In 2004, publisher Jason Sizemore suffered an early mid-life crisis at the age of 30. Stuck in a go nowhere city job supporting risk management software, the need to do something interesting and exciting overcame him. For better or for worse, he wanted to make a mark on the world.

Thus happened Apex Publications!

What started as a single quarterly print magazine of dark SF short stories (the well-regarded Apex Science Fiction & Horror Digest) has turned into a busy small press with over 40 titles in print and the monthly ezine Apex Magazine.

Along the way, Apex has had the opportunity to publish some of the most exciting and interesting writers in speculative fiction: Brian Keene, Damien Angelica Walters, Douglas F. Warrick, Nick Mamatas, Jennifer Pelland, Lavie Tidhar, Chesya Burke, Chris Bucholz, and many, many more.

Lesley Conner is a writer, social media editor and marketing leader for Apex Publications, and Managing Editor for Apex Magazine. She spends her days pestering book reviewers, proofreading, wrangling slush, doling out contracts, and chatting about books, writing, and anything else that crosses her mind on the @ApexBookCompany Twitter account. Most of her nights are spent with a good book and a glass of wine. Her alternative history horror novel, The Weight of Chains, was recently published by Sinister Grin Press. To find out all her secrets, you can follow her on Twitter at @LesleyConner.

They  are currently running a Kickstarter for Do Not Go Quietly, an anthology of victory in defiance edited by Jason Sizemore and Lesley Conner.

Resistance. Revolution. Standing up and demanding to have your space, your say, your right to be. From small acts of defiance to protests that shut down cities, Do Not Go Quietly is an anthology of science fiction and fantasy short stories about those who resist. Within this anthology, they will chronicle the fight for what is just and right, and what that means: from leading revolutions to the simple act of saying “No.”



Head over to Kickstarter now to help them reach 100% funding and bring Do Not Go Quietly to life!

They have fantastic lineup of authors contributing stories that includes such writers as A. Merc Rustad, Rebecca Roanhorse, Maurice Broaddus, Nayad Monroe, Karin Lowachee, Brooke Bolander, John Hornor Jacobs, Laird Barron, Brian Keene, Cassandra Khaw, Sheree Renée Thomas, Catherynne M. Valente, Seanan McGuire, Fran Wilde, Rich Larson, Sarah Pinsker, Tal M. Klein, and J.F. Gonzalez (co-writing with Lesley Conner). But we're looking for more! 

To help promote the campaign Matt Brandenburg sat down with Apex publication overlords  Jason Sizemore and Lesley Connor to talk about the anthology and 

What was the spark that set this anthology in motion?

Jason – For several years Lesley and I have wanted to edit an anthology together, but finding the right project turned into a challenge. Funding an anthology via Kickstarter is a massive undertaking, therefore when you decide to launch a Kickstarter project it better be for something that you love or believe in passionately.
 
About a year ago during a typical day of work, we started discussing the news of the day. The usual assortment of nonsense was happening. Trump being Trump. Alt-right assholes causing trouble. Blatant disregard of law and decorum by McConnell and Ryan. It was all a bit much. I shared with Lesley my aborted attempts to become involved in social and political discourse on Facebook (it was disastrous).

Soon after, the idea of forming an anthology encouraging and celebrating defiance and resistance via literature coalesced. We had hit on our passion project!
 
- Why do we need Do Not Go Quietly? in our world today?

Lesley – I think that it’s very easy to feel overwhelmed and as if nothing you do is really going to make a difference in the world we live in. I feel like a lot of people are beaten down and ready to tap out and give up. Our goal with Do Not Go Quietly is to inspire people to stand up and make the change they want to see in the world.
 
… And also to feature amazing stories about resistance and revolution.
 
Why did you go for a Science Fiction/Fantasy setting and not present day? (Interview note: I know Apex is Science Fiction/Fantasy, but was that the only reason you went with this genre?

Lesley – Dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror is what Apex does. But choosing the science fiction and fantasy genres for the stories in Do Not Go Quietly is more than just “it’s what we do.”
 
