as I feel that it conveys a lot about the story's world and characters in a single paragraph:

“Cap allowed himself a tired smirk at the notion of calling his last shift 'last night' in a place where the sun never shone. When he was a kid, way back when the schools still taught general ed alongside vocational studies, his fifth year teacher said that Old Gaia spun on its own axis faster than it orbited its sun, resulting in regular cycles of day and night. Supposedly, that was how mankind had developed the twenty-four hour standard clock that was still used all over the galaxy. It seemed an absurd notion to Cap. In a world with darkness and light for all, how did they split up the rich from the poor?”

Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?

Early Retirement is a novelette that follows the story of Cap Jenkins, an average Joe working in an off-planet manufacturing facility, through two nights on the job as his equipment begins to malfunction and his co-workers grow increasingly strange. Without diving too deep into spoiler territory, the story sets out to examine toxic workplace dynamics, paranoia, and social inequity in a futuristic setting with a splash of body horror and just a hint of black comedy.

My next piece will be a novella that builds upon the workplace horror premise of Early Retirement while swapping out the dystopian sci-fi elements for dark fantasy. This novella, along with Early Retirement and one other story set in a contemporary American setting, will form a trio of shorts that I plan to release as a compilation titled Night Shift: Volume I early next year.

If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

I've come across a handful of horror novels that often turn to gratuitous rape scenes for shock value. It's a cheap tactic that alienates readers who have experienced sexual violence firsthand, and it does little to inspire the more cerebral dread and terror that most readers come to the genre for.

What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?

After about three years of on-and-off reading, I finally finished Glen Cook's Black Company series last month. The final installment, Soldiers Live, was a great novel that really pulled the whole series together.

On the other hand, I recently got about halfway through Richard Matheson's What Dreams May Come before ultimately shelving it. I really enjoyed I Am Legend and was intrigued to see what else the horror great had to offer, but Dreams just didn't click with me in the same way that Legend did. I think the next Matheson that I'll pick up will be Hell House, which I've heard nothing but good things about.

Ginger Nuts Of Horror (GNoH): Welcome to Ginger Nuts of Horror! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed. I guess my immediate first question, Dr. Tingle, is; why horror? And why now?


Dr. Chuck Tingle (DCT): well this is genre that i very much enjoy when i am reading and watching and thinking so i have come to be very comfortable in way of ‘whoa bud that was scary days ahead’ but it was not what i was CREATING. But dang thing is ROMANCE and also jokeman way of COMEDY is a lot like way of HORROR because these are genres of tension and release and timing so if you understand these things you can understand them across all kinds of stories i think. FOR WAY OF why now on this timeline? Mostly just because i had story idea for STRAIGHT for a very long time just trottin around in my head knockin things over like a hogs birthday and i could not get rid of it. So finally i just said OKAY I WILL WRITE and that is how it happened but now i think i am going to have way of HORROR NOVEL or NOVELLE in addition to my other writing i think i can prove love is real in both ways and that is very exciting.


GNoH: Did the timing have anything to do with the wider political situation in the US? I know Trump was traumatic for the LGBTQIA+ community, especially with his assaults on Trans rights and inclusivity. Was the decision to have the story happening on the 3rd anniversary of Saturation Day in part a comment about complacency within the movement, now the immediate threat appears to have receded?


DCT: well when i had idea i was not sure if i could write the story in a way that PROVED LOVE IS REAL and that is always top goal i knew idea was good but when you start putting it on paper my worry was can i make my goal happen? Goal was WRITE STORY THAT IS EXCITING ROLLER COAST BUT MAKES QUEER BUCKAROOS FEEL GOOD AND CATHARTIC BY THE END and i was very concerned to think that this idea could end up just being LGBTQIA people being harmed during saturation day if it is framed wrong. So when i came up with way of STORY BEATS i though ‘we do not need to see the chaos of the first day where most of this violence happened’ because when you put that in the dang rearview mirror you now have a powerful metaphor for these real traumas of the past on this timeline without having to witness them. you can just feel them hanging over everything without making experience of reading the book just UGLY AND TRAMATIC and i really did not want it to make buds feel like that. But what is very good way is this opens up characters to react to past as metaphors for important issues in queer community like AIDS and other things that have been part of the journey of this timeline. So i liked third year because of this reason but also because you could believe that buds would go out into the desert by then. There is sense of both I WILL NOT LIVE IN FEAR ANYMORE and also sense of MAYBE THIS IS OVER? Which are important ideas to let drift around in your story i think


GNoH: I feel like the character of Jason is really important in this respect; I know on Twitter that you said part of what inspired him and his way was a reflection of gay men who lived through the AIDS crisis of the 80’s, and the indifference/hostility of the authorities of the day. With a horror tale, how do you balance the needs to present an unflinching portrayal of the events with your desire to provide hope? And do you feel like these are themes you’re likely to return to - can we expect more spinetinglers from Dr Tingle?


