 Before we even get into this interview, here are the facts. Tiffany McDaniel has two books in print: The Summer That Melted Everything and the recently released Betty. I expect both of these novels to be in my top ten at the end of the year and if you are avoiding them because she is "not a horror writer," then you are 1: wrong. Both of her books easily have the emotional heft of books like Ketchum's The Girl Next Door, and no one would say THAT isn't horror. And 2: You are just doing yourself a disservice because Tiffany has written two masterpieces and she's just getting started. JC: So, is it true that your publisher gives you a bonus if you make us cry? Don't lie. TMcD: This is one of the best questions I’ve ever gotten. I take it as a compliment when a reader says they’ve cried. I always wonder if in those moments in the novel where I’m hoping the reader connects emotionally to the story, if I’ve accomplished the job of stirring up those emotions. What I think helps me craft those scenes is that I don’t work with an outline, so I don’t know if I’m going to be writing one of those emotionally charged scenes for the day, and I think using that natural build up, removes that pressure to create a sad scene because it comes about organically. JC: That's an interesting strategy for writing those scenes. On behalf of all of your readers: it works. I've always found the dynamic between readers and crying to be interesting. Most people would say that they dislike getting emotional, but then when you have them list their favorite movies, many of those films are very sad. You only cry for things you love right? TMcD: I agree. Those books and movies that I have cried in have always been the ones that have stood out to me for that reason. One of the things that I think my mother taught me so well was to not turn away from things that might make you sad or uncomfortable. My mother Betty has always valued reading and books so much. She read to me and my sisters from the time we were in the crib. And every night at bedtime, we would run into our closet, full of crates of books, and choose a armload our mother would happily read to us. I remember one book in particular. It was Donkey, Donkey by Roger Duvoisin. In the book, there is a donkey who wishes his ears were not so large. There was an illustration that as a child was scary to me. It was of Donkey getting his ear caught on a nail. The illustrator had drawn the blood drops. But my mother told me to look at the page because through understanding Donkey's pain, we could show compassion and empathy. I've carried that teaching through my life, and I think it has served me well in my writing. JC: Plenty of writers can paint three dimensional characters, but only the elite can do it with a few brush strokes. I consider you to be firmly in the elite category. How important is character development to you? TMcD: Well, first off, thank you for that incredibly kind compliment. Character development is such an important part of the process. Especially for a book like Betty, where we’re dealing with a family that is rather large. You have to make sure they feel related, but also that they have their own identities. For instance, Betty is inspired by my mother Betty, and these characters are based on those family members that I grew up knowing. For the book, I had conducted Q&A sessions with Mom and these other family members to really craft and form their identities wrapped around the things they had experienced, so that was a valuable tool to developing their characters. There’s always the question of what is more important? Plot or character development? But unless you have those characters to drive it forward, your plot is a car without wheels. JC: I have a high water mark test for how well characters are developed. After I finish a book, I ask myself if the story quality would've suffered if the point-of-view were changed to a different character. If the answer is no, then the characters were distinct and interesting. If yes, then I'd know that the other characters mostly existed as props to move the story along, not as three dimensional beings. I think both of your books could've existed with different points-of-view. TMcD: Well thank you for that. My hope is that I have crafted characters able to stand on their own. What I love about first person is that it allows us inside the mind of the person telling us this story, so we feel as if we move our feet with theirs. But even though I'm in one mind, I try to think about if the story was transferred over to one of the other characters. Sometimes I choose a certain narrator to save a secret. For example, I had originally planned to tell the story in The Summer that Melted Everything from Sal's perspective, but in many ways that would have let us in on his identity. And without giving too much away, it would have also removed the ability to look back on the events from a future time. And in the case of Betty, I thought about seeing her as an older woman, looking back on her life, sitting at the typewriter her father had given her. I want my books to feel as if they can exist in the waters of time, those ripples representing all of those voices, echoing out to the edges. JC: I was excited to learn that you are a horror fan. That'll get you some street cred here. What is your attraction to it, and what are some of your favorites? TMcD: From the time I was a child, I was drawn to the spider’s web. I was born on January 19th, which just happens to be the birthday of writer Edgar Allan Poe, so maybe I was born with a little of the raven. From the time I was a child, I was drawing things like plane crashes and writing spell books. I still have this phone book I made when I was about 8 that lists numbers for all the monsters in the neighborhood from the mummy to Dracula. The first piece of writing I had published was a short horror story I wrote when I was in the third grade. Horror ignites creativity and it allows us to challenge ourselves by using our fears against us. It’s just such an exciting genre, it’s hard to believe there are those who don’t have an attraction to it. Some of my favorite horror authors and books are Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Michael McDowell The Elementals, Ira Levin’s Rosemary’s Baby, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Robert Marasco's Burnt Offerings, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked this Way Comes, which Bradbury is the rare author I re-read. JC: Lets talk about your new novel, Betty (out on August 18th, from Random House Knopf). I know that you had some trouble getting it published. Tell us about that. TMcD: It was an uphill battle to get Betty placed. It’s a book I wrote nearly two decades ago. When I started querying agents for it, they would give feedback that said the novel was too female, too risky, and too dark. It was frustrating, because they would say they enjoyed the writing, but that there just wouldn’t be an audience for this type of literature. The family members the book is based on would ask about the book’s progress to getting published over those years, and it was hard not to feel like a letdown when I told them there was no progress to report. I look back on those twenty years, and I carry the scars of that journey, but it’s also made me a stronger writer. When agents suggested I change Betty to a male narrator, I stood my ground. It's also a journey that taught me to be grateful for every second, because it’s so easy to have never been published at all. JC: Both of your books deal with dichotomies in human nature. "Villains" can act heroically, and "heroes" often make mistakes. TMcD: I tend to like to explore the gray area between good and evil, where I think most of us fall. If we only see the villain being evil and only see the hero being heroic, it feels more like fiction. But if we show those sides, then we open the door on seeing their psychology, which feels very human. What makes a villain or a hero are those decisions they make. If we show what they are capable of, we also underline their decision to either lean in or away from those decisions, thereby cementing their identities. JC: You've written two coming-of-age tales, one with male point-of-view, and one with female point-of-view. What's next? TMcD: Having had such a long journey to publication, means I’ve had some years to just write, so I have over twelve novels completed. There are a couple I’d like to follow Betty up with. One is titled On the Savage Side and is inspired by the Chillicothe Six, which is a true crime case out of Chillicothe Ohio. A few years ago, women had started to disappear in that town. Then, a few bodies were discovered. To this day, the case has never been solved and in many ways it felt as though their case was being forgotten. As fate would have it, I had gone to grade school with one of the women who went missing up in Columbus, and whose case was suspected to have been linked to the Chillicothe murders. And one of the victims was named Tiffany, so I felt connected to these women in many ways and I wanted to write about them and show the life behind the crime. Another book I think could be good to follow Betty up with is titled When Lions Stood as Men. It follows a brother and sister who escape Nazi Germany, cross the Atlantic and end up in Ohio where, suffering from survivor’s guilt, they create their own camp of punishment. In many ways it goes back to the horror stories I wrote as a kid. It's just that sometimes the horrors are not monsters in masks, but are instead the horrors of life itself. JC: Both of those sound good! Thanks again for doing this Tiffany! TMcD: I loved it. Thank you so much again for giving me the opportunity to do this, Jason.  Tiffany McDaniel is a novelist, poet, and visual artist born and raised in Ohio. She is the author of The Summer That Melted Everything. Her novel BETTY releases August 18, 2020.  Jason Cavallaro was born 8 days before the premiere of George Romero’s DAWN OF THE DEAD premiere. Jason did not attend that premiere, because 8-day old infants aren’t supposed to travel cross country to see horror films. But….his mom should’ve at least TRIED. To make up for this oversight, he reads over 100 books every year, most of them in the horror genre. Jason Cavallaro is not an author, because that would cut into his reading time too much. Instead, it is his mission to read all the great books (so you can read them too) and the bad ones (so you don’t have to). Although horror is his favorite genre, he has been known to also read fantasy and science fiction. When not reading, he is either playing drums or talking to cats. He has a monthly column at www.horrordrive-in.com and can be followed on twitter, @pinheadspawn  A stunning, lyrical novel set in the rolling foothills of the Appalachians about a young girl and the family truths that will haunt her for the rest of her life "A girl comes of age against the knife." So begins the story of Betty Carpenter. Born in a bathtub in 1954 to a white mother and a Cherokee father, Betty is the sixth of eight siblings. The world they inhabit in the rural town of Breathed, Ohio, is one of poverty and violence--both from outside the family and, devastatingly, from within. The lush landscape, rich with birdsong, wild fruit, and blazing stars, becomes a kind of refuge for Betty, but when her family's darkest secrets are brought to light, she has no choice but to reckon with the brutal history hiding in the hills, as well as the heart-wrenching cruelties and incredible characters she encounters. Despite the hardships she faces, Betty is resilient. Her curiosity about the natural world, her fierce love for her sisters, and her father's brilliant stories are kindling for the fire of her own imagination, and in the face of all to which she bears witness, Betty discovers an escape: she begins to write. She recounts the horrors of her family's past and present with pen and paper and buries them deep in the dirt--moments that have stung her so deeply she could not tell them, until now. Inspired by generations of her family, Tiffany McDaniel sets out to free the past by delivering this heartbreaking yet magical story--a remarkable novel that establishes her as one of the most important voices in American fiction. "This book was a masterpiece. I struggle sometimes with books this well written. That may not make sense to some of you, but I was intimidated at times with how well written this was. I’m not a smart enough reader (or reviewer!) to fully verbalize what I’m trying to say, but there are moments in this book that are so crystal clear, perfect, you’ll need to set it down, go back and reread it." - Steve Stred: Kendall Reviews   THE HEART AND SOUL OF HORROR PROMOTION WEBSITES C S Alleyne grew up in Australia and originally trained as a hotel manager in the UK. After several postings in the Caribbean she changed tack and completed her MBA followed several years later by a PhD in Information Systems. She is a management consultant and also lectures in several universities. With a lifelong love of reading, anything historical and a fascination with the supernatural and death, her vacations usually include visits to such places as the Pere La Chaise cemetery and the catacombs in Paris, the tombs in Egypt, the Popes’ crypts in the Vatican and any church yard with gravestones – you get the picture… Cheryl was inspired to write Belle Vue by her daily journey past a block of luxury apartments that had been converted from an old asylum. Like her protagonist, Alex Palmer, she started to investigate its past and learnt that one of the inmates was murdered there in the late 19th century. The victim’s sister was hung for the crime. Cheryl was also thrilled to discover the asylum’s overgrown cemetery in her explorations of the area! Her novelette, POWEЯ, tale of horror and revenge, was published in December, 2019. WEBSITE LINKS Website - http://www.csalleyne.com Excerpt (Prologue & First 2 Chapters) - http://csalleyne.com/excerpt-belle-vue/ Blog - http://csalleyne.com/blog/ Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19806081.C_S_Alleyne https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53318594-belle-vue Twitter - https://twitter.com/csalleyne Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/csalleyne/ Amazon Author Page US: https://www.amazon.com/C.S.-Alleyne/e/B082P1H49C%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Amazon Author Page UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1646693116/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1 Universal purchase link – Belle Vue http://getbook.at/BelleVue Universal purchase link – POWEЯ http://getbook.at/CSPower Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself? My name is Cheryl Alleyne. I grew up in Australia and originally trained as a hotel manager in the UK. After several postings in the Caribbean, I changed tack and completed my MBA followed several years later by a PhD in Information Systems. When not writing, I am a management consultant and also lecture in several universities. Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life and have them complain at you about they way you treated them in your work. For complaining about their treatment in the novel (and not to give away any key plot points), probably Adelaide Fishburn who is the Matron at Belle Vue Lunatic Asylum in the 1860s. She is a menopausal, dyspeptic old harridan who uses cruelty and lies to retain her perception of superiority but she is played by several other characters who are far nastier than her. Her ultimate fate is a particularly unfortunate one too. Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing? Life and my experiences of it as well as reading or watching as much as I can about subjects that interest me and am writing about. I read widely from all genres and non-fiction too and often when thinking about what to write various snippets of remembered information will influence the development of a plot point, character, location or event. 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 it’s like any label – it strips it down to one thing and one assumption but books - as with people - are much more complex. There has been a trend to sub-categorise so the reader will have more of an idea of the nature of the story such as paranormal suspense, psychological crime, supernatural slasher etc and make their decision to read or watch. Often the word ‘horror’ doesn’t appear in these main categories. Sometimes when writing to reviewers I would use a different term such as paranormal suspense or crime or mystery as I had noted how much this was done with other ‘horror’ books and so Outlander is categorised as a romance to also pick up that part of the market (but have noted from some of the reviews a number of shocked reader sensibilities!) It’s just a matter of playing the game using everyone else’s rules. 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? With so much real-life material readily being dropped into horror writers’ laps, there’s probably going to be a steady stream of pandemic, fanatic, narcissistic, -ism focused, weather related horror tales. What will be interesting is to discover those writers who can rise above the mediocre repetitious fare to produce imaginative and fresh takes with powerful stories that capture the essence of horror and are superb reads. Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it? Because in our everyday lives we (mostly law abiding people) are constricted by so many rules and regulations that horror enables you to vicariously experience – as both perpetrator and victim –thrills that are not possible , or recommended, in real life. For others such as serial killers, knife lovers, sadists and the like it is either reliving past glories and/or giving them ideas. What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre? For me, subtlety. While I do like full on horror and use it where I feel it’s most effective, often a scene can be just as powerful or tense or scary or unsettling – whatever you are aiming for – if you imply things and do it subtly and use nuances to create and build the atmosphere. In the past authors were able to write about almost anything with a far lesser degree of the fear of backlash, but this has all changed in recent years. These days authors must be more aware of representation an the depiction of things such as race and gender in their works, how aware are you of these things and what steps have you taken to ensure that your writing can’t be viewed as being offensive to a minority group? Since a lot of my writing is set in Victorian times and deals with controversial events, I focus on what is realistic for the period for language, attitudes, behaviours. The past is the past and presenting it as something it wasn’t (as I’m not writing for Mills & Boon) is unrealistic and reviewers would soon pick that up. For writing about the present day while I don’t intend to be offensive just as with a democracy it is about being concerned for the majority of people. If I had to consider every possible minority viewpoint that might take offence then I and no one else would get very much written. These days even seemingly simple bland words can find someone who doesn’t like them and takes their displeasure to social media. This is creating an unfortunate culture of bullying and fear. I also feel that I may disagree with something someone’s written but as long as it is not inciting dangerous behaviour then it is my choice not to listen to them or read their words. I would not prevent them from saying or writing them. Does horror fiction perpetuate it’s own ghettoization? I think the trend I mentioned earlier of listing wider sub-categories is helping to offset this. Horror – just as with other genres – has a wide range of approaches – one size doesn’t fit all and we should build on that diversity and its linkages with other genres to produce high quality and captivating novels and stories. What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice off? Apart from me you mean lol? What are the books and films that helped to define you as an author? Over the years if I I find an author and enjoy what they write I will try to read all their books and dip back when they release a new novel. I read a lot and in a variety of genres. It can also depend on the path their writing direction takes over time. Sometimes they veer off into areas I’m not that keen on such as alternative universes or change the lead character to a series about someone else which can go either way – but the latter I will definitely give a test read. I love dark books and films – all the well-known horror writers but for the visual side (although I also like Murder, She Wrote and soppy romances occasionally) my favourites are things like Peaky Blinders, Taboo, Outlander, Gangs of New York and Gladiator. Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you? As a newbie author, I haven’t had many yet. The ones that describe my writing as ‘riveting’ ‘powerful’ and give 5 stars are like manna from heaven to me and are treasured. For the negative comments, I accept they will come and it’s about improving my skills and taking on board what is said. I think I will have to grow a thick skin though as at the moment I read them all and take them to heart. For instance one review said I overused the word ‘lunatic’ in the present day Belle Vue story (half the book) and that university students would know not to use such language. But there were only 4 mentions (yes I did count – thank god for the search function lol) and 2 were in someone’s thoughts and the others 2 were referring to the past. There’s obviously nothing I can do but it niggles and so another skill I’ve got to learn is to ignore those lol. What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult? Keeping track of different plotlines. Belle Vue is set in two time periods with a lot of characters and a lot happening and also linkages between the time periods. So I write all of these down in tables and steps of the different plotlines so as not to contradict myself or write something that doesn’t fit the jigsaw I’m creating. Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? Not that I can think of. Most of it is in the media anyway and nothing seems off limits. I think the important point is how you handle it. How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? I think names are very important in my book but won’t give you a full answer to that because of a plot spoiler! One half of Belle Vue is set in Victorian times and I had most fun with these. I love all those evocative Dickensian names and researched what names were most common for the time as well as trying to find some that were amusing or fit their character but were not too outlandish. So the Matron at Belle Vue is called Adelaide Fishburn (mentioned above), one of the asylum doctors is called Sheridan Lush, the insurance agent, Solomon Pecker and the police comprise Superintendent Gostick, and Constables Grubbe and Cruikshank. Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years? I am much better at pruning! I also have learnt to overcome any writer’s block or worry that what I write has to be perfect. I simply picture the image of the scene in my head and write what I see. I can zoom in and out and do it in technicolour lol. You may laugh but we all have to find what works for us. What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing? If you love to write or have a story you want to tell, then - as long as you are enjoying yourself - keep at it. Passion for the process as well as the subject is very important – especially if you want a long writing career. To many writers, the characters they write become like children, who is your favorite child? I always have a preference for ‘baddies’ and there are numerous in Belle Vue but my favourite (and goodness knows what this says about me lol!) is the aristocrat, Johnson Nottidge. He is completely amoral, a cunning schemer and cares not a jot for anyone or anything but his own pleasure. 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 Belle Vue rather than Power, best represents my work. Power is a bit of a gore-fest though all part of the plot and both in the early Victorian times and today what is done happened in reality - perhaps just not on a live model! A strong stomach is required whereas for Belle Vue it is dark and hard-hitting, there is minimal gore. Power is also only a novelette so very much shorter and not enough room to explore the full world it is set in whereas with Belle Vue I was able to create two worlds and exploit the motivations and actions of a wider range of characters. Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us? ‘The weather was dank and overcast. A suitable morning for a hanging.’ Short but I like it as it sets the scene for the chapter. Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next? Belle Vue, my debut novel, is a paranormal horror which is told in two strands – past and present – around a Victorian lunatic asylum and the people who live there. It is very dark and focuses on an unspeakable crime, the hunger for justice and how when revenge is paramount, innocence doesn’t count. It will be published on 25th August 2020 by Crystal Lake Publishing. Belle Vue is now planned to be the first of a trilogy. I am in the middle of writing the sequel – Secret Nemesis is the working title - and in it, the main characters from both the Victorian and present day move to the United States and face a cross-fire of evil and danger. So more research on murder and general skullduggery, asylums in the US and satanic societies that side of the pond. It’s continuing my characters’ journeys in a new location and facing new challenges and what they want me to write! If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice? That people don’t turn on the light when they walk into a dark room. What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you? I am going through another Preston & Child phase at the moment. Relic and The Cabinet of Curiosities are 2 particular old favourites and I have recently been working my way through the Agent Pendergast books who I am rather partial to. The latest was Crooked River which I thoroughly enjoyed I’m not going to mention one that disappointed me as I don’t want to be on any hit squads lol. But those in general that disappoint are where they have been artificially hyped up so much or the blurb doesn’t accurately convey what the novel is about. What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer? Will you accept this gift of £25 million? Yes.  Jealousy. Betrayal. Murder. And a hunger for vengeance that spans the centuries... History student Alex Palmer is thrilled when his girlfriend, Claire Ryan, buys an apartment in Belle Vue Manor, formerly a Victorian lunatic asylum. But as Alex begins to discover the dark truth about the asylum’s past, he, Claire, and their friend Marianne find themselves on a nightmarish journey. Each will face the deadly consequences of the evil that began with the construction of the first Belle Vue Manor by an aristocratic French émigré in 1789, as well as the cruelty and satanic practices that continued when it became an asylum for the insane. As the two strands—past and present—unfold, Alex uncovers a supernatural mystery where revenge is paramount and innocence irrelevant—without being aware of the price he, and those around him, will pay.  THE HEART AND SOUL OF HORROR INTERVIEWS I think some people are born with gifts—to write, to play basketball, to speak, to teach. So there will always be those that are naturally strong at writing. BUT, I do believe that other authors can evolve and become excellent writers, even if it’s harder, or doesn’t come as easy. The talent, the passion, the vision—it can come from anywhere Richard Thomas is the award-winning author of seven books: three novels--Disintegration and Breaker (Penguin Random House Alibi), as well as Transubstantiate (Otherworld Publications); three short story collections--Staring into the Abyss (Kraken Press), Herniated Roots (Snubnose Press), and Tribulations (Cemetery Dance); and one novella in The Soul Standard (Dzanc Books). With over 140 stories published, his work is forthcoming or published in many places, including Cemetery Dance (twice), Behold!: Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders (Bram Stoker winner), PANK, storySouth, PRISMS, Lost Highways: Dark Fiction from the Road, Shadows Over Main Street, Gargoyle, Weird Fiction Review, Midwestern Gothic, Pantheon, Gutted: Beautiful Horror Stories, Penumbra, Qualia Nous, Chiral Mad (numbers 2-4), Shivers VI (with Stephen King and Peter Straub), Menacing Hedge, Hypnos, Deciduous Tales, Blue Monday Review, Litro, Arcadia, Polluto, Pear Noir, Murky Depths, Fear the Reaper, Cipher Sisters, Into the Darkness, and at Great Jones Street. For a more complete list of his work in print, CLICK HERE, for online work, CLICK HERE. He was also the editor of four anthologies: The New Black and Exigencies (Dark House Press), The Lineup: 20 Provocative Women Writers (Black Lawrence Press) and Burnt Tongues (Medallion Press) with Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club) and Dennis Widmyer (Starry Eyes). He has won contests at ChiZine and One Buck Horror, has received five Pushcart Prize nominations, and has been long-listed for Best Horror of the Year six times. His story, “Golden Sun” written with Kristi DeMeester, Damien Angelica Walters, and Michael Wehunt was included in The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Eleven. He has been nominated for the Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson, and Thriller awards. In his spare time he is a columnist at Lit Reactor, teaches classes (at the University of Iowa, Story Studio Chicago, LitReactor.com, and his own classes as well), and was Editor-in-Chief at Dark House Press and Gamut Magazine. He lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He was