Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

Hi my names Penny and I’m a writer of horror and dark fiction, I mainly write in the short form, and my debut collection Suffer Little Children was published by Black Shuck Books in 2019 as part of their shadows collection. My first novella Matryoshka is being published by Hersham Horror as part of their Primal novella range and is due out in both paperback and Kindle on 21st April.

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

All of them and none of them. A lot of my characters tend to be an amalgamation of people I have met in real life with a little bit of me thrown in for good measure. Though the one character that I would like to meet in real life, but only to give them a piece of my mind and probably slap them in the face would be the Reverend Rod Tines, the antagonist in my unpublished novel Cuckoo. He is everything I think is wrong in people and I hate him with a passion.

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

I love old fashioned sci-fi, especially John Wyndham. I particularly love the characters in his novels, though I’m not sure if I wouldn’t class his writing as horror, surely The Midwich Cuckoos is more of a horror book than say Stephen King’s Firestarter. I also like a good psychological thriller, but one that surprises me, I’m not a fan of reading the same tropes in a thriller book, I just find it boring; although I find it strangely comforting and at the same time horrifying if a trope is repeated in horror (that knowledge that there is something hiding under your bed, can cause me to hide behind the sofa well before the monster is shown in a horror movie)


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 the best thing we can do to break through these assumptions is to try and persuade people to read outside of their genre. My husband loves to read and particularly loves crime and fantasy books; though he’s not really a fan of “Horror” books. But years of sneaking books onto his TBR pile to show him that my Horror books are usually far less horrific than say the Game of Thrones series. And of course his attendance of readings from authors such as Kit Power and John Llewellyn Probert have whetted his appetite for a good horror story.

A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?

I expect horror to continue to become more insular over the next few years. Although we’ve had a global pandemic, and we have global warming, and violence is on our news and our timelines from all across the globe. It is still the fear that it might happen to us that drives humanity, and I think our forced isolation has driven us more into ourselves, extroverts have become introverts, introverts have become more so. I love my own company, but even I’m finding it difficult to entertain myself now, and once there is little to entertain yourself in the world, then you turn to yourself, and that introspection can be terrifying. So I’m expecting an even greater resurgence of folk horror from all across the globe.

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. Also it’s a great way of learning how to deal with these crises if they ever happened to ourselves. Though no one saw toilet roll being quite such a commodity.

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

I’d always love to read more from different perspectives, whether that is authors from different countries, different backgrounds, or who have had different experiences. I think there is a lot being done to try and champion underrepresented voices in horror, but I do still find a lot of authors who are published are from a privileged background, both here and from abroad, so I would love to hear more from those who don’t have the benefits of a stable home, of those who were brought up not knowing where their next meal was coming from, not knowing if they were going to have a roof over their head that night, not knowing if they’d have a clean uniform for school the next day, or even if they would be going to school.

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

I love Laura Mauro’s work, but as a multi-award winning author she probably isn’t classed as a “new and upcoming author”. I’ve also just read James Everington’s short story The Sound of the Sea, Too Close  and that was amazing, as is Tracy Fahey’s new collection I Spit Myself Out. There are so many good authors out there, that I could spend the whole day listing them, but I won’t for fear of missing anyone out, so these are the three that have blown me away with their writing over the past month or so.

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

There were a couple of reviews of my short story Dendrochronology that have stuck with me; some good, some bad, but all for the same reason the reviewer was unaware of the gender of the protagonist. Some reviewers felt it added to the story, for some it detracted from the story, but they all thought it was intentional. It wasn’t. Sorry I thought I’d put it in. As the author I knew what gender the protagonist was, so I didn’t notice it wasn’t explicit in the story. I won’t say here what gender they were, but if it is bugging anyone, feel free to drop me a message and I’ll tell you.


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

All of it. I have terrible Impostor Syndrome, and I find the whole process really difficult, but I find I need to get what’s in my head and out on the page or it just swirls round and round like a maelstrom.

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

No. I believe that all subjects can be written about if done sympathetically. There is a brilliant story written by Don Tumasonis called The Prospect Cards, which I think excellently portrays a very unpalatable subject by the use of negative space within the narrative. The story being told through the reading of old postcards that have been damaged over time so only part of the narrative is there for the reader, meaning they have to fill those omissions with the horror that is developing in their own mind.


Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years?
I’m not sure if it’s a development, but I am actually plotting my next novel, before this I was a pantser, but I’m not sure if it’s any help. So far I’m only on the fourth chapter post-it, I’ve managed to miss out the post-it for chapter two, but it doesn’t matter as I’m pretty sure nothing before chapter four is actually needed in the story anyway.


What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

When I was struggling with my first novel Mark West would give me little pep talks and one of them was to reduce my daily word goal from 1000 words to 500 words. 500 words is only half an hour, and if you manage 750 you feel like you have succeeded rather than the feeling of failure if you were aiming for 1000. This worked and I suddenly found my days of struggling to write a 1000 words were suddenly surpassed by days of writing 2000 words plus.


Which of your characters is your favourite?

I don’t really have one, I find the process so difficult that by the time a story is published I have a deep seated hatred for each and every one of my characters.

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

“They opened the doors to the first cage, the moment they closed the doors on the last factory.”

This is actually the opening line of a short story called The Zoo which is unlikely to ever be finished now. I started writing it in January 2020, and it was a post apocalyptic tale about global warming and how certain aspects of our society would be abandoned. Unfortunately with everything that has happened over the last 12 months this fiction became all too true, and I don’t think the story would pack the same punch that I was hoping for before the pandemic, so it has been put aside. But I still do love that opening line.


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

My last book was my novella Matryoshka, which is being released by Hersham Horror as part of their Primal novella range on 21st April. It’s about pregnancy and loss of self. The story is very loosely based around a patient I nursed who developed post-partum psychosis in the last two weeks of her pregnancy and was basically living in a waking nightmare, where she believed that her son had been replaced by his evil twin, as had her mother, and they were now trying to replace both her and her unborn child.

“There’s something wrong with her husband, Mark. Lucy had heard all the rumours about him, the whispered warning behind her back. The half heard Chinese whispers seemed to haunt her, mocking her wherever she goes. Now it appears that whatever’s the matter with Mark is spreading; tainting, infecting both strangers and those that she loves the most. So, Lucy will go to any lengths to protect both her young daughter and her unborn child.”


For my next book I’m working on what I think will end up being a novel length piece which I’m touting as Bridget Jones meets The Wicker Man.

If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

None, I love them all. I think that clichés can add a depth to a story, a feeling of belonging, as the reader or watcher you know what’s going to happen and that puts you one up on the protagonist. I also love it when these clichés are subverted, wrong footing the reader and pulling the rug out from beneath them. That loss of security can really heighten your feeling of horror.

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


The last great book I read would be Sean Hogan’s Three Mothers, One Father. I hadn’t read much of his fiction work before and I was blown away, and even though I had only seen a couple of the movies that the characters were based on it didn’t detract in anyway from Sean’s sublime story telling. I now have England’s Screaming on my bedside table, and I can’t wait to get stuck in and read it. The last book I read which disappointed I won’t tell you the name or the author. But I decided a couple of years ago to grab one of the WHSmith bestsellers to take on my holiday, as the agent feedback for my novel was pretty much always “We like it, but we couldn’t sell it in WHsmiths”. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement, the characters were flat, and their responses and reactions were not even remotely plausible. I decided then and there that if that was what it took to be picked up and given a tradition publishing deal then I’d rather not have one.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?

It’s a question I do get asked, but never enough. Do you want to write something for this anthology? For that my answer would always be Yes!

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I’m as Canadian as saying sorry, and I’ve got a passion for fashion and a flamboyant sense of style. I’m happiest when I’m out in the community enjoying live entertainment and museums. I love music—all types of music. It’s essential to my writing process. In addition to writing fiction, I am a professionally-trained animator, and visualization is also something I use heavily in my writing process. Horror and fantasy are my usual genres, but I love and read every type of book. My favourite stories are darkly beautiful, full of adventure and teach us something about life or the human heart.

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

This one is hard, because I tend to write antagonists rather than villains. I think Georgie Foster, the obnoxious and sexist heir to a large media company in Distant Early Warning, would be the worst. I mean, he holds a dog hostage. To me, that makes him instantly unlikeable.

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

I have a Master’s degree in English Language and Literature, and so I’ve spent a lot of time studying the English and British Commonwealth literary canon. I think what I have carried forward from that is an expanded vision of what fiction is capable of and what fiction is ‘for’, and a love for postcolonial writing back to dominant cultural narratives. I actually feel that a formal education has made me more rebellious in my work, not less. I also get story ideas from music, visual art and my meditation practice. Sometimes I get whole stories coming to me in a long meditation session. It’s amazing what clearing your mind will uncover sometimes.

The term horror, especially when applied to fiction always carries such heavy connotations.  What’s your feeling on the term “horror” and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?

Horror is such a beautiful genre with a wide range of modes and feels represented, and a wide range of goals. I think the key to winning people over is education on just how wide and varied this genre is. Horror, terror, the fear of the unknown… these are all universal human experiences that deserve to be explored. There is truly something for everyone here, and exploring the darker side of humanity is good for our society as a whole, not just individuals. People begin to accept horror when they find their preferred mode of horror, and I think it’s our job as fans to be there with suggestions when they’re curious.

A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?

I know many people are really traumatized right now, but the kind of horror I want to see is sharp criticism of the horrors of this moment in history, horrors that were, and are, so unnecessary. We have the technology and the resources to make sure every human being on this planet lives in dignity and has enough to get by. I want horror to start exploring what darkness within us makes us keep that from happening as a species. Also, as someone who is writing a cli-fi horror series, I want to see more authors engaging with the horror of losing our natural environment to climate change. I can’t be the only one feeling grief over that.

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?

