Black Beacon Books: The Black Beacon Book of Horror

Showing posts with label The Black Beacon Book of Horror. Show all posts

Thursday, 12 October 2023

Horror Anthology: Cameron Trost

The Black Beacon Book of Horror will be released on Friday the 13th of October; 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 list today. To get you in the mood for a particularly spooky Halloween this year, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. The first Black Beacon Book of Horror is bound to give you the creeps!

Hi Cameron,

Why do you write horror?

I don't write horror exclusively. In fact, most of my fiction is probably better described as suspense or mystery. What drives me is the idea that I'm keeping the reader guessing and that I've set up a shock or two along the way. Before reading the last word in the story, the reader will be lead down a winding path, and finding his way back home won't come easy.

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

I mean, it's fiction... and it's important I make that clear. I live in Brittany and the contrast between summer and winter is quite dramatic here. Wealthy Parisians flock to their holiday homes along the coast in the summer and enjoy afternoons sunbathing followed by cocktail soirées. But their grand homes are soon abandoned. They lie dark and empty during the stormy winter months. I wanted to explore the idea of a Parisian coming to Brittany during the off-season, feeling lost, and receiving a hostile welcome. This is a classic folk horror scenario and this corner of the world is perfect for it. My horror stories tend to have an ambiguous ending and this one is no different. I find the uncertainty more disturbing, and it allows the reader to decide precisely want happened.

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

The easy answer is "No, there are just too many", but I'll play along. One story that probably isn't often cited as an outstanding horror story is The Snail Watcher by Patricia Highsmith. Have you read it? You really should.

What books did you grow up reading?

Where to start? Well, I devoured the Doctor Who novelisations as a kid because I loved the BBC series, and I soon became obsessed with Sherlock Holmes. Before long, I was hunting down all the gothic and ghostly classics, from Edgar Allan Poe to M.R. James.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Not really. I like to be alone, preferably with a storm raging outside and a glass of decent whisky within easy reach.

Where can we find you online?

Website: camerontrost.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CameronTrostAuthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/camerontrost

Thanks for answering our questions.

Wednesday, 11 October 2023

Horror Anthology: Micah Castle

Hi Micah,

Why do you write horror?

I don’t really know. It's just always been the most interesting and enjoyable to write.

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

I just had this image of a little girl with a violin standing in front of a lake at night that wouldn’t leave my mind. I also don’t write too many sea horror stories, so I didn’t want to put the idea aside like other story ideas.

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

It’s hard to choose just one, but it’s probably The Picture of Dorian Gray.

What books did you grow up reading?

I wasn’t a huge reader growing up, but like most kids in the 90s, I read exclusively Goosebumps. I didn’t really get into reading until my late teens and early twenties.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Not exactly a ritual, but a schedule. About an hour and a half to three hours in the morning every day. On weekdays, I’ll write for about an hour or so in the afternoon, and at night, for another thirty minutes to an hour. I’m privileged to be able to write as much as I do.

Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know yet?

I run the underground metal website/page/etc. Pig Squeals And Breakdowns. Not as much as I used to, though.

Where can we find you online?

I can found found on my website, www.micahcastle.com, Twitter, www.twitter.com/micah_castle, and Facebook, www.facebook.com/themicahcastle.

Thanks for answering our questions.

Tuesday, 10 October 2023

Horror Anthology: Greg Chapman

Hi Greg,

Why do you write horror?

Because I have to. There’s an inherent instinct where I wonder about the dark side of the world, the darkness in ourselves and as a writer I find that fascinating.

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

I’ve always been curious about reincarnation and the idea of the souls of serial killers. The concept of them being born rather than made was too good to pass on.

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

All-time favourite? That’s hard to narrow down, but my favourite collection of tales would have to be The Books of Blood by Clive Barker. In the Hills, The Cities is an astounding piece of literature.

What books did you grow up reading?

Mostly comic books, and children’s books like The Big Friendly Giant by Roald Dahl and the like. I didn’t discover horror books and films until much later.

Do you have any writing rituals?

The only one would be that I usually write a story longhand in a notebook every time and it has to be a black pen.

Where can we find you online?

Writing: darkscrybe.com
Art: dark-designs.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GregChapman.Author/

Thanks for answering our questions.

Sunday, 8 October 2023

Horror Anthology: C.C. Adams

Hi C.C.

Why do you write horror?