born in St. Louis, MO (Webster Groves) where he attended Webster Groves High School. He did his undergraduate studies at Bradley University, where he majored in Advertising and Communications, and minored in Psychology. He received his MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction) from Murray State University in 2012. For more information visit www.whatdoesnotkillme.com. Hello Richard, how are things with you? To begin, could you tell the readers a little bit about the man behind the writer? LOL, sure. I’ve been writing about 12 years now. Three novels, three collections, 150+ stories published, alongside Stephen King four times, ran Gamut magazine and Dark House Press, been nominated for a Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson, and Thriller award. I started out writing neo-noir, but write more new-weird now. So, across fantasy, science fiction, horror, transgressive, magical realism, etc. Right now, I spend my time writing, editing, and teaching online at Storyville. What was it about going to see the movie Fight Club, that inspired you to start writing? I think it just woke me up. I had been in advertising for 25 years, and had essentially forgotten my love of writing. That movie shook me up, and then I discovered Chuck’s books, and read everything he had at the time, and that reminded me how much I loved reading and writing. So I started taking classes. Craig Clevenger was the first, I loved his books, was a big fan of The Velvet (Craig, Stephen Graham Jones, and Will Christopher Baer). I wanted to see if I could write. He was very supportive, encouraged me to send out a story I wrote in his class, “Stillness,” and it ended up in Shivers VI alongside Stephen King. That was the moment I started to really care again, to take it seriously. You’ve spoken previously about Brian Evenson, Will Christopher Baer and [Stephen Graham Jones] being influences, among others. How have they influenced you writing? Baer really got me excited about neo-noir in print. Previously, it had only really been in film--Mulholland Drive, Memento, Blade Runner, The Machinist—and his voice, the dense prose, the lyricism, the weirdness…that all appealed to me. I felt like I’d found my people. Stephen was more aligned with horror, though his novel All the Beautiful Sinners is a brilliant neo-noir/new-weird thriller. The Blackfoot influences, the mythology, the surrealism--Silence of the Lambs on LSD. So good. Brian really showed me how to weave in literary influences, to think outside the box, to get weird, not just for the sake of getting weird, but to manipulate my readers. Jeff VanderMeer did that will Annihilation, as did China Mieville with Perdido Street Station. Your fiction treads the fine lines between horror, other types of genre-fiction, and literary. Are you more comfortable skirting the liminal areas of genre fiction, and if you were to write a more traditional horror story what would be your big evil of choice? Yes, I love hybrid work, stories that lean into genre, but innovate, surprise, and subvert the expectation. As long as I can deliver what I promised, I’m good. Much for the same reason that I’m drawn to A24 films, I’m interested in writing stories that can scare, unsettle, unnerve, inspire, hypnotize, and excite—but not with the same old monsters, plots, and characters. It’s not easy. I don’t write much hard science fiction, but Black Mirror is another example. Also, Tales From the Loop. I guess back in the day it would have been The Twilight Zone. That uncanny, weird, supernatural, unexplainable horror. Cosmic horror, too. For more traditional horror, I’ve been looking at dopplegangers lately, shapeshifters, things like that. People, places, and things that are not what they seem. It’s already IN THE HOUSE. You just didn’t know it. What is your favourite thing about writing dark fiction? That’s a great question. I love to write immersive stories. So what I want to do it transport you, have the world fall away, really get your full attention. Writing is so personal, and intimate, I want you right there with me, and I want to hold you hard as we traverse the darkness together. I don’t want my characters or readers to suffer needlessly. I want this to be an experience, something you maybe never had, or never could. I want to make you laugh, turn you on, scare you, get under your skin, unsettle you, and have you looking over your shoulder when it’s all over. I want you to cry, to go hug your wife and kids, to be grateful for what you have. I try very hard to be original, to write lyrical prose, to surprise you, and then earn the endings I’ve put together. I love telling stories. Why should people read your work? Whew, that’s a tough question! Probably for all of the reasons I just said in the last question. It’s very hard to find an author you can trust—that’s what I want, your trust. There are a handful of authors that when they have new work out, I immediately buy it, without even reading what it’s about. That used to be Stephen King, for many, many years. These days it’s probably Brian Evenson and Stephen Graham Jones. I want you to come to my work ready for something special, something exciting, that’s familiar enough that you can access it, but weird enough, unique enough, that you didn’t see it coming. Or if you DID, you get to the climax at the same time that I do. Yes, that’s what I just said—let’s all climax together. LOL. I also try to write hybrid stories, neo-noir and new-weird, so hopefully, if I do my job it’s not JUST a horror story, it’s not JUST science fiction—it’s literary, and visceral, and emotional. Much like Beloved by Toni Morrison is not just a literary story, but horror as well. Or, “The Paperhanger” by William Gay. Or Blade Runner. Or the A24 films. Lofty goals, I know. I may not always hit a home run, you may not always love my work, but hopefully, if you DO like my work, I’ll never let you down. The opposite of love is not hate, it’s apathy. I don’t ever want you to read a story of mine and go, “Meh.” Your story “Golden Sun” was co-authored with Kristi DeMeester, Damien Angelica Walters, and Michael Wehunt, I’m interested in knowing about the mechanics of writing a short story with three other writers, how did you go about writing it, and how did you all decide on a final draft? LOL, where to begin? When Michael Bailey announced Chiral Mad 4, he said wanted stories that were written by several authors—pairs, threesomes, whatever. I thought—CM4, why not four? I wanted to write another Rashomon (my first was “Dyer”) and thought this would be the perfect time to write four experiences around one event. Four stories, four truths, four perspectives. I thought about the people I wanted to work with—authors that had a similar style to me, that I thought would be fun to partner with, and that could do something really special. I reached out to Kristi, Damien, and Michael—and they all said yes. We talked about the Rashomon idea, and decided to go for it. We kicked around tropes in horror, and wanted to work hard to do the OPPOSITE of anything that was expected—not at night, but in the day; not in winter or fall, but summer; not in the woods, or a haunted house, or an asylum, but the beach. That was where we started. How to scare you in the bright summer daylight? Wasn’t easy. We decided to do a family—mother, father, daughter, son, and a fifth child (also a daughter) that was missing. That’s all we had. We kicked around a few more ideas, we each claimed a role (Michael the father, Kristi the mother, Damien the daughter, myself with the son) and then Michael offered to start it. He wrote his, which set the tone, and made a lot of decisions. Then he handed it to Kristi, who continued. Then Damien, and then me, last. After the first round, we kicked it back around again and everyone made edits. Some stuck, some didn’t. Then did one last pass. Overall I was thrilled with it, and I sent it in to Michael (and Lucy Snyder). I didn’t know if we’d even get IN, let alone into The Best Horror of the Year (my first time). But when we did, we were all thrilled. And then to get that email from Ellen Datlow? I mean, that’s a dream come true. Could you tell us about your [novelette] Ring of Fire from the anthology The Seven Deadliest? It’s a story that you took great care to develop to avoid falling into a number of pitfalls? Sexist and “rapey” concepts in horror is still a problem area, how do we, as a genre, address these problematic themes. And the need for some authors to perpetuate their use as tropes in their fiction? Sure, yeah, that was a tough one. As you said, with the idea of lust and horror, I was immediately concerned about the tone. I struggled for a long time to get this story started. I didn’t want Hellraiser, I didn’t want pain and pleasure. So I kept watching movies and reading stories searching for something to inspire me, influence me, show me the way. For a long time I wanted to write about the 100th monkey (which is a real phenomenon, I believe). So that was one idea. I also wanted to think about lust, and what that might look like when it lacked control. The #metoo movement was on my mind, and without giving away the whole story, I knew that I needed a bad man to be my protagonist, since HE is the kind of guy that has to change, to be part of the evolution. He is the catalyst for change the story needed. But I couldn’t alienate the reader, either. I wrote scenes, backed up, rewrote them, cut lines, surrounded the dark moments with lighter ones, and then worked in two choruses around the main story—two disembodied voices, and a series of lists. It’s not an easy read. And the epilogue at the end, I didn’t see that coming, but when I got there, I knew I had to write it that way—we had to have HOPE, and that’s where it went. I think if you do your research, are thoughtful with your words and scenes, and don’t try to titillate or add unnecessary sex or violence, it can work. You have to be careful. I couldn’t write The Girl Next Door. Ketchum is amazing, but that’s a tough book to read. You feel complicit. These days, I’m leaning into hopepunk, making it worth the journey, not looking to be edgy and shock people, break their spirit. There’s enough of that in the world right now as it is. You have edited anthologies such as The New Black, Exigencies, Burnt Tongues, and The Line-Up. What is it about anthologies that you find enjoyable to work in as an editor? Oh man, so many things. I love the idea of finding a cool theme, something maybe I haven’t seen done before. I love reaching out to authors that inspire me to solicit stories. I get excited opening up for submissions and reading new work, or work by my peers, by friends—compelling, intense, layered stories. It’s a GIFT to me when I get work that is special. I think about Letitia Trent’s story, “Wilderness,” in Exigencies, that got rejected by EVERYONE. I loved it, and not only did the anthology get a Shirley Jackson nomination, but so did her story. And then it got into The Best Horror of the Year. That meant a lot to Letitia, and to me, too. I think about publishing an early story by Usman T. Malik, “The Last Manuscript,” and how he went on to win the Bram Stoker Award not long after, the first Pakistani author to do that. I love his voice, he is doing some powerful work. I am just as excited to get a story by a new, emerging, unknown author that I LOVE, as I am to get somebody like Brian Evenson or Stephen Graham Jones to send me a reprint, or write me something new. The cover art, the interior illustrations—it’s all thrilling to me. I’ve been thinking of putting a new one together, with a hopepunk theme, just have to make sure I have the time, and can partner with the right press. It’s a lot of work, but it’s also a blast. You should do one! I’d be happy to send you a reprint LOL! You have been writing for Litreactor for almost a decade now with your teaching Storyville column, how did you get started with them? And what was the aim of the column in the early days? Yeah, hard to believe, right? We talked about Fight Club earlier, that got me to The Cult, Chuck’s website, and I just hung out there at first. Then there were some workshops, and forums, and then classes that I took there—with Chuck, Monica Drake, Max Barry, and Jack Ketchum. When that all moved to LitReactor.com, I went with it. For a while I just hung out, workshopped stories, had fun. One day, not long after I got my MFA, I asked Dennis if I could write a column. I felt like I finally had something to say, valuable information from MY journey, that I could share with the readers over there. He said to go for it. And then a few years later, I asked to teach my Short Story Mechanics class, and again Dennis was very supportive, saying he had just been waiting for me to ask. In the beginning, I just wanted to talk about the basics, things I’d learned in my classes and MFA, and from there, it grew—getting more complex, writing about more topics. Now, today, some 130 columns later, I’m still trying to find something to say. My next column is about universal truths. LOL. So, I keep going until the well runs dry, I guess. You must have seen some significant changes over recent years; what difference do you think has had the largest impact on the writing world? Wow. Yeah, that’s tough. Um, I guess you can’t just write racist, sexist bullshit anymore. Thank GOD. People are being called out on it. I’m so glad to see so many old, straight, white, rich dudes disappearing. As a SWM myself, I understand I still have a place, but this was never MY world, my dominion, it has always been for ALL OF US. Too many gatekeepers turned away powerful voices. Editing those four anthologies, I learned a lot. Running Dark House Press, and then Gamut? Even more. With Gamut we made a HUGE effort to say that we wanted diversity, and we read blind. We reached out to marginalized voices and groups, and encouraged them to submit. We wanted more women, more authors of color, more authors from all over the world, a wider range of sexual orientation, and gender identity. And man, wow, did we get so many amazing stories. 