I think that horror is one of the few genres that allows us to engage with the full and natural scope of human emotions, both light and dark. There is so much power in that, especially for those of us who have experienced trauma, experienced marginalization or who struggle with mental illness. Horror can be a thought experiment about the worst case scenario. Horror can help us cope. Horror can help us express our dark side in a safe way. I don’t know what I would have done in this pandemic if I hadn’t read The Stand, and that’s a fact. Both my husband and I were more prepared for having read Stephen King’s artfully imagined worst-case pandemic scenario.

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

I actually love the diversity of the horror genre as it is, but naturally I look forward to even more diverse creators adding their unique voices to the genre. I am always excited to see what new innovations other authors bring to the table. That’s half the fun of being a fan as well as a creator.


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

Paul Levinson called Distant Early Warning “A different kind of zombie apocalypse novel – heartwarming, deeply literate, musical, with a real anthropological sensitivity, even as it is a bit terrifying at times.” I believe that is the finest praise I have ever received for my work and what’s more, it expresses the aesthetic that I strive for.

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

When I first started out, listening to my unique inner voice and instincts was the hardest thing for me, but now I’ve learned to follow my inner voice no matter what. I would say that revisions are probably the thing I am grappling with most right now. I write a very clean draft, and so in the past, revisions were often minimal, but as I continue to strive to be the best I can be, I find myself revising more and more and it is far more unfamiliar a process than anything in the initial writing phase.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?
I’m not a big fan of direct depictions of child abuse. I think that’s a subject that must be approached carefully. I am also highly unlikely to write a sports story. The closest I would get is yoga, martial arts or dance.

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

I would say that my dialogue has really improved. Once I started implementing the rule of thumb that readers should be able to tell the POV of your story and who is talking strictly by the way things are said and how they are delivered in the text, I made major strides in both dialogue and narration. I don’t always write stories about Canada, but I do think that the authenticity and appeal of my stories improved when I embraced my cultural identity and began writing with my authentic voice instead of trying to remain neutral. Stories and authors are never really neutral, no matter what we may wish to pretend. I also have a personal policy of continuing to attend workshops and critique circles for life, and I feel that has worked for me and helped me to level up several times.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

I cannot remember if it was one person or several, but I can tell you that over the course of my time in the 2006 Odyssey Fantasy Writing Workshop, it was driven home to me that it isn’t enough to have an emotion and a pretty picture in your head if you can’t communicate that to the average person effectively. As a result of this approach, I try to experience my fiction, both in writing and re-reading, as an average reader with no experience of the fictional world. It’s why I never write anything out of chronological order. It messes with my ‘audience instincts’.

Which of your characters is your favourite?

If we’re talking human characters, Denny from Distant Early Warning is my favorite. She’s tough, but she’s also got so much heart, and she’s amazing at looking deeper into big, supposedly unsolvable problems and finding solutions. If we’re talking about anyone of any species, it’s definitely Geoff the Border Collie from Distant Early Warning. Someday I will have a dog named Geoff, too, and I bet we’ll have lots of adventures.

Which of your books best represents you?

That’s a hard one, because most of my work is deeply personal. I’m one of those writers that doesn’t use a pen, I tap a vein. I would say that I see Distant Early Warning and sequels as my flagship series. It’s at the heart of so many things I care about—Canadian identity, the people and places I have come to know and love, the challenges facing our environment—and I think it’s a great calling card for the kinds of things I write. The Singing Bones trilogy is, at its core, a series about the nation I hope we never become, the nation I wish we could be, and a group of people working together in less-than-ideal circumstances to fight both inner and outer demons. Plus, there’s lots of action and adventure, which is something that I love.

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

They passed along a worn and ash-smelling road through Toronto, that great beast scarred with train tracks and long-neglected superhighways, and as the sun began to set, they worked their way further and further north. The trees along the road gradually became less black-spotted maples and more leaning pines. Denny had never been up this far. She had been shown pictures, of course, of Algonquin Park (who in the Humanities hadn't seen a Group of Seven painting, she wanted to know) but she had never imagined the massive granite cliffs, the winding roads through tiny hamlets, the rolling ground covered with pines on the high end, and wide marshes on the low. Some of the marshes closest to the road had been heavily sand-bagged to the point that Denny could see the reeds peering up over them, looming over the road, but somehow it didn't make her feel as uneasy. Back in Hamilton, it had felt as though nature was the attacker, flooding through human growth and development like an inexorable cancer, but here…here it felt like she and Seaburn were the intruders, and nature was just claiming its own.

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

My last book, The Face in the Marsh, is a supernatural horror with a touch of cosmic horror set in a small and eccentric northern Ontario museum. It is an exploration of the horrors of being in the closet as a bi woman, and of contemplating the voluntary loss of your identity. There are also a lot of creepy artworks and dolls, if you’re into that. Definitely a book for the creepy doll fans out there.

Right now I am working on the third book in the Singing Bones trilogy, tentatively titled The Grain Sea Storm. I don’t think it will spoil anything to say that Denny and her friends are going to be traveling cross-country to address the Screamer problem head-on, but along the way they are going to discover that the danger is much bigger and more complex than they had bargained for.

If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

I think it’s tied between really bad decisions not well-rooted in characterization that are obviously only there to move the plot along, and killing off characters in order from most to least ‘evil’. Both clichés just kill the suspension of disbelief for me.

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

I really enjoyed Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt. The emotional resonance of the story has stuck with me long after reading it, and I like stories about cults when done right. I’ve probably watched the Netflix documentary Wild, Wild Country about four times now. It’s fascinating stuff.

I know some people will get mad about this, but I just wasn’t able to get into A Wizard of Earthsea and sequels. I know they’re classics, but they’re just not for me.

What do people find the most surprising about you when meeting you in person vs. your author persona?

A lot of people I meet in person have this image of a horror author as being sort of dark and gothic with a morbid sense of humour. They picture someone edgy, a lot of times. I have that side to me, but I like to think of myself more like an owl or a bat, something that hangs out in the dark, swims through it, navigates it, but is actually kind of cute. I think people are sometimes surprised at me because in person I’m very New
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Age and kind of hippie-ish in demeanour. I’m very into yoga and meditation, and I’ll even admit to having a small crystal collection. I love gardening, canning, knitting and crochet. My husband jokes that I’m turning into a pioneer woman one hobby at a time. People don’t necessarily associate folksy people with horror, but perhaps they should. It can come from anywhere, or anyone. That is part of the beauty of the genre.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

My name is Peter Topside and I am a newer horror author.  I wrote a trilogy of books called Preternatural, of which I am in the process of publishing the second story.  This has been a lifelong goal of mine.  I am also a proud father and husband, self-trained baker and chef, and Clinical Exercise Physiologist by trade.

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

I would like to meet Alexandra Hughes. She embodies so many amazing qualities that would be just a great delight to see and experience in-person.

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

My upbringing is a huge influence on my writing; it was the only creative outlet I had growing up. It was a perfect storm to make this goal to write a book series that I was proud of and wanted to share with the world.

The term horror, especially when applied to fiction always carries such heavy connotations.  What’s your feeling on the term “horror” and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?

Horror tends to get stereotyped with monsters, demons, ghosts, zombies and such.  But aside from things like that, there are plenty of realistic things to be scared of. This can be abuse, famine, traumas of various circumstances, disease, or natural disasters. Horror can be associated with a lot of things. I personally don’t mind the term, but feel there should be a more collective cultural understanding of it.

A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?

I think that the world we currently live in is such a rich environment for individuals to use in order to develop their own stories and characters. I see horror stories becoming more grounded and realistic. And with all the stimulus and desensitization, the writing will also become more intense to elicit a certain level of reaction, too.

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?

Storytelling in general allows people to step outside of themselves to experience a new world. Sometimes those worlds can be fun adventures with jubilant characters, others can be more dramatic and serious, and then there are those times they can be scary, dark and violent. People can be in different moods on a given day and want to experience any of those genres, horror being no exception. However, with the current climate of everything from politics, the COVID pandemic, riots and protests, and other real world issues, I think horror has evolved. It had to. Because nowadays, a day without some type of horror is rare. So the stimulus of horror-based media and writing had to roll with the times.

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

I think there are a lot of talented, diverse writers, filmmakers, and other contributors to the genre. I feel that sometimes some of those unique ideas can be lost, as people tend to revert back to the common horror staples.

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

Theresa Van Spankeren, Greig Beck, P. Djeli Clark, Carlton Mellick III, and Yoel Bereket are the best newer authors that I’ve seen over the past few months.

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

I’ve had mostly positive reviews, but a few negatives, which is always expected. Some of the negative feedback is from people who maybe only read a few chapters and then gave it a lower review.

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

Finding inspiration.  If you aren’t deeply committed to your characters, knowing their feelings, reactions, pain, and reasoning, then the story isn’t worth writing.

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

I would never write about a topic that I didn’t feel fully informed of.

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

I spent less time trying to cram every idea into a single book. I developed my skills on how to tell a better, a more clear story, through however many books are needed.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

To be proud of the writing and never be ashamed of any ideas in it.

Which of your characters is your favourite?

I enjoy all of them equally. They’re all different, imperfect, strong in their own individual ways, and create a really special environment for the Preternatural story to unfold in.

Which of your books best represents you?

Preternatural #1. It took me the longest to write, almost 25 years, and many of its themes and characters hold a deeply personal meaning for me.

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


“I understand your pain. Your anger. All of it. And you were right. We weren’t much different from each other. But no longer. Things need to change. I need to change. And this town no longer needs you” – Christian Reed from Preternatural (Book 1)


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

My last book was the original Preternatural story. Its sequel, Preternatural: Evolution is available for preorder and release April 13, 2021. I’ve completed a rough draft of the third book, Preternatural: Reckoning.

If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

God is not present when evil is about.

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

I fell in love with HG Wells last year. His stories like Island of Dr. Moreau, The Invisible Man, First Men in the Moon were all wonderful tales.

I won’t say that any books disappointed me.  I just think some of the stories that I’ve read weren’t my preference, whether the writing styles or plots. One of my goals is to fully support my fellow authors.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?


What’s your favorite thing to bake? My answer is that I’m a known cookie fiend!

