TO DROWN IN DARK WATER, AN INTERVIEW WITH STEVE TOASE

6/5/2021

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

My name is Steve Toase. I'm originally from North Yorkshire in England, but now live in Munich, Germany. I'm a trained archaeologist and spent several years working in commercial archaeology. As well as fiction I write for Fortean Times (I'm the regular comics and graphic novels reviewer). In my spare time I ride motorbikes and make cocktails at home (though not at the same time).

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

The nurse in Not All the Coal That Is Dug Warms the World. There's no supernatural horror, drooling beast of hell or unlimited power. Just the banality of evil that leads to genocide.

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

Art. We first came to Munich because of my wife's love for Franz Marc's art and art has a huge influence on my fiction. I also grew up in the late seventies. The culture that now gets grouped together under Hauntology (Public Information Films, Chocky TV series, Bagpuss, Tales of the Unexpected etc) seeped into my worldview very early.

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?

Someone at Worldcon described horror as the only genre defined by an emotion, and for that reason can manifest in any setting. I think part of the role of writers is showing the vast range of places horror can occur, whether that's romance, family drama, crime, or comedy. I would argue that both Thomas Ligotti and Robert Shearman are masters of locating horror in comedy which makes it far more unnerving. For me personally the writers who excel at horror are the ones who create an overwhelming sense of discomfort that intensifies until you feel like you can't escape it rather than a short lived jump scare.

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?

During a recent conversation with my writing group we were talking about the reaction in writing to the pandemic, and the relative invisibility of the Spanish Flu in the literature of the time.

I think that we will see it appear for example in ideas of isolation or anxiety about not being able to save people, but I think those will be embedded in other settings rather than say a glut of zombie or pandemic fiction.

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

Horror is the safety cabinet of genres. We can slide our hands into the gloves, watch the visceral reaction within, then step away and breathe in the fresh air. Horror lets us have the cathartic experience of being able to close the cover and know that these were just words.

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

Bring more writers in. More voices. Fear is universal, but the way we experience it is unique. Having that explored in the horror genre only makes it more powerful.

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

I finally got around to reading Sing Your Sadness Deep by Laura Mauro and am really looking forward to seeing where Laura goes next. Kylie Whitehead has a new novel called Absorbed coming out from New Ruins which was very good. Premee Mohamed is writing some fantastic cosmic horror at the moment. Tracey Fahey and Penny Jones both have new books out. Also Chip Houser and G.V. Anderson are definitely new writers to watch.

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

Two from friends. One said that my story Not All the Coal That Is Dug Warms the World (a short story inspired by the punitive disability benefits system in England) made them feel physically sick… Someone else said that Green Grows the Grief brought them to tears, so I think both those were successful.

Des Lewis has been reviewing my collection To Drown in Dark Water Des's reviews are a work of art in their own right, and he often makes connections that I've not seen. I get to see how the stories relate to each other through someone else's eyes.

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

Names. Everyone starts off as Sarah and Simon (because there easy to run a find/replace on without messing up the rest of the manuscript when I finally come up with a name).

I also struggle with writing novel length stories. Most of my work is short fiction (I tend toward flash fiction and my sweet spot is between 250-750 words). When I come to work on something 40,000 to 80,000 words everything feels a bit baggy when I'm writing it. It's all a learning process.

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

I don't think anything is completely off limits, but there are several subjects I won't write about, because I don't feel like they're mine to write. Of course all fiction comes from imagination but it's good to leave space for people to tell stories inspired by their own experiences.

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

I think I have a better idea of how to build that intensity so that the reader feels the inevitability of the outcome in such a way that the reader carries on to the end.

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

Turn up. It's a cliché to say write everyday, because people have different pressures. They might be family, work, health, or all three. Write a paragraph or a sentence every day and the story will come.

I was a stay at home dad and still have a day job. The best way I've found to deal with the lack of writing opportunity was to spend the time when I'm doing other stuff thinking about the story so when I sit down I can crack straight on with the writing.

Which of your characters is your favourite?

Papa Yaga without a doubt. I mean I wouldn't want to spend too much time with him, but from a writing perspective he's a lot of fun. He has a moral centre, but it's nowhere near ours. In the first story he appeared in (The Jaws of Ouroboros) he's dealing a very rare drug, has his base in a converted dragline quarrying machine and is utterly ruthless. He also appears in another story in the collection, but I won't give too much away about that.

Which of your books best represents you?

As this is my first book, I'll go with best story, if that's OK. I think Streuobstwiese. The structure is episodic, based essentially around short flash fiction length sections. The story is about family relationships, it's got Fortean elements, and is also visceral.

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

From Ruby Red and Snowflake Cold

The sisters had no heart of their own. They asked the flowers for advice and the flowers took the sisters’ eyes in payment, enwrapping each in skin thin petals.

“To make a heart,” the flowers said, “consume the winter. Eat it like a banquet. Suspend days of snowfall in the air and let them drop against your tongue until your mouth is full of ice and pine needles.”

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

To Drown in Dark Water is my new collection from Undertow. There are twenty six stories. Three of them have previously been reprinted in Ellen Datlow's Best Horror of the Year series, and six are brand new to the collection.

The last book I finished writing was a novella. It draws on archaeology, German cities, lost postal systems and body horror. My next project has a slightly different tone to it. More like Tom Holt in feel. I'm also playing with ideas for my next Art Albion story. I think the next novel in that world will have a horror feel.

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

The mad homeless victim. Having been homeless I think we should work toward portraying people experiencing homelessness as complex people rather than one dimensional fodder. As someone who has experienced homelessness as a teenager this is a subject very close to my heart.

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

I've read a lot of good fiction recently, but the one that's had a huge impact on me is The Other Side by Alfred Kubin. Kubin was mainly a printmaker and only wrote the one book. The Other Side was written in the wake of his father's death. Because it's a subject that features a lot in my work, how we deal with loss, I find it really interesting how he tackles his own grief through the portrayal of the city of Perle.

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

I've got this old motorbike in the barn. No idea if it runs. Want to take it off my hands?
My answer would be yes :)

To Drown in Dark Water

To drown in dark water ...

The debut short story collection from Steve Toase heralds the arrival of a transcendent visionary of modern horror, a melding of the beauty and terror of Clive Barker and Tanith Lee, with Steve's distinctive visceral and vibrant voice. Containing 6 new dark visions and a curated selection of reprints, including 3 stories from the acclaimed Best Horror of the Year series, To Drown in Dark Water is a veritable feast of gruesome delights.

Steve Toase

Steve Toase was born in North Yorkshire, England, and now lives in Munich, Germany.
He writes regularly for Fortean Times and Folklore Thursday. His fiction has appeared in Nightmare Magazine, Shadows & Tall Trees 8, Nox Pareidolia, Three Lobed Burning Eye, Shimmer, and Lackington’s amongst others. Three of his stories have been reprinted in Ellen Datlow's Best Horror of the Year series.
His debut short story collection 'To Drown in Dark Water' is due out from Undertow Publications on April 27th https://undertowpublications.com/shop/to-drown-in-dark-water.
He also likes old motorbikes and vintage cocktails.
You can keep up to date with his work via his Patreon

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