Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?
 
Gosh, boring answer. I live alone on a small property in rural Australia. I have Arabian
horses that I love riding, a whippet and a Boston Terrier. I love horror movies, science
fiction and sometimes fantasy (think Lord of the rings). I read when I can, but not when
I am writing as I find I tend to take on the voice of the particular writer I am reading.
 
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.
 
This is hard, really hard, as I don’t think of my characters that way. They have taken so
much of my time that I don't need to talk to them at all, really. I think, as I tend to give my characters a very hard time, that I really wouldn’t like to meet any of them, I don’t think they would be very nice to me!
 
Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?
 
Science fiction, and the occasional sweeping fantasy series. You know, the Game of
Thrones type saga.
 
 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 there is so much trash out there, the C and D grade horror movies, that people
asscoiate all horror with that. Or worse, the lovey dovey glittery vampire romance young
adult rubbish. It’s hard convincing people that those stories are not horror! We need to
keep writing smart, well thought out plots, develop our characters and completely steer
away from the cheesy stereotypes.
 
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?
 
Honestly, I don’t know. I think we will get more techno, maybe? Hopefully horror will
find a new audience and become more stylish and well written.
 
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 it is because it makes our own problems seem so much easier to deal with. I don’t
find monsters, ghosts or aliens scary. They aren’t real. I can sleep easier knowing that it is
all just a product of an overactive imagination.
People, and the things they can do, really scare me.
 
What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?
 
Restraint. There are so many trashy, unedited tomes of rubbish out there that need to be
pulled, rewritten or thrown away, and just leave the more clever, polished and completed
works.

 
What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice off?
 
Dave Attwell. Awesome zombie series! And P.J. Blakey-Novis, he has a clever twist of
words.
 
What are the books and films that helped to define you as an author?
 
Believe it or not it isn’t horror that I feel helped define me. It was my earliest experiences,
reading Black Beauty and The Silver Brumby series. They got me hooked on the
narrative, and the way to tell a story. Asimov then opened up whole new worlds for me
after that.
 
Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?
 
Two! The very first review I got on a fanfic I wrote. They just said “Let’s see where this
goes.” It was a first chapter, about 3,000 words, and I was so excited that someone had
taken the time to actually leave a review that it spurred me on to writing the next chapter.
I also had one negative review that was upset that I had given them nightmares. It was that review that won me a competition, the prize being a Macbook!
 
What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?
 
I get really burned out working my ‘day job’, a necessity until book sales pay the bills.
Trying to stay motivated can be a battle I don’t always win.
 
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?
 
No, not really, but there are a few I won’t go into details, like child abuse. I will allude to
it, or hint at what happened, but not go into gruesome detail.
 

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

Hi! I'm Stephanie, I grew up in France and currently live in the South of Ireland. I started writing stories as soon as I learned how to actually write. Of course, it wasn' very interesting at the time – I was just a child. But every single thing I wrote had a hint of horror in them (which might make one wonder what the hell was going on in my brain at the time. Boy, the number of neighbours I gruesomely killed!), so it's really no surprise that my first book, Down The Lake, fits into the category. I was also lucky enough to have a short story published as a teengager.

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.

Definitely Dave! He really wouldn't be happy about the way I treated him, and we would not get along anyway. I loved to hate him, and I'm dying to know why he is the way that he is.

Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?
 
I read a lot of books, of all genres, so I took a bit of everything and use it in my writing. Bt honestly, Stephen King has been the major influence on my work. I'm fascinated by his writings.
 
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 a lot of people see horror as a “cheap genre”, something that doesn't require a lot of talent or research to write. I also think readers refuse to believe what they read, or to even accept that there is a possibility that somewhere in the world, villains like the ones in those books exist and do horrible things. For me, horror is just a depiction of the human nature. Yes, people are easily manipulated. Yes, they can have the worst behaviors when under pressure. Yes, they blindly follow the masses. I truly don't think we can change the assumptions about horror. Readers who don't want to read it, or don't appreciate the genre, never will. It's the same about any genre.

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 will see some very good (and not so much) dystopian horror. Right now, after everything that happened this year, I can definitely see some “parallel universe where the coronavirus has killed everyone but the resistance” stories coming. I mean, I already saw some romance novel about it, so why not horror? It would be fitting. But even without the pandemic, I think the world has sadly enough hell to offer to write books about it.

Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?
 
Readers can relate. Nothing is sugarcoated, we can recognize ourselves in some of the characters (especially when they do things they're not proud of), and it's reassuring to see we're not alone. As I said earlier, it is an accurate depiction of the human nature. We can be shit sometimes, very mean or cowardly. This violence is inside all of us, and reading is also a way of acknowleding and accepting it as part of our normal self, even if we don't act on it.

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

I don't know, and I wish I did!