Preternatural Evolution: A Psychological Horror Book  by Peter Topside ​

BIO 
Gavin Gardiner’s lifelong love of horror didn’t manifest into his debut horror novel, For Rye, until his early thirties. Between its completion and publication, he wrote a novella, several short stories, and a selection of non-fiction articles and analysis pieces. These can be found in various online publications and in print via:

www.gavingardinerhorror.com

Before he threw himself into the writing game, Gavin dedicated much of his teen years and twenties to the pursuit of music. Although the nightmares he’s since committed to the page have garnered more attention than his songs ever did, he hopes to one day return to music. The writing of horror, however, is here to stay.

He’s currently working on his second novel, Witchcraft on Rücken Ridge, and has grand plans for the future of his unique brand of horror. He very much hopes you’ll join him for the ride.

He lives in Glasgow, Scotland with his ever-patient girlfriend and ever-demanding kitten. 
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WEBSITE LINKS 
Website: https://gavingardinerhorror.com/ 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rye-Gavin-Gardiner/dp/1838345906/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=9781838345907&qid=1612459396&sr=8-1 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ggardinerhorror 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ggardinerhorror/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GGardinerHorror 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21191937.Gavin_Gardiner
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Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

My name is Gavin Gardiner and I’m an upcoming horror author from Scotland. My first novel, For Rye, is due for publication on April 9th, with my first novella a few weeks after. I’ve had several short stories and non-fiction articles on the genre published online, and intend to keep writing horror until the day I die (or lose my mind from writing such atrocities every day).

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

Frankly, they’re all as bad as each other. Well, not quite, but I do revel in blurring the line between our traditional perceptions of good and evil. You may start one of my books placing your allegiances in one character, only for you to have to rethink your loyalties when they turn nasty.

To answer your question properly, I’d probably go with protagonist Renata Wakefield’s elderly father, Thomas, from For Rye. Aside from being a vicious piece of work who made his family’s life a living hell, he’s generally just a bit gross. There are some passages that were truly repulsive to write, and I’m told they’re equally horrible to read. Not making a very good case for the book, am I?

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

I expect many writers you interview will cite cinema’s influence on their work. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t play a huge part for me, too.

It’s important to work to the medium in which you’re operating; just as certain devices and modes of storytelling in a book won’t work in a film, so some creative elements of filmmaking won’t work in the long-form format of a book. That being said, as writers we can learn a lot about atmosphere, pacing, structure, and much else from movies. I often close my eyes when writing a scene and imagine how my favourite cinematographers would handle the sequence. 

As with literature, I think it’s important for writers to delve into as wide an array of cinema as possible in order to expand their sensibilities and push the possibilities of what their writing can achieve. Having said that, my movies of choice will always be horror. No surprise there.

The term horror, especially when applied to fiction, always carries such heavy connotations. What’s your feelings on the term “horror” and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?

Stephen King and Dean Koontz are just two authors who, in interviews and in afterwords to their own books, have denounced the label of ‘horror writer’ being applied to them. Fair enough, since both have worked outside the genre, but I have no issue with the term. I have great belief in the value of horror, not only for entertainment purposes but also for the psychological benefits, and am proud to work exclusively in the genre.

As for the connotations and preconceived notions, maybe that’s part of the fun. Horror pushes more boundaries than any other genre, and in doing so alienates some. It’s a necessary price to pay, but the demand for horror today seems greater than ever. We’re seeing resurgences in all subgenres of horror at present, and have done continuously over recent decades.

My feelings on the term ‘horror’ is that, like most labels, it’s a little reductive. Horror is absurdly varied and nuanced in its output, but I still love the label. Whatever we choose to call it, I’m proud of the boundaries the genre pushes, the enemies it makes, and the judgements that may be made about me or my fellow horror freaks. The genre’s value, of which I spoke before, is too great to let such trivialities grind us down.

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? 

The obvious answer would be that we might see a surge in pandemic-influenced horror, but trends have already leant that way in recent years and somewhat petered out, not to mention the fact that everyone might be so sick of pandemic-talk they won’t even want it in their films and literature.

One of horror’s great worths is its willingness to commentate on the state of the world without bowing to social pressures. You would expect it to have suffered for this, but it’s simply grown stronger as a result, with fans embracing its honesty and integrity.

I tend to steer clear of engaging in political discourse online, since the internet no longer feels like a particularly safe space to express opinions of a political or even sociological nature. In short, it’s a shark pool, and I just want to write horror. Funnily enough, this very climate of stifled expression into which I believe we’re entering, and the growing sense of division many are sensing of late, may provide the answer to your question.

Once again, horror fans have come to expect of the genre a no holds barred approach to storytelling, and it’s my belief that the climates of suppression of which I spoke will lead only to the growth and prosperity of horror. My prediction is that fans will rely on the genre more than ever to pull no punches, and continue representing a medium of entertainment defined – at its very best – by a total freedom of expression. 

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre, why do you think so many people enjoy reading it? 

This is the best question anyone could hope to ask on the horror genre, and one I wrote extensively about in my essay Why Horror? which can be found on my website: https://gavingardinerhorror.com/non-fiction/essays/why-horror/ 

There’s no real way to pay this question the respect it deserves in a few paragraphs, but I do discourage fans from passively absorbing horror, and instead searching within themselves for what it is about the macabre that gives them such pleasure, for the simple reason that horror affords us benefits that go way beyond mere ‘pleasure’.

All areas of horror – be it psychological, splatterpunk, body horror, or young adult – provide a cure for an itch as old as humanity itself. In many ways, our species exists in an environment that fails to address many of the burning instincts within us that got us this far in the first place, and horror goes some way in giving these primordial undercurrents the attention they require. Where other genres such as romance will aim to make the reader believe in the love of its central characters, horror aims to bring the emotion to the reader themselves. It cares far less about how convinced you are of the protagonist’s terror, and more about your own feelings of fear. This is a unique trait of the horror genre that I believe goes some way in answering your question of why we enjoy reading horror: it is concerned primarily with the direct emotion of the reader, and isn’t emotion what makes us human?

Also, it’s bloody good fun.

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

Another good question, and one that I risk stepping into the realms of personal preference to answer.

In short: the psychological. I adore supernatural horror, but the psychological is what most fascinates me. Yes the two overlap, but I’m of the belief that stripped of supernatural explanations, a story about a truly compelling human mind – set solely within the realms of reality – has the potential to grip far harder.

I made the decision way before I typed the first word of my first draft that my fiction was going to revel in human monsters, not supernatural ones. My debut horror novel, For Rye, is about, in one word, transformation. I wanted to take a character that starts out as far from any kind of monster as we could imagine, and find a way to turn them into something worse than any devilish creature you could dream of. Whether or not I succeeded in my mission is yet to be seen.

A key element in my horror is the blurring of good and evil. This is a risky direction to take in fiction, since our ingrained sensibilities and tastes are based on ancient archetypes that are ancient archetypes for good reason: they work. Yet stories of antiquity are also riddled with moral complexity, and this is what I feel the horror genre could use a healthy injection of – and you better believe I got the needle.

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

Since I started engaging in the online writing communities, I’ve been blown away with the level of work my peers are putting out. When people ask for reading suggestions, I always rhyme off some names of those whose support I’ve been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of.

The list is near enough endless, but you can find the work of some amazing upcoming writers in the Writers’ Spotlight section of my website, such as Mai Kil, David Curfiss, Matt Adcock, Hannah Repka, and Christine Lajewski. Some other writers who are really putting me to shame are the fabulous Mona Kabbani, Liliana Carstea, Archit Joshi, Leigh Haddington, Madison Estes, Bill Halpin, Robert Ottone, Casey Masterson, Jeremy Megargee, Sophie Queen, and so, so, so many more.

I’m hosting a ‘Freebie-for-a-review-Friday’ on Instagram, where on the first and third Friday of each month you can win a book from one of my peers, on the sole condition that you leave an Amazon review for the book you win. The idea is to raise awareness of how important these reviews are for indie authors, but also I get to do my little part in getting some of these amazing names out there.

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

I thrive on criticism. Every negative appraisal of my work I see as an opportunity to improve the thing, or do better next time. I’m lucky in that I’ve had no searing reviews just yet, but there’s still time!

The reviews and comments on my work that stay with me most are the ones that interpret my writing as something other than I intended. I think that’s a beautiful quality of art: once the artist has handed over their baby, it’s no longer up to them what the thing really is. I encourage my readers to dig up their own meanings and interpretations from my theme-heavy stories, and hit me up on social media to let me know what they come up with!

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

I’m a great believer that every aspect should be difficult. If it’s not, you’re probably not working hard enough. Everyone’s allowed to write and create and put stuff out into the world, but if you want to make something that’s really going to shake people by the lapels and make them take notice, you’re going to have to bleed for it.

That being said that, I suffer from some pretty crippling self-doubt all the way through the writing process. Like with every negative in life, you have to grab it and make it work for you. If I wasn’t a paranoid, fussy, terrified wreck about my writing being good enough, I probably wouldn’t sculpt the clay as much as I do, and wouldn’t have ended up with the nightmares of which I’m so proud.


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

I think every subject should be free for authors and creatives to explore. Art must be allowed to commentate and criticise on every area of society and life that it sees fit, and if it’s overly distasteful then it’s up to us to progress as a society to the point where there will be little or no demand for such stuff. Of course, there’s a difference between commentating on society and blatant hate speech, and drawing the line between the two is a challenging conversation that we have a responsibility not to shy away from.

Anyway, I digress. Anything I’d choose not to write about would be for my own personal tastes or sensitivities, and not topics I think should never be touched. I can’t see myself writing about the Holocaust, because I don’t believe I have the skill or knowledge to handle it the way it would deserve to be handled. Also, I’m not sure the horror genre is the arena for such a topic to be explored. I would be against keeping a closed mind to this possibility in sensitive, skilled, knowledgeable hands, but I highly doubt those hands would be mine.

Also football, but only because it bores the unholy crap out of me. 


Writing is not a static process. How have you developed as a writer over the years?