Villainy. I love the idea of "villainy" in a story - sure, you might get a protagonist with a dark past, or one that's somewhat flawed, but it’s the antagonist - the villain of the piece - that makes for a truly engaging narrative. What makes them so villainous, how do they tax the hero, etc. Think of a U-certificate film, like The Lion King. Arguably made with an audience of children in mind – but that doesn't stop Scar from murdering his own brother. Horror is where you take villainy to truly dark and insidious places. The appearance of the monster is only skin deep. What the monster does, how they do it, and what that does to the protagonist(s)? There’s your horror - all that good stuff; and more. It’s gratifying, humbling and cool to engage your audience. Wow them. And maybe scare the shit outta them.

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

Good question! - a couple, in fact. One; when I’d written this story, it was to be very nuanced and menacing - which is my wheelhouse. There’s a nod in this tale to a short story written over 100 years ago (if memory serves) that appears in Aidan Chambers' Book of Ghosts and Hauntings. This is a book I got when leaving primary school, aged 11, and this is important, because this book is the gateway drug that got me into enjoying – and writing – horror. Along with films like Phantasm, Halloween, and John Carpenter’s The Thing. Two; when I’d entered this in a Midnight Echo competition several years ; you were VP of the AHWA (Australian Horror Writers Association) back then. And while the story didn’t win, it got an honourable mention. Fitting, I guess, that after how many years and how many submissions, it should finally land here.

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

Not possible. There are some noteworthy tales though: Incubus by Joe Donnelly is a favourite; to date it’s the only book that made my skin crawl when reading it. Plus it’s got one of the illest taglines: “What kind of baby steals a mother?” Props are also given to Rare Breeds by Erik Hofstatter, which is truly macabre, twisted – and captures the essence of things going horribly wrong in a way that so many other works would like to. Thor by Wayne Smith, The Rising by Brian Keene, Pet Semetary by Stephen King, etc. No way can I pick just one.

What books did you grow up reading?

A variety. Wildlife encyclopaedias. Horror novels; Alien, The Thing, Incubus (the Ray Russell version), Salem's Lot, to name a few. I guess there were some books where I'd taken in the screen iteration first: Jaws, Piranha, Enter The Dragon, Oh Heavenly Dog. Martin Caidin’s Cyborg; the source material for The Six Million Dollar Man – what’s the latest on the reboot? Asterix books. Spider-Man comics. Books on martial arts, weight training, IQ. And some books aimed more at children. The Adventures Of A Two-Minute Werewolf. The Demon Headmaster. Mog And The Rectifier. I took in a whole variety. I probably read more as a kid; one, because kids were encouraged to do so and two, as a grown man, I don’t get that much time to read now.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Sure do. I guess the most elaborate one is that before I start writing a new story (which is usually long fiction) is that I’ll toast the muse and the work to be with a glass of Jack & Coke. To be specific, it’s the honey blend of Jack Daniel’s, Diet Coke – and served in a whisky glass engraved with ‘Get Shit Done.’ I got that glass from a couple of Canadian friends (who I love to bits), because they know what I’m like when it’s time to put in work. I keep meaning to get an additional glass engraved with ‘Got Shit Done’, but I haven’t gotten around to it. So for now, it’s the same glass used to toast the beginning and the end of each story. The usual rituals are less elaborate; it may be listening to a film/TV score beforehand to get me in the zone. The piano theme from Phantasm, for example. Opening credit theme from The Evil Dead, by Joseph LoDuca. I can’t write to music, but it gets me into that zone of creativity and flow. I need quiet and solitude to not just write, but to truly craft something. Doing so at night – when the house and the neighbourhood are still – is when the nuances really stir, creeping to life. Make no mistake, I’m writing to engage, disturb and unsettle the reader. Isn’t that what you came for?

Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know yet?

Just in case anyone’s missed it, I don’t watch horror any more. I get the irony of that, but as much as I was raised on a diet of Rabid, Poltergeist, Salem’s Lot, The Evil Dead, Phantasm, et al, there’s no pleasure I get in experiencing that pulse-pounding dread; it’s unpleasant. That tension before someone goes yellow-eyed with a mouthful of fangs, a little girl with an inhumanly deep voice, a rotting face jibbering and grinning at you. You know, I had to work up courage to watch Werewolf By Night (the Marvel short film from a year or so ago) and watch the transformation scene frame by frame to make sure it wouldn’t rattle me? Ditto for when I first watched Lucifer (the TV show with Tom Ellis). And I have no shame in saying this; I can read this stuff, I can write it – but it’s generally unpleasant/disturbing/etc. to watch. There are exceptions though – slasher films, maybe a zombie film or two. I love Shaun Of The Dead; very clever. Dawn Of The Dead (with Ving Rhames) was decent. Scream VI is one I saw recently; was impressed by that for the subway scene alone.

Where can we find you online?