In the past authors were able to write about almost anything with a far lesser degree of the fear of backlash, but this has all changed in recent years.  These days authors must be more aware of representation an the depiction of things such as race and gender in their works, how aware are you of these things and what steps have you taken to ensure that your writing can’t be viewed as being offensive to a minority group? 

I actually had to think about it with Down The Lake. I wrote the book some years ago, when there weren't so many things to be careful about. I had to edit out some details, or soften them. But anyway, people will always be offended by something. Always. If your character is beautiful and fit, they'll ask why she is not another way. If you don't include LGBT+ people, they'll ask why. And if you do include them, other people will come at you. It's a never ending story. I basically just gave up. I know some things will offend some people, but I can't really care, or else I wouldn't write anything anymore. It's their problem and not mine. No book will ever please everyone.

Does horror fiction perpetuate it’s own ghettoization?
 
I don't see it that way. We have a lot of writers out there, all working with a different part of horror, which means the genre is now available to all readers, and can appeal to a large variety of them. By the contrary, I think that the evolution of horror fiction is making it more and more mainstream.

What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice off?
 
To my great shame, I can't recommand anyone. I didn't really have time to read and discover new authors those past few months, but I hope to be able to get back at it soon.

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

The first book I read was Desperation, by Stephen King. I was eight and remember thinking that this was what I wanted to write later. I'm one of King's constant readers, and every book of his (even the ones I didn't like) helped me become the author I now am.

Second Chance Summer, By Morgan Matson, really helped me too. The emotions were raw and genuine, and I was bawling by the end of the book. I'd like to be able to get such a reaction from my readers.

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

One of my very first readers told me “you have gold in your hands”. I always come back to his review whenever I'm doubting myself. It really helps me keep going.

What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?
 
Starting. I always have a hard time writing my prologue, because generally speaking the stories unfold in my head with the “peak moments”. So everything outside of those moments is a bit of a blur for me. The first thing I have in mind is the action, or the moment everything goes south. I just had to work a bit harder to get the rest on paper.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?
 
Romance. It would be literally impossible for me to write this genre. I dislike it a lot, because I think it often pictures unhealthy and dangerous relationships and promote them, which should never be done. I just couldn't write it.

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

My main character is named Alexandra because it sounded strong to me. It shows who she is. Rachel, well... It is part of a personal revenge, considering her story. All the other just popped in my head and I went with them.
 
Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years?

I changed a lot! I used to write things a bit softer, now I go full on with what I want to write. Thanks to the feedback I received from various people, I was also able to sharpen my writing and make it more accurate. But the atmosphere never changes. I'm all for horror and paranormal and death.

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

“Keep writing”.

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?

Arf. I don't like children at all, so I don't see my characters this way, thank goodness. But Alexandra is my favorite. I see a lot of myself in her (is that narcissistic? Anyway), and she's forever a part of me. My least favorite would be Rachel, precisely because I don't like children. If I dislike them in real life, it's not better in my books.

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

Down The Lake is my first book, and the only novel I wrote so far. So, I would tell you to go for it... This story imposed itself to me, and I was almost in a trance writing it. I didn't put any limits to my imagination. It definitely represents who I am as an author.

Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?
 
“Not that she could ever have forgotten him. He would forever be carved into her flesh, like a branding she never wanted and oh so abhorred.”
 
Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?
 
Down The Lake is my first book. It is the story of Alexandra Adams, a young woman who seems pretty normal – as long as you don't dig to deep. She's trying to run from her past, to bury it deep, but it turns out that her past can run quite fast, too.
I'm currently writing my second novel. Although I do stick with horror, it will be quite different from Down The Lake. It doesn't even take place in the same country. While the former was in the US, this one will be in Ireland. It's a country I know very well now, and I'm so happy to be able to include some of its folklore in the book!

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

The stupid “blond woman attacked in her home by a mysterious murderer, oh my God how will she ever survive? Thankfully, a strong man has appeared to save the day!”. Come on now. That's ridiculous. We can do just fine on our own. Can't we have a woman saving a poor, distraught man?

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

Last great book would be Just One More Question, by Niall Tubridy. He's a neurologist in Dublin and recalls some of his patients and diagnosis. I'm passionate about neurology, and this book is a gem.
The last disappointing book would be The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank. I didn't like it at all, and couldn't even finish it.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?
 
I'd like to be ask why I put some of the most horrifying parts of my book in there. I would answer that I was just the narrator. I didn't have a choice. Sometimes you do feel that this story happened somehow, and you're just here to let people know about it.

 At Who are you?  My name’s Mark West and I write horror fiction, generally shorts and novellas, but also a couple of novels.  For the past two or three years, I’ve been working on some thriller novels.
 