I’ve only been at the writing game for four or five years, so I guess my development is still in its infancy. Regardless, I’ve taken great pains to learn lessons every step of the way and commit them to memory (and make a record of them). The writing journey is an endless one, and I have plans to start up a YouTube series once I’ve finished writing my current novel to explore these very lessons. Stay tuned!

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

As with most advice that’s stayed with me, I can’t remember where this one came from. It’s to do with test readers prior to publication, and basically asserts that any time someone tells you that there’s a problem with a particular sentence or passage or plot point or anything else, 99% of the time they’re right. But when they try to tell you the solution, 99% of the time they’re wrong.

I’ve been hugely fortunate with my test readers, consisting mostly of friends and family, and they’ve proven this ‘rule’ wrong plenty of times by providing great solutions. I do find that many of the problems inherent in our stories pass us by due to how much time we spend with the thing. It’s that old ‘not being able to see the trees for the forest’ thing, and a fresh pair of eyes can do wonders. Ultimately, though, it’s going to be up to the writer to knuckle down and pour the hours into uncovering the best possible solution to the problem.

Which of your characters is your favourite?

It’s got to be Renata Wakefield, the central protagonist of my debut novel, due April 9th. For Rye is effectively a character study of Renata, and an experiment into what can lead someone not only into the most traumatised, damaged state imaginable, but also into how someone can grab that trauma by the horns and use it to empower themselves. Spoiler alert: For Rye ain’t a happy tale, and Renata’s eventual empowerment will not give you a family-friendly ending.

Which of your books best represents you?

Hopefully none! They’re absolutely gruesome little nightmares, my stories. I know what you mean though, and what I will say is that I’m very keen to switch things up from book to book, story to story, yet always staying within horror. For Rye has a bit of a gothic, literary undertone, mixing modern, sparse prose with elegant description. My follow-up novella, The Last Testament of Crighton Smythe, on the other hand, is my American Psycho-meets-Catcher in the Rye stream of consciousness trip, following the thoughts of a truly unhinged guy whose about as weird as it gets. It even has some lashings of comedy. It’s my hope that none of my books will come to represent me most, and that the full picture of my strange brand of horror will only be attained through soaking ‘em all up.

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

I mentioned before Renata’s father, Thomas Wakefield, and how disgusting a specimen he was to write. Despite this, I had great fun bringing him to life. He was my excuse to make my readers squirm. Let’s see if he makes you squirm:

“A dense mustiness hung over the living room. Cold, white moonlight emanated from the windows. The wasted form of her cassocked father awaited her in the armchair, the epicentre of the room’s stenches. The bouquet of smells was its own creature, the sum of its parts beyond dissection. Urine, faeces, vomit: these may all have played a part on the vile stage of the elderly vicar’s abandonment, yet this repugnant collaboration defied definition. The room, too, had become a beast in its own right; Thomas’s gaunt form sat nestled in its bosom, these two monsters’ disparate grotesqueries finally as one. The walls of mould and rotting floorboards were as much the flesh of Thomas Wakefield as the unidentified brown soup running out from under his cassock and down his leg was the house’s lifeblood.”

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

For Rye happens to be my debut novel, with my novella The Last Testament of Crighton Smythe being released shortly afterwards. I’m currently working on my next book, Witchcraft on Rücken Ridge, which is a folk horror loaded with caves, cults, cannibals, and much, much more than I’m dying to insert into everyone’s poor, unsuspecting brains.

If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

I think I’m pretty much done with used weaponry being dumped next to the unconscious villain. I don’t like being pulled out of a story, and a lack of believability in a character’s actions is a sure-fire way to do just that.

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

The last great book I read – and this is difficult to say since I read and complete several at a time – was Adam Nevill’s The Ritual. It seems to be a controversial thing to say, but The Blair Witch Project is my favourite horror film, and maybe my favourite film of all time. For this reason, the hopeless, despairing, woods-based ordeal of Adam’s brilliant novel was an absolute treat. I love me some forest horror!

The most disappointing is harder to say. I really struggle criticising an author when I know it might get back to them. I have to say that Thomas Olde Heuvelt’s Hex didn’t quite do for me what it seemed to do for everyone else. Surprising, since, as you know, I can always go a witch or two. Specific criticisms aside, the overarching concept of the novel – a cursed town in which an ancient witch plods around, where any resident that tries to leave is immediately overcome by suicidal tendencies – was one of the most original and promising concepts I’d heard in a long time. Sorry for playing it safe!

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer?

Robert Eggers is yet to ask me if he can adapt one of my books, and for that I am, and will forever remain, heartbroken. For what it’s worth, here’s the hypothetical answer:

Aye, go ahead.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I am a huge horror fan! I make my home in El Paso, Texas but I am originally from Jeffersonville, Indiana. I’m a married mom of a spunky little boy. I am an Army veteran and an Army spouse.

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?
I would hate to meet Ma. She has co-dependency issues and is in an emotional and mental deep, dark pit.

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

Young Adult fantasy has influenced my writing in so many ways. I especially love atmospheric books.

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 view “horror” as anything that has the ability to scare someone. Did the book make you feel fear? Then, it’s horror.

A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?

Oh, there will certainly be more pandemic-related stories. But on a deeper level, I think we are beginning to recognize and elevate the writings and voices of authors belonging to minority groups. This is a really great thing.

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?

People love to feel fear! Well, they love it or they hate it. Those of us that love it, love that anxiety-inducing adrenaline rush we get.

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

I don’t think there is much missing. The issue is: what have we not discovered yet? There are a lot of indie authors out there with great stories waiting to be read.

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

I think you should take notice of Briana Morgan, author of Unboxed. She is a fellow woman in horror and has fresh ideas.

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

The most difficult part of writing is hands-down the outline. Once the outline is complete, the first draft is a breeze.

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

I would never write about rape. I just don’t think it’s necessary in the type of horror that I like to write.

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

Wildflowers is my debut novel. My largest development as a writer is overcoming the fear of putting my writing out there.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

If you have a story, write!

Which of your characters is your favourite?

Wildflowers’s main character, Charlotte, is absolutely my favorite. She is smart, strong, and caring. And I think she has the ability to forgive.

Which of your books best represents you?

My debut novel, Wildflowers, is actually inspired by my childhood. So, there’s that. I had a troubling childhood and I use embellished stories in my book.

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

“ I am voiceless in a world of chaos and noise.” I believe we all feel like that sometimes.


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

My debut novel is Wildflowers. Wildflowers is a riveting tale that dives into the life of Charlotte.

Charlotte spends her time at her wooded cottage home looking after the house and taking care of her younger sisters, Anna and Sadie. While trying to manage a household, she suffers from abuse at the hand of her mother.

Ma has been depressed and grieving but, lately, things have gotten worse. Charlotte begins to wonder if something much more sinister is at play once strange things start happening in the home.

Charlotte fights her own demons and uncovers family secrets in a horrifying quest to get Ma back.

I am currently working on the sequel!

If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

I would erase bad guys that won’t die. It worked in the 80s but let’s leave it there.

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

The last great book I read was The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones. The last disappointment was Sleeping Beauties by Own King and Stephen King.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?
And what would be the answer?

I wish people would ask me what my aspirations in life are. The answer is satisfaction. I want to be satisfied with the way I have treated people.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I’m a former musician from Philadelphia who became a journalist and then a novelist. My day job(s): the editor of a monthly lifestyle magazine, features writer, and the managing editor of a literary journal. My debut novel, Burn, Beautiful Soul, came out in 2020, though I’ve had other short stories and novellas published dating back to 2003. Most people would describe my work as “horror,” and I suppose that’s largely true, but “dark fiction” may be more accurate.


Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

I wrote a character for a novel I’m currently shopping to publishers, and he’s just an awful jerk. He’s based on a lot of people I have met over the years who these days I do my best to steer clear of: entitled, uninteresting, full of bluster, driven by the belief that he knows everything and is unwilling to consider other people’s perspectives, misogynistic to a large degree. Unfortunately, most of us have at least one person like this in our lives. They make for bad friends and neighbors, but I suppose they are useful antagonists in fiction.


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

More so than anything else, professional wrestling in the mid- to late 1980s has affected my view of the world and of people. Wrestling taught me right from wrong, and it also taught me a lot about character. Back then, wrestling had one-dimensional good guys, or “faces,” like Hulk Hogan and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, and one-dimensional bad guys, or “heels,” like King Kong Bundy and the Iron Sheik. I was most interested in the characters who were somewhere in the middle, whose allegiances changed—the guys you didn’t think you could trust even when they were faces. I think of someone like Jake “The Snake” Roberts, who did these amazingly dark and profound pre-match interviews. He also came to the ring toting a 15-foot Burmese python, which was simply awesome.


Apart from wrestling, music made me who I am. I grew up listening to thrash metal, death metal, and horror punk. The first time I heard The Misfits’ Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood album, I actually felt physically ill, because I had never heard anything like it before, and it just sounded so wrong. These days I have a lot more singer/songwriter-y stuff in my Spotify cache, but Earth A.D. remains one of my top five albums.


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?

Just about every book, every movie, every story has elements of horror. Some of my favorite books are not horror but do have horror-like elements. Watership Down is a good example. It’s about a group of rabbits looking for a new home in the English countryside. On its surface, that sounds pretty tame, but think about the life of a rabbit—full of predators, motor vehicles, hunters and trappers. When I saw the animated film as a kid, the primary antagonist, General Woundwort, terrified me. To this day I think he’s one of the best screen villains ever.


Every story needs conflict in order to succeed. It just so happens that the conflict in horror books and films tends to be on the grislier, more violent side. That said, if we’re talking about undoing assumptions, not every horror book needs blood and gore. In fact, I think the subtler, more atmospheric horror stories—the ones that make you think more deeply about the things that scare us—tend to be more horrifying than the ones that rely solely on blood and guts.


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?

We’re seeing so much postapocalyptic fiction now, which tells you a lot about where people’s minds are. Unless there’s a global peace movement in which countries and their citizens decide to hold hands and say “enough’s enough,” I don’t see that trend fizzling out anytime soon. It’s natural to ponder how this whole experiment is going to end.


