for the night is dark tracie mcbride

Today’s victim in this series of interviews is Tracie Mcbride.  Her first short story was published in 2004, and since then her work has been published or is forthcoming in over 50 print and electronic publications.  In 2008 she won the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best New Talent.

She is  also an associate editor for Dark Moon Digest and vice-president of the writers’ co-operative Dark Continents Publishing.  Her  first short story collection, “Ghosts Can Bleed”, is now available in e-book and paperback.

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Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I’m a New Zealander by birth but have lived in Australia since 2008.  I live an ordinary life on the surface with one husband, three children, one dog and one cat (just missing the white picket fence), which probably contributes to why I like to go a little crazy on paper. I work at a local primary school helping to corrupt…I mean, educate impressionable young minds.

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

When it comes to describing my own work, I prefer dark speculative fiction, because that leaves the definition adequately broad.  Genre definitions are notoriously slippery, and I don’t think we’ll ever be able to pin down exactly what Horror is.

Who are some of your favourite authors?

I’m assuming you mean “famous people whose work you greatly enjoy and admire”. Past and current literary crushes, in no particular order, include but are not limited to:

China Mieville, Joe Hill and his dad, Margaret Atwood, P.K. Dick, Robert Heinlein, Julian May, Anne Rice, Kurt Vonnegut Jnr, Clive Barker.

If you mean, “best mates who write stuff”, that’s a whole ‘nother very lengthy list.

Can you tell us anything about your story in the anthology?

Ummm…I haven’t finished writing it yet.  I have started it, though, and at this stage it is a modern interpretation of an ancient Maori myth.  I say “at this stage” because I might yet abandon it halfway through and write something entirely different.

What is the first thing that pops into your mind when someone says South African horror?

Nerine Dorman.  If you’re not familiar with her work, google her.  Then do yourself a favour and procure a copy of her latest novel “Inkarna”.

Why did you decide to submit a story to this anthology?

I like to say “yes” to things.  And I really, REALLY like sharing a TOC with such stellar talents as…well, everybody else on the TOC!

And other than yourself who would you like to see open and close the anthology?

Ooh, you’re trying to get me into trouble, aren’t you?  Joe should probably get one of those honours, seeing as this is his baby, but let’s assume he’s going to be gentlemanly and give those coveted slots to someone else.  I’ll go with G. N. Braun (Geoff Brown) seeing as he did such a stellar job of opening “Horror for Good”, and Daniel I. Russell to close, ‘cos you’re probably going to need a lie-down after you’ve read his story.  Nothing to do with the fact that they’re fellow Aussie residents – oh no, not at all.

Could you recommend one of your own stories to the readers?

I’ll go with “Last Chance To See”, which is the opening story in my collection “Ghosts Can Bleed”.  It’s more of a science fiction tale than an in-your-face horror, so it’s not particularly frightening – not unless you imagine it happening to you.


The Dark is coming! Call your friends over. You don't want to go through this alone. You will be taken back into the past, down to the depths of the ocean and across the borderline between our world and the next. You will see snapshots from the lives of small children, old-time cockney gangsters and aimless stoners. You will journey into the darkest house on the darkest street, wander hospital basements and take a flight in the comfort of first class. You will meet Mr Stix. This tome includes stories by some of the best horror writers around: G. N. Braun, Carole Johnstone, Armand Rosamilia, Daniel I. Russell, Scott Nicholson, Gary McMahon, Joe Mynhardt, Kevin Lucia, Tracie McBride, Stephen Bacon, Benedict J. Jones, Blaze McRob, John Claude Smith, Tonia Brown, Mark West, Robert W. Walker, Jeremy C. Shipp, Jasper Bark, William Meikle and Ray Cluley. Are you scared of the dark? You will be.

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