Your signature style:  Generally third person and, more often than not, focusing on familial relationships (especially fathers and sons).  The work is occasionally gruesome, sometimes bleak but, hopefully, always told at a good pace.
 
Toot your own horn:  I suffered for a few years with a terrible writers block after my sister passed away and Gary McMahon pulled me out of it, asking me to write a novelette for him.  The anthology it appeared in was nominated for a BFS award, which was lovely and then my story, “The Mill”, was published separately.  Out of everything I’ve done, it’s the most personal to me and it’s the one I get the most feedback for.  I’m still proud of it.  I also wrote a little novella called “Drive” that I thought wouldn’t go anywhere (it wasn’t even slightly supernatural) but did well for itself and ended up being nominated for a BFS award too.
 
Books read:  I read a lot and try to cover most genres, as well as re-reading at least half a dozen Three Investigator books a year (a series I have loved since my childhood - if you check out my blog, you’ll find a lot about them on there).  As I write this, my three favourites of the year so far are “Into The River” by Mark Brandi, “Born Standing Up” by Steve Martin and I’m about halfway through “The Possession” by Michael Rutger and loving it.
 
Movies watched:  As we go through the lockdown, I’ve been recording loads of stuff from various channels and getting the chance to re-watch films I haven’t seen in years (decades, in some cases).  This afternoon, for example, I introduced Alison to the delights of “Hellraiser 2” - up to the point where Ken Cranham and fake-Julia are doing their bandaging thing, it’s very, very good.  Then it all goes to hell (literally) and even I was embarrassed by the end of it.
 
Games and/or music played:  I’m not a big game-player, though I do enjoy the old-school board games every now and again.  Music-wise, Alison & I really got into The Killers last year and I’ve loved catching up on them and their albums (and listening to full gigs on YouTube as I’m writing).
 
Words written:  At the moment I’m about halfway through the third thriller novel, which is about something terrible happening at the seaside.  It has two timelines - 15 years ago and the present day - and I decided to start on the present and it’s made life very difficult for me.  Procrastination and stresses have meant it’s taken longer than I’d expected and I actively hate it most of the time but I’m cracking on.
 
Future stuff:  Get this seaside novel finished, tidied up and into the rounds of agents and publishers and then start work on the next!
 
Brain worms:  I have a TBR pile that would stock a library and I have another list of books I’d love to re-read.  So why is that, sometimes (as happened with “The Possession”), I get a book from Amazon and it arrives the day I finish another novel and so I start it straight away.  And in doing so, I’m kind of admitting that there’s now a book on the TBR pile that will never get read.  That’s depressing.
​
In other news, I googled “brain worms” to find out what it meant.  I have to say, I’d really not advise you doing the same thing.

Paul has done a lot of different things in his life to draw experiences from, caver, photographer, Scadian, brewmaster, musician with the late 80's early 90's punk band The Repressed, music critic for Spark-Plug Magazine, DJ, as long as it's interesting. Originally from Philadelphia Pennsylvania, he's lived all over the United States, finally settling in the mountains of Appalachia for the peace, and adventure they provide. He loves his wife Leslie and his three children two adult children living in his native Pennsylvania and a teenage boy living at home, and with the boy about it's a wonder, he gets any writing done at all. His last name is pronounced "Loo vah shev ski", no seriously, that's it.
​
His debut novel "I Never Eat....Cheesesteak" was on the Amazon best seller list for vampire horror, and number #2 in horror-comedy. Since then he has released the gritty urban horror novella "A New Life." His new novel "Cult of the Gator God" goes beyond "horror-comedy" right to "Kaiju Comedy", which is more or less something he came up with off the top of his head, but it fits.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

Married, kid in college, two off being adults. Boy and two girls. From Philadelphia PA, live in Appalachia now once I discovered that part of my unhappiness came from not liking cities. Past that would take all day, it’s been a busy life.

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 the way you treated them in your work.

Right now, Bob Carey from Cult of the Gator God, he goes through a lot and doesn’t exactly come across as a man of action while it happens.

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

All kinds of things, my own life, reading. Horror is just one thing I read, right now I’m reading John Connolly’s ethereal bio on Stan Laurel, “He”

But I’ve gone through phases from Beats, to Russian lit, to existentialism. It all leaves something.
 
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?

Fans themselves can help a lot. Just by acknowledging that the genre can be artistic. I belong to a lot of horror movie groups, and there’s a segment that always thinks that if it doesn’t have jump scares and buckets of guts on the floor that it doesn’t count. The genre’s huge, in movies it can be anything from the soulful pathos of Bride of Frankenstein, to the light humor of Fearless Vampire Killers to Saw, it can do all of the above. In books it can run the gambit, from Christopher Moore to Peter Straub to James Wrath White.