At the same time, I think people want to take their minds off the ills of the world. To me, I prefer horror about monsters and non-humans to the stories in which people are hurting and killing each other. I guess I’d like to see more stories about monsters and their motivations.

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?

We’re fascinated by the dark underbelly of the human animal, and by things the human mind can’t adequately explain, be it paranormal goings-on, monsters, or knife-wielding psychopaths. In some ways, I think we’re looking for an explanation to the mysteries of our world, or of other worlds for that matter, but the fact is that people like to be “safe scared,” meaning they can dip their tip in the waters of another time and place with no real danger to themselves. There’s something so titillating about reading a passage in which you know a character is about to enter the lair of a malevolent creature that has the potential to rip them apart and consume them piece by piece. Even though we know it’s likely going to end badly, we keep turning the page.


What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

There’s so much good stuff out there that I can’t think of too much that hasn’t been unearthed. I’ve been heartened to see some publishers focused almost exclusively on “creature feature” type novels. I also love stories than cross boundaries and meld genres—romance and horror, for example, or horror and poetry—so I expect we’ll continue to see more of those experimental kinds of mashups.


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

Grant Price writes really good sci-fi that I find simply horrifying. His imagination sort of astounds me; I don’t have the skill to write what he writes. His latest book, Reality Testing, introduced me to a technology-driven future I hope I do not live to see. I also really like Tiffany McDaniel, whose two novels--Betty and The Summer That Melted Everything—simply blew me away. She doesn’t write straight horror, but her books absolutely have horror elements. I’ll also add the names Matthew Vesely and Jennifer Giesbrecht to the list. His Elegy for the Undead and her The Monster of Elendhaven were terrific.

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

Not really. You appreciate the good ones when they come, and you try to learn from any negative feedback. Sometimes the bad ones have nuggets of truth you should consider, but you also have to accept that the reader may not have “gotten” the story, because not every book is going to land with every reader.


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

As with most authors, time is the biggest obstacle because it’s the only thing we have a finite amount of. I’m a magazine editor and features writer, so I write every day for a living. At the end of a long workday, sometimes the last thing I want to do is sit down at a computer and stare at another blank screen, even if it’s for a story I’m really excited to tell; my eyes and brain just need a break.


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

Beyond cursory mentions, subjects such as pedophilia, incest, and animal cruelty are off limits.


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

The way I write and the time I devote to writing have changed the most for me. I used to start writing at 10 or 11 at night and go until 2 or 3 a.m. I was in my 20s then, and I’m in my 40s now, so I prize my sleep too much. I walk my dog for an hour twice a day, once in the morning and then again after work, and I use that time to think about my stories, my characters, the dialog. Then I come home and jot down notes for later. As a result, when I do sit down to flesh out the story, I already have a good idea as to where I’m going. Every writer has a method to his or her madness, and that one seems to work pretty well for me.


What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

Join a writers’ group. I’ve belonged to one for the past 10 years, more or less, and it has been invaluable. To me, a writers’ group offers three things: camaraderie with fellow writers; feedback on your stories so you can get a sense of what’s working and what’s not, and also find any holes or inconsistencies you might have missed; and the motivation to keep writing, because you essentially sign up for critique slots and can’t miss those deadlines. You also read some terrific work (and, sometimes, some less-than-terrific work) from your peers, and good writing tends to inspire me to want to write, because I’m competitive in that way.


Which of your characters is your favourite?

Probably Edna Babych. She’s an antagonist in my novel Burn, Beautiful Soul. Edna has led a painful and difficult life, and she sees her faith as a guiding light, and really the only positive influence in her life. She believes she has been chosen to stop a demon named Basil from infecting her small town of Beak, Nebraska, even though Basil has given her no reason to think he’s up to no good, other than his devilish appearance. In her heart, she believes she is doing the right thing. I find it interesting when people do things most people would consider evil, but in their own minds they believe they will be on the right side of history.


Which of your books best represents you?

A novel I’m shopping right now has a lot of elements of who I am as a person. It’s a love story with very dark, somber overtones—a horror romance, I suppose. It’s a story about failure and redemption and snakes.


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

In my novel Burn, Beautiful Soul, there’s a scene in which the main character, Basil, and his love interest, an attorney named Melody, have dinner at a nice restaurant. Basil is an eight-foot-tall demon with horns and hooves, and I just love the dialog between them, the interaction. At one point, Melody tells Basil to stop smiling at people because it makes him look like “a rabid dog looking for a bone to chew on.”


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

Burn, Beautiful Soul is a dark urban fantasy with very strong horror elements. The novel follows a demon king who tires of leading his subterranean kingdom, which is this ghastly and fiery place where awful things happen. He ascends to the mortal world and lives among humans, as a towering demon with ram-like horns, cloven hooves, and a serpent's tail. Most humans accept him, but he quickly learns that the human world may be no better than the one he left behind.


I have written two novels since—one is a horror romance set in Virginia, and the other is postapocalyptic sci-fi about the aftermath of an alien invasion of sorts, set in the remains of New England. Both are looking for publishers.


If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

The vengeance stories seem a bit overdone—say, a child sees their parent, loved one, etc., taken or killed by a creature or person, and they devote their lives to avenging the loss. Still, if the story is good enough and the characters are richly drawn, I’m game.


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

I’m in a bit of a lull right now, in that I did not finish the last three books I picked up—and that’s rare for me. Two were horror novels—one of which was critically acclaimed, but I was quite underwhelmed. One was a novel from a mainstream author about a broken family who moves to Alaska seeking solitude, but the story moved too slowly and became a catalog of domestic abuse.


Probably the last book I really enjoyed was a graphic novel called Aleister & Adolf, about the “magic war” between Hitler’s Germany and the Allies during World War II. The Allies enlisted Aleister Crowley to summon otherworldly forces in the battle against the Nazis. While some of the story was “filling in the blanks,” much of it is supposedly based in fact. I’ve read a good deal about the apparent occult ties to the Third Reich, a subject that blows my mind.


What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?
​
Good question. I suppose the question would be: “What scares you?” The answer: “Werewolves, sharks, lightning, and human babies.”

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

My name is Joey Kelly (I write under the pen name Julian Michael Carver). I work as a film and video editor by day and a horror/sci-fi author at night. Growing up, I was constantly perusing the horror section at the local video store. This eventually became my favorite film genre which soon became my interest in literature. I use my skills in film making to help market my books by creating promotional ads and book trailers.

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

There is a character in Triassic called Davenport – he is a wicked shaman that commands a cult of people known as Neolothics that sacrifice humans to a large carnivorous dinosaur called a herrerasaurus. He would be my least favorite to meet!

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

Steve Alten, the writer of the MEG series has been a major influence on my works. He is probably the face of creature-horror. One day I hope to make a name for myself in the genre the way he did. I've also read most of the MEG novels and they're fantastic!

The term horror, especially when applied to fiction always carries such heavy connotations.  What’s your feeling on the term “horror” and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?

“Horror” to me always meant something unnatural or malevolent trying to attack something else. I guess lately the term probably for the most part applies to paranormal related films/books because of the groundbreaking success of Paranormal Activity, The Conjuring, Annabelle etc. But the genre is always changing, so it seems. Five years from now, it could mean something else entirely.

A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?

I think we're going to see independent horror films become more prominent, especially ones coming out of Sundance. Possibly a rise in more naturalistic ones too like The Witch and Midsommar. Realistically, I'd like to see creature-features return to prominence. I grew up on creature horror and I'd love to see the sub-genre become as prevalent as it was in the 1990's.

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?

I can't speak for other people, but I always loved old monster movies, and that's really what pulled me into horror novels.

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

Movie deals for indie authors. There are so many good stories from independent authors and publishers that will never be told because a lot of horror films nowadays are generated from internally produced screenplays. I'd like to see film studios need to take a chance with newer authors.

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

M.P. Norman has written a book called Road Trip Z. I started reading it and it's pretty good! If you're looking for a fresh zombie story, this is it! Road Trip Z is also published by Severed Press.

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


As a new author, I can't think of any good or bad reviews that have really impacted me yet.

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

The way characters talk. When you read Stephen King's books, he excels at the subtleties in the way characters talk. I think that's what makes him such a dominant force in the genre. I've noticed that I've improved more and more with this problem with each book I write.

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

Probably paranormal stuff. The whole thing creeps me out, I actually rarely watch those types of movies, because I could totally see those plots actually happening.

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

I have become more laxed on my own deadlines and goals. I've found if I try to make every single deadline, I'll write faster, which means more mistakes – and more editing to do after the fact when I revisit the work. However, I think making and creating deadlines is still an important part of the process and a way to combat writer's block.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

Forge your own path. Just because someone else tells you that 'this is the right way' doesn't mean that it is the right way. There's more than one way to achieve the same result.

Which of your characters is your favourite?

My favorite character would be Severine Solens from Triassic. She is the embodiment of suvivalism in a very raw form, taking on whatever Earth's prehistoric past throws at her. Not to mention that she is a total bad ass!

Which of your books best represents you?

Triassic probably best represents me. The novel is full of elements of both science-fiction and horror. Plus there's a lot of dinosaurs! The sequel should be out this year, which has even more thrills than the original.

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

Megacroc is my last book. The novel is about a large prehistoric crocodile that hunts down humans near the Everglades. The novel is actually the first in a long line of intended sequels in the Megacroc universe.

My next book is called Megacroc: Origins, which acts as a prequel story to the first novel. Megacroc: Origins will feature a teen cast of characters that face off against the dreaded crocodilian. The story takes place two months before the original, and reveals the events leading up to how the super predator ended up near the housing development site.

If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

Oh, that one is easy. I'm pretty tired of this same plot: Family buys a cheap house in the middle of nowhere. House is haunted. Kid sees ghosts before adults. Kid starts acting weird and gets an imaginary friend. Wife is first to believe weird things are going on. Husband says they need to stay because of his job or money tied to the mortgage. Ghosts attack, but are really just trying to warn the family that the husband is a psycho.