DCT: part of making story with HORRIFIC WAYS end up as story about hope is to write with understanding the LOVE IS REAL and to use this as motivation. As man name of chuck im talkin on proving love all the time in your artistic trots and sometimes i think buckaroos hear this and think ‘dang i can only make art that is handsome sunshine and rainbow?’ and that is NOT CORRECT of this way. All kinds of horror art or art that is difficult can prove love is this is driving force behind its creation just gotta be true to your way when you are putting these building blocks in place. In STRAIGHT i took extra time with this trot and made sure there was CATHARTIC MOMENT AT TURN OF STORY so that buds who read and have come to know these characters can cheer along with them in hopeful way. To answer next question HECK YES i will be writing other HORROR NOVELLA OR NOVEL VERY SOON probalby next big project i have just been rolling idea around in head for a while and i thought dang that is another good horror story so i am excited to explore this new idea more i think it will be very good and prove love in its own way


GNoH: Straight feels to have its roots firmly in a classic pulp horror tradition, with echoes of The Crazies, Day Of The Triffids, and All Fool’s Day. Are you a fan of pulp horror? Are there any particular stories or authors of that genre you especially enjoy?


DCT: oh dang VERY MUCH YES i will say good catch in mention of THE CRAZIES i enjoy this film very much not just original but even remake which is RARE CASE of probably better than original. In zombie subgerne there are all kinds of ways to show this MOB MENTALITY METAPHORE and i think zombies in straight are probably most similar to THE CRAZIES or way of I HAVE SLEPT FOR 28 DAYS NOW THIS IS MY WAY starring handsome cillian. But i think way of PULP or sometimes what is said of B-HORROR that i enjoy is taking methods of TELLIN A TALE that is considered to be low brow way and saying ‘hold on scoundrel there are no brows here’ and using this a way to deliver thoughtful story i do not know why i enjoy this so much but it is a dang hobby of mine i suppose


GNoH: I feel like there’s a class dimension to horror too (especially pulp horror) in that, like erotica and romance genres, it’s often looked down upon by the literary establishment. Do you agree with that? And given pulp horror’s (sometimes deserved, sometimes not) reputation for stereotypes and poor gender politics, do you see Straight in part as an act of reclamation?


DCT: oh yes but i am NO DANG STRANGER to being looked down on for method of presenting art that has been man name of chucks trot for a long time and comes with EROTICA WAY you are right about that. I have thought and talked on this some lately I think these genres are looked down on because they invoke INVOLENTARY REACTIONS you have arousal with EROTICA or laughter with jokerman COMEDY or a scream or a gasp with HORROR so i think these ways are seen as part of instinctual brain instead of DEEPER HIGHER THOUGHTS. But for me i very much enjoy genres that touch these involuntary reactions because there is so much primal truth there for timelines past. So i would call this VISCERAL SINCERITY and i enjoy thinking on this way. But for second part of question as far as reclaiming stereotypes with STRAIGHT i think this is true in some ways but not as direct i would say personally was trying to reclaim certain TROPES and subvert them. those had to do more with STORY STRUCTURE and other ways.


GNoH: Reading that, it strikes me… isn’t that a false dichotomy in any case? Between emotion/feeling and intellect? Aren’t the two irreducibly intertwined? Emotional intelligence is just as vital as any other way… and surely the two are interrelated, in ways voluntary and involuntary?


DCT: i would say it depends on definition of then buckaroo talkin on it if it is even way of DICHOTOMY at all so you are correct in many ways. It is probably middle gound at the end of the day as most trots on this timeline on BUT I WILL SAY yes they are interrelated. as buckaroos we are not cornered off into segments and broken down into pieces and probably MOST EFFECTIVE artists are going to be able to understand the way these pieces work together instead of try to rank them and put them at odds. We have many types of thoughts dancin around bumping into eachother in our brains and dismissing some type of them just limitin your dang color pallette in BIG PAINTING


GNoH: One of the brilliant aspects of Straight, for me, was the uneasy ambiguity around the effects of The Blank Space on the straight population; how much they remember, and if they have any control at all over their rages (and, of course the added layer of anti-vaxxers, which I appreciated given recent real-world events). Can you talk a bit about the decision making process that led to that?