In literature horror never got that movement like the new wave of sci-fi where authors started pushing the language and pushing the boundaries. I guess it’s a question of whether they will come if you build it, I’d like to think there’s room for more literary works to push the envelope. If there’s enough work like that out there, eventually critics might come around.

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’m almost afraid to hazard a guess. I am betting that in about a year, publishers get inundated with plague books.

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

It’s escapism, just like fantasy or any other niche genre. You want to think that those things don’t happen, that it’s a story. And don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with that, a good book should transport you, just a matter of where you want to go.

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

Would like to see more horror comedy. It's a genre rife with tropes, and any genre like that is ready for well-done satire. It sells well when it comes out, but I’d love to see more.

I’d also like to see more soft touch atmospheric pieces. Where you just slowly sink into the overall atmosphere. Tim Murr’s novella “The Gray Man” did a fine job of that.

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 have a hard time with that concept, it was just called being polite when I was a kid. Here in Appalachia people say, “Don’t be so hateful.”

A word might be dated here or there, an editor might say something, I’m older, it happens, but I generally don’t have a really difficult time with it. Of course, I’m from Philadelphia originally, and when we lived in the “country” briefly when I was a teen, our neighbors were African American, so maybe I just learned, “Don’t be a dick” early. Of course, being Polish puts you on the receiving end of a lot of ethnic crap, so maybe I just learned that I don’t like it either.
​
Does horror fiction perpetuate its own ghettoization?

Sometimes. But that’s business isn’t it? Publishing houses think readers want pulp, they sign pulp, so that’s what gets out, so that’s what people think horror is. Self-perpetuating cycle. Still even in that cycle there’s some amazing writing. McCammon, who doesn’t write particularly artistic stuff, is a master. His use of the language is just precise and perfect, he’s never corny, rarely gory unless it’s called for, and despite writing some tomes, he rarely wastes language.
 
What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice off?

Well I mentioned Tim Murr’s Gray Man, Duncan Ralston is quite good. Chris Miller. John Baltisberger. There’s plenty more.

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

All kind of things, from Roger Zelazny’s “Creatures of Light and Darkness” to Poe’s “Tales of Mystery and Imagination” to Terry Pratchett’s “Reaper Man” to the book of “Amityville Horror”
I see bits of Night Gallery slip into my writing, sometimes I’m man enough to admit it.  Horror movies, geez I’ve watched as many as I could from silent to now, so who knows how many of them imprinted themselves on my sensibilities.


Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?
​
I once got compared favorably to JG Ballard, and you can put that on my tombstone if you like.

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

Of writing itself? Not much, I’m telling and creating stories, so it’s like I’m watching a movie in my head as I go. The rest of it….well there is the rest of it isn’t there? The edits, the rejections, the revisions, the promotion once the book is out, all the stuff that isn’t writing.
But if you want to have a book out, and then, get to have another, and then another…..guess what buddy, you best join a lot of promo groups, learn to hashtag, learn to sell it. If nobody can find it, nobody can read what you worked so hard on.

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

If it has a basis in reality, probably not. My early life was very harsh, so I try to be empathetic, so if you can deal with things in a way that feels real, that doesn’t trivialize…..
I don’t go running out to find things I personally find distasteful to write about, but if I run headlong into something that I know has to happen with a book, I’m not going to shy away.

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

More and more I research them. Like I consider the time frame, the age of the character, and then I’ll go look up what were the popular names, and scan through until I hit one that says, “Oh yeah, that’s him.”

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

Probably more so than most writers. Ignoring that dear lord I hope I’m improving, I don’t like being hedged in by genre. I want to write what I dream about in other words. So I hit streaks where I want to write a style or subgenre, but then I’m off it and elsewhere.

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

I didn’t use proper names often enough early on. It SOUND trivial, but really, it affects the whole flow of things. An honest to god nuts and bolts answer here.

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?

I love Abdiel from “I Never Eat....Cheesesteak” . A lovable jerk always gets all the best lines. I’m currently revising a book and Rat was difficult to write for. He was way too close to me, and I had to keep shaving me away from him.


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

Every author says their new book is their favorite. I really do adore Cult of the Gator God. But A New Life on St. Rooster Books is so different from Horror-Comedy, I mean it’s gritty street realism, the Basketball Diaries had a Clive Barker book break out in it, that there’s the flip side of the coin.

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

 Abdiel chuckled at that, and then said, “You know why I asked?     
   “To build up a relationship based on shared experience?” asked Al fully engaged now.         
“Nope, I just wanted to let you know you ain't so special,” Abdiel said as he slammed the gas on an open stretch.   
      “Oh.”  

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

The latest is Cult of the Gator God, it’s my revenge for having lived in Florida for a year. Also, it has giant scaly things destroying stuff. Kaiju-comedy, there, I’ve created a new sub-genre, like we needed more.