60% of our stories were from women. The first EIGHT stories I took, in fact. I hired women as editors, and we have to keep doing that—women as editors and publishers, more people of color, etc. It has opened my mind, has taught me so much, and I KNOW that Gamut especially was a much more exciting, original, passionate project because of it. If a new author were to only read one of your columns over at LitReactor which one should it be? Most definitely the first column I wrote--on finding your voice. If you don’t understand who you are, what your influences are, and what kind of stories you want to write, it’s going to be SO much more difficult to grow. Read in the genres you write, study the masters, and then find your contemporaries. It’s crucial. So you don’t repeat what’s been done, and so you can find a path toward innovation, originality, and subversion. You’ve been doing lots of teaching. What do you get from education, what’s the most enjoyable aspect of it, and what’s the least pleasant aspect? I love seeing authors have those AHA moments. I’ve been lucky, that authors who take my Short Story Mechanics (SSM) class, and then Contemporary Dark Fiction (CDF), and finally my Advanced Creative Writing Workshop (ACWW), tend to do really well. It goes from understanding the basics, and being able to create, to getting way more in-depth with CDF for 16 weeks, and then improving critical analysis skills in ACWW. It’s a joy to see these stories improve, to see authors doing really original things, to see them get published, win awards, land agents, and get into MFA programs. I have the whole, “Give a man a fish he eats for a day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime” mentality. I want my students to graduate, and not need me anymore. That means I’ve succeeded. The least pleasant is when they are less than professional, or are rough on each other, or don’t do the work. My students are adults, and I shouldn’t have to referee or jump in to handle tense moments. I mean, I’m always there for my students, but it can be stressful. LOL Your latest teaching endeavours is Storyville. Would you like to give the readers a quick lowdown on what Storyville is all about? So we talked about my SSM class, and over time, I wanted to expand and teach more classes, go farther. So that’s where CDF and ACWW came in, developed over time, based on requests I got from friends, peers, and past students. That lead to my Novel Workshop 365 (where you write a book in a year) as well as the Day of Reckoning classes. I wanted to design a professional website, and house all of my classes, and editing, there. You run a novel in a year class, Novel Workshop 365, to help writers develop the craft of novel-writing. When designing this class, did you find that it influenced your approach to writing novels? Me personally? No. LOL I’m too impatient. If I took a year, I’d freak out. But I think what I did learn is that the components of the class can help me as well. January has prompts for pre-writing, which I also do. Then there are prompts from February to July on writing, and those are important, too. August to November prompts cover editing, so I study all of those passes, so I don’t forget anything. And December is all about submitting, and so that’s great for me as well, even though I now have an agent. My hope is that if people spend a year with me, they’ll be able to take all of that guidance, support, and those prompts, and apply it to any FUTURE novels, even if I’m not there to help. It’s kind of a safety net, I think. Do you think everyone can write, or does there have to be a germ of talent within the person? I think some people are born with gifts—to write, to play basketball, to speak, to teach. So there will always be those that are naturally strong at writing. BUT, I do believe that other authors can evolve and become excellent writers, even if it’s harder, or doesn’t come as easy. The talent, the passion, the vision—it can come from anywhere. Sure, I learned to write from my undergraduate classes, as well as my MFA. But I also learned from my Psychology classes—I minored in it—the study of the mind and behavior. I also learned from getting out in the world—working, traveling, loving, having sex, doing drugs, failing, etc. I spent 25 years in advertising, and learned a lot from that field as well. So you take whatever you have, and you use it. If you are a doctor and you write medical thrillers, if you are biologist and you write science fiction, if you are a social worker and you write fantasy—that can all inform your writing. But it can also come from reading, writing, film, art, music, travel, food, and whatever you see out in the world, too. Every teacher has that one pupil that just doesn’t get it, have you ever had a pupil for Storyville where you thought “this just isn’t for them”? And how did you broach the subject? LOL. I’m sure I’ve had many. Mostly in the SSM class. Yeah, in every SSM class, where I have 20 students, there are maybe 10-15 who finish the class. Those five that don’t, quite often this is it for them. They tried, it didn’t work, they realize they don’t have it, and they quit. I can’t help them if they give up, if they stop, if they don’t at least do the whole class. That’s on them. BUT, those that do make it through, even if they’re still struggling, they have a chance. I tend to focus on those that work hard, that ask questions, that edit and try again, and keep going. Those that take my CDF class—they are usually the ones that have figured out a few things, and are evolving right before my eyes. I never want to be the one to tell somebody to give up, to quit, that they don’t have it. Maybe it was a rough two weeks, maybe they need to study more, maybe they need to read more. If they come back to me, I will do my best to keep educating them, hoping they see the light. The team of instructors at Storyville that you have assembled is a literal whose who of dark fiction writing. What criteria do you look for when recruiting someone to be an instructor? Usually it’s just an author I love reading. I start there. Do their stories, and novels, blow me away? Also, are they writing in the genres that I want to teach and encourage? I mostly focus on speculative fiction. Also, are they genuinely good people—have I worked with them in the past, were they nice, did they show up, and do a good job? Then yes, and yes again. Do they have any experience teaching? Are they publishing in the top markets? And less so, but are they getting nominations, winning awards, making it into the best of the year anthologies? I look at all of that. If you could have any author living or dead as part of your team at Storyville, who would it be and why? I've been lucky that so many authors, friends, and peers have come aboard to be a part of the Day of Reckoning. I guess the guy I've learned from the most, and emulate all the time, has to be Stephen Graham Jones. He has been a huge influence on my writing, and has really encouraged me to take chances with my stories. I got to meet him at AWP Denver and Chicago, and then he had me out to UC-Riverside to be a guest author. Hanging out with Stephen is just as cool as you can imagine it—super relaxed, very funny, extra chill, and just so generous. None of the instructors are known for writing “pulp horror” for want of a better word. Do you think that all forms of horror writing require the same sort of skill set? Pulp horror, classic horror, splatterpunk, slashers—whatever you want to call it, yeah, I think those stories rely on different tropes, characters, plots, and monsters. I am more drawn towards psychological horror, the new-weird, cosmic horror, anything that keeps me on my toes, and doesn’t use the same old stories. If you want to write more complex, layered, “literary” horror then yes, you have to do more than the same old tricks, settings, and protagonists. It’s why a cat jumping in a window WILL scare you in a horror film, but something like Hereditary may stay with you for a very, long time. Who would you say best embodies the Pulp end of the spectrum? If you mean crime, noir, thriller, neo-noir, and Southern gothic (since I probably don't read a lot of "pulp fiction" these days, I've always enjoyed the work of Daniel Woodrell. Hard not to mention Joe Lansdale. Always been a fan of Donald Ray Pollock. Ron Rash is always a pleasure. William Gay has been a favorite for a long time, RIP. I'm not sure I'm reading much true pulp these days though? You’ve used the phrase “Not enough meat on the bone” when discussing plotting out the initial ideas for a story, how do you judge whether there is enough meat on the bone? Some story ideas don’t go that far. It may be flash fiction, or a short story, a novella, or a novel. Depends on the complexity, cast of characters, how much room you need to let the story breathe. You’ll know it when you see it. It’s why I teach flash fiction, it’s why I encourage authors to START with short stories. Write 1,000 words, write 3k, then 5k, then 10k, and more. You have to learn to expand. A sprinter is different than a long-distance runner, but whatever distance you run, you still have to tell a good story. It’s like when a closer gets stretched out to be a starter in baseball. Bit by bit, slowly expand, take on more, and let the story grow. A 6k story is MUCH different than a 60k novel. And what’s the worst thing to do to beef out a lean bone idea? Tangents, and scenes that have nothing to do with the heart of the story. In my classes I talk about, “All things serve the beam,” which comes from Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series. Build a framework, create a solid structure, and then you can go out on a limb here and there, get surreal, get weird, and expand the cast and story—as long as it serves the main narrative, and you always come back to the center. All of this non-fiction work must take up so much of your time, have you been able to do much work on your fiction writing this year? LOL, honestly, no. I’ve been trying to write this new arctic horror novel and have been struggling for quite some time. I have two new stories coming out this year, “Battle Not with Monsters” in Cemetery Dance and “Saudade” in the PRISMS anthology (PS Publishing) but after that, I’m about out of new work. I wrote a few things last year, and the year before. But I have to get back to it. I’d be lying if I said the state of the world hasn’t effected what I’m doing. But I know that I can do it. I wrote Breaker in 25 days, and it was nominated for a Thriller Award. I’ve written 6,000-words stories in a day for a deadline, 40,000 words to end Disintegration in a week, and 12,000 words in one day wrapping up Breaker. If I can find my way in, find my voice (LOL), get the POV right, then I’m off to the races. It’s hard when you’ve published 150 stories. I want it to be special, and every time I start down a path that bores me, that feels too familiar, that doesn’t have enough “meat on the bone,” I rewind and start over. I’ll get there. Just trying not to die right now. LOL. Could you tell us a bit more about your arctic story? I’m a sucker for stories set in the cold expanses? LOL I can try. Basically I wanted to write a horror novel, not neo-noir, not a thriller. I guess it starts with The Thing, and then heads off into Color Out of Space, picking up the influence of the new-weird authors (Brian Evenson, Jeff VanderMeer, China Mieville), while trying to tap into that A24 Films aesthetic. I am still getting it sorted, but I know the protagonist will be a sin-eater, and that he's protecting the world from certain demise. Whether he guards the LONE portal, or one of many, I'm not sure. Been watching other arctic things—Alone, Hold the Dark, Fortitude, and The Terror. But I want it to be more than just a monster horror story, more cosmic horror maybe. Still figuring it out. The state of the world has affected many authors, do you have any tips for finding that elusive mojo beast? Man, I've been struggling. Haven't written much this year. Have four stories out this year, a few out last year, but it's been tough. Trying not to die. The only thing I can say it tap into your strengths, write something you are REALLY interested in writing, and have the authority to talk about. So for me, I'm a maximalist. That means setting, atmosphere, tone, mood—that's all essential to my work. So that's one way into my book. I just don't have a handle on my protagonist yet, when I do...it's off to the races (hopefully). If you're struggling, go back and re-read work of your own that you love. There are a few stories, or books, I'm sure. I also fill my head with images, music, films, tv shows, whatever I can—to help build the backdrop of the narrative I'm trying to tell. Hope that helps! We’ve just passed the halfway point of 2020, what can we expect from you in the second half, do you have any new publications or projects in the pipeline? Ha, yeah, as I said, Cemetery Dance and PRISMS. I also have a weird Lovecraftian bit of flash fiction, an epistolary story, “In His House,” in The Nightside Codex, which should be out in August. And I have a reprint, “Chrysalis” in the Christmas Horror anthology out with Dark Regions Press this December. I think that’s it for now? For those who aren’t familiar with your fiction, where would you suggest they start? Oh, great question. Well, my last collection, Tribulations, that’s my most current work. There are some fun stories in there. I have had a number of stories since then, in some pretty cool anthologies, which you can find on my Amazon profile—the aforementioned “Ring of Fire,” as well as “Hiraeth” in Behold!: Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders, which won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Anthology. And for some free samples to see what I’m about, check out my online work via my blog HERE. Thank you, Richard, for taking the time to do this interview, do you have any final thoughts for the readers of this interview? It’s been a pleasure, such excellent questions, man, I’m exhausted. If you’re out there reading this right now, whether you study with me, or somebody else, just do it. GO FOR IT. I woke up at the age of 40 and realized I missed writing. I have always loved reading and writing, telling stories, watching movies, all of that. If you want to be a writer, start small—figure out your influences. The quiz I give my students in the SSM class is this, the first question I ask them—name your top five authors, books, television shows, and movies. See what they all have in common. Think about your writing. What are the common threads? I say that I write neo-noir, transgressive, speculative stories with a literary bent. What do YOU write? Think about what you loved to read and watch as a child, in your twenties, and now. That’s what gets you excited; that’s probably what you should write. So go do it! Start now. It’s never too early or too late. And if I can help in any way, reach out, I’m easy to find. When I turned my attention away from advertising, after 25 years, and started writing? It felt like a weight had been lifted, like that barrier that had been in front of me just disappeared. It’s what I was meant to do, I think. It’s the most fulfilling work I’ve ever done. Tell us your stories, the ones that only YOU can tell. I want to hear them. The world does, too.   the heart and soul of horror promotion websites
Be sure to check out the end of the interview for chance to win a copy of the first two volumes of The Malus Domestica series
BIO
S. A. Hunt (she/her) is the author of the Malus Domestica horror-action series from Tor Books, which begins with Burn the Dark. In 2014, she won Reddit's /r/Fantasy "Independent Novel of the Year" Stabby Award for her Outlaw King fantasy gunslinger series. She is an Afghanistan veteran (OEF 2010), a coffee enthusiast, a fervent bicyclist, and she currently lives in Petoskey, Michigan.