Website is www.ccadams.com . On Facebook at www.facebook.com/MrAdamsWrites and Twitter at www.twitter.com/MrAdamsWrites. But definitely hit me up to talk this, that and the third on the genre; that’s always cool.

Thanks for answering our questions.

Wednesday, 4 October 2023

Horror Anthology: Jeff Wood

Hi Jeff,

Why do you write horror?

I’ve written in several genres, and horror may be the most elastic. It allows me to shape a story to fit any number of traumas and tropes. I can write about my life and the world around me, and grapple with my own fears and desires within the context of fiction.

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

I was raised Southern Baptist, but my family left the church when I was a kid. What I was left with was a conflict between a desire for religion and a deep distrust of it. The story comes from that ongoing battle. I was also raised in the Midwestern US in the 60s and 70s, when there was a casual cruelty toward animals, and insects in particular. That easy way of guiltlessly snuffing out the lives of other living things is an influence on the story as well.

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

I remember two stories as being particularly influential. My sister brought home Shirley Jackson’s "The Lottery" after school one day, and made me sit down and read it immediately. My memory is of sitting on her bed, cross-legged, realizing for the first time that somebody wrote this. Meaning, it wasn’t just a story, there was a sensibility behind the story. Someone had thought about what story they wanted to tell, and the best way to tell it, and then wrote it. I had a similar reaction to Bradbury’s "A Sound of Thunder", and the description of the T. Rex specifically. Somebody wrote this. They wanted to tell the reader this story, and figured out the best way to present it.

What books did you grow up reading?

I loved Bradbury and Jackson, as I have mentioned. I also devoured H.G. Wells (I got a hardback collection of his sci-fi novels as a kid) and those goofy Tom Swift Jr. books (“Tom Swift and His Atomic Earth Blaster”!). There was a short story called “Wide O–” that had a huge impact, and I thought about it all the time.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I really don’t. I write 1000 words nearly every day, but it can be anywhere, any time, regardless of what chaos might be surrounding me. The only ritual is the writing itself.

Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know yet?

I hitchhiked from Iowa to New York City twice, once by way of Canada. The second time I hitchhiked to NYC, I stayed there for 12 years.

Where can we find you online?

My website: https://jeffmwood.com/
My Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B007AW3W9C
My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/clowncarpublishing
My Instagram feed: https://instagram.com/jeff.m.wood
My Twitter feed: @clowncarne1

Thanks for answering our questions.

Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Horror Anthology: David Schembri

Hi David,

Why do you write horror?

It’s all about having my own voice in the genre. I do love reading horror more than watching it on screen. When I read the genre, I have fun when it’s a captivating tale that provides goosebumps, and I enjoy taking on the challenge in the hope that others have that same experience when reading my work. We are all unique and have something to share, and my mind is always ticking away at, ‘how could I tell that story with my own spin?’. Horror has always been a genre I love reading, so in turn, I love writing it.

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

When I choose to take up the task of creating a short story, my mind goes into ‘gather mode’. What this means to me, is that I hunt for something, be it a spark, a light, a trumpet noise in my ear. Something that instantly grabs my interest and puts up in lights, ‘You’ve never written about this before, it’s new to you. This will be fun so let’s dive in !’ Such an instance happened to me during my son’s 14th birthday. We’d taken a trip for the weekend to Phillip Island. Whilst there, we visited the Amaze’n Things Theme Park. This was a glorious place, and I’m a kid at heart, so I was having a ball with all of the mazes and puzzles. After lunch, we ventured further into the park, when suddenly, after walking into the Illusions at Magic Manor, it hit me. I wanted to write about an illusionist. I was so inspired by the old style posters of Kellar and Thurston that I grabbed the first opportunity I got when I returned home to get stuck into reading about that period. This also weaved me through old movies of the 1940s, showcasing Illusionists and magicians of the time. This also lead me down the path of pursuing another untouched subject : The Gangsters of New York, and how I could combine the two worlds into the story. How demons, cults and dogs came into the mix, well, just put that down to my weird, creative lunacy, and there you have it : My story behind the story.

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

Misery by Stephen King, hands down, that book scared me silly, and I’d read it again.

What books did you grow up reading?