Well I’m in revisions on a punk rock horror book written from the perspective of someone who really was back around “back in the day”(me) my next horror comedy will be “Wild Witches of West Bygod” and I have a collection coming out on Dreaming Big Publications, “A Spoonful of Sugar”

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

Never go back, it never goes well if you go back.
“We have to go back for….”
Not unless you’re stopping off for canons you don’t, you barely got out last time dummy.


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

Wolf Hunt by Jeff Strand was AWESOME

Houses Without Doors by Peter Straub struck me as insufferably smug.

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

How do you feel about where you are now in life?
It could have been so much worse, so I can’t say I’m not pleased.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?
 
In addition to my bio, I love horror movies and have always been a big fan of zombie movies. That started when I was thirteen and my uncle took me to see Dawn of the Dead at the midnight movies. After that, I saw Texas Chainsaw Massacre and it just grew from there.

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.

Sergeant Abarra, because he is a hot head and a former drill sergeant.

Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?
 
Being in the military had a major impact on me. The comradery with the other guys and the adrenaline of being in action. I think that the military aspect adds another element to a story. Not in all situations, but in some.
 
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 hope I have done some of that in this book. Horror, good horror has every element that makes a good movie. Drama, love, struggle, friendship, etc. I think that horror can be all those things and still scare the hell out of you. I think some plot twists to keep people on their toes is important as well.

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 am not one who likes to have movies, books or other mediums separate people and pit them against one another based on socio/political lines. I think people are too easily influenced by bs and tend to believe most things they hear or read. Obviously, I think the whole Covid-19 situation will generate new subject matter for the horror genre. I do believe horror should move toward more of a mind screw than just straight up slasher films. The problem is we seem to have one or another. We need to be able to mess with people’s head and still bring the violence as well.

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 people use horror as an extension of their emotions. Basically, if they feel slighted or wronged (bullied maybe), they can project their feelings into the story and when someone who “has it coming” gets whacked graphically, I think there is a bit of personal satisfaction achieved.

What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?
 
I think we should leave it up to the minds of the writers to change, add or subtract things in their stories and then the fans can gauge what they are interested in.

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 think writers should feel free to compile their stories however they want without having to walk on egg shells. If they spend so much time worrying about how their work might offend someone, then the creativity is completely stifled and we end up with books full of garbage. That being said, if something is straight out racist or defiling, then I am not down with that. There are so many different groups or certain degrees of separation, that you can’t negotiate that minefield and produce a decent and well thought out story.

Does horror fiction perpetuate it’s own ghettoization?
 
In some aspects I do. I think there are people out there who get “lazy” when it comes to writing and they use the perception of fiction to produce something not well thought out. Whether that be a book, movie script, etc.

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

As mentioned above, Dawn of the Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, along with The Thing and Escape from New York. Even though EFNY wasn’t an actual horror movie, it was really dark and had some horror type elements. Writers like DJ Molles and Stephen Knight have heavily influenced me to pull the trigger and finally write my first book.

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

Edward Castle has some good momentum going and I am in the middle of reading some new books I became aware of, but don’t want to discuss that until I have a chance to read more of their material.

Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?
 
Yes, this was a review from Sandra in the UK.
5.0 out of 5 stars GORY, GRAPHIC BRILLIANCE
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 May 2020

Just finished reading this book and it's awesome..I stayed up most of the night just so I could finish it lol.... gory, bloody, graphic. Characters that you really become involved with.....only one bad thing about this book...it's finished and I want more!!! It is most definitely worth reading people. bring on the next one please

What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?
 
I basically write the story in an outline format. I have the main flow of the story written and then go back and fill in more content. I feel the filler content and the scene transitions are quite hard for me. Getting from one situation to another is something I struggle with.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?
 
Yes, rape or molestation. Those are things that I can’t deal with and would not enjoy writing about, no matter how the story turns out.

How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?
 
Yes, I spend a lot of time coming up with names that match their background stories. I have issues reading some fantasy books which make up some crazy names and places.

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

Even though this is my first published book, I have been writing for many years. Short stories, poetry and journals I have written for 20+ years. Experience and time alive have enabled me to relate to so many different people and situations, that I didn’t have when I was younger.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?
 
Write what is on your mind and don’t feel you have to fall into any lane that already exists. If you do, then the things you write sound too similar to everything else in that lane.

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?
 
My favorite is Lia, because she has beauty, but is also a badass. I feel like protecting her at times even though she doesn’t need it. My least favorite is Bettington, because he can’t seem to get his head straight with what is going on.

For those who haven’t read any of your books, which of your books do you think best represents your work and why?
 
I have only written one, but I think The Light Reapers: End of the World defines me pretty well. So many years of writing has culminated into this first published book and I made sure that what I wanted in a story was added.

Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?
 