Genre allows writers to play with metaphor. It allows them to create worlds that are similar to ours, that may be going through a lot of the same things, but that are far enough away that they can bend the rules or change things to fit their narrative. Basically shifting the stories that the authors in Do Not Go Quietly will be telling out of our present day reality and moving them into the realm of science fiction and fantasy gives the writers a whole bag of tools they can use to create the story they want to tell. It broadens what they can do. And that’s something I’m really excited to see.
 
Why did you decide to use Kickstarter for Do Not Go Quietly?

Jason - There is no better platform for crowdfunding literary projects than Kickstarter. GoFundMe is great for social and medical projects, but Kickstarter has a long history of funding anthologies.
And from a practical standpoint, I’ve had experience helping manage and run three previous anthologies via Kickstarter for Apex.

What have you learned from your previous Kickstarter campaigns that helped you with this one?

Jason – A professional, front-facing Kickstarter page is a must. Lots of nice graphics. Clean copy. A nice video. If I’m running a Kickstarter asking for $20,000, I should come across as professional and capable (“I” means the entity running the Kickstarter – Apex, in this case).
You also must have your ducks in a row before you start. Otherwise, you’re underwater by day three.
 
The TOC is an amazing list of authors, is there one you were surprised to get? Anyone you might have wished you had?

Lesley – Thank you! I am thrilled with the TOC that we’ve been able to build so far, and I’m hoping we find even more amazing authors once we start going through open submissions.

There isn’t one author that I can say I was particularly more surprised that we could get than others. Honestly, I’m surprised several of our authors—Catherynne Valente, Seanan McGuire, John Hornor Jacobs, Fran Wilde, Brian Keene to name a few—had the time in their schedule to write something for us. We recently announced that Tal M. Klein (the author of The Punch Escrow) is joining the TOC, which is amazing!

As for an author I wish we’d have gotten, that’s easy. Nisi Shawl originally was going to contribute a story, but unfortunately she had to back out due to deadlines. She had a new, really awesome project come up (I’m not sure she’s officially announced it, so I don’t want to say what it is) and that had to come first. Obviously, we don’t blame Nisi at all—I’m really excited about the project she’s working on!—but I am sad that she won’t have a story in Do Not Go Quietly.

Jason – Virtually everyone we invited accepted. I was blown away by the response. A handful of folks declined due to work deadlines, including my top choice: Jacqueline Carey. She’s a fantastic author, a big name, and she can pen a fierce story when she’s in the mood (See “Suzie Q” in Apex Magazine).

I’m most surprised that Brooke Bolander accepted the invitation. I’ve been trying for ages to get her into Apex Magazine with no luck. Brooke has confessed on Twitter about not being the fastest of writers, and she is in high demand due to the quality of her work. She has the perfect authorial voice for Do Not Go Quietly and I’m delighted she’s part of the anthology.
 
Can you talk a little bit about having a J.F. Gonzalez story in here? (I know I was excited to see his name in the TOC) Is it a brand-new story?

Lesley- Having a story by J.F. Gonzalez in the anthology means a lot to me personally. J.F. was my writing mentor, and he was instrumental in helping me find the perfect publisher (Sinister Grin) when I was looking for a home for my novel The Weight of Chains. I miss him a lot.

When Jason and I were first talking about who to solicit stories from, I mentioned J.F. and Jason was really supportive of us including him. So I reached out to Brian Keene, who is managing J.F.’s literary estate, and asked if it was at all possible that there was an unpublished story that would fit our theme. Brian responded that there were a few partial stories that needed to be completed, and he encouraged me to read these pieces and see if any jumped out at me, saying he knew J.F. would be proud to have me finish one of them for the anthology. And that’s what we’re doing. I have the beginning of a story he was working on when he passed away. No notes, no outline, but I’ve been turning this story over in my mind for a long while now. I know how it ends, and I’m excited to my words with J.F. and create something together.
 
What type of story are you hoping gets submitted when you open for submissions?

Jason – I can give some tips.
 
Lesley loves historical fiction. I’m a big fan of transhumanism and singularity works.

We both want to see a speculative element in your work.