WEBSITE LINKS
www.sahuntbooks.com https://www.facebook.com/authorsahunt https://twitter.com/authorsahunt https://www.amazon.com/S-A-Hunt/e/B00BJODGKW
Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself? I’m a bestselling horror author, a transgender woman, and an Afghanistan veteran. I grew up in the mountains of Georgia but I moved to Michigan and so far it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. I am a hot mess, but I’m good at it. I love dogs so very much, they’re the best people I know. I’m 80% Irish. I love to eat, probably too much. I’m 39 this year and I only started taking my writing career seriously in 2013, so it’s never too late to chase your dreams. Just don’t chase someone else’s dreams. That’s creepy. Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life? Probably Rhetor Logos—or any of the Sileni from the Outlaw King series, to be honest. If there is one creative bone in your body, he can use his powers as a muse to convince you to do anything he wants. Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing? The fantasy genre, for sure, and especially the sword-and-sorcery genre. My reading pedigree started with Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, and continued on through Mercedes Lackey’s The Black Gryphon, Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time (which heavily influenced my Outlaw King series), Marion Zimmer Bradley, Julian May, and Andre Norton’s Trillium books, Patricia C. Wrede’s Dealing With Dragons, Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, and T. H. White’s The Sword in the Stone. Fantasy and horror go hand in hand, you know—magic has been a part of horror ever since the fairytale days, and so many of our darkest myths and legends hail from medieval times. Magic is an invisible thread through so many of our modern, supposedly realistic, gritty, or otherwise pragmatic horror stories--Nightmare on Elm Street, what do you think brought Freddy back and gave him a doorway into people’s dreams? It wasn’t quantum physics. What gave the protagonist in Jon Watts’ Clown the ability to shrug off bullets and blades? Definitely not greasepaint. 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 feel like maybe I have a too-pure perspective on this matter because while I’ve hit my fair share of roadblocks when it comes to writing horror—such as an agent telling me that “horror doesn’t sell,” nobody’s really ever explained to me what’s wrong with horror. And so I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, personally. So I’m honestly not sure what you mean by connotations, and I don’t know what to tell you. I legitimately don’t understand why anyone would look down on it as a genre, or look down on genre writing in general. Some of the best stories ever told have been horror fiction, like Bram Stoker’s Dracula. That book was way ahead of its time. Between you and me, I think real-life is horror, and so horror is the most emotionally authentic fiction experience you can have. See my answer below about why people enjoy horror so much—people’s lives are so horror-iffic, that they need a less abstractly horrible piece of fiction in order to cope. Look at the news. Look at a video of a bloodworm shooting a web across somebody’s hand. Look at someone whose loved one is deteriorating in the hospital from cancer, or coronavirus. Look at the dark space between the stairs in your real-life basement. Look at your own aging face in the mirror. That’s horror. Existential horror, body-horror, psychological horror. Life is horror. Horror is life. Any industry wonk that tells you otherwise either doesn’t understand horror, or doesn’t understand life. And giving people a way to overcome the latter by giving them the former sounds like one hell of a dignified career to me. A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the sociopolitical climate. Considering the current state of the world, where do you see horror going in the next few years? After having so much inspiration lately, there will probably be more stories revolving around red-state antagonists—white supremacists, Nazis, racists. Chuck Wendig’s Wanderers is already one of those, and my series has a couple of them. I think we’re going to keep seeing sharper, more subtle, more complex horror like Haunting of Hill House and The Invisible Man, with more diverse characters and more biting social angles like Get Out. But y’know, honestly? I can’t say with any certainty where I think horror is going. I feel like that’s the good thing about horror, my favorite aspect: it’s so unpredictable and powerful, and commanded by so many unique new voices, that it’s liable to go in any direction at any moment. I mean, nobody saw Jordan Peele, Ari Aster, Leigh Whannell, or Mike Flanagan coming. There’s always something breathtaking around the next corner. Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it? At the risk of stirring a lot of shit, I think horror is sort of like self-harm. When you self-harm, you’re trying to confine your pain. Self-harm is emotional Tylenol. You’re trying to take an abstract pain like depression or anxiety, and focus it into a physical pain that you can define and thus defeat. Define and defeat, that’s horror for you—define the threat and defeat it. Find the vampire, find the serial killer, feel their menace, and then kill them. Find or create something you know is true and you can fight it. Horror does that for us, it gives us something specific and defined to focus our mental energy on. Instead of some cloud of general anxiety and dread, we know what to be anxious about, we know what to dread: that monster, that ghost, that axe murderer under the stairs. And when you know what’s bothering you, you can get closure on it. What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre? Older main characters that aren’t starring in an update to a legacy franchise, like Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween. Transgender main characters, played by transgender actors. We’re not caricatures, we’re not y’all’s supporting casts, sacrificial lambs for the masked maniac to kill, or titty-squeezing, mirror-dancing Buffalo Bills. Every human being on Earth is the protagonist of their own private story, cisgender or transgender, and that is true for fiction as well. More strong, well-written horror comedy. Less gross-out humor, less slapstick, more subtle and paced humor. Slip that comedy stiletto between my ribs, don’t clobber me over the head with a comedy hammer. What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice of? Frankly there are so many new horror authors cropping up, most of them I haven’t even gotten around to reading yet, I can’t really name anybody specific right now. Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you? I once got a real kick in the guts on Amazon that said some of the words I used were too obscure. They had to look them up in the dictionary. Personally I’m a fan of learning new words and new concepts, but in the end, momentum is the most important thing about storytelling to me, so I started using a simpler vocabulary, and reserving the obscure stuff for proper noun names, like “the Chiral,” and “the Brontide.” With contextual worldbuilding, you know what those words mean. Every time your reader has an opportunity to put your book down, that’s another opportunity to walk away from it. And that’s book death right there. Momentum is key. Momentum is the secret truth. Keep the story moving, keep the heart beating, keep the reader reading. What aspects of writing do you find the most difficult? FINDING ALL THE TYPOS. AAAAAAHHH. Heavens to Murgatroyd, every time I read a manuscript, at whatever stage, I find fistfuls of errors. I just had a book release in July where I found a glaring error during a video reading for a bookstore, and I wanted to just close my laptop and take a shower. Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? I may incorporate Black people, gay folks, indigenous peoples, and other marginalized groups into my stories as part of an ensemble cast, because that’s how the world works and every normal social circle or band of survivors has some level of diversity, and to tell me my entire cast has to be white because I’m white is one hundred percent silly and I’m not going to do it. That’s not realistic. I’ll also do my best to show their specific struggles, because I refuse to ignore the humanity and perspective of an entire human being just because reasons. But I’m also not going to write a whole-ass story in that voice and culture. I’m not going to write an indigenous story about indigenous events starring an all-indigenous cast. I’m not going to write a Black story about Black events starring an all-Black cast. That’s not my place. Indigenous authors can do that. Black authors can do that. Tag me on the tweet about that book and I will RT the hell out of it. I’m also not going to write about rape, or at least depict it in a graphic fashion. Some of y’all might dig that shit, and I might even get perilously close sometimes like a certain scene in The Hellion, but it hurts a majority of people to read things like sexual assault and I’m not going to subject anyone to that. Writing is not a static process. How have you developed as a writer over the years? I’ve definitely developed more of an eye for sensitive subjects like race and sexual assault. I’ve learned to put more of my trust into my editor’s judgement and, literarily speaking, not be such a fan of the smell of my own farts. I’ve learned that trying to outline a novel doesn’t work because that’s not my process—I’m a pantser and that’s the only way I produce quality work. What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing? “Write what you know.” Writers will hear that saying and stand there all day saying things like, “Don't write what you know! Make up something new!” “If I write what I know, does that mean I can't write about things I don't know, like space travel or being a woman?” “But what if I don't know anything?” “What do you mean? I can’t write about cannibal Martians if I’ve never tasted human flesh?” That’s not what “write what you know” means. WWYK means to use your sensory or emotional memories to inform your writing with visceral authenticity. Maybe you don’t know what it’s like to stab an alien in the chest with a vibro-blade sword. That’s true. But you know what it’s like to jam a knife into a pumpkin and feel the punch and give as the blade penetrates the rind into the gourd’s mushy interior. You know what it’s like to push a running lawnmower that’s shaking your hands numb, or hold a pair of electric clippers humming in anticipation of shearing off your hair. You know what it’s like to be so completely fucking angry at somebody you just want to kill the shit out of them and watch them bleed out on the sidewalk!!!!!! And most importantly, maybe you know what it’s like to purposefully hurt somebody only to realize that now you’ve hurt somebody, possibly fatally, and all your nerve has fled you at the thought of someone dying because of something you did to them, because maybe you’re not a killer after all. Your bowels turned to concrete and your knees turned to water and briny saliva pooled in your mouth at the realization of what you did. That’s a terrible feeling. Great. Take all of that and feed that into the Imagination Machine until your alien swordfight comes out. Start writing. Which of your characters is your favourite? I have to say it might be Anders Gendreau from I Come With Knives and The Hellion, although my real favorite character, I’m saving for a future installment of this series. I think Gendreau mentions “the Jötunn” at one point in The Hellion, and I have a really cool idea for that guy I can’t wait to use. Which of your books best represents you? Probably I Come With Knives. There’s so much internalized grief and trauma and feminine rock-chick rage. I am a mess, and so is that book. Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us? “Tall grass listed in sideways air.” From The Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree. This may sound like I’m up my own ass, but it’s so evocative. I feel like it perfectly describes how gentle the wind from the protagonist’s perspective—a soft, subtle breeze that’s only touching the wheatgrass enough to make it lean to one side. Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next? The last book I completed was The Hellion, whose working title was King of the Road. Now I’m working on a John Carpenter tribute, a retro scifi adventure set in a nuclear winter where the apocalypse happened in 1987. A woman with robot arms and legs has to lead a convoy into the rotten heart of post-fall Paris to rescue a man who knows about a giant shelter somewhere in eastern Europe. I’m also working on Deadname, a time-travel thriller about private detective Torres, a transgender woman that’s pulled through a wormhole into the past, where she has to team up with her former male self and take down a mysterious serial killer that calls himself The Hundred-Handed One. And of course, I’m working on Malus Domestica Part 4 and 5, and the fourth installment of The Outlaw King. If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice? In film: killing off Black or gay characters in the first act. In books: filler masquerading as suspense, character development, or subtlety. I’ve read so many boring-as-hell horror novels in the past few years that just drone on about bullshit and leave the real horror for the third act. There’s setting up a scare by making you care about the protagonists and building up the villain with hints and clues, and then there’s a man having a snide phone conversation with his ex-wife for an entire chapter and a whole 15 pages devoted to talking about who he slept with in college or what bands he listened to. Too many authors put together a character, and forget while they’re doing so that the character is in a horror novel. What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you? Great: at the risk of sounding like a broken record, Chuck Wendig’s Wanderers. It just did everything right. Before that, it was Rhett & Link’s Lost Causes of Bleak Creek. Before that was Edgar Cantero’s Meddling Kids. Disappointment: Universal Harvester, by John Darnielle. Everything interesting happens “off-camera” during time-jumps from chapter to chapter, and we only ever see the after-effects. I saw so much online buzz for this book, and by the time I finished it I was infuriated. It felt like the editor had gone into it with a pair of kitchen shears and cut out all the good parts. What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer? Are you happy? And the answer, after all is said and done, is yes. Sometimes that’s a maybe . . . . But mostly, it’s a yes. 