I wasn’t much of reader when I was young. I was too obsessed with playing with toys and creating my own scenarios with my figurines. The Choose Your Own Adventure Series was a favourite, as this enabled me to contribute something to the direction of the story. I know I wasn’t the writer, but those books did empower me with some sort of control upon my own destiny when reading them. As a young and developing creative, it took me some time to surrender myself fully to reading a book, rather than creating tales of my own, and I quickly discovered, that reading was something I was missing dearly. Reading opened the floodgates that would’ve remained closed had I’d not taken the plunge, and I had never looked back. This all came under the advice of my English teacher. He’d read a lot of my writing and noticed that I lacked inspiration. He directed me the library and said, ‘Read what interests you, not only what the school wants you to read.’ That’s when I walked around the shelves, picked up a Richard Laymon book, and couldn’t put it down.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Oh yes. It’s all about keeping quiet for me. If there is music playing, then it needs to be instrumental and carry the ambience of the story I am attempting to write. In the case of The Great Invacation, I had old, instrumental, Broadway Theatre music playing, which helped me remain in the period. As long as I’m comfortable, my research with me and my characters profiled, I can write away and see what unfolds.

Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know yet?

I enjoy keeping up my fitness. It’s great for the soul and mental health. With the common challenges that life can through at you, there is nothing like doing a good exercise session to do your body and mind some good. I always have a great writing session after knowing that in the morning, I’d been active.

Where can we find you online?

You can find me online at davidschembri.net, or look me up on my author page on Facebook. Tap me a message and share what you think of my work, I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for answering our questions.

Friday, 29 September 2023

Horror Anthology: Deborah Sheldon

Hi Deborah,

Why do you write horror?

During my 37-year-long career, I’ve written across most forms of media – from feature articles to TV scripts to non-fiction books to medical writing to various genres of prose fiction – and horror is simply the most fun. Horror has terrific depth and breadth. It offers so many different subgenres that, quite literally, you could never run out of ways to tell a story. Technically speaking, horror is the cornucopia. But from a personal perspective, horror interests me because I feel it’s the most authentic of all the genres. Life can be challenging, unfair, sometimes scary and painful, and always ends in death. Horror confronts the human condition head-on. It allows us to vicariously share, via the written page, the experience of being alive.

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

I’d been reading a lot of 19th-century horror authors such as M.R. James, Elizabeth Gaskell, and chiefly J. Sheridan Le Fanu. They seem to share a number of similar literary devices. What I enjoyed most about their stories is the emphasis on how normal, everyday things can become increasingly peculiar, which builds creepiness and a sense of menace. Inspired, I wanted to explore atypical horror elements, and write a few stories along the lines of a 19th-century ghost tale. “Cameo” was one of these stories. I’d actually been going through a rough patch at the time – including the sudden death of our pet – so I imbued the main characters with some of my ugly, messy, conflicted emotions. I played around with a couple of new techniques, and feel happy with how “Cameo” turned out.

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

Oh, there are far too many! If I can cheat, I’ll say that my favourite horror author (at the moment) is Robert E. Howard. In particular, his Solomon Kane stories are thrilling.

What books did you grow up reading?

When I was in primary school, some of my favourite reads included Nancy Drew mysteries and anything by Enid Blyton. During my teenage years, I became a fan of science fiction. I remember Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat series was a hoot!

Do you have any writing rituals?

Yes, because I’m disciplined. Typically, I work every second day, week in, week out. Some work days are necessarily about admin such as submissions, emails or business calls. But when I’m writing, I’m actually writing. On non-work days, I spend time mulling over my current story, usually while I’m showering, doing laundry, cooking, or trying to sleep. This means when I sit down at my computer, I’m ready to type. I always start by checking over and editing my previous day’s writing. Doing so warms me up and gets me in ‘flow’.

Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know yet?

When I was young, I loved drawing. However, I abandoned the hobby once professional writing took hold of me. In 2023, I reconnected with drawing as a way to relax. It’s gratifying to discover new skills and techniques while engaging a part of my brain that doesn’t (for once!) involve words.

Where can we find you online?

My website http://deborahsheldon.wordpress.com has all my latest news plus information about my novels, novellas, novelettes, short stories, flash and poems. There’s a newsletter too, if anyone feels like being in the running to win an ebook every couple of months. I have a Facebook page run on my behalf by a third party: https://www.facebook.com/people/Deborah-Sheldon/100063653647844/ My Goodreads profile includes an active blog. Feel free to send me a friend request: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3312459.Deborah_Sheldon And lastly, here’s my Amazon Author profile: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Deborah-Sheldon/author/B0035MWQ98

Thanks for answering our questions.

Friday, 22 September 2023

Horror Anthology: Angelique Fawns

Hi Angelique,

Why do you write horror?

I don’t deliberately write horror, but something happens when I sit down at my laptop. A dark fog settles in the room. My fingers start to dance of their own accord. Each storyline twists and veers as if an outside choreographer is directing a dark play. Perhaps the most hidden fears of my subconscious are screaming for release? Horror can be healing as well as thrilling.