DCT: yes GOOD CATCH BUD GLAD YOU ENJOYED i think this is important part of story and what was exciting to worlds greatest author chuck tingle because there are all kinds of MORAL TROTS you can pick apart in this way. Most zombie tales avoid this by saying ONCE YOU ARE BIT YOU ARE DONE FOR BUCKAROO we all know this classic scene of someone bit and then their bud has to shoot them thats every day time, so to subvert this i though ‘well what if they come back what if this is annual how do you deal with them now?’ there are a lot of EXCITING ETHICAL QUESTIONS of what is okay to do there and who is responsible that i wanted to talk on and work into greater metaphor of ‘how much is LGBTQIA community responsible for the mess of others?’ or really question of ‘how much is ANY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY responsible for cleaning up after majority community as we push forward on this timeline proving love together?’ i do not think there is easy answer to this especially when you think of ways of ‘who is taking responsibility for not being cautious?’ and that of course ties into vaccines way. So i think there are many LAYERS OF METAPHORE that can prove love in different ways depending on what you want to trot away with.


GNoH: In addition to the question of who is taking caution and how, there’s also the thorny issue of the rights of a marginalised community with regard to self defence, which, again, your decision to have the frenzy only last for a limited time period complicates more than a standard zombie narrative. It seems to me that American culture has a fascination (if not, sometimes, a pathology) regarding the right to violence in self defense, but inevitably only really for the dominant population. Was the ‘Gay Malitia’ intended, in part, to address this? And do you feel like this is a theme you’re likely to return to?


DCT: part of having GAY MALITIA was just locgically planning out what this dang timeline would be like which is most fun part of story idea like this. Just thought it was interesting subversion of talk there has always been on LGBTQIA buckaroos in the military seems like every generation there is new issue with this and it is always about exclusion, so i thought whoa dang that is interesting in this would for a certain task dealing with SATURATION DAY it would be safest to ONLY have lgbtqia buckaroos working because for sure they will not change any everyone else is a risk. Even if they have vaccine who knows you could be arming a whole group of bad news buds CANT HAVE THAT. so this way of exploration just feel together naturally and i found it very interesting. As far as violence and self defense yes this is very complicated issue and you are right it is often put through lens of majority population such as when nra supported gun control ONLY ONCE because it was when black panthers in california wanted guns this happened on this timeline in 1967. So you can start to see some of these self defense issues REGARDLESS of where a buckaroo falls morally they are still fighting against a majority side who is going to bend the rules however they heckin want

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GNoH: As a straight white cis het man with LGBTQIA+ family members, I found the narrator's commentary around ‘allies’ challenging (though not, just to be clear, remotely invalid). Was part of your intention to challenge your straight audience in this regard? Or is it simply that the novella wasn’t, primarily, written for them (me)?


DCT: VERY GOOD AND BRAVE QUESTION thank you for asking this it is good catch and important thought. I would say whole dang story is about ALLIES but also about FALSE ALLIES so even though these are tough questions it is point of this tale to be BRAVE about zombies but also BRAVE about picking these thoughts apart. I think for buckaroos in LGBTQIA community what i wanted to give was a CATHARTIC WAY that lets you be frightened yes but also cheer along and say ‘dang i am so glad to hear someone saying this i have thought this but it is rare to see on the dang page’ and for straight buckaroos i hope they say 1) yes i just enjoy this as a story of fear like a dang rollercoaster but also 2) wow i have not really thought about being an ally in this way could i do a better job? Or to think ‘wow i can see how that would be scary for my LGBTQIA buds because they are in this battle all the dang time and i am there when i choose to be.’ and i think hopefully  anyone can read STRAIGHT and think ‘i will make effort to choose to be there in times that are easy but also times that are difficult and THAT is was being ally means’.


GNoH: Well, I appreciate that message, and the challenge to do and be better. Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us, Dr. Tingle, and I look forward to more Horror stories from you, should the muse take you this way again :)


DCT: dang THANK YOU this was such a fun talk and thank you for proving love is real YOU HAVE CREATED SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL by askin these questions of chuck and other buds and then putting these answers out onto our timeline this process is creating a lot of joy for others and also for man name of chuck. So very sincere way to say thank you for trotting in this way and putting joy out there it is difficult sometimes to REMEMBER that even these small actions that seem like ‘oh we are just going about our trot’ can effect others and that we are all fighting to push this timeline towards a better place. And YOU ARE DOING THIS SO WELL thanks buckaroo it has been real dang treat to talk on this way LOVE IS REAL

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I’m a father of one with a day job at a milk plant in British Columbia. In addition to our son, my girlfriend and I have two cats, a dog, and a horse. I’m shopping around my debut novel, Pushing Daisy, while writing the first draft of a post-apocalyptic novel, Echoes.

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

Roger Darling, the protagonist of Pushing Daisy would be a challenge. He’s a grumpy dude. Justifiably—to him—but really not fun to be around. Why I would write a novel about him is beyond me.

Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?


