HORROR AUTHOR INTERVIEW : GREG CHAPMAN
10/4/2014
 THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER Greg Chapman is a horror author and artist from Australia. His published works include the novellas Torment, The Noctuary, Vaudeville, and The Last Night of October. Chapman also illustrated the Bram Stoker Award®-winning graphic novel, Witch-Hunts: A Graphic History of the Burning Times, written by Rocky Wood and Lisa Morton. Find Greg online at http://darkscrybe.com  GREG CHAPMAN Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself? I am an author and artist from Central Queensland, Australia. I’m a bit of an introvert and prefer to spend time with my family and write and draw. It’s an escape from the mundaneness of life. My writing is considered supernatural horror, while my art is mostly in comic book style. Do you prefer the term Horror, Weird Fiction or Dark Fiction? They all sound pretty good to me! Who are some of your favourite authors? Edgar Allan Poe, Clive Barker, Stephen King, Graham Masterton, James Herbert, Richard Laymon, Shirley Jackson. I could go on… Which fictional character would be you perfect neighbour, and who would be your nightmare neighbour? My perfect neighbour would be Ray Peterson from The Burbs (I’d totally believe him)! My nightmare neighbour would be some annoying celebrity, like Justin Beiber or Kim Kardashian. What do you think of the current state of the genre? I feel the horror genre is doing pretty well, although I do feel it is under the threat of the glut of self-publishing. There are some incredibly talented horror writers out there: Jonathan Maberry, Joe Lansdale, Angela Slatter, Kaaron Warren, Benjamin Kane Ethridge, Lisa Morton, John Palisano, Andrew J McKiernan, Paul Mannering, Matthew Tait, Daniel I Russell, just to name a few. Horror just needs the support of readers. Horror is the best thing they’ve never read. What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you? The last great book would be Brett McBean’s zombie coming-of-age novel, The Awakening, which took zombie fiction back to its voodoo roots. The most recent disappointment was Crowley’s Window, by Gord Rollo. It started off quite dark, with a lot of promise, but the heroine seemed more interested in her romantic fling than the sinister goings-on. As for comics, Joe King’s Locke & Key series was astounding! How would you describe your writing style? Concise, yet evocative. Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you? I try not obsess over reviews, but I do read each one, as I know the feedback is important, even the negative ones and I’ve had my fair share. The recurring criticism is that my novellas needed to be longer. What’s your favourite food? Toasted cheese sandwich Who would be on the soundtrack to your life story? Soundgarden. What’s the most important lesson you have learned about writing? To write firstly, for myself, and to make story paramount. What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult? Writing realistic dialogue. How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? I think I’ve really strived to listen to the feedback from my peers and readers and put it in to practice. What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author? That most of the time, success in writing is about talent and timing. Who is your favourite character from your book and why? Meknok, from my novella, The Noctuary; sometimes, I wonder if he’s real. How about your least favourite character? What makes them less appealing to you? Kellie, the nurse from my Halloween novella, The Last Night of October; I really wanted to make her annoying and I’m pretty sure I succeeded. Fame, fortune, or respect? Respect. What piece of your own work are you most proud of? My tale, The Noctuary. It came from a simple question – “where do my ideas come from?” and it’s a mythology I want to keep revisiting. Artwise, the graphic novel I illustrated, Witch Hunts: A Graphic History of the Burning Times. And are there any pieces that you would like to forget about? None that have seen print. ;) Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next? The Last Night of October, my Halloween novella, was published last year by Bad Moon Books. It’s a tale about a frail old man who is visited by a ghost from the past every Halloween. It’s meant to take Halloween back to its creepy roots. Right now, I’m working a post-apocalyptic tale that doesn’t involve any zombies! What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? Why are you so sick? FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GREG CHAPMAN FOLLOW THE LINKS BELOW THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER Seventy-year-old Gerald Forsyth dreads Halloween. Every year, on October 31st, a lone child has knocked on his door – a nightmarish reminder of a tragedy from Gerald’s past. As each Halloween came and went, Gerald has been able to keep his door locked and the monstrous memory at bay, but the ravages of emphysema have left him a disgruntled and feeble-minded old man. When a new hospice nurse named Kelli arrives unexpectedly to replace his regular nurse on Halloween night, Gerald is caught unawares and before he can warn her, Kelli is inviting the threat into his home. The horrors that unfold will be no trick and the only treat the child will accept is the old man’s soul. Before the night ends, Gerald will have no choice but to bring his dark secret into the light. For more great interviews and reviews follow the links below HORROR AUTHOR INTERVIEWSHORROR NOVEL REVIEWSTHE HORROR WEBSITEComments are closed.
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