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May 27, 2010

Masters of Horror Anthology:
Interview with Mark Edward Hall

from Catherine Mede Writes

Lee was excited when he told me he had a story from Mark Edward Hall. When he forwarded Mark’s story, The Fear, to me to read, I ended up reading it in bed. It is the first time in a long time that I had a nightmare after reading. It was that good! So we wanted to know more about Mark and his writing...


Where did you come up with your anthology idea?

THE FEAR was a story idea that came from my novel, THE LOST VILLAGE. I don’t know about other writers but when I’m working on a novel I have all sorts of ideas that don’t get used in the book. They’re like lost children, stuff I write and later decide it wasn’t right for the book. Instead of deleting these gems I save them. Later on I turn some of them into stories. The Fear is one of those lost children. Sounds a little creepy when you consider the story.


How long did it take for you to put together your story?

Probably a couple of weeks.


Why did you submit your MoH story – was it one you have had for a while or one that you put together especially for the Anthology?

I submitted it because Lee was calling for submissions. I read that he was starting a new publishing company and thought he might like it. The story seemed to fit his guidelines. It was just hanging out in my hard drive collecting cyber dust. I hadn’t done anything with it so I said why not.


What research / preparation did you do for your story?

An entire novel's worth.


Who’s story are you most looking forward to reading? Why?

All of them. Because they all sound good.


Why do you write horror? What is the fascination in it for you?

I write horror because I don’t really have a choice. It is where my mind goes nearly every time I sit down to write, which, of course, is every day. I think horror tells us a lot more about the human condition than most genres because it strips everything away, gets down to the bare bones, to the very heart of the matter, which is our inevitable demise. People read horror for a variety of reasons. Some people like to be scared. To some it’s purely entertainment. Most people are fascinated by death and its myriad complexities. I don’t think I know anyone who won’t slow down at a traffic accident and try to get a look at the shape under the sheet. We look, we see, and then we exclaim in horror. But we still look, as if we are aching to see beneath death to what awaits us on the other side. To some extent horror is a rehearsal for the end, which we must all face sooner or later.


How long have you been writing?

My first short story was published in 1995. Before that I wrote songs and poetry. My first novel was published in 2003. So the answer is a long time.


Is writing your full time thing, or do you have a day job? What is it?

Writing is an almost a full time job for me. In my spare time I play in a rock ‘n roll band. It helps me keep my perspective. Maybe even my sanity.


Why do you write?

The same reason I write horror. I don’t feel that I have a choice. I’m driven by something I don’t have a clear understanding of.


What are you currently working on?

I’m just finishing up two new novels, a supernatural thriller called SOUL THIEF and a psychological thriller called CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO DIE. I’m also doing edits on my 2003 novel, THE LOST VILLAGE, which has been picked up by Damnation Books and will be out in September.


I write every day. I think it’s important to do so even if it’s only a few chapters or even paragraphs. Writers write. There’s not much else to say. I live in Maine with my wife Sheila. We have a good life. I can’t imagine doing anything else.


You can read The Fear in the Masters of Horror Anthology.



Music: On With the Show by Motley Crue.

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May 26, 2010

Masters of Horror Anthology:
Interview with Scott Goriscak

from Writer of the Horrific and Surreal

Scott Goriscak provided the story "Home Sweet Home" for the Masters of Horror anthology.


Where did you come up with your anthology idea?

I keep both a dream diary and an idea book. This story is just one of many I presently have in this book. I currently have more stories ideas than I have hours in a year to write. Writers block has never been an issue for me, time to write has always been my obstacle.


How long did it take for you to put together your story?

I wrote and completed my story over a weekend.


Why did you submit your MoH story – was it one you have had for a while or one that you put together especially for the Anthology?

I really feel at home here at MOH. I have made so many new friends and the creative conversations have been so influential to my writing that I wanted to be part of this project. I wrote it especially for the MOH anthology.


What research / preparation did you do for your story?