The classics are classics for a reason! Steinbeck, Hemingway, Bradbury. They all shaped me and my writing. I dip into sci-fi as well as fantasy, but usually reluctantly. The reluctance isn’t warranted, though; I usually end up loving what I find in those genres.


The term horror, especially when applied to fiction always carries such heavy connotations.  What’s your feeling on the term “horror” and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?

Horror is going through a renaissance! The literary elements that are being brought to the genre—Stephen Graham Jones, Paul Tremblay, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, all come to mind—are bringing the high-stakes horror is known for while using prose in a very unique and well-regarded way. The use of horror in the #OwnVoices community is also doing a lot to show different perspectives and bring in underrepresented demographics.

A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?


We’ve been dealing with a lot of bleak circumstances, so I think we might want to start seeing some stories about hope and coming together. Either that, or some cathartic, Nazi-defeating tales of heroism. No matter which way horror goes, I think we’re going to want to avoid stories of devastating pandemics.

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?

We want to feel the fear and exhilaration that comes with the gruesome while being reassured of our own safety! Stories are supposed to put characters through the ringer. What better ringer is Freddy Kreuger or Pennywise the Clown?

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?


I don’t think anything is missing from the genre. There’s so many great stories coming out from new and established writers that there’s something for everyone.

What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice off?


I have two friends that I’m honored to be published with in Howls From Hell—Alex Wolfgang and Shane Hawk—that have some great short story collections out. Shane’s coming out with a splatter western soon and Alex is working on a novel as well, so I can’t wait to see what they do with the longer form.


Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?

I had a relatively prominent horror reviewer subtweet about my story “Possess and Serve” in Howls From Hell. They claimed it was too long and they didn’t finish. I don’t blame them—it’s technically a novelette—but it sticks with me as my first negative review!

What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?

Finding the time, for sure. My son is just over a year and a half, and when I’m not at work, I’m spending time with him while his mom works with horses. My main writing time is on my coffee/lunch breaks. Even now, I’m typing on a tablet while sitting in my car!

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?

I’m trying to straddle the line between diversity and not stealing the stories from other communities. It’s been a challenge to write from other points of view as I’m exposed to different attitudes and opinions. I would never write about race or gender issues as the focus of a novel because no matter how much research I do, that would be telling a story that someone from that demographic would do better with.


Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years?

Constantly giving and receiving feedback from a consistent writing group has taught me so much about pacing and really slowing things down to create a mood and make everything in a scene clear. I’ve also been doing a lot to cut extraneous content which is emotionally taxing at times, but definitely necessary.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

Give as much feedback as you can. It’s a lot easier to notice plot/character/setting issues in someone else’s story than your own. Noticing these problems in the writing of others helps you look at your own writing through the same critical lens.


Which of your characters is your favourite?

I really like the character of Luisa in my new story “Jaws” that’s coming out later this year in The Dread Machine’s debut anthology. Every story takes place in the year 1986. Since I wasn’t yet born, I interviewed my mom and based the story off her life—with the addition of dangerous teddy bears!

Which of your books best represents you?

I like to think Pushing Daisy really represents me. All of my negative thoughts and feelings, my anxieties and selfishness, I put into my protagonist. Every feeling that I’m ashamed to feel.

Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?


My new novel features an apocalyptic event where younger versions of every adult appear in the midst of their defining childhood trauma; a touch from your youthful apparition is fatal. Henry, a blind teenager, philosophizes about the world that remains:


“The kind of people that are left. Any good Samaritan would help a kid, right? So, who does that leave?” His head bobbed left and right. “Cowards. Assholes.”


That line defines the conflict in the story pretty succinctly.


Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?


Echoes is what I’m working on now, and Pushing Daisy was my last completed novel—the story of a vengeful ghost who haunts her selfish husband after her death.
If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?
Making jokes at moments of tension! It’s super hard to make a book scary if your protagonist is making little quips when there should be heightened stakes.

What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?


The last book that really blew my mind was The Suicide Motor Club by Christopher Buehlman. His characters are incredible, and his stories are thrilling. I can’t wait to get through more of his books!


The last book that disappointed me was Ghost Story by Peter Straub. It’s so beloved by many, but just wasn’t my bag.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?


“Does empathizing with a bad person make you in some way a bad person?”


To that, I would say that it’s important to see villains as human. When you separate them from us, you miss the important lesson that villainy is within anyone. The real proving of character comes from the way you avoid resorting to the behavior that would make you a bad person. Empathy rarely leads you to bad behavior.

WEBSITE LINKS
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Coauthor.ca
Twitter.com/burgleinfernal

Spacefaring researchers disturb an ancient horror. An enchanted object curses a grieving widow. A haunted reel torments a film student. A murder trial hinges on a chilling testimony.