“Guess what, you fuck? I am not going to kill you. You will exist for a little while, lying in your own disgusting filth, not being able to move and not being able to see. Whether it’s dehydration, hunger, exposure, being ravaged by animals or shredded apart by the infected, you will die eventually, and you won’t see it coming. The only thing you will know is that death is coming.
 
Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?
 
Next book will be The Light Reapers – Book 2, which I have a third written so far. After that, I am switching it up and will work on a book about the prostitutes during 1880’s London, during the time of Jack the Ripper. The story will be much different that what people might expect.

If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?
 
The dumb, indestructible killer who just walks around. I like the smart and calculating villain.

What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?
 
Great - The Retreat Series: By: Craig DiLouie, Stephen Knight, Joe McKinney
Bad - Yesterday's Gone: Season One: By: Sean Platt, David Wright

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?
 
Can we make this into a movie? YES!

Born: 1954
Jamie Delano was variously employed before becoming a professional comic book scriptwriter in the early 1980s.
In addition to diverse comics work Delano has experimented with screenwriting and in 2012 published “Book Thirteen”, a novel.  His new novel, “Leepus: DIZZY” was published in April 2014 and is available from his Lepus Books imprint now.
Jamie lives with his partner, Sue.  They have three adult children and five grandchildren.
Jamie Delano at GOODREADS
Tweets by @jamiedelano

“Leepus | THE RIVER” is the second novel by Jamie Delano featuring Leepus and his peregrinations among the odd peoples and landscapes of Inglund. While it builds upon some characters and the environment introduced in “Leepus | DIZZY”, it is nonetheless a stand-lone story.
In THE RIVER, Leepus embarks on board the Black Sow for an upriver odyssey into the murky heart of the wetlunds in support of a pal in trouble. Things get increasingly dark and intriguing as he is forced to juggle the blance of power between such competing interests as the OurFuture elitist youth militia; hardcore monk extremists, the Grey Brothers; and the mysterious Eeley Temple to achieve a ramshackle justice and stay out of the World of the Drownded.
File under: Weird fiction. Ripping yarn. Alternate reality dystopia. Black comedy. Picaresque adventure. Brutal mystery. Poetic action.

Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies, edited by award-winning author Deborah Sheldon and released by renowned small press IFWG Publishing Australia, will comprise stories from Australian writers obtained via commission and on-spec callout. The commissioned writers are the multi-award-winning and bestselling authors Isobelle Carmody, Jack Dann, Kaaron Warren and Sean Williams. Submissions are now open and will close midnight 31 August 2020, Australian EST.
 
Deborah Sheldon: I’ve wanted to edit my own horror anthology for a couple of years now. In my 34 years of professional writing, I’ve helmed various non-fiction projects—such as the script portion of SomaZone, the internationally award-winning CD-Rom on adolescent health—but never a fiction project. I thought I had a cracking idea for an anthology but my lack of hands-on experience made me hesitate to approach a publisher. Then out of the blue, Greg Chapman, president of the Australasian Horror Writers Association, invited me to guest-edit the 2019 issue of their flagship publication, Midnight Echo. Serendipity…of course I said yes! That invitation gave me the nudge I needed to find a home for my own anthology. After preparing a pitch, my first choice was IFWG Publishing Australia. IFWG champions anthologies, and has released a few of my titles such as the award-winning Perfect Little Stitches and Other Stories, and the award-nominated novel Contrition.
 
Gerry Huntman: Yes, anthologies are very important to IFWG. When we formed as a publishing company one of our drivers was the concept of assisting writers who were underrepresented in the industry. The short story platform is one such dimension, and besides, we love short fiction! We published over a number of years SQ Mag, an ezine that made a strong splash in the speculative fiction fields internationally. We have also published narrower subject matter in monograph format, such as our Cthulhu Deep Down Under anthology series including the New Zealand-oriented Cthulhu: Land of the Long White Cloud. More recently we published Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Was Not, an anthology injecting strongly into speculative fiction by having each story assume Holmes’ side-kick was a famous Nineteenth-century historical figure, or literary character. Anthologies are big investments for small press (at least to do them justice), so we throttle the frequency to one or two a year—but we will never let go of this format.
 
Deborah Sheldon: The idea for Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies sprang from one of my more gruesome stories: “Hair and Teeth”. It was first published in Aurealis magazine in 2018, reprinted in Year’s Best Hardcore Horror #4, and mentioned in Ellen Datlow’s “Recommended List for 2019” in Best Horror of the Year. “Hair and Teeth” is about a middle-aged woman who suspects that her relentless vaginal bleeding is not due to menopause but an infestation of monsters inside her uterus. The story’s bizarre images and themes wouldn’t leave me alone. I decided that Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies would invite strange, disquieting tales in a similar vein, including both metaphorical and literal interpretations of reproduction. In July 2019, I approached Gerry Huntman, IFWG’s managing director, and his immediate response was enthusiastic.
 