I like to use real everyday events in the life of the average person. I feel that writing this way then applying horror to the mix increases its eerie believability. I want people to be able to relate to my stories but also feel a bit disturbed by it when their finished. I want to create something that people will remember.


Who’s story are you most looking forward to reading? Why?

I am looking forward to reading all the stories in the anthology to see the different styles used by other authors in the MOH community.


Why do you write horror?

I always liked horror films, but over the years I have grown tired of all the remakes and sequels. I wanted to create stories that were new and original.


What is the fascination in it for you?

Watching a story I have written come alive. It's especially exciting when I pick up a book that I’ve published and reading it for the first time. I find it rewarding as I read and think to myself, “Wow did I write that!”


How long have you been writing?

Actively writing for the last two years


Is writing your full time thing, or do you have a day job?

Not my full time job. I wish I were able to write all day long. I would love to see what I could create without the responsibility of time constraints. I am employed by Bil Jac Pet Food, as the Territory Sales Manager for the Metro NY and Philadelphia PA. territories managing our product line in Petsmart, Petco, and independent store owners.


Why do you write?

I like to write because it relaxes me and allows me to create horror as I see it.


What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on nine different projects. The most important to me is a novel I started years ago entitled, “The Jersey Devil.” I have letters from both Viking/Penquin and Bantam/Doubleday asking for the submission. I am also writing four children’s books, one anthology novel, and three additional novels. All are in various stages of completion.


Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Scott. Much appreciated.


You can read Home Sweet Home in the Masters of Horror Anthology.



Music: The Longest Day by Iron Maiden

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May 25, 2010

Masters of Horror Anthology:
Interview with William Cook

from Writer of the Horrific and Surreal

Here is William Cook interviewed by Karen Johnson Mead for the anthology. William Cook is a writer from Wellington, New Zealand.


William provided "Devil Inside".


Where did you come up with your anthology idea?

My short story, ‘Devil Inside,’ was inspired by a common childhood fear of the Boogeyman. Memories of leaping onto the bed as a kid to avoid what I imagined was lurking beneath sparked the idea for my story. Someone said to me recently that ‘real horror is human in origin,’ not wanting to relinquish the grip of my imagination fully I have combined this notion with the nightmare of suburbia, seen through the eyes of a boy on the brink of manhood.


How long did it take for you to put together your story?

I wrote my story over the course of two evenings especially for the MOH Anthology.


What research / preparation did you do for your story?

Decades of wild flights of imagination and personal fears have prepared me for an expedition into the literary landscape of Horror. I am looking forward to getting my hands on the hardcopy version of the Anthology and saving it for a stormy night; each story will be savored individually and enjoyed as a whole upon completion. I’m sure I won’t be disappointed from what I have seen already.


Why do you write horror? What is the fascination in it for you?

I have just recently started writing Horror fiction. The scope and depth of the genre allows for unlimited flights of imagination and material. Aside from being a great way to exorcize (and exercise) personal demons, there is something tantalizing about creating a new thought or image that has the potential to invade a reader’s dreams and get the adrenaline pumping. It sounds idealistic but I believe that good writing should transport the reader to another realm in order to make the world, upon return, a better place to be. In my view well-crafted Horror fiction is the ultimate literary antidote for humdrum reality.


How long have you been writing?

I have been writing short fiction since the age of thirteen, this is my first published Horror story. I write part-time, whenever I can in between my duties as a full-time stay-at-home dad. I write to see my words on the page, to make the imaginary tangible. Hopefully others will like what they read and get some enjoyment from my writing.


What are you currently working on?

I am currently putting the finishing touches on a crime/horror novel manuscript, ready for submission in April. It is a story about a family of killers whose legacy snowballs down through the generations until its eventual realization, as seen through the eyes of the remaining family member. Essentially it is a serial killer novel with a new twist on the genre that will hopefully avoid tired clichés. I also do freelance illustration work in my spare time and maintain a blog or two. To view other examples of my writing see 3cagency.blogspot.com, for illustration work nzartist.blogspot.com.