In Howls From Hell, sixteen emerging horror writers pave the way for the future of the genre. Fans of dark and macabre fiction will savor this exhibition of all-original tales born from one of the fastest-growing horror communities in the world: HOWL Society.

With a foreword by GRADY HENDRIX, this anthology unveils the horror writers of tomorrow with spine-tingling stories from:

Following the recent release of Under A Ravens Wing to great critical acclaim, Stephen Volk has taken time out of his busy schedule to discuss the book with Ginger Nuts of Horror’s own Kit Power. In this spoiler-filled second part, they discuss the merging of the fictional with the historical, Doyle, Poe and racism, and much, much more. Enjoy!

Ginger Nuts Of Horror: So there’s a lot to cover, spoiler wise, but first HOLY HELL, C. AUGUSTE DUPIN is POE!!!! I cannot tell you what a shock to the system it was when I realized what was going on; audacious doesn’t even begin to cover it. You’ve obviously written fictional narratives around historical figures before—notably Peter Cushing, Alfred Hitchcock, Dennis Wheatley and Aleister Crowley in The Dark Masters Trilogy—what differences in approach, if any, did you have to take when you had one character who is ‘real’, and one entirely fictional?

Stephen Volk: Perhaps it was stupidity on my part, but I don’t know that I thought about the difference, to be honest! Sherlock Holmes was (and is) a very vivid and clear character in my mind, to the extent he feels as “real” as many a documented historical personage of his era, and I had a pretty vivid and clear idea of Edgar Allan Poe as a person, too, having read about him all my life (even writing a screenplay about him many years ago). So it didn’t seem crazy to put them together—Poe being the literary “father of the detective story” and Holmes being its grand master, it felt inevitable: in fact, I was shocked that nobody (to my knowledge) had done it before! There was The Seven Per Cent Solution, which teamed up Holmes and Sigmund Freud, and in the 1979 film Murder by Decree, Sherlock had set out to solve the real-life Jack the Ripper crimes, so there were a number of precedents of melding fact and fiction.

In a way, there is a point where a public figure such as a famous author becomes, ostensibly, a “character” in the form that we understand them, or think we understand them: and, concomitantly, there is a point where a fictional character becomes “real” or “as-if-real” when it comes to fandom. Sherlock Holmes was the first character, I believe, who had fans in the modern sense: those members of the public who were outraged when his creator had the temerity to kill him off! And of course, there were people who wrote to “Sherlock Holmes, 221B Baker Street”. On the other side of the coin, we have the fictitious picture of Poe—maudlin, tormented, addicted, the absolute proto-goth or emo—and the actual facts: how can we ever unravel them into any objective idea of “truth”? I don’t think we can. So I unapologetically treat him as a fictional Poe. “My” Poe.

GNoH: Obviously you researched Poe extensively; when you came to write these stories, did either he or Holmes surprise you at any point? To what degree do you find you discover characters in the act of writing, and to what degree is that covered in the research/planning stage?

SV: I had to mentally chart, albeit roughly, how much (or little) my Holmes could wear his heart on his sleeve—given he hasn’t become the Doyle Holmes yet. I think it’s a bit like painting. You block in the rough areas of colour, the broad strokes, then the more you work on it, the more detail you add. The overall composition might remain the same—then again, you might stand back and think: “That shape really needs to change to make the overall pattern work.” As a for instance, when I wrote the first story, The Comfort of the Seine—and more or less throughout—Poe (“Dupin”) is committed to the cause of logic and reason. (I say in the first story he has rejected working on fiction as not worthy of his intellect!) But as I worked on the stories I slowly realised I was playing with literary tropes throughout. So I was skirting around the fact that the stories were all about the nature of stories themselves. I wondered where this was all taking me, and I didn’t know until I reached the final tale, The Mercy of the Night, which happens towards the end of Poe’s life. And a gap opened up in that story which was plot-driven, which was “Why does the murderess, Josephine Rappaport, want these books?” And the idea occurred to me about the humanizing influence of literature. And then I had a kind of death bed conversion for Poe—his realisation that, in spite of his dedication to cold ratiocination, what matters is literature because art conveys all we are as human beings in all our contradictions and abstractions (including love and friendship). So, finally, it gave me a start point and end point about the character. That’s a laborious example, but perhaps it helps convey what I mean.

There were also surprises along the way. I didn’t plan for Holmes to be given the gift of a violin in The Purloined Face, and in The Lunacy of Celestine Blot I didn’t know that his brother Mycroft had spent time in a madhouse until I wrote it! It was necessary, obviously, to prefigure that Holmes was not exactly a ladies’ man, but the idea that Poe prevents him from emotional engagement for his own psychological reasons didn’t occur to me until I wrote The Language of Terror. I suppose the cumulative effect of the stories was to demand me to answer certain questions like that, and that was part of the enjoyment of it. It’s a strange business to be excited about discoveries about characters that never actually existed and are just words on the page!   