We love subversive fiction.

Keep it shorter if you can.

If you’re a reader of Apex Magazine, then you’re a big step ahead of everyone else. You know the type of voice and plots we like.

Read the essays that Sarah Waites wrote for us. They can be found at http://donotgoquietly.wordpress.com.

Most importantly, adhere to the anthology theme. Victory in defiance.

Can you go a bit into the process of joint editing an anthology? Do you both take a part of the stack? Or is it more collaborative?

Lesley – A few of our first readers from Apex Magazine have volunteered to be our frontline for Do Not Go Quietly. What they recommend will probably get split between us. Jason and I have been editing Apex Magazine together for nearly four years. We have very similar tastes in fiction, so if one of us feels a story isn’t a good fit, the other isn’t going to question it. Once we make it through this second round, we’ll both need to read everything, and then I’m sure there will be lots of discussion and story dissection.

Jason – We’ve worked together for so long, that Lesley virtually said everything I would have. 

What is the preferred drink of the editorial team? Does it change depending on the story?

Lesley – While working, coffee. But after hours, Jason and I both enjoy an Angry Orchard with a shot of Fireball. Yum!
Jason – While working, coffee. When I’m spending long hours in the editing chair, I might sip on a Red Bull or a diet Mt. Dew. Yes, I know, very unhealthy. But shit has to get done. When I decide to have some of the devil’s water, I go for bourbon and coke much of the time.

Which pledge level has the best perks? If you each had to choose a level, which one would you choose?

Lesley – This is a HARD question, but I do have an answer. If I were backing Do Not Go Quietly, I’d get Hardcover Resistance, because I want a hardcover copy of Unwelcome Bodies by Jennifer Pelland. Apex published Unwelcome Bodies before I was part of the team, and it is the book that made me want to work for Apex. So, yeah, a hardcover copy would be amazing!

Jason – The Cooking with Cass reward. It’s so demented. So delightful. Just like Cassandra Khaw.

If someone was to pick the Dinner with the Editors pledge level, how dressed up should they get?

Jason – The other day a Sunday morning news show was highlighting what they called modern dad fashion. It was all clothes I wear! I never felt so cool.
That was sarcasm, btw.
You can wear anything you want. I only ask that you follow restaurant guidelines: shirt and shoes required.
Addendum: Pants (or shorts) also required.
Addendum Two: Lesley will try to say pants (or shorts) are not required. She is wrong.
Addendum Three: Lesley will probably wear stretch tights with some weird pattern on them. I must make another guideline that only Lesley is allowed to wear something like that. Otherwise, I will probably tease you.
Addendum Four: Try not to wear the same thing I’m wearing. That would be weird.
 
What do you hope a reader gets out of the anthology?

Lesley – First and foremost, I hope a reader gets that satisfied feeling you get from reading really outstanding fiction, but I hope they also feel inspired. There are a lot of things going wrong in our world right now. We need people to stand up and fight for common sense and good. We need to vote. We need to lift up each other and quit feeling threatened by anyone who is different or has a different opinion. We need to be better. I hope that after reading the stories in Do Not Go Quietly, people will be inspired to be better.
 
​

Head over to Kickstarter now to help them reach 100% funding and bring Do Not Go Quietly to life!

​Sara Jayne Townsend is a UK-based writer, and someone tends to die a horrible death in all of her stories. She lives in Surrey with two cats and her guitarist husband Chris. 
 
She is author of several horror novels, and a series of mysteries featuring contemporary actress and amateur sleuth Shara Summers.
 
Follow Sara on Amazon (US: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003QROE8S and UK; https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B003QROE8S) or Twitter (https://twitter.com/sarajtownsend), and learn more about her writing at her website (http://sarajaynetownsend.weebly.com) and her blog (http://sayssara.wordpress.com).

