A Scary Interview with Rob Nisbet

The Black Beacon Book of Horror 2 will be released on the 1st of October, but in the meantime, the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99 and you can add the anthology to your Goodreads TBR list. To get you pumpkin-spiced up for an unforgettable Halloween 2026, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Step into the corridors of their dark minds, if you dare!

Hi Rob,

That classic question to get started. Do you have to be a horrible person to write horrible things?

I like to think that I’m not a horrible person – I just have a horrible imagination!  I grew up with a love of sci-fi so there have always been strange creatures in my head.  Sci-fi depends on some concept to base the story on which can sometimes seem contrived.  Horror, however, allows a story to be told without any restraints.
 
Which horror writers do you admire?

My story ‘The Affair of the Third Clairvoyant’ definitely has a background nod to Lovecraft. Some of his stories are decidedly odd but his concept of beings indifferent to our existence is deservedly creepy. I’m not a fan of purely atmospheric tales – for me there has to be a discernible story which the atmosphere serves to highlight. I do like Susan Hill, with The Man in the Picture and The Woman in Black being favourites. Edith Nesbit (different spelling, so no relation), famous for The Railway Children, may be a name not associated with horror, but I’d recommend seeking out some of her short stories.
 
Your perfect horror-themed night in?

As a youngster, my parents would allow me and my two brothers to occasionally stay up late to watch the classic Hammer horror films. No streaming or videos back then. They were shown beyond bedtime, many in black-and-white (or perhaps that was just our TV). This was a treat for us – every kid likes to be scared, just a little, in the safety of their own home.
 
Do you have any writing rituals?

Two spring to mind. Firstly, I tend to write everything in longhand. Not having to think about the process of typing, I find, helps when I’m trying to be creative.  hen I type-up what I’ve written, hopefully improving it as I do so. Then I hone and edit until I’m happy. Secondly, I’m a planner. I have to know the whole story in my head before I write anything down. Usually I will know the final paragraph or sentence so I have an ending to aim for. I envy people who can just sit down and write without knowing where the story is going. I can’t do that.
 
Share something that your readers don’t know.

I keep chickens in the garden - rescue birds that have outlived an egg farmer’s expectations. They are usually in a weak and bedraggled state. Rather than have them end-up in cat food or ‘nuggets’, they can flourish and live for several more years. And any eggs they care to bestow are a bonus.
 
Where can we find you online?

I’m a dinosaur when it comes to technology. Though I can be found on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/12097189.Rob_Nisbet