GNoH The Purloined Face claims to tell the true events behind Leroux’s Phantom Of The Opera. Did you revisit the original text as part of the planning for this story? And what attracted you to the notion of adding Holmes and Poe to that tale?

SV: Shamefully, I didn’t, and I haven’t read the Leroux novel to this day! I was really using my memory and the primary cultural images of The Phantom, largely Lon Chaney and Hammer’s Herbert Lom versions. It was really that the Paris setting and the opera house setting cried out for me to do it. I knew that opera has a liking for women dying of consumption, so that brought it alive, given that Poe’s wife had died of that disease; though, as I think he says at one point in my story: “She never sang about it”. I liked that my Poe, who is as sarcastic as he is brilliant, could have fun with the situation, and I could too. By plunging him and Sherlock into a horror classic—re-tell it, but not a straight reboot. Twist it and subvert it, I hope. It’s not a bloke in a mask, for a start. I’m a sucker for stories that go “You know that story you think you know? It wasn’t like that at all.”

GNoH Can you talk a bit about how you constructed the mystery for this story? I realise that I don’t have the first clue how one would even go about writing such a tale - do you start with the resolution and work backwards?

SV: I honestly can’t remember, but that is usually the case. Know the ending first, and make your detective incredibly clever in how they get there. Which is (he says in hushed tones) terribly easy. (As Poe says about detective fiction in one of the stories!) I don’t have my earliest notes on this one, but I think I needed an unmasking scene (per Phantom), but wanted a different spin or reveal on that, so—(spoiler alert!)—I made it a child that you’re made to think is a maniacal dwarf. Which is, frankly, my revenge on the film Don’t Look Now for doing terrible things to my brain when I first saw it on a wet Wednesday in Coventry. My climax is really Don’t Look Now where you are expecting a dwarf. I think the idea of the acid attack victim came quite early, too. You always want a vivid character appealing for the help of your detective hero, and I liked (liked?) the idea of an actress whose looks are destroyed as an act of vengeance. That was the thrust of what I wanted to play with, so I would put down the beats of the scenes in, say, a page and a half—client arrives, visit to the opera house, and so on, planting red herrings, et cetera—then I’d flesh out that outline with more ideas (like beginning with the elderly Holmes going to see the Lon Chaney Phantom of the Opera in a cinema; which chronologically just about works) until it feels ready to write. Coming from a screenwriting background, I like to plan. I have to, really, especially with these kinds of stories. I don’t like flying blind and trying to find the runway.

GNoH: In a collection not short on macabre horror, The Three Hunchbacks stood out for me as a masterclass in both claustrophobia and body horror; for me, it felt in some ways to be a mirror-darkly version of The Man With The Twisted Lip, though the Poe influences are also sizable. Can you recall the inspiration for this one at all?

SV: It was quite funny, the way it came about, in typical circuitous fashion! Paul Kane had edited the previous story in the series for an anthology about Dupin, Beyond Rue Morgue, and joked that I should write one about The Hunchback of Notre Dame, as that was set in Paris! I presumed it was a joke, because my stories are set in the 1870s, and Notre Dame was set in medieval times, so I completely ruled it out as impossible. Then, many months later, I read a story in Fortean Times about another novel by Victor Hugo about brigands who deliberately deform people: it was the basis of the Conrad Veidt film The Man Who Laughs (which in turn inspired the look of Batman’s Joker). The article mentioned the idea that children were sometimes stolen and crippled to make them into beggars, so I took that as the catalyst for my tale. Of course, it’s delicious that the hunchback is an echo back to Poe’s “Hop-Frog” too. And why three of them? Because it is more bizarre than one! And because “The Three Hunchbacks” is a perverse nod to “The Six Napoleons” title in Doyle’s canon.

GNoH: Though Doyle was, in his personal life, relatively liberal for a white man of his place, time, and class, the Holmes canon does occasionally contain shocking racism (Tonga in The Sign Of Four, for example), frequent reliance on junk science (such as skull size to denote intelligence, and graphology), as well as clearly well meaning yet still problematic tales like The Yellow Face. Similarly, Poes’ work unquestionably leans into racial stereotypes that were prevalent in his era. You take some of this head-on in The Language of Terror; I’m fascinated by what your decision making process was with regard to this; can you talk about that?