You can read Devil Inside in the Masters of Horror Anthology.



Music: November Rain by Guns N' Roses.

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May 21, 2010

More Interviews from
Masters of Horror: The Anthology


It's been quite the ride so far with the interviews. If you haven't been keeping up we've had interviews with Jason Warden, Jennifer Brozek, Angel McCoy, Richard Barnes, K.K., and Joseph Mulak. Just stroll on back and read the ones you've missed or all of them. Once you're done with those and you need to get yourself a copy of the book, or a closer look at what's involved then you need to go to the Masters of Horror Anthology site.


There are more interviews to come. First, I'd like to thank the bloggers behind Catherine Mede Writes and Writer of the Horrific and Surreal for interviewing these authors. Not only did they do the interviews but I also worked with them on editing the anthology. That is our names over there on the cover. I'm very proud to have helped out and to carry these interviews. This is just the beginning.


The up coming interviews and their stories are:

A boy gets revenge on abusive adults in "Devil Inside" by William Cook.


It's a creepy "Home Sweet Home" for a man newly on his own after his marriage falls apart by Scott M. Goriscak.


Mark Edward Hall's "The Fear" makes a case against hunting for a lost relative.


Interviews

  • May 25: William Cook
  • May 26: Scott Goriscak
  • May 27: Mark Edward Hall


Music: Believe Me by Moist.

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May 20, 2010

Tune back in tomorrow for a schedule with
more interviews in this series.

Masters of Horror Anthology:
Interview with Joseph Mulak

from Writer of the Horrific and Surreal

Joseph Mulak contributed ""Wounds"" to the anthology.


Where did you come up with your anthology idea?

I'm not really sure. I initially had come up with an idea for a story intended for an anthology called "Appalachian Holiday Hauntings". Mainly, the story had to set around Christmas and be in the Appalachians. In an attempt to be different from everyone else who submitted stories, I set mine in Canada. I figured everyone else would set their stories in the Appalachian states. It seems many people don't realize the Appalachians also run through Canada. Specifically, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. I remembered a small little town in Nova Scotia called Ingonish that I visited as kid with my family, and vaguely remembered the Apps being nearby, so I chose to set the story there. I then came up with a couple who would be having some sort of argument unaware of a creature moving slowly toward their house. This was the basis for the story. The rest occurred to me as I wrote it. This story really surprised me, because there tends to be a lot of humour in my stories, but this one had no room for any humour in it. This is one of the more serious pieces I've written.


How long did it take for you to put together your story?

A very long time, really. When I wrote the first draft, I sent it out to a writer friend of mine who read it then sent me an email saying, "So what?" This story doesn't mean anything and the ending really doesn't have any significance to the story. There's nothing here." Okay, that's not exactly what he said, but it's the gist of it. So, I had to revamp it and rewrite. I sent it off to the editors for the Apps Holiday antho, and it got rejected. So, I revamped a lot more, changed a bunch of stuff until it was much better than it had been before. All total, I first began to write this story in August of 2009 and I finished it December 2009.


Why did you submit your MoH story - was it one you have had for a while or one that you put together especially for the Anthology?

Well, it was one I put together specifically for another anthology, really. I changed it with this anthology in mind, but the story pretty much just came to me as I wrote it. When I started I had the two main characters and the setting.


What research / preparation did you do for your story?

Since the story originally had to be in the Appalachian Mountains and I wanted it set in Canada, I spent a lot of time researching the best area. Turns out, I had one in my memory from vacations as a kid. Since my father is originally from Nova Scotia, we travelled there a lot in the summers. The town of Ingonish is where I intended the story to take place, and then I did a lot of research on the mountains in that specific area. White Hill was the mountain I decided to place the starting point of the creature that would make his way to the town.


Why do you write horror? What is the fascination in it for you?