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

There is nothing more fun than taking an old familiar trope and subverting it. Seth is the antithesis of your stereotypical vampire. He’s not gorgeous, nor does he have compelling power and superhuman strength. Instead, he’s a leechman who owns a pig farm but loves his animals too much to produce pork. Seth is fat, bald, lisps, and has a heart of gold.

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

There are tooo many to pick! My favorite genre is the short horror story, and few leap to mind as top contenders. Stephen King’s “The Mist.” Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.” Daniel Keye’s “Flowers for Algernon”— I could fill pages, but you get the idea.

What books did you grow up reading?

Stephen King. Margaret Atwood. Dean R. Koontz. Anne McCaffrey. Jeffery Archer. Any dystopian YA series I could get my hands on. Hunger Games, Divergent, Uglies...

Do you have any writing rituals?

I wish I did. My ritual is usually frantic typing when I can squeeze in a minute around my television promo-producing day job, running a horse farm, and hauling my daughter to rodeos all over Ontario. Sometimes, the only way to get anything done is to steal away to the local pub, tuck into a quiet corner, and finally let a nagging story fall onto the page. With a cold glass of chardonnay of course.

Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know yet?

Though I’ve sold over 40 short stories, I've had a thousand rejections to get there.

Where can we find you online?

I have a blog where I post monthly open submission calls in the speculative genre that pay with no fees at www.fawns.ca/blog. I’ve tried to maximise success and understanding of conquering the short fiction world by interviewing publishers and authors either at horrortree.com, or on my podcast Read Me A Nightmare. In fact, if you want to learn more about the editor of this anthology, check out my one-on-one with Cameron Trost here, https://www.fawns.ca/2023/06/20/cameron-trost-and-black-beacon-books/

Friday, 15 September 2023

Horror Anthology: Elizabeth Broadbent

Hi Elizabeth,

Why do you write horror?

I write horror because it's a space for experimental, strange, and liminal fiction. Southern Gothic without it is boring. My favorite novelists all play with experimental structure: Faulkner,
Marquez, Melville. While I love writing gorgeous prose, playing with structure is my favorite.

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

It's part of my favorite sandbox, a town called Lower Congaree. Like Faulkner, I made up a county (his is in Mississippi; mine is in South Carolina), complete with maps, genealogies, and consistent characters. The Merle family of witches plays a starring role in most of my works—while Ella Lee's story was my first, her mother Jane appears in For Thine is the Kingdom, published in Ghostlight: The Magazine of Terror. Ella Lee's story continues in A Burning Thing, published by Tree and Stone. I have her birth story yet unpublished. Her daughter, Talitha, stars in my novels The Swamp-Child (currently in final edits) and Mother of Ghosts (my work-in-progress).

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

Stephen King's The Long Walk and Firestarter have always stuck with me. Of course, I love A Rose for Emily and To Kill a Mockingbird. I'll argue til I'm blue in the face that Moby Dick and Absalom, Absalom! are horror novels, and they're my all-time favorites.

What books did you grow up reading?

I read all the typical kids books, like the Narnia series, but my parents never cared what I read, so I spent most of my formative years digging through Stephen King, Christopher Pike, and Anne Rice. My very favorite book was Pat Conroy's The Prince of Tides, which I read when I was eleven. It's the only book my mother ever took from me, so I never forgot it. I was floored by his language. I wanted to be a writer from the time I was five, and I thought, "I want to write like that."

Do you have any writing rituals?

Daily, early, and often, in my dining room converted a writing room.

Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know yet?

People think I made up the demonic Congaree Swamp. I didn't. It's real, and it's haunted as all hell. You can feel the malevolent energy at night, and it's probably the scariest place I've ever been. I also had a long career in journalism before I started writing spec fic in June 2022. I've been published in The Washington Post, Insider, and Time Magazine; I've also appeared on every major news network in America, including National Public Radio (other than Fox; I said no to them) and BBC World News. Most recently, one of my essays was commissioned by The Daily Mail.

Where can we find you online?

I live at www.writerelizabethbroadbent.com, but I'm also on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads as @eabroadbent; Bluesky is @elizabethbroadbent.bsky.social.

Thanks for answering our questions.

Thursday, 7 September 2023

Horror Anthology: An Interview with Sam Dawson

Hi Sam,

Why do you write horror?

Because that’s what I started with and I suspect it’ll never release its grasp. I’ve written history and a (not yet published) non-horror novel, but every time I turn to a new short story some twisted element to the situation will always present itself and request inclusion.