SV: This is a very important question and I am very glad you asked it. I must admit I circumvented it in the case of Holmes. I might justify that decision in saying that those Doyle stories hadn’t happened yet chronologically, but that, of course, is rather flip. In the case of Poe, I didn’t feel the issue could be quite so easily navigated around. Yes, in stories such as The Gold Bug Poe’s writing of Jupiter and his comic patois is horribly offensive to read today, and I’m well aware it can be construed as excusing Poe to say he was a man of his time and upbringing: though I equally think it’s silly to argue that he wasn’t. We are all products of our time, and I am quite confident we will be seen as deplorable to future generations in ways we cannot foresee. Again, that is not to excuse him or his writing for aspects that are problematic in the least.

So, to cut to the chase—was Edgar Allan Poe racist? That is for the individual to decide and I can’t decide for you. Toni Morrison said, “No early American writer is more important to the concept of American Africanism than Poe”—yet many critics have acknowledged the slippery way in which he deploys genre not only in the examination of race but also of gender and class. G. R. Thompson says “Almost everything in Poe is qualified by or controlled by a prevailing duplicity or irony”.

In researching a completely different story (not in this book) I was intrigued to read that Leland Person and Lesley Ginsberg interpret The Black Cat solely as the re-enactment of the Nat Turner rebellion of 1831, while to Hannah Walker it “depicts the injustices of slavery and ultimately shows how slavery damns the South”. It is hard after reading her analysis not to see the image of the hanged black cat as that of a lynched slave. Joan Dayan makes a similar compelling argument that the story is about the mutually destructive effects of slavery on both slave and master. It was Poe’s political intent and personal attitudes, she says, that anchor the story. In this context (according to Walker) the narrator’s wife has a pivotal role, representing Northern abolitionists in their fight to abolish slavery. It is she who takes a “solid stand” against the violent narrator/slaveholder, making Poe’s tale a racial allegory and “an omen of the damning effects to come if the South continued to unleash aggression towards slaves and Northern abolitionists”.

I find this fascinating, and certainly implies that the argument about Edgar need not be binary.

To be absolutely honest, I did not want to write a story, let alone a book, in which one of the heroes is a racist. I would find it objectionable and impossible. To that extent, I avoided the issue until I had to address it—that is, when I came up with a story that involved the assassination of Lincoln and the possibly still-alive John Wilkes Booth: The Language of Terror. It felt incumbent on me--here—to say something of Poe in relation to race. But it is, of necessity, a commentary on my fictional Poe, not the real Edgar (whose views are unknowable). So in the story, my fictional Poe sees the destructive force of the racial divide, and the obvious fact that what holds all races together is that we are all human. (“Dupin” again expressing a modern idea “out of his time.” Quite deliberately on my part.)

I wanted to emphasise this by showing yet another “twin” figure in the black Congressman Vance, born on the same day as Poe. (You probably noticed, there are several doppelgangers in the book!) The tide of history is changing. Lady Liberty is being physically exported to the USA, and Le Bon, who has been Poe’s loyal black assistant throughout, is given by Poe on his deathbed a more fitting and optimistic future in America, where greater opportunities can be realised than in Europe (the past). It’s perhaps sentimental, but I think Eddy deserved to express a little sentiment in his final hours.

That, I have to say, is how I chose to depict my fictional Poe in these particular stories—detective stories, which have a certain need and structure, which would have been unbalanced by too much political and social chin stroking. If somebody wishes to write a story or novel that depicts Poe in a way they think more truthful, they are quite entitled to do so. I’d be quite excited to read it!   

GNoH: There was a similar, if smaller moment, I thought, in Father Of The Man, where the Pinkerton Detective character is keen to distance himself from some of the crimes of that organisation…

SV:  Oh, that was just misdirection on my part. Giving the dogged Pinkerton a moral conscience, simply so that the reader would think he was a stand-up guy with integrity. As it turns out, of course, he is the complete reverse of that. A liar and criminal with no moral integrity at all.    

GNoH: I want to get into the final story, The Mercy Of The Night, where Poe is finally given a voice of his own. Why did you want to do this, a rather risky move, rather than maintain the device of Sherlock as narrator?

SV: Partly I thought the change of tone would be refreshing. Partly I loved the idea that Poe has to solve his own murder. And partly because Holmes can’t tell this one, because he is the antagonist. He is the one whose intended crime has to be uncovered: in that respect it was a practical decision.

But that practical decision yielded certain benefits and opened certain doors. If you are made to bend a certain way, creative opportunities present themselves. Poe being bedridden is interesting: he can’t get out so Holmes has become his footslogger. That’s a twist on the situation I have set up, and a poignant one, I hope. Also Poe being unable to speak, when he is so verbally dextrous in previous stories lends the tale an air of melancholy and loss. I also wanted Poe to be the storyteller because I thought by now the reader has earned the right of a view inside the great man’s head—you get to peek into his bedroom and are privy to his dreams, as well as his more private and crippling fears. It is the story that is most about Poe. Ironically, it is about his decline into an old age which, in reality, he never suffered. I granted that. Or inflicted it on him, I’m not sure which.