I blame my mother for my love of horror. I was never allowed to watch horror movies as a kid, but I always wanted to since my friends got to see them. I was probably about 11 years old when I got to see my first horror movie (Nightmare on Elm Street) at a friend's house. I remember walking home that night and how scared I was. I loved it. I love the feeling of being frightened because it tends to heighten all of your senses. I love that feeling. My mother is also responsible for buying me my first horror novel, which was Stephen King's "The Dead Zone". I was probably 11 or 12 at the time and I was hooked on horror literature from then on.


How long have you been writing?

I wrote my first short story that I was really proud of in Grade 8. It was called "Lost And Found" and my teacher chose it to be read in front of the entire school. My first horror story was written in grade 10. I don't remember what I called it, but it was actually a rip off of "The Dead Zone". The first story I wrote that I was proud of was called "Confessions Of The Paranoid Man", which was written when I was 16. This was during the time I discovered Poe, and the story was very much along the same lines as what he wrote.


Is writing your full time thing, or do you have a day job? What is it?

Well, writing full-time is the dream, but until that happens I do have a day job. I am a security guard in a psychiatric hospital.


Why do you write?

I write because I can't see myself not writing. I love to tell stories and I love to see people's reactions to stories I've written.


What are you currently working on?

Way too much. I currently have one story still in the editing stage, two more that are in the first draft phase, and two more that are currently subbed out. I also have a YA fantasy novel that I'm writing for my kids, which is called "Serena's Lullaby" and I am outlining a horror/comedy novel that is tentatively called "Kitty".


So tell us something else about yourself.

Well, I live in the city of North Bay, Ontario. I'm 30 years old and married. I have four children and a cat that is aptly named Lucifer. I enjoy writing horror and fantasy but I have also written some mainstream stuff plus I have an idea for a Sci-Fi novel that I may write in the future. I have a pretty morbid sense of humour, which tends to creep up in my writing, and a lot of it comes out as horror/comedy, which suits me just fine since there doesn't seem to be enough of it in horror literature. I'm also an avid reader. I read an average of 2-3 books a week. More lately because I read at work (unless my boss is reading this, then I don't).


You can read The Wounds in the Masters of Horror Anthology.



Music: New Rose by Guns N' Roses.

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May 19, 2010

Masters of Horror Anthology:
Interview with K.K.

from Catherine Mede Writes

A bit about K.K.

In addition to writing I also act and do stand-up comedy (my next film is called "Love's A Killer", shooting this year) I own www.RockHerWorld.Net and have created a 'heavy metal think tank' called Focusgroup, whereby I'm hoping to promote news and knowledge of better health, wellness, political activism, debt reduction and wealth building, etc. I invite you and everyone else to visit and/or join www.focusgroup.ning.com. My new collection is called "Staplegun Logic: More Inhuman Resources" and it's available from Black BedSheet Books.


K.K. contributed "The Visitation" to the anthology.


Where did you come up with your anthology idea?

I think it was after reading news story #9,850,212 of "This Person's Marriage Is Horrible". I really think it's an outdated, ludicrous institution. But if it works for anyone, good on 'em.


How long did it take for you to put together your story?

Only a couple of days, this one just boiled out of me.


Why did you submit your MoH story - was it one you have had for a while or one that you put together especially for the Anthology?

It was in reserve. I actually didn't think it'd be accepted. I was working on several others but I didn't think I'd meet the MOH deadline.


What research / preparation did you do for your story?

None, it was wholly imaginary.


Who's story are you most looking forward to reading? Why?

All of them...All I know are the author's names and story titles, so I really don't know what's in store. I'm hoping everyone rocks my socks.


Why do you write horror? What is the fascination in it for you?

Horror's a release for me ...when I read or watch the news, I think, THAT'S horror. At least my work can't be duplicated. Plus I get to kick ass on paper instead of in public, which is better for the society at large.


How long have you been writing?

Since 2nd grade, off an on.


Is writing your full time thing, or do you have a day job? What is it?