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets Joe Hill in S. A. Hunt's I Come with Knives, a horror-tinged action-adventure about a punk YouTuber on a mission to hunt witches, one vid at a time Robin - now armed with new knowledge about mysterious demon terrorizing her around town, the support of her friends, and the assistance of her old witch-hunter mentor - plots to confront the Lazenbury coven and destroy them once and for all. Meanwhile, a dangerous serial killer only known as The Serpent is abducting and killing Blackfield residents. An elusive order of magicians known as the Dogs of Odysseus also show up with Robin in their sights. Robin must handle these new threats on top of the menace from the Lazenbury coven, but a secret about Robin's past may throw all of her plans into jeopardy. The Malus Domestica series #1: Burn the Dark #2: I Come with Knives
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the heart and soul of horror author interviewsMARK TOWSE FACES THE MUSIC
11/8/2020
 When I mention to people that I write horror, you can tell they take two steps back in their minds. They look at me and think, how can somebody so clean-cut conjure such devilry? They imagine gorefests—flesh ripping, blood spilling, and all sorts of horrific nightmares, so convincing them that horror can be psychological is the first battle. A lot of people that were adamant they were against horror ending up reading my work and loving it. Of course, you have to throw some fleshy bits in from time to time to catch them off guard! After a 30-year hiatus, Mark recently gave up a lucrative career in sales to pursue his dream of being a writer. His passion and belief have resulted in pieces in many prestigious magazines, including Flash Fiction Magazine, Raconteur, Breaking Rules Publishing, Books N' Pieces, Artpost, Colp, The Horror Zine, Antipodean SF, Page & Spine, Twenty-Two Twenty-Eight, and Montreal Writes. His work has also appeared twice on The No Sleep Podcast, The Grey Rooms, The Other Stories, and is soon to appear on Centropic Oracle. Twelve anthologies to date include his work, two of which are on the 2019 Horror Writers Association recommended list, and a further eight anthologies set for imminent release also contain his work. His first collection, ‘Face the Music’ has just been released by All Things That Matter Press. Mark resides in Melbourne, Australia with his wife and two children. WEBSITE LINKS https://twitter.com/MarkTowsey12 https://www.facebook.com/mark.towse.75 https://marktowsedarkfiction.wordpress.com/ Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself? I’m 46 years old and a master of cringe-worthy dad jokes. I’m at an age where I’ve stopped caring what people think about me, and it’s particularly freeing. My day job is an advertising manager, but I would sell my soul to the devil, or anyone buying if it meant I could write full-time. I love red wine, hanging with my family, and all things horror. Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life and have them complain at you about they way you treated them in your work. Jeez, there are many, but if push came to shove, it would have to be Rachel from my story, ‘Happy Returns’ (featured in Hellfire Crossroads: Introducing by Midnight Street Press). That woman sends shivers down my spine—sickly sweet until you cross her. Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing? My life. A cheesy answer, but I draw on the hurt and write what I know. 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 I mention to people that I write horror, you can tell they take two steps back in their minds. They look at me and think, how can somebody so clean-cut conjure such devilry? They imagine gorefests—flesh ripping, blood spilling, and all sorts of horrific nightmares, so convincing them that horror can be psychological is the first battle. A lot of people that were adamant they were against horror ending up reading my work and loving it. Of course, you have to throw some fleshy bits in from time to time to catch them off guard! 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? Wow, that’s a tough one. I certainly think writers are somewhat influenced, if even subconsciously, by events in the world, but I certainly try to be different. Inevitably, there will be a big draw to virus and technology-related themes, but I still prefer old school horror themes that don’t always necessarily have an outside influence. Horror, in general, does have to adapt, and I guess I will come along kicking and screaming. Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it? Pure escapism. It’s not for everyone, but I think for a lot of people, the worlds created are safer than their own. I don’t there are many outright human sadists out there, and the majority of people just enjoy it because it’s fantasy—something different. What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre? I’m a big fan of M Night Shyamalan because he tells a tale without overloading on gore, and usually delivers an exceptional twist. The plot seems to have become secondary to special effects and CGI these days, so any film that can sucker-punch is a big plus for me. In the past authors were able to write about almost anything with a far lesser degree of the fear of backlash, but this has all changed in recent years. These days authors must be more aware of representation an the depiction of things such as race and gender in their works, how aware are you of these things and what steps have you taken to ensure that your writing can’t be viewed as being offensive to a minority group? It is tough. I remember some of the books I used to read that would now be frowned upon. Just because it isn’t written, doesn’t mean it’s not happening, and speaking as a creator, it can often interrupt the flow of a story if you have to somehow step around such powerful emotionally-charged moments in time. Does horror fiction perpetuate it’s own ghettoization? I think it can, yes. A lot of my readers have suggested I should publish under a more generic category, but at the end of the day, some of my pieces will crossover to very dark themes. I would say 70% of my stories are psychological and could probably be classified as mystery/suspense/thriller, but then there are the others that contain sentences of outright horror. What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice off? I’m immediately going to become unpopular here. I’ve only been writing for two years, and in all that time, I’ve only attempted one novel (couldn’t finish it). I’ve tried to stay away from any other influences and develop my own style. It has worked well for me and allowed me to write all the bile that leaks from my mind without over-analysing or judging myself. I’m incredibly proud of how far I’ve come in this short space of time, and I don’t think I’d be saying that if I did it any other way. What are the books and films that helped to define you as an author? So many, but to pick a couple … The Talisman – Stephen King and Peter Straub. An epic journey that left me awestruck as a kid. The Ballad of Lee Cotton – Christopher Wilson – Totally off genre but incredibly funny and the narrator throughout made you feel as though you were in Mississippi. Misery — a psychological masterclass. And Kathy Bates – Jeez! Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you? They all stay with me. I think the worst negative one I had was regarding one of the stories I did for The No Sleep Podcast called ‘A Sense of Dread’. I regretted that one ever going live as it works well on paper but just wasn’t podcast material. It was also a very English character being narrated by an American. Somebody called it ‘boring’. What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult? The ideas. I’ve written 83 stories to date, and each one becomes more difficult to give birth to. I find the process easy from beginning to end, but coming up with the idea that is going to transfix readers is the bane of my life. Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? No. There are areas I would dull down, but I don’t think anything should be off-limits. How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? I’m a bit pants at choosing names to be honest. I think I’ve used similar names in my stories just because they sounded like strong English names. Tom is a go-to for me. I have to stop doing that. I’ve started using the names of our neighbours. Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years? I don’t have a degree in English or a master’s in creative writing. I got a degree in mathematics in 1991 and somehow drifted into a career in sales. Looking back to some of my earlier work, technically, it is below par, and this is an area I am constantly improving on. What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing? I rarely ask for advice. I think that is because I am defensive rather than arrogant. There is lots of work to do still. Somebody once said to me, “Just get your head down and do it, and stop talking about it”. That’s probably the best piece of advice I’ve had. To many writers, the characters they write become like children, who is your favorite child, and who is your least favorite to write for and why? It doesn’t really apply. I write short stories and go through a lot of characters. Sometimes I feel for them and get reasonably close to them, but I never want to adopt then. For those who haven’t read any of your books, which of your books do you think best represents your work and why? My debut ‘Face The Music’ is perfect for this. It’s a great mixture of stories that explore fear in many different forms and situations. There are 22 shorts here, each one very different, but each providing a unique and unsettling ride. Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us? There are many. Sorry, I couldn’t possibly pick one. Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next? Face The Music is my debut collection. I already have more than enough material for my second collection and already very excited about bringing those to light. The readers are in for a real treat. If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice? The happy ending. What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you? The book I mentioned above—the one I couldn’t finish. I found it very slow and hard-going, and it probably could have been a hundred pages shorter. I hate to say it as I used to be a huge fan, but it was ‘The Institute’ by Stephen King. What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer? Q: Why do you write? A: Because I have to.  In this collection of old-school style horror stories, Mark Towse takes readers on a wild ride with unexpected twists and turns. Once read, these tales will not be easily forgotten. Seeing bad things happen to good people lends some stories a tragic, chilling atmosphere, especially when they involve circumstances beyond the character's control. Some are more straightforward morality plays, with people who are too greedy, too curious or too rotten to live being tracked down by various sinister forces. Most of the time this ends in blood, or the suggestion of blood to come, and it's those stories, teetering precariously on the verge of revealing someone's fate, that cut me the deepest. - Ben Walker, Ginger Nuts of Horror  THE HEART AND SOUL OF HORROR PROMOTION WEBSITES 
Jennifer Soucy is a spirited New England girl who loves to explore both the world around her and the vivid realms within her imagination. Born and raised in Connecticut, she currently lives in Georgia after a stint in Las Vegas. She’s a professional bartender and a proud nerd whose various hobbies involve some combination of horror and fantasy. Her debut novel, an adult contemporary horror/dark fantasy, will be published March 21, 2020 through Amazon. Her second novel, a YA dark fantasy/horror, will be published early 2021 by RhetAskew Publishing. Her best ideas are often inspired after deliberately inducing nightmares, translating those into tales which may occasionally encourage readers to sleep with a light on. WEBSITE LINKS Website: https://www.jenniferlsoucy.com/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Soucy/e/B085BW9RRC?ref_=pe_1724030_132998060 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bansheetales/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bansheetales Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealjenwah/ Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself? Of course! My name is Jennifer Soucy, and I love horror - books, movies, you name it. My greatest childhood dream was to become a writer. I grew up on old-school fairy tales (the darker, the better) which inspired me to start reading even scarier stories as soon as possible. Despite my youthful ambitions, life eventually got in the way of my dreams. I entered the restaurant industry, working nearly every position at one time before choosing to be a bartender. I love to travel, talk, and meet new people, so this industry was perfect for me. When I was nearing 40, I had an epiphany (as so many of us do): What am I doing with my life? I decided it was time to work on those old dreams again. I started writing in earnest, and created several novels and short stories within a year and a half. It was one of the best decisions I ever made, and I’m happy with the results so far. Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life and have them complain at you about they way you treated them in your work. Oh my, that is a tough one! I would absolutely be horrified if Evie from my YA series found me. She’s a decent girl with a good heart, but I’ve put her through the wringer (with even worse to come). I like to think that even if she was mad, I might be forgiven if I also remind her that I gave her quite a few wonderful people and positive moments too. Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing? Fantasy is another genre I absolutely love, as well as some light sci-fi. When it comes to books and other media, I crave an escape from reality. Dark fiction is, of course, what I choose most often because it resonates more for me. I do incorporate lighter fiction, as well. I’ve been known to dabble in Romance, but I’m super picky. I don’t mind if there’s a happy-ever-after, but I want the characters to truly earn it! I’m also a fan of history, so bios and historical fiction are fun when it covers a topic I’m interested in. As an example, which sort of fits all of these genres, I’m a HUGE fan of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series (the books and the show). What a fantastic blend of everything I love in fiction. And, some might disagree, but there are absolutely scenes in this series that could be classified as horror. She truly offers something for everyone. 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 actually wrote a blog on this a while ago. Horror absolutely carries some heavy, and not always appealing, connotations to the general public. People instantly think of murdered sorority girls, make-believe monsters, and excessive gore. My whole life I’ve fought to educate people on the differences. A work that really opened my eyes was Stephen King’s Danse Macabre. For any who haven’t read it, it’s a brilliant piece of nonfiction detailing the history of the horror genre and what it all means. There’s a heavy psychological factor at work in horror. Yes, it can be brutal and there are often monsters (both human and ‘make-believe). But, the horror genre is a mirror that reflects real societal issues and abiding fears. It’s a brilliant metaphor, constantly relevant and always making room for new topics. In my opinion, it’s the most dynamic genre we have. And I also tell people that horror isn’t just a genre - it’s an emotion, often present in nearly every work of art. I’m one of those people who can watch/read/listen to anything and spot the horror element (a superpower, maybe?). In all fiction, music, and art there is a moment where the character is demoralized, frightened, heartbroken, or whatever - a moment that, when done right, can be downright haunting. There’s just no escaping it. Horror is everywhere, and it’s more than a few cheap scares. 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 sad after thousands of years of history that we still struggle with so many basic issues. Of course, things keep getting worse (or I’m a cynic), and some days the future seems bleak indeed. But, it’s exactly for situations like this where horror has a chance to shine and offer assistance. I think the zombie sub-genre is incredibly relevant. While some may feel it’s been overdone, I don’t see it being shunned anytime soon - it’s a classic for a reason. But, I do see it evolving for sure. There’s something so terrifying about being a “normal” person in a mob of mindless, hungry monsters. Plus, apocalyptic stories do well when people already feel like the world is in catastrophic danger. I also am loving this new flock of films focusing on the haves vs. the have-nots. Us, Parasite, and Joker really drove home how marginalized peoples are tired of being squashed by the rich and powerful. I love how these three movies took a similar theme but approached them in unique ways. Horror movies like this are entertaining and therapeutic because we, as the audience, can laugh or scream at situations we empathize with - venting via art, if you will. And just maybe, if enough of these movies make money and become favorites of the majority, then they might make those 1%-ers think again about how they treat others. Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it? As I stated just above, I think people are drawn to horror because it helps us vent. Horror (when made right) forces us to feel and to express/release pent up fear and anxiety. And this is true of comedic horror as well, since laughing has the same effect. Again, this is all especially therapeutic when you’re watching/reading something which is relevant to the current times or some personal problem you’re facing. I also believe horror is sort of a “safe space” to problem-solve. For example, my boyfriend is a huge George A. Romero fan and we watch a lot of zombie movies. And it never fails, every single time we’ll point out awesome or terrible strategies and store them away for the inevitable apocalypse. Which, given the state of the world, doesn’t always seem like a fantasy. We may joke about an “end of the world”, but during the darkest times your mind can’t help but stray to the fearful realm of what-ifs. Movies and books with these themes entertain on the uppermost level, generating laughs or screams, but underneath it also assuages our most deep-seated anxieties. Those dark fears that cause our worst nightmares...but, what’s the best way to deal with those fears? Face them, make your plans, deal with it instead of repress it - that’s why horror is not only enjoyable but healthy. What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre? Personally, I’m satisfied with the general direction of the horror genre. Is it 100% perfect? Of course not. There are still improvements to be made, especially in regards to diversity issues and women in horror. As a fan for nearly my whole life, I do see the changes being made. Creators are listening and they are trying their best for the most part. At this stage, I’d say it’s the gatekeepers slowing us down - but isn’t that often the case? I’m confident we’ll see further advances because, more than any genre, I’ve always felt horror creators are in touch with their fanbase and take their needs into consideration. Not a surprise because, again, horror succeeds by always staying relevant. In the past authors were able to write about almost anything with a far lesser degree of the fear of backlash, but this has all changed in recent years. These days authors must be more aware of representation and the depiction of things such as race and gender in their works, how aware are you of these things and what steps have you taken to ensure that your writing can’t be viewed as being offensive to a minority group? Like I stated above, I believe horror and society are changing for the better overall regarding this issue. But, there’s still a lot of reason to promote this issue. Representation matters, and it is essential for everyone to respect other cultures and genders. We’re finally starting to see more POC, LGBTQ+, and Women authors who create diverse and inventive tales, which I’m loving. But this is a work in progress, and we all have to continue learning and improving. For me, I absolutely try to be both respectful and inclusive. My main characters are all women - not because I have an “agenda”, but honestly I’m just more comfortable writing about women and our issues. And I do try to include people from other cultures, genders, religions, etc. I truly hope I do them justice. At the same time, we walk a fine line as creators. It seems no matter what one does these days there will always be at least one person offended. As an artist we have to balance being respectful of marginalized groups but we also have to stay true to our stories. Sometimes what one might find offensive is necessary to educate others, even if it’s a hard lesson. Or, sometimes we use characters or plotlines to raise awareness - which is often effective, when done properly. For example, the ladies in my own stories are all damaged in some way and bad things continue to happen to them. I already know there will be some women who will get angry and say “Why can’t you just write a normal story? You should uplift women, be more positive! Abuse and trauma shouldn’t always be included, it’s wrong and demeaning…” And to those women I would say as kindly as possible that I feel these stories and characters are important. Despite the laws and protections many countries have in place for women, we are still more at risk than the average man. I don’t walk alone as a woman without the occasional dark thought or flash of anxiety, and I honestly don’t know a woman who doesn’t also share these fears. So yes, I will write my damaged ladies (as respectfully as possible, of course, but with authenticity alway taking the lead). Maybe when the day comes that women don’t have to live in fear, I’ll write about something nice - a sweet rom-com or something. But we’re not there yet, sadly. Does horror fiction perpetuate its own ghettoization? That’s a great question! Honestly, I don’t think it has an easy answer. People think of horror as one lump of identical scenarios, but as fans we know there’s a crazy wealth of sub-genres. It’s wonderful, in my opinion, because there’s always something for everyone. There will always be horror creators who isolate themselves from the mainstream either intentionally or just by staying true to their sub-genre - but, there’s nothing wrong with that. If they joined the pack then we wouldn’t have their unique viewpoint, even if it’s not universally beloved. I don’t want creators in the horror genre to chase mass appeal because it dilutes what’s most beautiful about this diverse genre. Whether it’s intentional or not, I love that so many creators in horror stay true to themselves and do what moves them even if they know it will have limited appeal. Art should not appeal to everyone, and when it deliberately attempts to reach all people then it sacrifices authenticity - then, no one will truly enjoy it. What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice off? Oh wow, there’s so many and I’m sure I’ll forget some so forgive me! I’m a huge fan of Gemma Amor, who’s really taken off this year especially with Dear Laura. I also am rooting for my pals TJ Tranchell and Linsey Knerl, both who have amazing stories to share with horror fans. And some who aren’t necessarily new (I only discovered them in the past 2 years, so they’re new to me!) but are just amazing: Gabino Iglesias, Gwendolyn Kiste, Zoje Stage, Chad Lutzke, Kealan Patrick Burke, Scott Thomas, Victor LaValle, and Jonathan Janz. What are the books and films that helped to define you as an author? That’s even harder after 40 years! And yes, I started really young with horror - both books and movies. I mentioned it before, but I’ve always been heavily influenced by the original fairy tales (Grimm, Anderson, etc) and folklore in general. I have loved Stephen King since I read The Shining at age 9, a story which still amazes me to this day (although, The Stand is my favorite of his). Other authors who influenced me over the years include: Shirley Jackson (everything, lol), Mary Shelley (Frankenstein), Daphne du Maurier (Rebecca), the Bronte sisters (Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights), Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice), Charlotte Perkins Gilman (The Yellow Wallpaper), Laura Esquivel (Like Water for Chocolate), Anne Rivers Siddons (The House Next Door) . . . ok, I better stop. As for movies, which I love nearly as much as books, I grew up in the eighties with some of the wildest movies ever made. Plus, I love movies from all eras - the stranger, the better, but sometimes mainstream can’t be denied. Some that influenced me include: Labyrinth, Legend, Gone With The Wind, Jaws, The Birds, Psycho, Melancholia, Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, The Exorcist, Stand by Me, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Crow, Carrie (original only), Suspiria (again, original only), and...I’ll stop before I lose myself for hours! Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you? I haven’t really been reviewed yet, so it’s hard to say. Although, I loved when my sister read one of my stories and described a pair of characters as “two broken cookies that were tossed in the same bag, but none of the pieces fit”. I totally loved that, and actually used a version of that line in one of my books. What aspects of writing do you find the most difficult? Writing hasn’t been as hard as I feared - at least, overall, and as an adult (it was much harder as a kid, understandably). As an adult, I’ve benefited from half a lifetime of reading and intermittent practice so that helps. I’ve never really had writer’s block, per se. But something that really sucks is when you’re deep in a story and you know what needs to happen, but there’s sort of a gap. Then you’re stuck, figuring out how to build a bridge when you’re in some high-stakes and inopportune stopping point. It can feel insanely frustrating, but once the lightbulb comes on it’s one of the most euphoric sensations I’ve ever experienced. Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? I mentioned before that many of my characters are damaged women. I’ve covered quite a few topics so far, and I try to keep it tastefully authentic to do honor to real women who experience these struggles throughout their lives. I’ve also had hints or very hazy scenes related to sexual assault, which is an important and personal issue for me. However, I don’t know that I could write a full-blown, graphic rape scene. I’m not saying it can’t be done in the right way, to educate and send a message to raise awareness, but for me it’s hard to actually write that - far harder than simply reading someone else’s work. When you write, it’s as if you’re living through the experience somewhat, and that is a dark place to be indeed for some of us. How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? I am crazy about names, you have no idea. I’m on baby name sites so much, I’m spammed with ads for diapers and such - stop watching me, Google! Most of my names, at least for the primary characters, have a meaning. I always loved symbolism discussions in literature class, so this is really my main way of letting that urge run free. But, I try not to make it too spoiler-y, and maybe the meaning only seems obvious to me. I guess I’ll have to see what my readers eventually think about my choices. Writing is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years? I’ve only been seriously writing for almost 2 years, but even in that short time I’ve noticed some big changes. My first book I wrote almost entirely without an outline. I knew certain scenes that needed to happen, but that was about it. And, that actually still somewhat works for me. But, I’m more disciplined now. I don’t fully outline, but I definitely create more structure . . . to a point. I’m not a fan of obsessive outlining because I feel it reduces the chance of those magical “A-Ha” moments which are priceless. My language and word choice has also changed after working with professional editors. I’ve learned more than ever about how certain words can clog up prose and slow the pacing, so with each story I find myself more mindful at not only editing them but also avoiding them in the first place. What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing? I’d say the best piece of advice, even if it’s often repeated, is to constantly read. Reading is a writer’s greatest tool. It feeds your imagination and keeps your mind fertile so more stories can sprout. And read more than just your genre. I love horror, and I read a shocking amount of it. But I also love fantasy, sci-fi, history, some nonfiction, and romance. Do I write in those genres? No, but when my story has fantasy elements or if I write a romantic subplot, it’s immensely helpful to have a background on various tropes and expectations. All knowledge is valuable, whether or not you gain immediate benefit from it. To many writers, the characters they write become like children, who is your favorite child, and who is your least favorite to write for and why? Oh my goodness, I don’t know if I have a least favorite child . . . I am tempted to say Evie is my favorite, simply because her story is so exciting for me (possibly, it will be a trilogy). But, Layla is also one of the most entertaining characters I’ve written yet. Clementine, from a book I hope to sell this year, is one of the sweetest and she absolutely melts my heart. If I had a least favorite character, it would probably be most of the characters in my short stories. I tend to adore the MCs in my novels, probably because we spend so much time together. The short stories are more brutal, and the characters are much less likeable and villainous . . . but even then, they’re still fun in their own way. For those who haven’t read any of your books, which of your books do you think best represents your work and why? Currently, I would say my upcoming book Demon in Me best represents me. Layla and the issues she struggles with are quite relatable - addiction, mental illness, surviving trauma but also how she deals with the family dynamics and relationships that both haunt and help her. I was also inspired by the notion of coming back home after a long absence. As someone born and raised in Connecticut, I’ve often wondered how it would feel to be back after decades in a whole other world. In all my books, I try to make the location a character as well because I’ve always been influenced by my various homes in positive and negative ways. Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us? There’s quite a few, but Layla’s been on my mind a lot as I prep for her release. This passage in the first chapter resonates with me, that anxiety one gets when returning to a home that was definitely less than perfect. On the one hand, you don’t want to care what they think because you’re grown now and you don’t need their approval. But when you go back to a dysfunctional home after such a long absence, it’s like you’re a kid again - unsure, overly sensitive, and fearing it will be just as bad as you remembered it. Everything faded as my mind drifted like a curious ghost, flying through the past to the lakeside town thousands of miles away. Blackpool, where I was forever changed from a regular girl into something Other. Dragged back like a captured animal to the people who first taught me about pain, fear, resentment, and loss. A place I might’ve loved once but learned to hate, the home where they were all waiting to judge the woman I’d become. Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next? Demon in Me is my debut novel, but it was actually the third one I wrote - ah, a writer’s life! My next official release is The Mother We Share (working title) from RhetAskew Publishing, which was actually the first book I wrote. This is the one starring Evie, who I mentioned before. She’s about to turn 18 and lives in Boston with her dad. Her mother died giving birth to her, but she soon learns more about that tragedy after a terrifying break-in. She’s stalked after that event by a female who looks similar to her dead mother, a girl who’s not quite human and seems intent on destroying everything Evie loves. But, no more or I’ll give the whole plot away! I’m also pitching an adult dark fantasy, Sea of Love (working title), about three sisters in Provincetown who are forced to reunite after the highly unusual death of their grandmother. They discover some pretty wild secrets about their family and a mysterious stranger from years before - think The Little Mermaid meets The Phantom of the Opera. If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice? Probably the cliche that drives me the craziest is the jump scare. Sometimes they’re done well, for sure - it can be an effective form of foreshadowing, for example. But most times they feel cheap as hell. If I’m forced through a stupid jump scare that leads to nothing, I get so annoyed because it rips me right out of the story. What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you? I just finished In The Woods by Tana French, and I absolutely loved it! I highly recommend The Dublin Murder Squad on Starz, which inspired me to get the book. I can’t wait to dive into The Likeness, the sequel starring the fascinating Cassie Maddox. For the last book that disappointed me, I’d have to pick Doctor Sleep by Stephen King. It hurts me to say that because I love him and The Shining, but I just wasn’t feeling this sequel. Well, I should amend that - Danny’s addiction and recovery were brilliant. I just thought Abra was completely overpowered to the point I never grew invested in her. It’s hard to empathize with a character who is seemingly perfect and all-powerful - they don’t need me rooting for them. And while I loved Rose the Hat and her crew (who started as such badasses), Abra made them appear so foolish in the end which sucked. And as for the movie...well, all respect to Mike Flanagan because I believe he’s a genius. I think he did the best he could, which was still better than most people’s full effort. But, the end hurt because the book’s ending was so much better. What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer? I’m still a total noob when it comes to being interviewed about my writing, so my response might not be that insightful. But, I would love if one day someone asked me about my love of music and its use as a writing tool. Now, music isn’t a tool for every writer - we all have our own preferences, and that’s totally cool. But for me, music is part of my worldbuilding. When I create a main character and the bones of a story, the next thing I do is start a playlist. Each song added reflects certain characters, settings, plot points, and more. Music sets the mood and gets my creative juices flowing, and it’s one of the most valuable tools in my bag of tricks. At the end of Demon In Me, I even include a list of song titles from my playlist for any readers who might be interested.  