Gerry Huntman: I supported the project idea for a number of reasons, right from the start. First and foremost, Deb is a trusted creative and professional within IFWG’s stable of authors and it was a simple step to expand her role to editor. We work hard to develop strong relationships with reliable artists and technicians and trust is a natural by-product of this process. It is also no secret to those who have read our catalogue that we have a strong affinity with the horror and dark fantasy genres and sub-genres of speculative fiction, and Deb’s ideas were original and exciting. I certainly saw this project as a seed for something the market will lap up.
 
Deborah Sheldon: Gerry’s vision for the anthology turned out to be grander than mine. He suggested that we approach and commission a few big-name Australian authors. We chose Isobelle Carmody, Jack Dann, Kaaron Warren and Sean Williams. All four are on-board and I can’t wait to read their contributions. Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies will be an Australian-only anthology because I believe that every society should have the space to tell its own stories. We have tremendous writing talent in this country and I want to showcase it! I’ve long admired the United States for its passionate commitment to telling American stories—in fiction, TV and film—and I believe Australia should celebrate its own homegrown perspectives with the same fervour. Our “cultural cringe” needs to be beaten to death, and I’ll happily wield one of the clubs.
 
Gerry Huntman: I share Deb’s idea that this particular project should showcase Australian writing talent, and from a consumer point of view, I believe that US, UK and other non-Australian readers would also see this as positive, if not ‘exotic’. IFWG, an Australian-based publishing company, has supported Australian talent for years and this project is a logical extension of this philosophy. My idea of having a core set of prominent Australian commissioned authors was in part to set a strong base for the anthology, but I viewed these great writers as having the credentials needed to attract non-Australian readers to the anthology in the first instance.
 
Deborah Sheldon: Gerry floated the idea of including artwork commissioned by Australian artists. Thrilling! Is there an editor alive who wouldn’t want original illustrations for their anthology? At this stage, we’re depicting the work by our four lead writers, and including decorative drop-caps for every story that makes it into the anthology.
 
Gerry Huntman: Adding illustrations to an anthology is always a carefully considered option for me. For some anthologies, particularly generally-themed, it is possible that the illustrations won’t add sufficient value to the prose. In my experience, where carefully placed illustrations add value demonstrably to anthologies (and other fiction formats) is where there are strong themes, or where there is a cross section of style that can be enhanced by complementary artwork. Deb’s project has a strong literary/artistic bent to it and by attracting the right, sensitive artists to this anthology, would add cream to an already tasty pie. We don’t want to cram illustrations into this work—our usual approach is to be sparing and very effective with placement.
 
Deborah Sheldon: Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, we planned to crowd-fund a hardback edition, which would’ve had full-page commissioned artwork for each and every story. That may still happen, but only time will tell. Due to the economic turndown, Gerry decided that IFWG would delay release of upcoming titles, including this anthology, until the marketplace is healthy again. However, IFWG intends to get its books “print ready” as if there were no delay, and have them waiting in queue for release when this crisis is over. Gerry and I have also talked about sequels to my anthology—Australasian first, then international—but these projects will ultimately depend on the robustness of the market in future years.
 
Gerry Huntman: The publishing industry has not been robust for decades and over recent years publishers have had to adapt and settle on business models that make sense to thrive—those that don’t fall into oblivion. IFWG had worked hard to get to the right model prior to this current crisis, and fortunately is well placed to weather the storm. Our decision to delay releases of new titles until we have a good handle on what the ‘new normal’ will look like is driven by sales (our decision was vindicated by sales and return figures coming out of our largest marketplaces), but we also want to give our authors the best possible chance to earn income and get credit for their amazing work. Fortunately, this anthology was slotted from the start to be released in 2021, and it is looking like we only have to move it back several months.
 
Deborah Sheldon: When I was guest-editing Midnight Echo #14, every submission that hit my inbox gave me a buzz of anticipation. Before opening a story, I was already on the writer’s side. After decades of selling feature articles, non-fiction books, medical writing, scripts, short stories, novellas and novels, I’ve had literally hundreds of rejections, so I know how it feels to send work into the void with fingers and toes crossed. Honestly, I wanted to love every submission. It pained me to deliver rejection emails, but the editor’s job is to be ruthless. Pitiless. (Even though doing so gave me sleepless nights.) My master is the Reader, who quite rightly deserves high-quality writing and doesn’t care a fig about the disappointment and hurt that rejected writers may feel. So, potential contributors be advised--Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies will set a high bar. Aussie writers, bring your A-game!
 