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I was born in the North of England and spent the first ten years of my life living in Lancashire. One of my classmates was TV presenter Melanie Sykes – we used to go to each other’s birthday parties as children. Then my family emigrated to Canada, and I lived in Ontario for a few years. When I turned 18 I moved back to England and I’ve been living in the South East ever since. I’ve been writing stories all my life; even before I knew how to write I was making up stories. I had an array of dolls and soft toys as a child and they all used to have names, family histories and different personalities. I used to select a toy every night when I went to bed and tell myself a story about them before going to sleep.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I like playing video games (the Resident Evil series is amongst the favourites), playing Dungeons & Dragons (that’s the tabletop version) and playing bass guitar. But I also have a day job, so juggling all of this with the writing can be challenging.

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

Crime, especially crime series featuring strong female protagonists. Sara Paretsky, Kathy Reichs and Sue Grafton are my favourite crime writers. There are some similarities in the sort of crime stories I write and the horror stories. They both feature people dying in horrible ways. In the horror the perpetrator generally turns out to be some sort of supernatural entity, and there are more gratuitous descriptions of how people die.
 
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 scares people. A lot of people say they don’t like horror because they find it too scary, and although I understand that, I also think the appeal in horror is that we like being scared. Horror, be it fiction or film, is a way of being scared in a controlled environment, a bit like roller coasters at fun fairs. Terrible things happen to characters in horror stories and they are often facing a threat to life. But we can enjoy the fear vicariously through the characters, and at the end of the book we put it down and go back to our ordinary lives knowing everything is OK because the horror isn’t real.
 
One of the preconceptions of the genre I’d really like to get past is that women don’t write horror. The first modern horror novel was, arguably, Frankenstein, and it was written by a 17-year-old girl. Despite this I still encounter surprise from people when I tell them I write 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?

Themes in horror tend to reflect fears of society. The last few years we’ve seen a rise in natural disaster films, as people become more aware of environmental damage, and before that we had a lot of ‘conspiracy theories’. I would say that we are due for a lot of dystopian future stories over the next few years, but it’s more likely that people are looking for escapism. Superhero stories do well when the real world feels lacking in heroes, and in horror we see a rise in supernatural monsters – vampires; werewolves; zombies etc: things that are clearly defined as evil, that can be fought and defeated and there is no ambiguity. So as ever more awful things seem to be happening in the mortal world, stories about supernatural evil that can be defeated will be on the rise. Of course that might just be wishful thinking, since that’s what I write.

What are the books and films that helped to define you as an author?

I was scared of horror films as a child, but the year I turned 14 I discovered Stephen King, and he’s been a big influence ever since. In the summer of 1984 I read It and it’s still one of the King books that stayed with me. The idea of a Big Bad that can take the form of whatever scares you the most I thought was a brilliant idea.

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

There are a lot of women horror writers out there that don’t get enough attention. Laura Mauro and Priya Sharma are two that are going places – watch out for them.
 
Helen Callaghan writes psychological thrillers and her second novel, Everything Is Lies, is outstanding. I think she’s someone to keep an eye on.

How would you describe your writing style?

It’s been described as reminiscent of Stephen King, which I think is a big compliment. My writing is very linear. I like clear beginnings, middles and endings. I’m not fond of ambiguity. My writing is not very literary and probably won’t ever win any awards, but I just want to tell a story that people will enjoy reading.

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

Beginning. Having to stare at that blank page, trying to decide how to begin, is agonizing. That’s why I plot before I start writing – to help guide me in what’s happening next.
 
I also find that crippling self-doubt that hits every once in a while hard to deal with, but since it seems to hit all writers, even the really successful ones, I try my best to ride it out.

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

I actually think that in order to grow as a writer you should tackle the subjects that you don’t want to write about. I can’t say that there’s anything I would make a point of never writing about. However, I once had to write a rape scene and I can honestly say that was the most difficult scene I ever had to write.

How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?

Sometimes characters seem to name themselves. Sometimes I choose names because of their sound, or their meaning. I keep a book of baby names on the book shelf with my other writing books, which always confuses people since I don’t have kids and have never had any desire to have any, but I use it to pick random character names. Sometimes I work out when and where a character was born and check the internet for the top ten baby names in that year for that region, and choose something from that list. Which might be quite an analytical way of naming characters, but I find that a helpful process.