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

The last book I read was totally awesome, and that was MEG: Nightstalkers by Steve Alten. The MEG novels are great! As far as a book that really bummed me out, I can't think of any that totally missed the mark, but I can remember that The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers seemed to go on and on... It was too much! Sometimes simplicity is better, Tolkien!

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?

Do you need help figuring out who has the copyright claim to that movie you want to make the novelization for? And my answer would be yes!

Amazon.com: Megacroc eBook: Carver, Julian Michael: Kindle Store 

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I live in Adelaide, South Australia – a place colloquially known as Murder City, though it doesn’t seem that bad from my house! I’ve been publishing dark short stories in various anthologies for years, some of which are collected in my first book If Only Tonight We Could Sleep (Things in the Well, 2020). I’m also a musician, though that’s taken a back seat to fiction these past few years.

To get the ball rolling and get everyone relaxed, here is a hopefully lighthearted question to break the ice: 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, there’s a few I’d hate to face, that’s for sure! From my short stories: Roxy from “Flights of Fractured Angels” and Carroll from “Ivy’s First Kiss” would make me feel terrible for putting them through the wringer, but Vicki from “The Only Tale” would be the worst – she’d probably end up haunting me in real life.

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

Music is a huge part of my life, and some of my stories have been directly inspired or heavily influenced by not only my own time playing in bands, but also songs by Chelsea Wolfe, The Cure, Jane’s Addiction, Electric Wizard, Something for Kate, and so on. Doctor Who is another beloved influence that has been close to my heart for decades. Otherwise, all kinds of art, all kinds of people… and, of course, life itself.


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 sometimes find myself assuring people that although I write horror, my work is as much about hearts and minds as it is blood and guts, so I’m acutely aware of the assumptions that are often made about the genre. I’m in no way ashamed of my love for horror, but I don’t like that I find myself in a position of justifying and almost apologising for it because of people’s ignorance. Horror’s had its time in the sun over and over again and still people look down upon it, so perhaps it will always be marginalised… and since I’m a punk at heart, I really don’t mind that. The mainstream tends to siphon the guts and grit out of things to accommodate mass consumption, so I don’t think horror should ever gain complete acceptance. It should challenge and provoke and disturb, and it can’t do that if it gets too cozy.

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?

I see horror becoming broader and deeper as a result of diversification, and that’s a beautiful thing. The field must not grow stale and overpopulated with rehashed tropes and perspectives if it expects to remain relevant; luckily, it’s never stopped spreading into new areas and finding new voices. Also, as a dismaying large portion of the populace reacts to increased intertextuality and understanding by pushing in the direction of bigotry and nationalism, I expect art to push back by biting harder with its themes and fighting more fiercely for compassion and tolerance. Our hearts and minds are our greatest weapons, and since they’re a bit too squishy to inflict real damage when thrown at Nazis, we need to find better and more effective ways to use them.

Given the dark, violent, and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre, why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?

I think there’s a truth to it, a willingness to explore things that other genres won’t touch. So many people are focused on the superficial aspects of life and don’t want to look below the surface; horror pulls back the rug and shows you what’s been festering beneath the whole time. Of course, it’s also visceral, transgressive, and exciting on a rather base level, but I think it’s important to accept that we need an outlet for our frustrations and our less worthy thoughts, and horror provides a way for us to vent them safely. I’m going to go way out on a limb here and assume that most mass shooters, terrorists, and rape-murderers don’t read many horror books, and I’m also going to postulate that maybe they wouldn’t feel the need to act out so terribly if they did. Perhaps it wouldn’t change anything at all, but it couldn’t hurt to try. Wondering what to get for that creepy person whose fervor over politics, race, and religion disturbs you in a way you can’t or won’t define? Give them a Stephen King novel today!

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?

I don’t think anything is, really. Whatever you want from your horror, you can find it if you look. You can have simple but fun action adventures, you can have deep and introspective musings on the nature of human experience; you can have blood and guts and heart and soul, all at once or separately; you can engage with writers from every country and culture on Earth. Claiming dissatisfaction with the genre is like listening to pop radio and stating that music’s not as good as it used to be – everything is out there, all the time, and if it’s not being presented on a plastic platter by your favourite mainstream outlets, it’s up to you to go looking.

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?

I’ve always been open-minded and unwilling to offend out of ignorance, but we can’t always avoid that, and the broadening discourse has meant that I’ve looked at my work a little harder to see how it measures up. I sometimes feel a little embarrassed that most of my characters are white and cis-het, but then, why should I? That’s what I am, and we tend to default to our own settings. No-one castigates gay authors for writing about gay people, or people of colour for basing their narratives in their own cultural experience. (Okay, no-one except idiots.) That said, I have interrogated my own tendency to fall back on such characters. Does this person need to be straight, or will making them queer add another layer to the themes of the story? Can we make this person someone who would once have been an unusual choice for this kind of story, and just not remark upon that difference to show that it’s really no big deal? Often my characters are not explicitly given a colour or sexuality, so it’s up to the reader to decide these things for themselves, if they even matter in the context of the story. But as much as I like to explore perspectives different to my own, I try to keep in mind that some stories aren’t mine to tell. It would be tone-deaf and insulting of me to try and write a novel about the transgender experience, or one deeply steeped in indigenous culture. I can touch upon these characters to broaden my work, and I do, but that deeper focus is one best left to those who have lived those lives.

Does horror fiction perpetuate its own ghettoization?  For example, Julia Armfield’s latest collection Salt Slow has a cover that most horror fans would walk past in a book shop, and is one that probably is not marketed as horror. Does the genre’s obsession with horrific covers cause more harm than good?

Salt Slow (which I did like, by the way) is an example of horror being presented as something loftier so as to appeal to people who wouldn’t dream of picking up a genre book. Another is The Last Werewolf, whose cover was littered with blurbs from mainstream folk as if to convince passersby that it was somehow above all that nasty horror stuff… and it’s a book about fucking werewolves!

Covers need to give the casual viewer a fair idea of what to expect, so there’s no point putting a moody painted landscape on a book that’s all about dick-monsters tearing people apart in graphic detail. Explicit horror covers do limit their audience, but it’s fair to say that only the explicit horror audience will be interested in the first place, so, you know… horses for courses. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of cliché covers, so when designing my first book, I put a moratorium on things like skulls, blood, spiders, and all that hackneyed shit, and I think the end result is evocative of the genre without being too derivative. The gorgeous cover of Midnight in the Chapel of Love is utterly devoid of “horror” elements – but that book isn’t balls-in-your-face gore and depravity, so I think a more intriguing approach is exactly what was needed.

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

Chris Mason, a fellow Adelaidean who has her first collection coming soon; Claire Fitzpatrick, whose debut collection Metamorphosis dropped in 2019; J. Ashley-Smith, whose novella The Attic Tragedy is a promising start. Betty Rocksteady, Damian Murphy, Priya Sharma, Philip Fracassi, and Gwendolyn Kiste are not quite new, with a few books each to their names, but are still in the early stages of what hopefully prove to be long and fruitful careers.

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

Doctor Who novelisations and Ray Bradbury books had a big impact on my writing as a child; Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, Clive Barker, Richard Laymon, Tanith Lee, Dennis Etchison, Margaret Atwood, Caitlín R. Kiernan, and Laird Barron have impacted upon my work at various points of my adult life; the films of David Lynch, Dario Argento, David Cronenberg, Jacques Tourneur, and many others have affected the way I write in some small way.

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

The reviews and feedback I got about my first book were rather glowing, and they boosted my confidence no end! I’ve only had one truly bad review so far, for a short story – but looking at what the reviewer liked, I understand that my tale just wasn’t his thing, and fair enough.

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

Shaping the great ideas, feelings, and plot beats into full-blown stories; making the time to sit down and write, whether I feel like it or not; the administrative and promotional aspects that go along with the work, which can be rather draining.

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

Crochet. But one should never say never.

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

Giving one’s characters names that reflect their personality or their narrative arc can come off as too self-aware, taking you out of the story because you see them as archetypes instead of people. But names are important to me, and I try not to repeat myself whilst also never resorting to using names that I personally don’t like or that I think are overused. I’m not a fan of the Bible, so I don’t much like overtly Biblical names like Caleb, Joshua, Jacob, and Elijah, or even my own – especially when applied to stubbly action hero types. (Word to End of Days, but who the hell calls their kid something like Jericho Cane? Or did young Herbert Throckmorton pop down the deed poll office when he started working out and buying guns?) I find I can’t dig into my character unless they have a name that I like and that seems somewhat fitting for them; sometimes it’s as simple as changing a Sarah to a Sarah-Jane.

Writing is not a static process. How have you developed as a writer over the years?

I like to think I’ve gotten a whole lot better! My experiences have broadened me and helped me to understand a lot more about the world, about people, and I’ve read an absolute shedload of books, which also helps. Being edited gives you another perspective on your work, as does editing someone else’s, but the main thing is just to write and write and write, and not in a vacuum but in a space where you’re aware of what everyone else is doing. Cosmetically, it’s only in the last couple of years that I’ve started properly using indents and the Oxford comma, and I’ve even broken my longstanding habit of double-tapping spaces at the start of sentences!

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

Keep going.

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?

Uh… I don’t have children and never will, so this is a weird analogy for me. Almost everyone I write is a one-and-done, so my experience of them is short-term. I harbour an inherent suspicion toward most recurring characters and I’m not entirely sure why – perhaps because I think too many writers lean on their prior success rather than trying something new – but I do have some repeat characters who are a blast to write. Among them are the Murdertown Jackals, a rogue roller derby team who travel around in a van called the Murder Machine looking for trouble – their stories are like punk rock songs, short and fast and wonderfully violent. Those girls are a nice, cathartic break from the more introspective and sophisticated stuff.