I've been a laborer forever. To me, that's the job that really gives back to the world ...building schools, drilling wells, etc. The arts are really just an ego-stroke, when you think about it. You're basically just saying, "Look at me and what I did." Not that it's bad; the world could use more artists and fewer career criminals.


Why do you write?

The voices tell me to. That sounds flippant, but I really theorize that stories--or any creative project--are some sort of extra-dimensional intelligence trying to communicate through us. Tesla and a few other geniuses said they were receiving communications from Sirius that helped their inventions. Weird, eh?


What are you currently working on?

An antidrug horror novel called JAWBREAKER, a poetry collection, then FREAKOUT AT THE KK CORRAL, which will be a collection of 50 stories.


You can read The Visitation in the Masters of Horror Anthology.



Music: The Other Side by Aerosmith.

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May 18, 2010

Masters of Horror Anthology:
Interview with Richard Barnes

from Catherine Mede Writes

Richard Barnes is a NZ writer who has recently had a little success with his short stories, having also had a story published in the KiwiWriters Challenge Collection.


Now, he has had another short story, "Something Unpleasant", accepted in the Masters of Horror Anthology.


Where did you come up with your anthology idea?

I had a vague idea for a story around something nasty lurking in some isolated area in New Zealand – the original thought was perhaps a short novel with a cast of characters getting slowly picked off, but when I decided to use it for a short story I had to scale back the cast list. From there, I had to come up with a much stronger story for just a couple of characters – and in the exciting way that writing can go, I found that my characters had some more interesting things in the closet than I expected.


How long did it take for you to put together your story?

About a week! As the deadline loomed I was trying to finish two bigger short stories for competitions (that I’d taken about four or five months to write), but I just couldn’t let this one go either.


Why did you submit your MoH story – was it one you have had for a while or one that you put together especially for the Anthology?

As I said, I had vague thoughts about trying to do a horror novel, but the MoH anthology came along and the idea seemed suited to it.


What research / preparation did you do for your story?

I read some Stephen King short stories…I don’t really like unhappy endings, but going over Mr King’s work reminded me that a good story doesn’t have to finish with the good guys on top and the bad guys defeated.


Who’s story are you most looking forward to reading? Why?

Definitely Angel McCoy’s – "The Barnes Family Reunion" – what has she heard? It can’t be as horrific as the real thing though.


Why do you write horror? What is the fascination in it for you?

I’m more of a general sci-fi and fantasy writer, but slobbering, many tentacled monsters have a habit of turning up in my stories (as my Mum asks – why can’t I write something that isn’t weird?). I’ve always loved Stephen King and James Herbert, and when I got into comics Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing, Jamie Delano’s Hellblazer and Neil Gaiman’s Sandman combined fantasy and horror in some very strange ways.


How long have you been writing?

I’ve always occasionally dabbled, but the real kicker was back in 2001 when I won a short story competition run by the fantasy arm of Simon and Schuster in the UK. Since then, I have tried to get some discipline and write more often and with more purpose." Tried" is the optimum word here.


Is writing your full time thing, or do you have a day job? What is it?

If only…..no, I still have to pay the bills with a day job – being a Business Analyst means far more time with Excel than Word.


Why do you write?

It’s better than having this weird stuff rattling around in my head. Seriously, when I re-read "Something Unpleasant" I had to question what the hell is going on in the murky depths of my mind…


What are you currently working on?

One of my New Years resolutions for 2010 was to take my writing seriously and finish a decent first draft of a novel by the end of the year. It would help if I could decide what idea to go with. It’s a toss up between "Project Hades" – spooky hard-ish sci-fi, "True Cosmic" – space opera of hidden powers/ agenda but coming up fast on the outside is "Carrie Black is Dead", being the story of an embittered corpse and a ball of hate.


You can read Something Unpleasant in the Masters of Horror Anthology.



Music: Hammer to Fall by Queen.

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May 13, 2010

Masters of Horror Anthology:
Interview with Angel McCoy

from Writer of the Horrific and Surreal

Angel McCoy contributed "The Barnes Family Reunion" to the Masters of Horror Anthology.