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

I learned years ago the importance of plotting. My first horror novel, SUFFER THE CHILDREN, was based on a short story I wrote in the early 90s. When I started writing it as a novel, I knew who the main characters were, I had the beginning and a vague idea of where I wanted to get to but I got stuck halfway because I didn’t know what happened next. That book took 10 years to write, and for about six of those years it was stuck in a drawer because I didn’t know what to do with it. When I finally decided I was going to finish it, I dug it out again, re-read what I had and wrote a three-page plot synopsis, covering not only what I had written, but what would happen next and how the book was going to end. From that I wrote a chapter-by-chapter breakdown, and I used that to start the book again and get to the end of the first draft.
 
I have used the same process for every novel I’ve written ever since. I know some writers don’t like to plot, but I never start a novel now without plotting first. And it has eradicated writer’s block for me.
 
I think I have improved in writing dialogue as well. This has come about from listening to other people. I confess I am terribly nosy. I will eavesdrop on conversations people are having across from me on the train, or in restaurants, or wherever. But it has helped me develop an understanding of how people really talk, and it helps me in writing dialogue.

What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?

Time, discipline, and a thick skin. None of us ever have enough time, and most writers are juggling the writing with day jobs, family commitments, hobbies, sports, and so on. Time to write must be planned, and protected. It usually means sacrificing something else. With me it’s sleep, since I get up early to take the early train into London so I can write for an hour in a coffee shop before going to work. But I put that time in my diary and treat it like an appointment so I have no excuses not to do it. This is where the discipline comes in. It’s easy to find something else to do when the words will not come, but when you schedule writing time you need to write, even if you have to tie your leg to the chair to keep yourself at the laptop.
 
A thick skin is also essential because you will get rejections, and they can be crushing. You just have to pick yourself off and send the manuscript off again. You will also get bad reviews, but some authors make the mistake of having public meltdowns on social media whenever they get a bad review. Don’t be that kind of author. Not everyone will like your books. That’s just the way it goes. Accept it, and move on. Focus on the good reviews instead.
 
What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

Fix it in the rewrite. I can’t remember who said this initially; it’s a phrase people used to throw around a lot in the early days of my writing group. But it’s invaluable advice because when I am struggling with a first draft I remember this. Sometimes, if I can’t work out how a chapter is going to unfold – say I’ve got my character in a fix that she has to escape from but I haven’t figured out how yet – I will just write FIX IT IN THE REWRITE on the page and move on to the next chapter. I then carry on to the end of the first draft. Getting to the end of that first draft is the most important thing. By the time I get to that same scene again in the second draft, I will usually have figured out how the scene will play out.

Getting your worked noticed is one of the hardest things for a writer to achieve, how have you tried to approach this subject?

If I knew the answer to this, I’d be selling a lot more books than I am! I’m pursuing all the social media outlets. I have a blog and I host other authors (on the ‘Monday’s Friends’ feature). A lot of writers with blogs will host you on theirs if you host them on yours and that’s a win/win for a writer because it means the blogger might get some new followers amongst the established fans of the writer, and the writer might get some new readers from the blog’s established followers. I also go to as many conventions as I can and offer to be on panels and do readings. I am quite lucky that this sort of attention doesn’t bother me – I used to do amateur dramatics years ago and standing on stage having to be the centre of attention gave me a lot of confidence in speaking in front of people. Most writers are introverts and don’t like standing up in front of people, and it’s rather unfortunate that this becomes a necessary part of self-promotion at some point.

To many writers, the characters they write become like children, who is your favourite child, and who is your least favourite to write for and why?

The answer to both is my amateur sleuth, Shara Summers. I make no secret of the fact that she has a lot in common with me – she’s got a background in Canada and in the UK, and she is far too nosy for her own good. But she’s a lot more courageous than me, and a lot less frightened of doing things she really shouldn’t. I like writing about her and the scrapes she gets into, but at the same time she gets herself into situations that I would never be brave, or stupid, enough to get into myself, and sometimes I end up racking my brains on how I’m going to get her out of it, because she always has to triumph in the end. Those times, I hate writing about her.

