Horror Channel’s UK TV premieres for September are two films that scored high on the terror-scale when they screened at FrightFest 2012. Dubbed ‘the Wicker Man for the Harry Brown generation’, COMMUNITY is a fine example of the growing trend in home-grown urban horror and THE INSIDE marks the impressive directorial debut of Irish actor Eoin Macken, who played Sir Gawaine in the hit BBC TV series ‘Merlin’.
Plus…Cabin Fever hits Horror Channel with the Network premieres of Eli Roth’s directorial debut CABIN FEVER and Ti West’s follow-up CABIN FEVER 2: SPRING FEVER...
Also, there is a double slice of Retro horror, courtesy of Hammer Horror: FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL, starring Peter Cushing, and cult classic CAPTAIN KRONOS: VAMPIRE HUNTER
22:50 Sat Sept 7 – COMMUNITY (2012) * UK TV PREMIERE
Two student filmmakers visit the notorious Draymen estate in the hope their proposed documentary will land them a lucrative career. But they quickly discover that the estate is a breeding ground for the darker side of society - which will present the students with material of unimaginable horror. Directed by Jason Ford and starring Elliott Jordan, Terry Bird, Ian Ralph & Oliver Stark.
22:45 Sat Sept 14 – THE INSIDE (2010) * UK TV PREMIERE
A group of girls celebrate one of their mates’ birthdays in an abandoned Dublin warehouse but things quickly go wrong when, first, they are terrorized by a group of violent vagrants and then have to cope with a far worse threat when they come under attack by a supernatural horror. Directed by Eoin Macken and starring Emmett Scanlan, Tereza Srbova, Karl Argue, Kellie Blaise and Siobhan Cullen.
22:55 Sat Sept 21 – CABIN FEVER (2002) NETWORK PREMIERE
Recoil in disgust, laugh out loud and be scared rigid by director Eli Roth's hardcore feature debut – a splatter-filled and expertly crafted bloodbath about the gut-wrenching devastation inflicted by a flesh-eating virus on a group of holidaying graduates. A love-letter to 70’s American horror, Roth’s entry into the genre’s premiere division stars Jordan Ladd, Rider Strong and James DeBello
22:50 Sat Sept 28 – CABIN FEVER 2: SPRING FEVER (2009) NETWORK PREMIERE
The flesh-eating virus that consumed a group of hapless college vacationers back in 2003 returns to crash a high school prom in director Ti West's gore-drenched sequel to the Eli Roth original. The Lost star Marc Senter joins a cast featuring Larry Fessenden, Giuseppe Andrews, Mark Borchart, and Rider Strong - who seems to have successfully sweated out his original case of Cabin Fever.
23:10 Fri Sept 6 – FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL (1973) NETWORK PREMIERE
In the last of the Hammer Frankenstein films, the original mad doctor is back and plying God once more, this time hiding out in an insane asylum, so that he can continue his experiments with reanimating the dead. Directed by Hammer veteran Terence Fisher, it stars Peter Cushing, in the title role, with Shane Briant, David Prowse, Madeline Smith and Caroline Munro. it was director Fisher's last film.
22:55 Fri Sept 13 – CAPTAIN KRONOS - VAMPIRE HUNTER (1974) NETWORK TV PREMIERE
Considered one of the last great Hammer films, this swash-buckling vampire yarn, features a master swordsman, a former soldier and his hunchbacked assistant who hunt vampires, became a cult classic. Written and directed by Brian Clemens, it stars Horst Janson in the title role, along with John Carson, Shane Briant and Caroline Munro. It was originally the pilot for a planned television series.
TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138
www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel
Monday 19 August 2013
Sunday 11 August 2013
Interview with Darren R. Scothern
By David Kempf
Darren R. Scothern is an English author and poet. He was born in Sheffield in 1965, and had an average working class education before graduating from The Open University with a first-class honours degree in literature.
He describes himself variously as an author, poet, atheist, rationalist, sceptic and armchair revolutionary.
After finding some success in the small presses, Darren made a breakthrough into the American paperback market, when his award-winning science fiction story 'The Key to Heaven's Gate' was included in The Best Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction of 2009, published by the Absent Willow Review.
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Tell us how you became interested in writing
Oh, this is a sad story of regret and wasted opportunities! As a child, I was very 'forward' with reading and writing. I was doing both fluently long before starting school, long before other kids my age. The first story I ever wrote, I was probably five or six years old. It was my retelling of 'Androcles and the Lion', and finished with the lion giving a big happy roar! Stories just fascinated me. I think it was the fact that I could escape into fantasy from what was a very unhappy childhood.