Where did you come up with your anthology idea?

My story "The Barnes Family Reunion" started with an afternoon mind-stroll about the impact of certain French philosophers on young minds. Having studied French Literature in college, this is the kind of daydream that plays across my mind from time to time. At about the same time, I came across a picture of a house I lived in as a child. Many of the environmental elements of the story come from my own youth—like the apple tree and the 4-H barn at the local fair.


How long did it take for you to put together your story?

I worked and re-worked this story over the course of several months. I had the story written long before Triskaideka conceived the anthology. It had been sitting here waiting for the right home.


Why did you submit your MoH story – was it one you have had for a while or one that you put together especially for the Anthology?

When the call went out for stories for the anthology, I didn’t think I had a story to submit. Most of my fiction is tied up either in submissions or in publication. Three times, the anthology appeared on my radar, and at that point, I decided I’d better check and see if I had anything to submit. I found "The Barnes Family Reunion" lurking in a folder. I took it out, brushed it off, gave it a polish, and then sent it to Lee. I had procrastinated so long, I figured it would be too late, but I was happily wrong.


What research / preparation did you do for your story?

The research is my favorite part. For this particular story, I had to look up the most popular methods of suicide and what each act does to a body. Every method of death has certain physical repercussions. I found it fascinating to learn about different poisons and the reactions a body has to them. In addition, I got to reread a portion of one of my favorite books: Les Fleurs du Mal by Baudelaire. I translated the quotation used in the story myself, and that was quite a test of my rusty language skills


Who’s story are you most looking forward to reading? Why?

I’m really looking forward to reading all the stories by the women authors in the book: Jennifer Brozek, Carole Gill, Cassie Hart, and Karen Johnson Mead. The horror industry has historically been dominated by men, and so I’m thrilled to see so many female horror writers in a single anthology. Our numbers are increasing! (And, of course, I’m also really looking forward to reading all the stories.)


Why do you write horror? What is the fascination in it for you?

I was infected by horror when I was a kid, and I’ve never managed to shake it. It has metastasized into my bones. It’s the adrenaline and the opportunity horror gives for epic word use. There’s nothing more satisfying than finding exactly the right combination of words to describe seeping blood.


How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing professionally for about 18 years. I’ve been a writer since birth. I was actively trying to earn love with my writing as early as grade school. If you believe in past lives, as I do, then you’ll get it when I say, I was a starving writer in a past life, and am just continuing what I started back then—hopefully with a little more income and definitely a little less red wine than last time.


Is writing your full time thing, or do you have a day job? What is it?

Writing is my full-time thing and, yes, I have a day job. I write for ArenaNet, a game company that makes the Guild Wars series of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). I’m part of a team that is writing dialogue and lore, and designing characters, world, and gameplay for the upcoming Guild Wars 2.


Why do you write?

I don’t know. I just do. I always have written, and I always will. Even when making no money at it, I write. It’s who I am. I will tell you, however, that there’s NOTHING more rewarding than getting a sincerely good reaction from someone who has read your work. That’s better than ice cream.


What are you currently working on?

I’m currently putting the finishing touches on my first novel, whose working title is "Chasing the Crazy." It’s about a woman with schizophrenia whose hallucinations are becoming real and killing people, but she’s the only one who can see them.


So tell us something about yourself.

Hi! I live at the edge of nowhere, on the shores of the Puget Sound where killer whales and deep-water sharks roam. I’m extremely busy, working a full-time job as a game designer/writer, imagining short fiction and a novel, and serving as head editor at WilyWriters.com (spec fic podcasts). I have three cats (Boo, Simon, & Lapiz Lasuli) who have the daunting job of reminding me to look away from the laptop and laugh more. They’re my saviors. Look me up at my website: www.AngelMcCoy.com! Be sure to friend me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter!


You can read The Barnes Family Reunion in the Masters of Horror Anthology.



