OH NO STEVE STRED IS STUCK IN A HORROR FRANCHISE!

18/7/2022

This is a new, hopefully fun short interview template, where you imagine you are trapped in a series of horror books and films, it’s meant to be a lighthearted way to talk about the thing you want to promote without directly talking about it. As with all of the other templates, please include a biography, the product you want to promote, any social media links or links to purchase your stuff at the end of the article and please attach a profile picture that we can use in the article.

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You wake up and find yourself in a horror franchise, what franchise would you prefer to wake up in and why?

I know this might be considered “blasphemous” to some, but I absolutely loved ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Alien: Covenant’ and I think a big part of that was how the story was based on the group finding the star map and travelling to a distant planet and finding the crashed ship. The Alien stuff has always gripped my and excited me because of the Science-Fiction/Horror team up, the imagery and the sheer scope of the story telling. Not every movie is perfect, sure, but every entry is fun and filled with some great moments. I also loved the way it tied into and joined the Predator world.

You find yourself as the “Final One” which monster / villain would you most like to go up against ands why do you think you would survive?

Hmmm, tough one. So many pro’s and con’s to each. Like, I know I could kick Freddy’s ass easily enough, but the dude can get you in your dreams haha! I guess I’d have to say I’d go up against zombies? But not the 28 Days Later or World War Z ones, I’m not a runner. The slow moving – easy to pick off kind.

And which creature would you least like to go up against?

Ever since I watched ‘Monster Squad’ as kid I’ve been deathly afraid of Werewolves. I love reading about them and watching them, but damn do they freak me out. I think I’d not survive long against a lycanthrope. They’re fast, strong, have phenomenal sight, smell and hearing. Perfect killing machine.

You find yourself in Scooby Doo, which character are you, and who would most like to have as the other members of Mystery Inc?

I mean, I’m clearly Fred, yeah? Tall, blonde, beyond good looking while remaining humble without a hint of arrogance? HA! But yes, I’d be Fred. Am I supposed to pick real people to be the rest of the gang? I guess for Shaggy it’d have to be Matthew Lillard, he’s pretty much Shaggy. Or Ashton Kutcher. Or Snopp Dogg. He’d be a fun Shaggy. As for Velma and Daphne, I’d say Salma Hayek and Sofia Vergara… for uh… reasons!

Pinhead pops round for an evening of fun, what are you pains and pleasures?

Wow, now we’re getting somewhere, eh? I mean Pornhub does have a lot of BDSM videos (not that I frequent that site… or know what that site is, yeah, that’s it, sorry what’s Pornhub?). Oh, yeah, pains and pleasures.

Ok, well I’ll keep this Rated G how about that?

Pains – if Pinhead wanted to hurt me deeply, he’d just need to take a pen or sharpie out and draw on my skin. Bleeeech, even writing that is making me uneasy. God, it’s disgusting. The feeling of it going across your skin and then it’s on there and oh Lord, BLEECCHHH. The irony of this is always that I’m like 75% covered in tattoos haha!

Pleasures – Rated G here, Steve! I enjoy frozen treats, like ice cream, slurpies/slushies, ice cream sandwiches etc. So, Pinhead could pop over with some delights and we could sit in the dog/kid pool we have and relax in the shade of the umbrella while enjoying some cool treats! Be a nice day, really.

The Wishmaster gives you three wishes;
1. You can wish to write in any franchise
2. You can wipe any franchise from the minds of everyone
3. You can date your horror crush
What do you chose?

Oh easy, number one. I wouldn’t want to erase any franchise because even though I might not like it doesn’t mean others don’t. Each thing gives people their own joys, who am I to take that away.

Number three is a tough one because I don’t really have a horror crush. Maybe when I was in my teens, or even younger.

So, number one it is and while it’s not in the question – the franchise I’d most like to write in would be either creating another entry in the world created by the movie ‘SPLICE’ which some of you might have figured was an influence on a novella and a recent novel of mine, OR, barring that, something within the world that Guillermo del Toro created with ‘Pan’s Labyrinth.’ That movie is a huge favorite of mine and really has so much potential for further exploration or expansion.

Steve Stred

Steve Stred is the Splatterpunk-Nominated author of ‘Sacrament’ and ‘Mastodon.’

He has released a number of well received novels, novellas and collections and is also an avid and voracious reader and reviewer.

He lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with his wife, son and dog, Cocoa.

Links:

Website: stevestredauthor.wordpress.com
Books: author.to/stevestred
Twitter: @stevestred

Mastodon
by Steve Stred

"An old-school creature thriller told with crisp pacing and kick-ass set pieces, Steve Stred's Mastodon is a monster-in-the-woods tale with some choice surprises and plenty of rampaging fun."
- Andrew Pyper, author of The Residence, The Damned and The Demonologist

17 years ago, Tyler Barton was born in the Rocky Mountains, while his parents were on a hike.

On that day, his mother disappeared, never to be seen again.

Now, history repeats itself.

On the 17th anniversary of her disappearance, Tyler’s father is flying home when the plane he’s on disappears – in the same area where his mother was last seen.

Undeterred by officials, Tyler decides to hike into the area in search of his father, hoping to find him alive and bring him back to safety.

But there’s a reason that area is prohibited to enter and even though Tyler doesn’t care, he’ll soon find out that the wilderness can hide some of the deepest, darkest fears known to man.

From the author of ‘Incarnate,’ ‘The Window In the Ground’ and ‘Ritual’ comes a new novel that’ll make you rethink your Summer hiking trip.