I soon got hooked on Marvel and DC comics. Marvel in particular fired my imagination. I was fortunate that a friend of our family had been collecting Marvel comics for years, and he had all the collectors items, the first appearances of Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and so on. I was blown away, and all I ever wanted as a career from that point was to write and draw Marvel comics. Somehow, I got it into my head that the way in would be as an artist, and that I could progress to writing later. I had zero natural talent for drawing, but I worked and worked at it, and by the time I was eighteen, I could draw superheroes really well. I couldn't draw anything else, mind. And somehow, by that time, writing had been completely forgotten about. Then at age eighteen, I became a father. For the next eighteen years of my life, my sole focus was on being the best dad I could be. That meant getting a 'sensible' job, and being able to pay the bills. Any ambitions of writing or drawing for a career were put on hold. As I got older, my interest in superheroes gradually waned, but the desire to write re-emerged, and was always bubbling away in the background. Unfortunately, I was surround by a lot of naysayers at that time in my life, and I fell for their negative image of me, completely lost confidence in myself, and gave up on my ambitions.
It was when I hit my mid-thirties, with my son grown into a fine young man, that I started to think, 'Hey, if I don't have a go at this writing thing, I'll never be happy.' So I started work on some short stories...
Why horror fiction?
I always loved horror movies. As a kid, I used to stay up late and watch the old Hammer movies on 'Appointment With Fear'. Back in those days, any attempts to portray superheroes on TV, whether live action or animated, were pretty awful. But horror movies could more often hit the mark. I used to read some ghost stories as well, but mainly, horror for me was on the screen. Until someone lent me a copy of Stephen King's 'Firestarter'. That changed everything for me. It was probably the first time I understood horror as a metaphor, and the first time I came across a horror in which the characters were more important than the central 'evil'. From that point, I read a lot of horror, but perhaps not that widely. I had no time for James Herbert or Shaun Hutson, and so on. But Stephen King, Peter Straub, Brian Lumley, etc, they just thrilled me.
I also read other stuff - some SF, fantasy, general fiction and so on. But I just seemed to have an affinity for horror.
Has writing for mastersofhorror.co.uk helped you improve your craft?
I think that what most writers crave, at heart, is validation. You write for your readers, and you want a reaction. You want your readers to love what you write, but if not, then you'll settle for them hating it. What you don't want is a lukewarm reaction. You don't want to be ignored; you want to know that you have pushed someone's buttons. When you're starting out as a writer, this can be difficult. As an unknown, how do you reach people? Masters of Horror was a huge help. It was an outlet for my writing, it allowed me to gauge the reaction of readers, and gave me an actual web presence at which I could point new readers.
Suddenly, I had a new element on my CV. I have only warm and positive feelings for MOH.
After achieving a certain amount of mainstream success, why would you choose the Amazon self publishing route?
Let me tell you about some of the submissions I made to various publishers. I once wrote a short SF story called 'The Key to Heaven's Gate.' I thought I had a pretty good story. Now, when you submit a piece to publishers, you always steel yourself for rejection; that's just the way of life for a writer. Usually, when you get a rejection, it's just a standard slip, and I had many of those for this particular story. Then one day, I got a very personalised rejection. The editor in question sent me a two page email, absolutely trashing my story. He hated it. After so many rejections topped by this outburst, I decided I obviously wasn't being objective about this particular story, so I filed it away and forgot about it. Until a couple of years later, when I spotted a publisher that I thought might accept it. I submitted it, and got a letter from the editor who said he loved it! He positively gushed over it. They published, and 'The Key to Heaven's Gate' won the editor's choice award, and went on to be included in a 'best of' paperback anthology. That was just the first time I realised what a lottery the submissions game is.
Then there was the thing with my novel 'Blood Brothers'. This novel got past various junior editors and got to the final committee to decide which novels were going to be published that year by one particular publisher. I was copied in on an email that explained why the novel was rejected. The senior editor had said, 'this guy can really write,' and 'this is a brilliant story that will sell' ...but... They couldn't get on with all the bad language. The central characters in Blood Brothers are of a similar background to myself; lower working class from the North of England. I know I have got the dialogue bang on the money, so I just had to laugh this rejection off.
I think what really tipped me over the edge into self-publishing, though, was some publishers' submission guidelines. I had become used to publishers demanding certain word counts, and certain content. I was mildly frustrated with guidelines that demanded certain paragraph lengths. But then one set of guidelines I read demanded that there should only be one space after a full stop, not two, and any submissions that used the two space format would be deleted without being read. The next publisher I looked at demanded the two space format. What is wrong with these people? We are talking about STORIES here. It was at that point I decided to self-publish.