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

The Floppy Man was a character I used to scare friends with when telling stories in my teens. Later, when I finally had the confidence to write something he sprang to mind. The original Morris Dancers were at a badly chosen countryside pub which turned out to be a hunt meeting place, and it took a while to separate in my mind the one harmless tradition from the other, anything but, one.

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

If you’d asked me years ago, maybe, but there’s such a fantastic canon of both classic and new work out there now that it would be invidious to choose just one or two.

What books did you grow up reading?

Anything that was at hand, and luckily, something always was. Boyhood favourites included Biggles, John Buchan and Alistair Maclean, historical stories, classics, A Century of Creepy Stories and similar ghost anthologies from the 1930s. By age 11, thanks to school, I’d been exposed to Dickens, Conrad, George Orwell and Laurie Lee, and at home had just discovered Poe. From there on it just got better and better.

Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know yet?

On paper, I’d rather not. In good company, maybe after a drink or two, probably yes.

Where can we find you online?

https://www.facebook.com/sam.dawson.31924

Thanks for answering our questions.

Thursday, 31 August 2023

Horror Anthology: An Interview with Matthew R. Davis

Hi Matthew,

Why do you write horror?

Stephen King’s answer comes to mind: Why do you assume I have a choice? It’s not something I pursued intentionally; this is just how it turned out. When I was younger, I wrote more comedic things, or action stories that were all battle, all the time…but I always had a yen for the darkness, at least in fictional terms. When I wrote my first “adult” short stories at fourteen – tales that featured entirely made-up characters and didn’t blatantly reflect my inspirations – they were horror stories: “Dark Side” had a schoolgirl flipping over into a grim, shadowy parallel world populated with living shadows and heart-eating demons, and “Storm Drain” followed a teenager’s accidental descent into the titular structure to discover the corpses of two missing girls and a horrible answer to how both they and he got there. The die was cast…

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

I suppose there is. I worked day and night at the Royal Adelaide Show last year as a box office supervisor, and as I wandered around the showgrounds and took in the spectacle, I thought: there’s a story here. (This happens a lot.) I didn’t want to head in a spooky-carnival, haunted-ride direction, so what other angle could I take? It wasn’t long before Ruby appeared in my mind, back in the last place she ever wanted to be and struggling with horrific past trauma as everyone else blithely had fun around her, and the story spun out from there. I might as well point out that, unusually for me, “Ruby’s Syzygy” includes not one but two possible author cameos! The ticket seller in the first paragraph wasn’t explicitly intended to be me, but if you squint, he could well be – and one of the songs on the ghost train’s playlist is “Cemetery Girl”, a theremin-laced graveyard waltz from Champagne Tragedy, the first Blood Red Renaissance album, which was entirely written by me. That reference was a placeholder that I forgot to take out before submission, so there you go… a version of me exists in Ruby’s universe!

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

Just one? You’re kidding, right?

What books did you grow up reading?

Amongst other things: Little Golden Books, various comics, Doctor Who novelisations, Ray Bradbury, and Arthur C. Clarke; as I entered my teens, Dungeons & Dragons novels, Raymond E. Feist, Christopher Pike, Stephen King, and Dean Koontz; and from there, everything!

Do you have any writing rituals?

No, I don’t. I just make the time, figure out what I’m doing, and sit down to let my fingers fly. I’ve written flash fiction on my phone whilst sitting on my partner’s couch, and I’ve edited a novel on my laptop whilst sitting in my car at the beach or on a bench in a park. You just get it done however you can.

Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know yet?

We’ve already done this question in another interview, but hey, I’m so obscure I can answer this a dozen times over, so here goes: when I was fifteen, I was so clueless about my future (excepting the whole rock star/horror novelist thing) that when a guidance counsellor asked me what job I could see myself doing, I replied, “Police officer?” Holy shit, dude.

Where can we find you online?

Where you least expect me. You might Google my name, and then, by doing so, you’ve called to me. It doesn’t take an old whistle to bring me to you; just a thought will do. Does your shadow feel thicker, the hairs on the back of your neck more tense and alert? I could be behind you right now. Don’t look – it’s safer if you don’t look. Maybe I’ll get bored and go visit someone else. Maybe.

Thanks for answering our questions.

Saturday, 26 August 2023

Horror Anthology: An Interview with Kev Harrison

Hi Kev,

Why do you write horror?

I grew up with irresponsible parents who let me watch horror movies and raid my dad’s library of novels by Herbert and King, and a whole collection of The Unexplained magazine at a too young age. I first wrote a scary story for a talent show on a school camp at the end of middle school. Lots of the other kids stayed up all night, refusing to turn their lanterns off. The teachers were furious, but I was delighted. That really flicked a switch in my head.