Alan Baxter is a multi-award-winning author of horror, supernatural thrillers, and dark fantasy. He’s also a martial arts expert, a whisky-soaked swear monkey, and dog lover. He creates dark, weird stories among dairy paddocks on the beautiful south coast of NSW, Australia where he lives with his wife, son and hound. Find him online at www.warriorscribe.com or find him on Twitter @AlanBaxter and Facebook.
Click on any book cover to learn more about it, or click here for an overview of all my published fiction.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I’m definitely the clichéd writer type (introverted/socially awkward/pale), though I do love a good pub crawl or reading a book on the beach. I’m down to one child at home so I have a lot more time to write than I used to. My daughter will be 21 this year, and my son is 17.

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.

Oliver Crow, the four-year-old with four death scenes in my book,    Come Join the Murder. He probably doesn’t like me very much.

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

My mother read a lot of True Crime when I was growing up, so these were the books I would pick up when bored as a child. This is probably what influenced my desire to read and write mostly human horror instead of ghosts or vampires, etc. Man is the most horrific creature I can think of.
 
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’m not sure it’s our responsibility to hold the hands of others when it comes to appreciating horror. The die-hard fans have always been fans, and those who frown at the term “horror” will probably not like most of what’s inside. And that’s okay, not everyone can handle 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 see more climate-change and apocalypse-related horror coming out in the next few years. The US is extremely divided politically so possibly more stories highlighting the extremism of each side.

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

It’s a safe place to get close to horrific things/situations but still maintain control. You can close the book at any time. It’s like that condition where people have an urge to drive off bridges but don't. They toe the line of that self-preservation instinct because they know they’ll always bring themselves back from it.  But flirting with it, and with horror, releases endorphins and excitement much like a real-life situation would, but in a controlled environment. 

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

I don’t think anything is missing from the horror genre, there’s such a wide breadth of sub-genres and styles to choose from.

Is horror its own worst enemy? What do you think keeps horror from being regarded as a valid genre by the public at large?

I think, by definition, it’s a boundary-breaking and emotionally charged genre. Most people like to play it safe or have a happy ending, and horror doesn’t always do that. As for why traditional publishing houses don’t consider it as often as they do other genres, I have no idea. But seeing the passion for the genre in small and Indie presses is exciting. The sub-cultures will always be the torch-bearers for horror.  

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

I saw Flowers in the Attic in the theatre when I was eight-years-old and I fell in love with that feeling you get from watching a tense horror film. Though technically I think it was considered Psychological Thriller at the time, it was horrific to this eight-year-old. For books, I made my way through most of the Christopher Pike and R.L. Stein novels when I was younger.

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

The first draft is the most difficult and the most rewarding. I can stare at a blank page for an hour, starting and stopping ten times, before finally letting myself get into the story. But once you’ve finished that first draft, you’ve created a world and people that weren’t there before, and it’s extremely satisfying. 

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

As a parent, it’s difficult for me to write about sexual abuse of minors. I touched on it for a few paragraphs in Come Join the Murder, and it was the most uncomfortable thing I’ve ever written. Aside from that, I try not to place limitations on subject matter. Anything goes.

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

I tried to make sure each main character had a name unique enough that it didn’t sound like another’s (that’s confusing sometimes as a reader). I also pored over baby-name lists and US Consensus lists. My main character’s name, Rebecca, was pulled from the Daphne Du Maurier novel of the same name. It’s one of my favorite books. I also look up popular names in whatever setting the book takes place in. I don’t take it as far as looking up the meaning of a particular name, but instead choose based on how it sounds/looks/fits in the region.

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

It’s okay for the first draft to be a giant ball of shit.
 
Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?

Come Join the Murder is one of those twisted, dark thrillers about a mom who is seeking revenge for her son’s death. Told in both her perspective and that of the killer, the chapters dance around each other until the two finally meet. As the novel progresses, we see Rebecca’s downward spiral as she obsesses over her mission.

I’m currently working with my husband on a Bigfoot horror novella tentatively titled, “Easton Falls Massacre.” I love sci-fi or cryptozoological horror, even the cheesy B-story stuff. I realize Bigfoot is very different from Come Join the Murder, but the dark themes are prevalent throughout both.
 
If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

The Final Girl cliché   

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

I really enjoyed The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay. He is a master of tension. As for disappointment, I would have to say The Alienist by Caleb Carr. The plot was fantastic, but pacing was too slow and overly descriptive. Normally I wouldn’t talk ill of other novels, but this one was such a success that I’m sure my opinion won’t count anywhere.   

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

I’ve never been asked about my dogs. We have a one-year-old Great Dane named Jager who is 130 pounds of lap-dog and slobber. Then there’s the one-year-old Black Lab named Lucy who is obsessed with frisbees, water, and anything else that means she gets to run. Our older girl Maggie is a mutt we adopted, and she’s pretty cranky most of the time but she’ll do anything for a biscuit.