The point is that, as a writer, as well as being strongly self-critical, you have to have a certain amount of confidence in what you do, and not be bullied into watering it down. You cannot write by committee. Digital self-publishing has opened up a cost-free avenue for writers who want to stand on their own two feet. It has given creative power back to the authors, who now have to live and die purely on their own personal standard of creativity and professionalism.
Do you see self-published e books as the future of published mass market fiction?
I think it's a no brainer. Kindle has done for books what iTunes has done for music. The future is here.
How many books have you written (novels or novellas)?
I've got eleven e books available on Amazon at present - a mix of novellas, short story collections, a poetry collection, and one humongous novel, Blood Brothers.
How many short stories have you written?
Oh, blimey. Countless. I still have a sizeable back catalogue of unpublished works. I love the short story format, and I kind of look to people like Raymond Carver as true masters of the craft, an ideal of quality to aspire to. I like to write short stories between the first and second drafts of longer projects. It helps me get some distance and objectivity on a long project that might have been years in the making.
Tell us about The Darkness at Fishersbridge. How much did H.P. Lovecraft’s work inspire you with this story?
I kind of have a love-hate relationship with H. P. Lovecraft. I think the Cthulhu Mythos is one of the greatest and most enduring concepts in the horror genre. Despite August Derleth's well intended but plain wrong attempts to sweeten the Mythos, it remains an utterly chilling concept - one that speaks straight to the fears about who and what we are. It seems like a lot of writers want to add their bit to it, and even the ones that deny certain stories are part of the Mythos... Well you read the stories, and you just know, don't you? However, as much as I am awed by the power and scope of Lovecraft's vision, I sometimes find his prose verges on the unreadable. That's such a shame, because it will put some people off. But, yes, The Darkness at Fishersbridge was my way of saying thank you to H. P. Lovecraft for his wonderful ideas. This story was also one of my first attempts at taking the idea of an 'unreliable narrator' to the ultimate degree. I think that, by the end of the story, that method actually increases the horror factor exponentially, which is kind of counter intuitive, but there you are.
Do you see any significant differences between British horror fiction and American horror fiction?
I think the two are converging, to an extent. Mass media and globalisation is making most new Western literature kind of transatlantic in style. We've seen this trend in TV and movies for a while now, and it was inevitable that literature would start to go that way. What will remain different is the unique cultural signposts that still differentiate the two nations. I remember someone telling my that my Chapelbank trilogy was quintessentially English, which I thought was nice. The kids in those stories say things like 'terrar' and they sneak around the back of the working men's club, and so on. They wouldn't even know what Baseball was. These kinds of things are the touchpoints of national identity for characters. But in terms of structure and so on, I think there is less difference than ever between the two in literature. The difference in structure is also narrowing on the screen, but not quickly enough for my liking. I'm not a fan of old school British theatricality.
Have your political or philosophical views shaped your writing in some way?
I actually think the greater effect has been the other way around! Back in the nineties, when I started to have a go at writing, I was a lapsed Christian, and full of guilt and hang ups. These days, as I'm sure many people are aware, I am a highly vocal atheist, anti-theist and rationalist. That has been one heck of a journey, and would never have happened were it not for my writing.
The thing about writing is that it's all about the characters, and that forces you to examine yourself, the people around you, and human nature itself. When I first started writing, I realised very quickly that I wasn't good enough at it. This was going to take work. I hadn't made the best of my education as a youth, and I was painfully aware of my shortcomings intellectually. I went back to college, and took an A level in English language, and from there I really got the taste for learning. It was all about getting that thinking muscle working again. I remember feeling quite intimidated by the intellectual punch some of my friends carried, and I was very self-conscious. I took a few writing courses, but found them to be too lightweight. They didn't give me the depth of understanding I required. Reading Robert Mckee's Story helped, but that just fired me up to learn more. All the while, my critical thinking skills were developing, and that led me to put writing on the back burner a little for three years, while I took a degree in Literature with The Open University. As part of the degree, I took a module in philosophy, and that opened my eyes to rational atheism. All the doubts I'd had about religion crystallised through that learning process, and I was finally able to shrug off years of guilt-tripping. I'd already been gradually moving toward atheism, but now I had the tools to intellectually justify my thought process. It was an incredibly liberating time. And it was no surprise of course to find themes of religious conflict informing my writing.
I came out of university with a 'distinction' first class honours degree in Literature. Studying lit gives a very different perspective to studying creative writing. Both have informed my writing, and I now feel more in control of what I'm doing than ever before. Studying lit also ignited my interest in poetry, which was a totally unexpected, but welcome, bonus.