What piece of your own work are you most proud of?

I’m still very proud of my first published novel, SUFFER THE CHILDREN. Probably because it was the first published novel.

And are there any that you would like to forget about?

In my early teens I was obsessed with Star Wars, and had a big crush on Luke Skywalker. I wrote a series of fan fiction that was essential me placing myself in the Star Wars universe so I could hang out with the characters. Fortunately for me, I’m old enough that the internet was not a thing back then, so my truly terrible fan fic stories remain locked in a drawer and will never be let out into the world to embarrass me.

For those who haven’t read any of your books, which of your books do you think best represents your work and why?

I think the new novel, OUTPOST H311, is a good one to start with. First of all, I would hope that my writing gets better with time and this is the most recent work. But also it’s rather gruesome in parts, and I do enjoy the gruesome bits!

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

That’s like asking a parent to pick their favourite child. Besides, what I like about my work is so changeable. Like most writers I swing between thinking that passage I just wrote is completely awesome, or it’s the biggest pile of steaming turds ever written. It’s a bit hard to be objective about your own work in those circumstances.

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

OUTPOST H311 is the newest release, and it’s a supernatural horror novel about an oil exploration team who crash-land in the Arctic and discover an abandoned Nazi base that has been conducting nefarious experiments. Then they discover it’s not as abandoned as they think. And there are Nazi zombies!
 
Without giving away spoilers, when I finished the book it became obvious that a sequel was asking to be written. I want to work on that next, once I’ve got it plotted.
 
If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

The air-brained and sexy young woman who goes wandering off, despite being told not to, and ends up meeting a grisly end at the hands of the monster. This is generally right after she’s had sex.
 
I loved the fact that ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ turned this cliché on its head to make the sexy young woman the kick-ass monster slayer instead of the victim, and I think it led the way in moving away from this cliché. One reason I loved that show so much.

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

READY PLAYER ONE was the last book I ready that I thought was masterful. I was a teenager in the 1980s, and loved all the references to games and films that are familiar to me. And there were so many references to classic D&D modules, as well.
 
I don’t abandon books very often, as I like to see them through to the end, but I didn’t finish WOLF HALL. For a book of nearly 700 pages, there were a lot of scenes where not much happens, and I found Thomas Cromwell a really annoying main character. I know he’s an historic figure, and I daresay he wasn’t very nice in real life either, but I struggled to get through the book and never finished it.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?
​
Nobody ever asks me when did I first become a writer, but the answer is that I think I was born one. I mentioned earlier making up stories about my toys as a child, before I was actually able to write. By the time I was ten years old I had made up my mind to be a published novelist. Every time I was asked about what I wanted to be when I grew up I said, “I’m going to be a writer” and all the grown ups said “you can’t make a living doing that. You have to get a proper job.” The first novel contract arrived shortly before my 40th birthday so it took me 30 years to fulfil that dream. And it turns out the grown ups were right. I still need the day job. But even so, I learned early on the importance of not giving up on your dreams.

 
London native C. C. Adams is the horror/dark fiction author whose work appears in publications such as Turn To Ash and Weirdbook Magazine. A member of the Horror Writers Association, he still lives in the capital. He lifts weights, practises kungfu, cooks - and looks for the perfect quote to set off the next dark delicacy. Visit him at www.ccadams.com


Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?


Yep. I’m born and raised in the capital and proud of. The older I get and the more I travel, the more proud I am to call London home. I’m a city boy at heart, and it's all here. There’s cultural diversity. Architecture and scenery. Bars and restaurants - I'm a foodie, so that's important. Entertainment: from cinema to live music. I love this city: and I always find something new here.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
 
Eat, for one! I’m a foodie, yeah. I can cook (and bake), although I find it a chore. That said, I don’t mind cooking and baking for other people. I lift weights, I do kung fu (or at least I did – that’s something I need to get back to, after all the busy). I play bass now. The irony was I took up bass to give my fingers a break away from all the typing at the keyboard. I have two basses: a cheap (Encore) one where I write, and a Fender Precision next to my bed. What usually happens is I play the Fender before I go to bed …which keeps me up another half hour or more. Rock, funk, pop, etc. – but something with attitude.


Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?
 
Good question. I’d say probably the work of Michael Crichton. He wrote Jurassic Park, Timeline, Prey, Disclosure – all personal favourites. From an author point of view, what I liked was that for all the intrigue and kinetic narrative and the visuals? He layered in A LOT of detail: the scientific rationale woven into the story was impressive, and it’s done with skill.
 
Joining an online writing group had also helped: author Kelley Armstrong used to have one on her site. Back then, I would write about a chapter’s worth, then throw it out to the masses for feedback before writing some more. What I found was that it led to piecemeal editing. Of course, I want to bring the best of my craft to the table, but if you edit piecemeal, you might not get to finish the work at all. What I do now is get the first draft down at all costs. Doesn't matter how sloppy – it’s either a finished draft or it isn't. Once there’s a finished draft, THEN you can tighten it up, refine and polish it.



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?
 
From its very nature, horror is something that has the capacity to scare, to terrify. Or at least unsettle – if it doesn’t have that effect on the audience, it at least has that effect on the characters. I love that. As someone who doesn’t actually watch horror films anymore – because they genuinely scare the shit outta me – I’m aware that they’re not all so full-on, not all gorefests. Friends tell me, peers tell me, reviews tell me, etc: I keep my ear to the ground.
 
I feel it gets a knee-jerk reaction. Because when people ask what I do, and I say I write horror, a lot will question whether it's gory or not. Which I find odd, because in a lot of instances, these are people who are watching the likes of The Witch, IT, Hereditary, etc.  Or the likes of American Horror Story. They already know what’s doing the rounds in the genre – first-hand.
 
The good thing is that there are these films and TV shows and books that keep the genre alive. Horror is diverse. I think the more it continues, the more people will ACCEPT the fact that it doesn’t have to be a gorefest, that it can unsettle but also be beautifully written, engaging, well-acted, etc. Give the genre its props.


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 it’ll be more diverse in the mainstream. Horror can mean different things to different people but we can all – as much as we might try and avoid it – experience some kind of horror. We’re seeing the likes of Get Out, which has a black man both in front of and behind the camera. Not a token black man either. You have Women In Horror Month: again, doing its part to champion diversity. The likes of Speaking Volumes, that will champion the work of UK authors of black and minority ethnic origin.
 
Horror has a diverse audience. So yeah, let’s see that diversity among its creators.


What are the books and films that helped to define you as an author?


Aidan Chambers’ Book Of Ghosts & Hauntings – that one was my leaving present from primary school when I was 11. That little collection cemented a love of eerie dark fiction. A couple of films from John Carpenter: Halloween, because the monster gets away at the end: THAT, I love. The Thing, because it’s just masterful storytelling. To date it’s my all-time favourite film in any genre. The likes of Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park, to show how action, intrigue, and scientific detail can be woven into a solid work. Also for a solid example of prologue: The Bite Of The Raptor.
 

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


Define ‘new.’ The first name that comes to mind is Erik Hofstatter. I say this because I read the Katerina novella and thought, ‘ah, okay, this is different.’ And then I read Rare Breeds. Let me tell you, that is a nasty piece of work. This is where you see a macabre sensibility to the everyday: I’d never read anything like it. So, yeah.



How would you describe your writing style?


Sat very much in the real world, with a nudge or a shove to insidious territory. There are shock and awe moments, gore and such, but played out against a general sense of something eerie, something malevolent. Usually supernatural.



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


The first novel I wrote. I sent it to an author friend for feedback. The response was on some, ‘be warned – I’m not joking here. Sure you want to read on?’ shit. Unforgiving.



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

Probably to finish writing a story in the first place. This is why I write quick and just finish the damned thing at all cost. Once a draft is actually finished, everything’s easier from there.
 

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


Yes. Even to say what it is makes me uncomfortable, like I’d be tempting fate.


How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?


Oh, the names are important. Most of my stories are set in and around London. So whether it’s people, places or whatever, I want names that sit comfortably in that setting.
 
Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years? 


I have a thicker skin, for one. I’ve usually written quickly, but now I’ve developed more of an eye on the big picture. ‘Okay, so I’ve written a good story, so what now?’ I don’t get complacent – just because I wrote a good one, it doesn’t stop there. If anything, the audience will want more. As a result, I write with a mindset of keeping the audience sated, as well as myself.
 
I guess the biggest takeaway is conviction: the faith in yourself and your game. It’s one thing to be a new author, thinking you got a good story on your hands – even when it gets its first rejection. But to have that conviction and see it published after at least another ten rejections? Yeah, that. And the patience and game that go with it.

What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?         


A love for what you do. Can you imagine forcing yourself to do something you DON’T wanna do? An eye for the big picture: you might ‘hate’ to write, but then, you might love to wow your audience, having them clamour for your next book, upset that you crippled a character, etc.
 
A thick skin. A level head. Persistence. Patience. And vision. That one might be the most important one – write the stories you want to write, the ones that speak to you or move you. It’s one of those things I have little patience with in someone referring to an author as the next whoever. Be YOU. That’s what you’re there for.
 

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?
 
Possibly one simple line from Ian O’Neill: “now go write something.” It’s so simplistic but, for me, it sums everything up. Give your audience something new, entertain them, catch them off-guard. Maybe even scare the shit outta them. Anytime Ian says that, I feel all’s good with the world, and I love him for that. Those relatively few moments I actually get to chat with him, that’s how he might sign off. 'Now go write something.'


Getting your worked noticed is one of the hardest things for a writer to achieve, how have you tried to approach this subject?


There used to be a publisher called DarkFuse that I was interested in shopping work to. What they had said was as part of looking at submissions for long fiction, they wanted to see what online presence an author had. Not just the work they put out, but also what their site/pages looked like.
 
This is partly why I answered a lot of open submission calls for short stories: quicker to write, quicker to edit, quicker to sell (best case scenario). The idea was to build up a body of work, start to elevate my name and my brand, as it were.



To many writers, the characters they write become like children, who is your favourite child, and who is your least favourite to write for and why?
 
Favourite is probably the antagonist from Sunset Is Just The Beginning, as a character who wants to explore fear, but is just amoral about it. No hatred, no regret, etc. Least favourite? Not sure I have a least favourite. Generally, I have more fun with the villain of the piece.



What piece of your own work are you most proud of?


Possibly the novella But Worse Will Come, which is due for release in the next couple of months. I remember sleeping with the light on as a result of that. It’s also one of the few works I’ve written where I could divorce myself from having written it, and read it almost as a new reader.

And are there any that you would like to forget about?


I wrote and submitted a story called Something In The Wood, way back when. The story was rejected as it devolved too much into innuendo and didn’t have enough plot and character development. Now when I think about it, I’m just grateful it was rejected. It starts well, but …oh, man, that was terrible. Trust me on this one.


For those who haven’t read any of your books, which of your books do you think best represents your work and why?


I’ve contributed stories to Turn To Ash: Volume 1 and The Black Room Manuscripts: Volume 3. Those are some of the best representations. They’re set in London, something reveals itself from leftfield, the horror is insidious and gradual. Supernatural in nature.
 

Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?
 
“Because you’d better be. If you so much as scream, if you look away for even a moment? I will end you,” he said through gritted teeth. “Right here and now.”
 

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


Sure. The last book is was a novella about a pair of newlyweds. What I’m working on next? A tale of a one-night stand. When that comes out and you see the title, you’ll know it’s that one.
 
 
If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

Probably the ‘look away and then look back and see the monster’ cliché.


What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?
 
Last great book? Susan Hill’s “The Woman In Black.” Last book that disappointed me? I’ll spare the author’s name and work. They asked me if I’d peer review it. I gave what I hoped was an honest and constructive review and said I’d understand if they didn’t publicly run with that review. Never heard from them again.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?
 
You know, I couldn’t think of one before, but now I can.  It’d be: scares or otherwise, how does it feel to move your readers? And honestly? It’s just humbling and cool. Thanks, people.