Most of all it was a more interesting way of passing on the baton to the man who will become the greatest detective the world has ever known: Sherlock Holmes. To tell it from Sherlock’s viewpoint it would have been: “Oh dear. My mentor is dead. Off to London. Aren’t I the bee’s knees!” Which doesn’t really advance what you know already. By telling it from Poe’s point of view there is the tragedy of death but also, I hope, the sense of continuity and transformation of what Poe leaves behind. In a sense, it is about the hope we all have for leaving behind what we have created, or the effect we might have had on those we leave behind. That’s what I was striving for, in any case. A conclusion not about two detectives, but about two human beings.

GNoH: Your website lists you as a patron of Humanists UK, and I felt this tale was in some ways a very strong expression of Humanist values, when it comes to matters of end-of-life care, as well as asking some fundamental, difficult questions about the nature of suffering, and our moral imperatives in the face of such suffering. To what degree were such concerns weighing on you, as you wrote and revised this tale? Did the change in authorial ‘voice’ help with this different focus?

SV: I wasn’t conscious of it reflecting any Humanist views. It was more “arse-about-face” than that. Without it sounding schematic, I wanted the climactic story to be the death of Poe, and it struck me as exciting—or at least fitting—that Holmes should be Poe’s murderer. But murder him out of love, not the usual base or greedy motive for murder. A mercy killing, if you will (hence the title). And thus, having committed the ultimate crime, he can become the great detective we all know and love.

So I then struggled to form a picture of what Poe was like in his last days. Would he be mentally frail, suffering from dementia—my mother died of that, and I could certainly write that with some authenticity—but I thought, no, that’s not right for the story. How much more of a nightmare it would be if his body lets him down, his physical suffering has become unbearable, but his wonderful brain is hideously intact. That would be something that his carer would surely be horrified by, and drawn to do something about. Deciding upon that, it enabled me nevertheless to explore ideas of mortality and, importantly for me, a sense of what we leave behind when we go. Not in the metaphysical sense, but in the realm of memory, and what is carried on in the hearts of those who have been affected by us and touched by us as human beings. I suppose, returning to the Humanism point, I had the benefit of Poe not being a religious person (in my version he is the supreme logician), so I didn’t want a spiritual conversion. That would have felt terrible; a kind of betrayal. But I think I nod a wee bit towards the spiritual of sorts in Poe’s musing that, in death, he wouldn’t mind being reunited with Virginia in a dream. And you’re kind of not sure whether he is being sarcastic at that point or letting the door open a crack to the possibility of an afterlife. He doesn’t know for sure, as none of us know for sure. But he’s pretty certain, as I’m pretty certain! His thought is sort of like: “I don’t believe that stuff. It would be comforting if I did.”

But I can’t say my experience of watching my mother’s decline into ill health, into that dreadful limbo of non-existence in terms of identity, really, didn’t have an impact on me writing this story. It’s possibly at the core of it, in some way. The number of times we drove away from visiting her in the nursing home and my wife would say: “Will you promise me that you won’t let me go like that? I’d rather die.” And you have these conversations and feelings and dark thoughts at the inescapable situation, the sense of losing a loved one down a slippery slope and there is nothing you can do about it, and often you don’t know that a story is the outlet for those feelings until someone asks.     

GNoH: Finally, what’s next for Stephen Volk, screenwriter and author? What projects can we look forward to from you for the rest of 2021 and beyond?

SV: Well, 2020 was a very peculiar year. As I say, my mother died in April of Covid-related pneumonia. We were unable to visit her before she died, and only my brother and I and our respective wives were allowed to the funeral. I then felt in limbo for many months: I’m sure a lot of people did. Also the film and TV industry was frozen by inactivity. Dead. So that is scary on a professional basis. Happily, now, we are starting to come out of it, and I have been more productive, and some new stuff I have on the cards is pretty exciting.

I have been writing a lot of short stories—short-form stuff seemed to come easier in 2020—and my next collection, called Lies of Tenderness, will be published by PS Publishing in March 2022. I’m really proud of the stories in that, more or less all recent ones, including a couple of novellas that nobody has seen yet. So that’s great.

Also, I can’t give details but I’m developing a supernatural TV series with a production company that made one of the mega stand-out shows of recent times. It will be absolutely brilliant if that is picked up by a broadcaster. I’ve also written a low budget film that a brilliant Welsh director wants to make, and I am working on a new, insane screenplay on spec. It’s sort of like the film that Ken Russell should have made after Gothic. Yes, it is that batshit-crazy and out there! Sometimes you have to write the film you want to see in your head, and not wait for anybody’s permission.

Read Kit Power's review of Under A Ravens Wing here ​