With time, we forget even the worst parts of our past. Unfortunately, the past doesn't always forget us . . . Layla survived years of addiction and trauma, burying the most brutal recollections of her past. She escaped Hell, slapped a tourniquet on her toxic memories, and found a measure of peace as a drummer in Las Vegas. Ten years later, she's finally moved on . . . until she’s called home to Connecticut, a last plea from her dying mother. Back to Blackpool, where her estranged family awaits alongside her old enemies. The trip awakens her inner demons, voices who warn that history may repeat itself. A new cycle of violence begins, echoing events Layla barely escaped once. The voices urge her to fight, reminding her of wrongs that were never made right. If she gives in, she may lose both her sanity and her soul . . . a steep price to save a family who'd given up on her once. Layla's reached a crossroads, a choice between an insatiable thirst for vengeance or forgiveness for those who harmed her. But some crimes are unforgivable, and some wounds refuse to be forgotten.  the heart and soul of horror promotion websites Ha! I hate pretentiousness in all art. I'm all for speaking about your work seriously, but goddamn, certain folks are completely insufferable and totally detached from reality. Shiloh's character was based entirely on interviews with Jared Leto/30 Seconds to Mars. I would send Ryan (who plays Shiloh) the most insanely eye-rolly YouTube videos I could find (of which there are MANY). Today myself and Craig Draheim sit down with director Matthew John Lawrence to chat about his latest movie Uncle Peckerhead. Matthew John Lawrence is a 30-something filmmaker hailing from the great state of New Jersey. He writes, directs, produces, and edits micro-budget movies and is an Assistant Professor at The College of New Jersey where he teaches courses in media studies and production. Matthew received his MFA in Film Production from Boston University with a concentration in Screenwriting and Directing. He currently lives in Brooklyn with his wife and a half-dozen plants he hasn’t figured out how to water properly. Uncle Peckerhead is a Faustian gorefest, a horror-comedy with heart, a madcap music & monster movie, a post-Trumpian punks v. hillbillies drama of epic proportions, you get the picture. Judy sings and plays bass in the punk-rock band, DUH, with her friends, Max and Mel. She's the leader of the pack and will stop at nothing to achieve her dream of becoming a full-time touring musician. But when DUH's van is repossessed hours before they're set to embark on their first tour, desperation sets in, and Judy strikes an uneasy alliance with a redneck old-timer by the name of Peckerhead, or "Peck". Peck lives in a 15-passenger van and offers to act as DUH's driver and roadie, providing the wheels so long as the band agrees to take care of meals and gas. Oh, and there's just one other small thing: Peck turns into a man-eating monster every night at midnight for 13 minutes. Judy discovers this the hard way, when she comes upon the lovable hillbilly devouring an asshole promoter at their first show. But Peck seems genuinely remorseful, and the promoter did screw them out of money. What's the alternative? Cancel the tour? Give up the dream? A bargain is reached: Peck will remain, self-sedate every night before midnight, and the tour will continue. But now, in addition to the ordinary struggles of the "gig life", Judy must navigate the trail of half-eaten bodies DUH leaves in their wake. Hey Matthew, thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions. To kick of the interview could you tell us a little but about yourself? Sure, my name's Matt and I live in Brooklyn, New York. I am trying to lose weight, I want a dog, and I make movies. Parts of the film were inspired by your own experiences on the road, which member of Duh is the closest to you? I am 100% Judy. I am her, she is me. I was the responsible one of the group; I had the lofty ambitions and oftentimes pushed too hard. I have sold my soul plenty of times. While the setup itself is comical, what inspired you to make it so outwardly funny? Saying "comedy comes easy" makes it sound like I think I am funny, but I guess comedy is familiar territory that brings me joy. I think I like levity a lot, even if I'm trafficking in the dramatic and/or horrific. I also crave laughs like a drug. Some of my most cherished film-going memories have been sitting with a packed audience, laughing my ass off. So that's the type of stuff I hope to make. Punk rock. A lovable southern oaf. A demon. It’s a story I never knew I wanted until I watched it. How did the elements merge together? In short, Uncle Peckerhead touches on the two major loves of my life: Horror Movies & Punk Rock. The longer answer: The original idea for Uncle Peckerhead was that of a short-form series, where a punk band lived in a dingy house with an old hillbilly tweaker. The show would be executed like an early 90’s family sitcom, whereby the group would get into misadventures each week, and Peckerhead would pass along words of wisdom which would help resolve the conflict at the end of each episode - a punk-rock Full House with a redneck Mr. Belvedere, if you will. As I was developing the series and writing episodes, I went to a certain unnamed genre festival with a short film I had produced. While I did see a few great movies, I was struck by how homogenized and self-serious a lot of the horror features were; they didn’t share the same chaotic and joyful nature a lot of my favorite movies embody. In short, they weren’t any fun, and I noticed that festival-goers too were hungry for an energy which was not present. After a few beers on the final night of the festival, it got me to thinking, “Maybe I should stop talking shit and put my money where my mouth is.” It was then I began in earnest to write and develop Uncle Peckerhead as a feature film. Because of its uniqueness, what was the process for getting Uncle Peckerhead made? The writing process itself was fairly quick; I began the first draft in late Summer 2017 and by November of that year, had fully committed to shoot in June 2018. The budget was micro with a lowercase "m" and came from self-funding and a handful of incredibly generous folks who really loved the idea and clearly didn't care about money. When working with such a small budget, how do balance the expenditure on special effects? Did you go into the film with a clear idea which effects you wanted as the money shots? Totally. I made a short film before this that relied a lot on practical fx and makeup so I had an idea of how much it would cost, how much time each sequence would take, etc. In reality, our film only has four big horror-fx sequences and that's all because of budget. With that said, Jared Balog (our FX guru) broke his back to work with our budget, did a masterful job, and was a wonderful collaborator. I loved that scene between Shiloh and Judy on the bench, just how much contempt do you have for the pretentiousness of the indie punk scene? Ha! I hate pretentiousness in all art. I'm all for speaking about your work seriously, but goddamn, certain folks are completely insufferable and totally detached from reality. Shiloh's character was based entirely on interviews with Jared Leto/30 Seconds to Mars. I would send Ryan (who plays Shiloh) the most insanely eye-rolly YouTube videos I could find (of which there are MANY). The cast feels close knit like they were friends prior to filming or in comedy troupe together. How did you build those relationships onscreen? I think it's about casting good people. After that, it's really how they click once they start spending 18 hours together. One of the most heartening things I witnessed during the production was the bond formed by the main cast. Chet, Ruby, Jeff, and David would travel to and from set via the tour van every day; the four were inseparable, eating all their meals together and sleeping at the same house. They began to morph into a tight-knit group much like a touring band would, as the dynamic between the actors continued even after the cameras stopped rolling. And what about the metalheads? HA! Some of my best friends are metalheads! I just love the idea of a couple asshole metalheads starting shit in an empty parking lot at night. I had had that idea swimming around in my head for years and decided this was the best opportunity to fully realize that vision. What is it about punk rock that lends itself so well to the horror genre? Great question. I think both approaches have been historically looked down on by mainstream (or highbrow) audiences, critics, and the like. It's insane because I feel horror and punk often push boundaries which are then imitated by more prestige genres. But, while discounted, they both yield some of the most thoughtful and loyal fans. I think, at their best, they also foster some of the most inclusive communities (though there are incredibly bad examples to undermine this point). The people who make these films/this music have a certain energy and need to connect with audiences; there are a lot of things which I'm not doing a very good job at articulating. So how punk is punk enough for you, who is your “least punk” band that you consider punk? Avril laviagne, Sum 41? Sum 41 and Avril are punk if they wanna be. If they're being dicks and telling me or you that we're not punk, then fuck them. Anyone can be punk! No joke, I think my grandma is punk because she's an old white lady who believes in an insanely progressive agenda - i.e. Black Lives Matter, defunding the police, rights for undocumented immigrants, etc. Telling people what music is or isn't kinda defeats the purpose of it all. If you like it and it brings you joy and you're not being a shit to other people, call it whatever you want. Mix tapes, the bane of every road trip ever, but who would be on your mix tape and which artist would you have feature twice on one side? What a GREAT QUESTION. Damn - that's tough. As I hope the movie demonstrates, music is omnipresent in my life - everything I do revolves around it. Favorite jams are always changing, as will artists. So let me answer with my current favs (though some of these groups have been pretty consistent throughout my life). Mixtape would have to include The Beastie Boys (this would be my "two songs, same side" band), The Marked Men, Warthog, David Bowie, Sonic Youth, Schoolboy Q, Descendents, Cayetana, School Drugs, Nirvana, The Dirty Nil, Tierra Whack, Steely Dan. David H. Littleton came out of retirement for the film, how did you manage to get him to step in front of the screen? Blackmail, hypnosis, or threats of violence? David was a godsend. He had already planned to return to the world of acting and luckily he saw our casting call. And the casting process for Peckerhead was a slog. In addition to the countless video submissions we received, we spent three full days meeting with actors to play the part of Peckerhead. And not one of them came close to what we were looking for. Note: I know three days does not seem like an extensive casting call but we only held auditions for four days in total and, well, the production was dirt poor. Finally, Kristy Richman (producer) texted me one night with yet another video audition for Peckerhead: “Take a look at this guy. He’s doing a play in Florida currently but he’s Brooklyn-based sooo… maybe?” I watched David Littleton’s audition on my phone and BAM! That was it; we found Peckerhead. Within a couple weeks, we brought him up to audition with Chet, Ruby, and Jeff. The chemistry was magical; the four had me laughing out loud, and the film was READY TO GO. What part of being on the road did you hate the most? My least favorite part would be driving all day to play a dive bar with literally zero people to watch us. Sure, there might be a couple drunk old-timers passed out in the corner, but the room is basically empty. What a spirit-killer that is... In the media, touring is represented as a romantic adventure, but in reality, bands are playing empty venues and eating shoelaces in Walmart parking lots every night. It’s largely a soul-crushing experience, not unlike some (most?) days of independent filmmaking. Who wrote the songs that Duh perform in the movie and will they be available to purchase or stream anywhere? Jeff Riddle, who plays Max in the film, wrote all of the music. He's one of my best friends and we've been collaborating on projects for years. Jeff has a new band called Five Hundred Bucks and they actually recorded much better versions of a couple songs from the film. With that said, we have been talking about doing a proper DUH release (EP? 7-inch?) if the right label comes along. So, if y'all know any folks at Mondo or Waxwork Records, HOOK US UP.  Uncle Peckerhead is an interesting character his transition from being a lovable oaf cursed with transforming into a monster, to becoming a literal insidious monster is rather chilling, was this tonal shift in his character planned from the start? It was, actually. Not to get political, but one of the main inspirations for writing that character came the number of pieces being written on the “forgotten male" who had turned to Trump in 2016. I’m not sure if it was initially a conscious decision but I could see that the film’s “punks v. hillbilly” premise was mirroring a theme that was happening around the country. An older white guy (who, on the surface, might be polite and charming) was willing to embrace a completely nihilistic agenda with no concern for the livelihood of future generations, because he felt the world had left him behind. Note: I fully acknowledge that the film is a lowbrow horror-comedy with blood and shit aplenty, but it’s also about the political stuff. I digress… Was there ever an explanation what Uncle Peckerhead actually is and why he transforms every night? Prior to filming, for each of the main cast members, I wrote a 4-5 page character backstory. For David's (i.e. Peck), I had a couple pages dedicated to how he became the "thing". What was the significance for him only transforming for 13 minutes? Honestly, in earlier drafts, there were so many rules and a lot more backstory and lore behind the character. That may sound intriguing but it really began to slow the film down and muddy the narrative. My wife, Wicky, who also co-produced the film was really instrumental by telling me to refrain from overexplaining everything and cut down on the "rules". In reality, the number "13" doesn't hold any significance other than it made it easier for both story reasons as well as practical ones as we didn't have to rely on makeup fx as many times (which equals $$$). I loved the ending of the film that final scene was a perfect example of how a small budget film can knock it out of the park in terms of delivering a truly terrifying ending, but does this mean there is a chance of an Uncle Peckerhead 2? YES. Well, that's the hope. I have a treatment already written for a sequel to the film. I just need some of that sweet, sweet cash to get it written and produced. I also have another script already written and ready to be produced which comes from the Uncle Peckerhead Universe in that it centers around the band DUH. You can read more about the film, Larry Gone Demon, on our company's website: subtletrex.com Thanks so much for the kind words and great questions, Jim and Craig! So glad you watched and enjoyed the film! UNCLE PECKERHEAD will be screening in select theatres on Friday, August 7, 2020 and will be available on VOD/Digital on Tuesday, August 11, 2020. RT: 96min | Not Yet Rated Genre: Horror-Comedy | U.S. Facebook: facebook.com/UnclePeckerhead Twitter: twitter.com/UnclePeckerhead Instagram: instagram.com/UnclePeckerhead  the heart and soul of horror movie review websites |
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