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May 12, 2010

Masters of Horror Anthology:
Interview with Jennifer Brozek

from Catherine Mede Writes

Jennifer Brozek is a freelance author for many RPG companies including Margaret Weis Productions, Rogue Games and Catalyst Game Labs. Her contributions to RPG sourcebooks include Dragonlance, Colonial Gothic, Shadowrun, Serenity and White Wolf SAS. She has also co-authored three books including Dragonvarld Adventures with Margaret Weis. Author of In a Gilded Light (Dark Quest Books, 6/2010), she is published in several anthologies, is the creator and editor of the semiprozine, The Edge of Propinquity, and is a submissions editor for the Apex Book Company. When she is not writing her heart out, she is gallivanting around the Pacific Northwest in its wonderfully mercurial weather. Jennifer is a member of Broad Universe, SFWA and HWA. She also blogs on a regular basis on LiveJournal – jennifer-brozek.livejournal.com


Jennifer contributed "Cost of Job Security" to the Masters of Horror Anthology. I asked her some questions about writing and inspiration.


Where did you come up with the idea for the story in the anthology?

My husband and I were at GenCon in 2008. Our hotel was connected to the convention center but only through the intervening mall. Late one night, we headed back to our hotel to discover that while the door between the convention center and the mall was open, the door between the mall and the hotel was closed and locked. By the time we got back to the convention center, that door was also closed and locked. My husband, being the intrepid sort led me through the "employees only" back halls to find an exit. The contrast between the shiny stores and the dingy back hallways suck with me. Eventually, "The Cost of Job Security" blossomed in my mind.


What is it about your main character that you like? Dislike?

In my mind, the main character in this story is Mark, the head security guard. He’s worked at the mall for years and he knows that the mall consumes someone 4-5 times a year. I like the fact that he has made peace with his situation. In his mind, he really has no other choice. All he knows is that his mall eats people and while he works there, he is safe. What I don’t like is the fact that he is not willing to go beyond that. Part of me thinks of him as someone who gives up easily. Then again, it is hard to combat something as esoteric as a mall that eats people.


What made you write a horror story?

I am the kind of author who writes my demons away. If something bothers me, I write a story about it. Once on the page, whatever was bothering me leaves me alone. I also like to write out "what if" stories. As it happens, I have a very twisted sense of the world. I can see monsters in everyday things.


What inspires you in your writing?

Literally everything. It is hard to answer this question in a meaningful way. In my forthcoming collection, In a Gilded Light: 105 Tales of the Macabre (Dark Quest Books, May 2010), I put down my inspiration for the story at the bottom. Everything from a late handyman to a song to a bowl of soup to a detour sign inspired me to write a story.


How long have you been writing?

Professionally and getting paid for it? 6 or 7 years. But I’ve been writing stories for much longer than that. I started with RPG reviews, moved into magazine fiction and RPG world building and now I do fiction, editing, RPG world building and anything else that catches my fancy.


Why do you write?

Why does anyone do anything? I write because I love to write and because I have stories to tell.


What horror books / authors do you like / respect / admire?

The top of my list of favorite authors are Stephen King and Neil Gaiman. I want to become their literary unholy love child. Following them is a plethora of authors: Steve Perry (Matadora series), Dean Koontz (Odd Thomas series), Seanan McGuire (Toby Daye series), Cherie Priest (Eden Moore series), Michael Moorcock (Elric series) and the list goes on. Between my husband and me, we own well over a thousand books. Also, Ellen Datlow is a favorite editor of dark/horror anthologies.


You can read Cost of Job Security in the Masters of Horror Anthology.



Music: Pressure Drop by Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds.

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May 11, 2010

Masters of Horror Anthology:
Interview with Jason Warden

from Catherine Mede Writes

Jason Warden is one of the contributors of the Masters of Horror Anthology. You can visit his site at ShadowCast Audio.


What was the inspiration behind your story Once Seen?