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

Maybe If Only Tonight We Could Sleep, because it covers a lot of stylistic ground in its thirteen stories and is a bumper representation of my short work at its best; Midnight in the Chapel of Love is more of a sustained blue mood with shadings of deepest black, but what a mood! If you’re keen for a smaller portion (as the bishop said to the showgirl), you could do much worse than my Demain Publishing novelette “Supermassive Black Mass”. Its blend of 1970s horror, cosmic SF, and pot-addled doom metal is a fun introduction if you like that sort of thing.

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

Many, but let’s keep it simple. It doesn’t make any sense out of context, but I always liked this line from “Flights of Fractured Angels”: The sickness – the city, the sickness – was inside her now.

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

Midnight in the Chapel of Love is my latest book, published by JournalStone at the end of January. It’s a contemporary rural gothic mystery, it’s a subtly chilling horror story, it’s on sale now! As for what comes next… I’ve been far too busy organising promotion for my new book, writing blogs and guest posts, answering interview questions and so on to think much about writing actual fiction, but the plan is to see which short stories need telling the most and then to buckle down and bash out the next novel manuscript, which is looking to be a real creeper.

If you could erase one horror cliché, what would be your choice?

Rip-offs of The Exorcist. Stale Christian propaganda dressed up as whitebread horror – disobedient girls, bodily fluids, and swear words are evil, but a few Latin liturgical phrases will save the day. Yawn. Basiate culos meos.

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

I read a lot of stuff and most of it is quite good, but the most recent book I would describe as great would probably be Alix E. Harrow’s The Once and Future Witches. The last book that really disappointed me was Eimear McBride’s Strange Hotel – I literally tossed that one halfway through.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?

“Would you like to sign this lucrative, extremely fair, and non-binding contract with a successful, understanding, and ethically pure publishing house, ensuring that you can create art for a living and never have to worry about money or crap jobs ever again?” And the answer would be oh hell yes.

THE MAN
Jonny Trotter has spent the last fifteen years running from tragic memories of the country town where he grew up-but the black envelopes pushed under his door won't let him forget, and now that his father has died, he can run no more.


THE TOWN
Returning to Waterwich for the funeral and wake with his partner Sloane, Jonny must confront old resentments, his estranged best friends Brendan and Coralie, a strange, veiled woman the locals call the White Widow...and the mystery surrounding the fate of his first lover, Jessica Grzelak.


THE GIRL
A morbid and reckless city girl banished to the country to live with her aunt, Jessica loved to push the limits and explore the shadows-and no one has seen her since the night of her high school formal, the night she and Jonny went looking for the Chapel.


THE CHAPEL
Rumoured to be found in the woods outside Waterwich, mentioned in playground rhymes about local lovebirds Billy and Poppy and their killing spree in 1964, the Chapel is said to be an ancient, sacred place that can only be entered by lovers-a test that can only be passed if their bond is pure and true.


THE TRUTH
Before he can move on to a future with Sloane, Jonny must first face the terrible truth of his past-and if he can't bring it out into the light at last, it might just pull him and everything he loves down into the dark, forever.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I grew up on horror, everything horror and everything fantastic. I grew up in a very abusive home most of my life. Because of this, my maternal grandparents would try to take me to their house as much as possible to spare me from that environment.

It was my grandmother who introduced me to the genre at a very young age. I still remember going to the theater with her to see Poltergeist shortly after my fifth birthday. I believe she’s the one that also first encouraged me to be a storyteller. It was around that age I started writing and drawing any chance I could. In a lot of ways horror, as well as storytelling saved me, as it became an escape from the horrors I dealt with in my own life.

Here I am all these years later, still finding myself escaping to new and creepy stories. I never would have imagined it would have led to me becoming a Bram Stoker Award Winner, published and been in over two dozen books, worked on films with actors such as Tony Todd or got to work with some of the very storytellers I found comfort in when I was younger.

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

When I’m not writing or editing I try to spend as much time with my family: my wife, Angela, my children Hannah, Bradley and Oliver. They mean the world to me. We have a blast playing games, watching movies, using our imagination and more. I also enjoy reading, watching TV shows/ movies in my favorite genres and drawing when I have the time. I also enjoy helping others anyway I can. I have a Masters degree in Mental health counseling and come from an abusive home. I know what it’s like to feel lost and hate to see others feel that way.

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

I was raised on all things fantastic. Anything unique or strange. Everything from Star Wars to Ray Bradbury. There’s a lot I don’t remember about growing up, it was too painful so I blocked it out. What I can remember I can link to all the fun and cool genre movies/TV/books/comics and more that came when I was growing up in the early 1980s and 1990s. I still remember sitting in the theater and watching Flash Gordon the 1980s film at the discount Theater in Wyandotte, Michigan. I had to be only 3 or 4 years old.

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?

That’s a really hard question to tackle. The world is a very scary place right now both socially and politically. We are in the middle of an actual worldwide pandemic. We have riots happening in the streets as people fight for their rights and other people lash out in anger/fear. We will probably start to see more pandemic horror as people try to deal with the world around them. I do think others are wanting an escape.

I do think we are seeing a lot of great horror come out. The lists on the year's best lists just keep growing. I have noticed a growth in works that take place in the 1980s and more. Those books like Grady Hendrix’s My Best Friend’s Exorcism seem to do really well. This might be a sign that with all the current ugliness going on in the world people are wishing to find an escape that involves a time that was much more simpler.

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

JAWS ~ the movie, The Exorcist ~ both, Stephen King’s work (especially ​Night Shift)​, Jack Ketchum’s: ​Off Season, ​John D. Macdonald’s books plus too many others to name!

How much time do we have? My list is probably pages long.

One of the first books I remember reading was Stephen King's ​Night Shift​. I had always struggled with reading, I didn’t find out until after I received my Masters and was tested that I was Dyslexic. But ​Night Shift​ made me fall in love with King and short story collections.

I also grew up watching the Twilight Zone (both the black and white series as well as the 1980’s remake), Nightgallery, Amazing Stories, Doctor Who, Buck Rogers, Tales From The Crypt, and Tales From The Darkside. I remember seeing movies at the theaters such as Creepshow, Gremlins, Poltergeist, The Lost Boys, A Nightmare On Elm Street 3, Return Of The Living Dead, Ghoulies, Critters and so many more. With those movies I saw them all at the theater before I was even 12.

I think because of all the different types of horror I was exposed to I developed a wide interest as a storyteller. My love for ​Night Shift​ and theTwilight Zone is probably why I enjoyed both reading and editing anthologies so much.

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

Jess Landry is pretty amazing. Though she’s been around awhile. I first worked with her on my anthology Fantastic Tales Of Terror. Her story Mutter from that anthology ended up winning a Bram Stoker Award. I work with her as much as possible and she blows me away each time. She’s getting ready to publish her first collection and anthology this year. There’s also Tracey Cross. I was introduced to her by Lisa Morton. Tracey has an amazing way with dialogue.

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

Yes. A review by David Simms for Fantastic Tales Of Terror, an anthology I edited a couple years ago. He stated “Sometimes an anthology accomplishes what it sets out to do and nails the concept perfectly.” It stuck with me because the book was a passion project and I wasn’t sure people would dig the theme. It also was in-depth enough letting me know which stories seemed to be a hit and which were a miss. The stories that missed were ones that I should have listened to my gut not to put in the book, but I second guessed myself in one way or another. Not only was it a great review but a reminder to listen to my instincts.

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

Time management! With everything going on in life it’s hard to find that quality time to create. I struggle to find that balance at times especially when I’m struggling with my disabilities, barely able to get up most mornings. If you want to be a writer or if you are like me, just love storytelling and creating new worlds, it’s very important to make the time for your craft.

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

I don’t like the torture porn sub genre much. I also try to stay away from sexual abuse of children. I was abused as a child myself so the topic is difficult for me on a personal level.

Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years? What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?

I never thought I would be a writer or editor having to edit books with some of my heroes such as Stephen King, William F. Nolan, Joe R. Lansdale, Marv Wolfman, Kevin J. Anderson, Amber Benson, Yvonne Navarro and so many more.

I started storytelling by drawing comics when I was very young, then writing stories just to escape my surroundings and used my imagination. Then as I got older my desire to share my stories grew. I had struggled in English, in part due to being in and out of hospitals/homes due to my abuse at home, my education being disrupted in the process. The other part was due to my server Dyslexia that the school system or anyone else failed to catch. It wasn’t until I was in college that my professor/advisor caught it suggesting I get tested. Because of my struggles in English with reading I was ashamed to share my work with anyone fearing what they might say or how I would be judged. In fact when I first got the courage to try to be a writer and editor, I had a Bram Stoker Award winner as my mentor just to tell me I would never make it as a writer or editor because of my disabilities including Dyslexia, that I needed to give up. The person even told me if I even tried no one in the writing world or horror community would take me seriously, that I would be a laughing stock. I was crushed. This was a person that on social media claimed they personally have a mental illness, that anyone that was struggling with any type of disability or diversity can come to them. I looked up to the person, and my desire to edit anthologies grew so much because of the work this person did, yet they were telling me I would never make. I’m not sure why the person did this. I have my ideas, but it may simply be due to the possibility they didn’t know that much about Dyslexia and the amazing writers that have already conquered the field with Dyslexia. This was a great teaching moment though. Because I learned a couple important tools from this experience. One, never give up or let anyone tell you you can’t do what you love. You find a way to make your dream happen. If you don’t know what you need to do or the person you go to doesn’t believe in you, find someone that does. This brings me to the second tool I think is important, find a mentor. The way we learn things in life are through learning from others and doing. Find a good mentor that you check out by asking around and researching. There are also professional writer organizations that offer mentors to writers in all stages.

A great tool or habit is to read everyday and everything you can. If you’re Dyslexic, like me, and struggle, push through and get help. Listen to books on tape, or if you simply just come to a word you don’t understand look it up. But whatever you do, don't give up reading or make excuses not to do it. One of the best ways I’m learning something besides doing it yourself is to

learn by example. You could learn so much just from reading. You can learn what a good sentence and what a bad sentence is. Not to mention reading as a great escape and stress reliever.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

It was from Joe Lansdale. I interviewed him once and was just blown away by all the great wisdom on writing he had. I could listen to him all day. The one piece of advice that stuck out the most was that the most important thing a writer needs to do is “show up.” I asked him to clarify and went on to tell me that as writers the most important thing we can do is just write. Show up at your computer, notebook or whatever, put the words down on the page. Because if you don’t do that you can’t be a writer or even begin to tell a story.