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

The Choir is a story I wrote a couple years ago now. It was one that, when I sent it to beta readers, they all came back saying it was perhaps the best short of mine they’d read. But the length and the fact it has a lot of central themes meant that it wasn’t a good fit for a lot of venues. So, I’ve been waiting for the right home for it to come along. I’m delighted I now have done.

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

My favourites tend to change almost as often as my socks. One which always sticks with me is Michael Griffin’s short novella, Hieroglyphs of Blood and Bone. Something about the weird and the mundane meeting, symbols for the reader to decode (or not), the ambiguous nature of so much of it just hits exactly the right spot for me. I think about how I felt when reading that story often.

What books did you grow up reading?

My first horror novel was The Rats by James Herbert, followed by Salem’s Lot and It. I was young enough that some of the nuances were doubtless lost on me. But I also liked fairytale-like stories such as Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats of Nimh, or the grotesquery and dark humour of the work of Roald Dahl.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I used to have a few, but life changes in response to the pandemic meant that I really had to ditch them and learn to write in those pockets of time I had, whenever they cropped up. I still prefer to be sitting in my Poang chair in my lounge with a cold drink and some instrumental mood music playing, but if thirty minutes on a rickety train is all I have, then I’ll pop my earphones in and do what I can with that.

Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know yet?

When I was at university in the West Midlands of England, I worked in a Poundstretcher store selling cheap products as a way to earn beer money. While there, I learned that a ghost lived in the attic storage area. It would open bottles of knock off buttercup syrup cough medicine and throw it all over the walls when there were only two of us in the building, both downstairs. The smell was awful.

Where can we find you online?

My Twitter/X handle is @LisboetaIngles, my website is www.kevharrisonfiction.com – do reach out, I’m very friendly.

Thanks for answering our questions.

Sunday, 20 August 2023

Horror Anthology: An Interview with Edward Lodi

Hi Edward,

Why do you write horror?

Human beings feel pain—often agonizing pain. They fear death and the loss of loved ones. Knowing their vulnerability to pain, and knowing the certainty of death in an uncaring universe, they seek solace—some in religion, others in philosophy. Others choose to confront their fears, to somehow allay them, by reading horror, and a few by writing it.

Is there a story behind your story in The Black Beacon Book of Horror?

At the age of twenty-one (many decades ago) I found myself in Puerto Rico participating in a program based on British Outward Bound training, the purpose of which is to teach survival techniques. One day a group of us rather foolishly decided to explore a recently discovered cave that had been uncovered by a small landslide. On the side of a mountain, the cave was accessed by lowering oneself down a narrow passage. Once inside the cave, we found ourselves ankle-deep in bat guano. But what I most vividly remember are the cave spiders, huge, the size of baseballs (or so it seemed). In all the years since, I have never encountered spiders that even came close to those suckers. As for setting: For many years my wife and I were frequent visitors to Maine. Friends of ours bought an old sea-captain’s house in Belfast and invited us to stay for a few days. The house, though not as isolated, is the inspiration for the house in my story.

Do you have a favourite horror story?

Childhood impressions last a lifetime. I would have to say Dracula.

What books did you grow up reading?

A voracious reader, I devoured hundreds of books. My fondest memories are of the science fiction magazines readily available in my youth.

Do you have any writing rituals?

No. I wish I did. I might then write more.

Tell us something we don't know about yourself.

I quit my job teaching English at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, and for a brief period lived the life of a hippie in San Francisco. I loved San Francisco, and wearing shoulder-length hair, but had no interest in other aspects of the hippie “scene,” so I returned to Massachusetts, taught part-time for a couple of years at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, then (having only a Masters degree) became a social worker.

Thanks for answering our questions!

Saturday, 12 August 2023

Horror Anthology: An Interview with David Turnbull

Hi David,

Why do you write horror?

In simple terms because I am huge fan of the horror genre. I read it. I watch it on TV. I go to see it in cinemas. Probably all caused by watching episodes of the Twilight Zone and Friday night horror films on TV when I was growing up.

Is there a story behind your story in this anthology?

I’m claiming back Halloween for its Celtic roots. Trick of Treat didn’t start in America and get exported across the world. It started with the guisers in Scotland, Ireland and Wales. But the guisers in my story come from another world entirely, and the tricks they play are pretty unsettling.

Do you have an all-time favourite horror tale?