My story was inspired by a combination of several H.P. Lovecraft stories, but mostly just the overarching theme of his work. That being, in my view, that the quest for knowledge may lead to our own demise.


How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing for about ten years, writing well for about a year, and writing Horror more or less the whole time. More and more often, whether on purpose or not, I find myself including some form of Science Fiction in my Horror.


When did you first decide that Horror was your thing?

I’ve always loved Horror, it has always resonated with me as a particularly powerful medium because fear is the basis for almost every decision we make in our lives. Feeding off that and playing into it only seems natural to me.


What other genre do you enjoy?

Science Fiction, Bizarro/Surreal, Speculative


Do you enjoy scaring people?

I do, as a kid in a small town we didn’t have a lot to do, so we made our own fun. Often that consisted of sneaking out at night and tying objects (usually a purse) to fishing line and setting it in the road. It wasn’t long before someone would stop to investigate, at which point we’d pull it away. There are few things as great as watching someone jump out of their skin.


What is your darkest fear?

Loss of self or to say it another way loss of free will.


What are your writing goals?

To be a recognized and regularly published author, if not in the mainstream then within the genre.


Do you have a novel on the go? Short Story?

I have the makings of a novel and many many short stories that are working on me, or rather, that I’m working on.


You can read Once Seen in the Masters of Horror Anthology, out April 2010.



Music: Action by Sweet.

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May 7, 2010

Welcome to a special edition of Inchoate Ascendant™. This month is going to be very special here with a different and advanced schedule. I am an editor at a wonderful new place called Triskaideka Books. I helped select and did editing work on an anthology that is now available in print and e-book versions. Below is the information on the anthology. After that I have listed a schedule for interviews from the collection's authors to be posted here on this site. Please keep up with them and of course buy yourself a copy of this amazing book. Thank you.


Masters of Horror: The Anthology



Welcome to a world hidden behind the blinds of reality, a landscape waiting to be molded into a thing of pain and torture.

This anthology is not for the faint-hearted. The ideas, themes, and disturbing images portrayed within these pages will send your brain into overdrive on the road to madness. This book is guaranteed to rob you of sleep at night by bringing you the nightmare you've most feared...


Carole Gill's "Truth Hurts," where a woman writing about douchey vampires gets her comeuppance.


A man is seduced by the lamia in "Ladies of the Scale" by Bob Morgan Jr.


Lee Pletzer's "Teeth" will make you think twice about taking your son fishing again.


A boy gets revenge on abusive adults in "Devil Inside" by William Cook.


We go on a Lovecraftian journey with Jason Warden's amazing story, "Once Seen."


K.K.'s "The Visitation" will have you shuddering.


Mark Edward Hall's "The Fear" makes a case against hunting for a lost relative.


Joseph Mulak's "Wounds" evil deeds for the right reasons.


Angel Leigh McCoy's "The Barnes Family Reunion"


One of my favorite parts of the book is the unrestrained gore, but if psychological is your thing, you'll also find compelling stories within. When this book comes out, any horror fan would be a fool not to get a copy ~ A. R. Braun


The one thing that stands out about this anthology is that no two stories are the same. Yes, they are horror, but each one brings in a new tasty scary delight. Triskaideka Books has done an amazing job of bringing all this talent into one anthology. There is no anthology out such as this and one that needs to be on everyone's bookshelf at one time or another. Jumping into this world of darkness only brings forward the most compelling and interesting tales seen in a long time. It is worth the read and worth keeping for years to come ~ Shells Walter, Sonar4


More info: Avaliable here.

Paperback Release Date: 23-04-10. Only $9.99 (two week special). 12.99 after that.

E-version available from Smashwords.com for only $1.99



Interviews

  • May 11: Jason Warden
  • May 12: Jennifer Brozek
  • May 13: Angel McCoy
  • May 18: Richard Barnes
  • May 19: KK
  • May 20: Joseph Mulak

Music: Princes of the Universe by Queen.

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Robert G. Male
Name: Robert G. Male
Location: Ontario, Canada
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