He’s right, talking about it doesn’t help. You need to live it, to write everyday, no matter how bad or good what you write is, just get it on the page.

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

I’m still struggling and learning about the process of branding/marketing as a storyteller. Number one, you should always give your best work as possible. If the story is great and the work should speak for itself. We do live in a time where there are an abundance of books, stories and more out there. It’s impossible to absorb them more. So there are works out there that may get lost.

It is heartbreaking at times to put in all the hard work and you can’t grab the readers or reviewers attention. Just don’t give up. Market as much as possible. If the work is good enough it will catch on.

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

All my work is special to me, even the ones that have yet to be published. They are like my children, they are a part of me. Many of my projects spend years in my head before I put them on paper. And I spend another couple years bringing them to life. When you spend that much time creating something that is definitely a party. And it's really hard to choose which one is your favorite. I do have a couple that are uniquely special to me in one way or another. One is my non-fiction anthology, Where Nightmares Come From: The Art Of Storytelling In The Horror Genre. I’ve always loved storytelling and loved those shows or books that gave you a peek behind the magic curtain so to speak. So I always want to create a book with personal advice from some of the best storytellers in the horror genre. It took me awhile before I found a publisher for the book and by the time I did I also realized how much I love the process of researching some of the best advice in the business. I then realized that it was much more than a book but a series.

Other projects very dear to me are my 2018 anthology Fantastic Tales Of Terror featuring stories by Neil Gaiman, Kevin J. Anderson, Lisa Morton, Jonathan Maberry and more. The theme focused on the dark supernatural Heidersdorf of some of history's most important events and people. I always loved “what if?” stories or those books and shows that told you the unknown history of a situation. I also always had a love for the events in history like the disappearances of Roanoke and the true story of Vlad the Impaler that people had their own supernatural theories.

I’m also proud of the story I co-wrote with Jonathan Maberry for the C.H.U.D. Tribute anthology. Jonathan is one of my favorite people and writers so it was a dream come true to work with him. I almost had a heart attack when he actually said yes when I asked him. I would kill to get another chance to write a story with him again. I learned so much from him. I also will mention I was really looking forward to seeing my homage to 1980’s horror films currently titled Attack From The 80s!! anthology, edited by myself, featuring some authors I have always wanted to work with. I grew up in the 1980s so this project is near and dear to my heart.

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 all my works show a different piece of me as a storyteller. I love fun twists on things though such as many of the books Grady Hendrix writes. So I think Fantastic Tales Of Terror and my upcoming Attack Of The 80s shows this side of me at my best.

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

In October 2020, I released Tales Of The Lost Volume II edited by Steve Dillon and myself. Featuring stories as well as poetry by Neil Gaiman, Heather Graham, Joe Hill, Lisa Morton, Tim Lebbon, Christopher Golden, Lucy A. Snyder, Christina Sng, Tim Waggoner and many more, with an introduction by Mort Castle and art by Luke Spooner.

The anthology is the second in a series which takes a dark look at the things we lose and the ghosts we struggle with. Money raised by the anthology will go to benefit the Save the Children Coronavirus response. The book was released by my new small press Plaid Dragon Publishing in collaboration with awarding Things In The Well Publishing and Gestalt Media.
I’m currently working on a few projects that I’m trying to wrap up to come out later this year hopefully.

The links are below for the book and Plaid Dragon Publishing for any one who would like to check them out.

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

This year has been an amazing year for horror fiction. Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay, One Of Us edited by Kenneth Cain, and After Sundown edited by Mark Morris, Black Cranes edited by Lee Murray and Geneve Flynn, Halloween Season by Lucy A. Snyder, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix are all outstanding books.
I really don’t want to dismiss someone's hard work by picking a book I was recently disappointed in. Right now in the state the world is, being thankful for anything that allows me to take a little bit of a break from the whole of the real world.

What​’​s the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer?

Probably what’s the “best advice about writing I ever heard?” I can’t share enough the story and the advice Joe Lansdale told me. His words have stayed with me all this time and he told me this around 2010 in an interview I did with him. His advice was so simple, yet so powerful.

Everyone wants to know the secret to being a writer. There’s no secret. If you want to do something, do it! Just make the time and do it.

I never knew I would or could be where I am today when I was just a small boy wanting to escape the world around me. Making things up creating new worlds is awesome and rewarding on so many levels. I would have never done that if I didn’t just do it and not give up. Even now I’ve been thinking of quitting the publishing world due to the current state of the world and other issues going on around me. It’s a hard decision because I love telling stories. It's therapeutic for me and I heard Joe’s words just “show up” and It’s hard for me not to try.
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Sincerely, Eugene Johnson 

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Tales Of The Lost Volume II: A Covid-19 Charity Anthology 
Edited by Bram Stoker Award Winner Eugene Johnson and Steve Dillon 

We lose many things during our time in this universe. From the moment we are born we start losing time, and loss becomes a part of our life from the beginning. We lose friends (both imaginary and real), loved ones, pets, and family. We gain stuff and lose stuff, from our socks to our money. We can lose our hope, sanity, passions, our mind, and perhaps even our soul! In the end when death finds us, we end up losing everything... Don't we?

Loss is part of who we are. We can't escape it. We learn from it, grow from it, and so much more. Some of the greatest stories ever forged come from loss. Within this book is some of those stories.

Featuring stories and poetry by an amazing lineup including: 
Tim Waggoner * Lisa Morton * Neil Gaiman * Joe Hill * Heather Graham *  Christopher Golden * Tim Lebbon *  Christina Sng * Vince Liaguno * John Palisano * Kaaron Warren * Chris Mason * Greg Chapman * Tracy Cross * Stephanie W. Wytovich * Alexis Kirkpatrick * Ben Monroe * Lucy A. Snyder and Matthew R. Davis.


Edited by Bram Stoker Award Winner Eugene Johnson and Shirley Jackson award nominated author Steve Dillon. Coming in 2020 from Plaid Dragon Publishing in association with Things in The Well. With cover art by the brilliant Francois Vaillancourt, and interior art by the amazing Luke Spooner. 

Please tell us who you are, and why you chose to review horror?

My name is Brandi Guarino and I have been a horror fan my entire life.  Horror novels have fed my love of reading throughout my teenage years up until this very day. I love finding the next great horror book and writer.

How long have you been reviewing for, and where can we find you?

I have been reviewing for the past 6 months but spent my college years working in bookshops where my biggest strength was suggesting novels that I thought my customers would enjoy.  You can find my reviews on my blog, brandithebibliophile.blogspot.com. I also share my reviews on Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Do you have a mission statement regarding what you hope to achieve with your reviews and website?

My hope as a reviewer is to champion the independent writers and publishing houses. The big-name authors and the large publishing houses are wonderful and most have endless resources to achieve their goals. Independent authors and presses are more intimate, and you genuinely want to see those writers and publishers you come to know to succeed.

What's been the biggest hurdle you have faced in your time as a horror reviewer?

Not enough hours in the day to read all the books I want to read and not enough money to buy all the books on my never-ending wish list.

What's your preferred subgenre of horror?

I love Gothic Horror, Classic& Mythological, and any other kind you can think of. I have not found a subgenre yet that I have not enjoyed.

How would you describe your reviewing style?

I review books the way I speak. I just love books and I love talking about them.    

What was the biggest low point of your time as a reviewer, and what has been the highpoint?

I haven’t experienced a low point as of yet. I have been very lucky in that the Horror community accepted me and has taken me under their wing, that has been the highpoint of becoming a reviewer.

How do you organise your time as a reviewer, do you have any tips for other reviewers?

I try to balance my time reading and reviewing around homeschooling and doctors’ appointments for my child. I do not really have set office hours. I am very organized and have a system of arranging books I receive for review and making sure that I am up to date.

Do you have a favourite review of yours?

My current favorite review on my blog is my review of Cynthia Pelayo’s true crime poetry book Into the Forest and All the Way Through. It is such a heartbreaking, yet beautifully written book.

Sadly horror is a genre that is still "ruled" by white males, have you had any negative responses from the because you are a woman reviewing horror?

I have not had any negative responses from any men in the horror community. In fact, it has been just the opposite. I have been really blessed to work with some really great guys so far.

In terms of the genre itself there is still a nasty lingering concept of the woman only being there as a focus for violence, terror or as the damsel in distress, what's your reaction to this?

I think that times are changing and that there are so many fantastic women writers in the horror community seeking to change the tropes women have been assigned in horror. Women are becoming heroes in their own stories rather than the damsel in distress or victims. I very much enjoy books were the girl saves herself.

Do you have any recommendations for books that allow women to break past this stereotype?

The first that springs to mind is the We Are Wolves anthology that came out last year. I have it coming up to review soon, but I have heard the stories are amazing. I enjoyed The Worm and His Kings by Hailey Piper greatly. Her main character of Monique is most certainly not a damsel in distress or a victim.

What was the last good book you read, and what are you planning on reading next?

Last week I finished a new book called A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson that was phenomenal. It is a reimagined brides of Dracula story with a polyamorous, bisexual relationship. I read it as both a love story and a cautionary tale and to me it illustrates how in some cases, people can conflate violence and pain with love. It is bloody, Gothic, gory, violent, and lush all at the same time. I could go on and on about the book and I still would not be able to give it proper justice.
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As for my next read, I am just starting Hearts Strange and Dreadful by Tim McGregor and The Searching Dead by Ramsey Campbell. Both of these have been on my reading wish list for a while, so I am excited to get started on those.

Brandi Guarino is a voracious reader and has a To Be Read list that never ends. She is passionate and committed to championing the work of independent writers and publishers in horror, science fiction, and fantasy. She is on Twitter at @bgbibliophile and Instagram at www.instagram.com/brandi_the_bibliophile.