I suppose it would have to be Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. I love the way Ray Bradbury writes and the motif of a sinister fairground visiting a small town is the perfect mix of the ordinary tainted by the uncanny. A book that scared me was The Rats by James Herbert, because it seemed plausible and possible. I remember reading the part where one of the characters is on a London Underground platform. He hears a thunderous roar coming from the tunnels, accompanied by a strong gush of air. But it is not an approaching train he’s hearing. It’s a ravenous horde of fresh eating rodents. Even now, many years later, I can’t sit on a tube station platform without getting a flashback of the imagery of that scene.

What books did you grow up reading?

I was an avid reader of the Pan Book of Horror Stories series. Those really got me into a love of short stories, particularly horror stories.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I usually write stuff at my PC sometime during the day and then edit it in bed on my laptop first thing in the morning.

Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know yet?

I have recently qualified as a guide with the Lambeth Tour Guides Association and I have developed a number of walks which take in film and TV locations as well as writers and novels associated with different part of South East London.

Where can we find you online?

www.tumsh.co.uk
https://fiction4all.com/writerdavidturnbull.htm
https://lambethfantastical.blogspot.com/

Thanks for answering our questions!

Saturday, 11 March 2023

The Black Beacon Book of Horror: Release Date and Table of Contents

We're proud to announce the contributing authors and stories for The Black Beacon Book of Horror. This is going to be huge! The anthology will be published on Friday the 13th of October so everyone can grab an ebook or print copy in the lead-up to Halloween.

Now, are you ready to discover the line-up?

Drum roll...

The Guisers by David Turnbull
The House on the Bluff by Edward Lodi
The Choir by Kev Harrison
Ruby's Syzygy by Matthew R. Davis
Humus by Sam Dawson
Questions a Man Ought Not to Ask by Elizabeth Broadbent
Marjorie by Meg Belviso
Children of Blood by Greg Chapman
Quiver by Angelique Fawns
Cameo by Deborah Sheldon
The Great Invocation by David Schembri
Dominion by Jeff Wood
Divine Liquor by C.C. Adams
Landslide by Harris Coverley
Holiday Home by Cameron Trost
Her Mother's Lullaby by Micah Castle

For the first time ever, this anthology includes stories by both the cover artist, Greg Chapman, and the man behind our logo, David Schembri.

Monday, 27 February 2023

Cover Reveal: The Black Beacon Book of Horror

Our Patreon patrons have already seen it as part of their exclusive benefits, and now it's your turn. Behold Greg Chapman's cover for our very first anthology dedicated solely to horror stories, The Black Beacon Book of Horror! Submissions close tomorrow (the 28th of February) but we already know that this book will be teeming with eerie folk horror, mind-bending cosmic terror, and creepy psychological dread. Expect more news, including the announcement of the table of contents and the anticipated publication date, to be revealed by the end of March.

Is that a shiver of excitement running down your spine...or one of terror foretold?

Friday, 25 November 2022

Submissions Window: The Black Beacon Book of Horror

Our next submissions window will be for "The Black Beacon Book of Horror".

The submissions window will be from the 1st of January to the 28th of February, 2023.

Patreon patrons are invited to submit effective immediately.

Oh, the horror! But what kind of horror do we want?

We want your very best horror stories in keeping with the themes and styles that make Black Beacon Books stand out from the pack. If you don't know what that means, you probably haven't read any of our previous titles...we strongly suggest you do so. In short, our passion is for great plots, evocative settings, suspense and atmosphere, and clever twists. We want that creeping feeling of unease that grows to a spine-chilling climax. In terms of horror subgenres, these are what are most likely to tickle our fancies:

- Folk Horror (Black Beacon Books is based in Brittany and your editor loves all things Celtic and mystical, so folk horror from all around the world is likely to attract his attention)

- Psychological Horror (We are the monsters)

- Gothic Horror (Can you channel Shelley, Poe, Stoker, Gaskell or Le Fanu?)

- Weird Fiction / Lovecraftian (But it had better be original)

- Post-Apocalyptic (Make us fear the future)

We regularly post news on our Facebook page. You can also get a feel for what we like by buying our previously published titles. Publishing quality fiction is an expensive passion, so the more we sell, the more we can publish. It's that simple. Our cherished Patreon patrons also provide us with the means to keep producing quality books.

Pages

Thursday, 12 October 2023

Wednesday, 11 October 2023

Tuesday, 10 October 2023

Sunday, 8 October 2023

Wednesday, 4 October 2023

Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Friday, 29 September 2023

Friday, 22 September 2023

Friday, 15 September 2023

Thursday, 7 September 2023

Thursday, 31 August 2023

Saturday, 26 August 2023

Sunday, 20 August 2023

Saturday, 12 August 2023

Saturday, 11 March 2023

Monday, 27 February 2023

Friday, 25 November 2022