Which writers have inspired you the most?
Well, I've already mentioned King and Lovecraft. But for the most part, I tend to like certain books rather than follow certain writers, and it's not always horror. I've enjoyed most (not all) of Ian McEwan's work. I think 'On Chesil Beach' is a masterpiece of slow-burning suspense, and I would have to say his writing has probably been a more recent influence on me. I would have to point to two other novels that have left a very lasting impression on me: Heinlein's 'Stranger in a Strange Land' and Irwin Shaw's 'Rich Man, Poor Man'. But I've also been influenced by the early lyric writing of David Bowie, and I am a great admirer of the work of David Lynch, who has definitely been a big influence.
Name some of your favorite horror books.
Okay, here goes. 'Firestarter', 'Christine', 'The Dead Zone' and 'Hearts in Atlantis' from King. 'The Call of Cthulhu' and 'At the Mountains of Madness' from Lovecraft. Brian Lumley's 'Necroscope' series is sensational, despite some of Lumley's quirky dialogue. This is how vampires should be written. I also enjoyed his 'Psychomech' series.
Name some of your favorite horror movies.
Well, this might be controversial, but I love the American remake of 'The Ring'. Absolutely love it, way better than the original. 'The Mothman Prophecies' is another with a similar vibe that I really enjoyed. Hitchcock's 'Psycho' will always be there, and I would class 'Silence of the Lambs' as a horror, which I also love. And at the risk of contradicting what I've said about theatricality, I can't help it, I just love Branagh's 'Frankenstein'! Stuff like David Lynch's movies, and maybe 'Donnie Darko' veer into the type of psychological horror I enjoy.
What are your current projects?
I'm currently working a a major novel, titled 'Abominations'. This is a pretty ambitious project, and will end up a similar length to 'Blood Brothers' - about 160k words. 'Abominations' starts off as a mystery with supernatural connotations, before suddenly screaming off down the route of pure horror. It's been a real challenge so far, because it's such a huge, complex story that will just have people gripped right from the off. I'm enjoying writing this immensely. I expect if to be published late 2014 or early 2015. I will have some more short works released before then, though.
Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work.
Writing is just absolutely central to my life. I put my readers at the heart of everything I do, I want to wow them. I've given myself this mission statement: I want to write stories that people will want to read at least three times. The first reading, hopefully, they will enjoy a good story. Afterwards, I want that story to linger at the back of their minds. I want them to be thinking, after a while, 'Hang on a minute, I thought I understood that bit in chapter three, but now I've finished the book, I think it might mean something else...' I want my readers to be drawn back for a second reading, where they pick up the hidden story; the submerged part. If they crack that, I would expect they would want to read it a third time, with all the pieces laid out, as it were.
Check out some of Darren's books at Amazon
Thursday 8 August 2013
EMILY BOOTH TO PRODUCE AND STAR IN “SELKIE”
Horror Channel presenter and actress Emily Booth steps behind the lens to make her first short film – SELKIE, a dark revenge fairytale, in which she also stars in the title role - as a beautiful and vengeful sea creature.
The plot, based on an ancient Celtic myth, sees Selkie enslaved to a drunken fisherman when he finds her shedded skin on the beach. Refusing to return her skin to her, the Selkie law of nature means she is now bound to him as his 'land wife' unable to return to her true form, and to the sea. Until one day, many years later, when she exacts her revenge and finally is able to transform back into her true form.
Emily assembled her own team for the project including concept artist Danny McMahon (who came up with the original drawings of the Selkie creature) and SFX artist Robbie Drake (Nightbreed, The Seasoning House)
Emily said today: “My aim is to create something truly unique and memorable, a dark and haunting adult fairytale, with a spectacular creature transformation sequence, all shot in Medieval locations. Yes it’s a challenge and will not be cheap which is why I’m using the innovative crowd funding site Kickstarter.”
….
To find out more and invest go to:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/569693974/selkie-a-haunting-adult-fairytale-inspired-by-celt
The plot, based on an ancient Celtic myth, sees Selkie enslaved to a drunken fisherman when he finds her shedded skin on the beach. Refusing to return her skin to her, the Selkie law of nature means she is now bound to him as his 'land wife' unable to return to her true form, and to the sea. Until one day, many years later, when she exacts her revenge and finally is able to transform back into her true form.
Emily assembled her own team for the project including concept artist Danny McMahon (who came up with the original drawings of the Selkie creature) and SFX artist Robbie Drake (Nightbreed, The Seasoning House)
Emily said today: “My aim is to create something truly unique and memorable, a dark and haunting adult fairytale, with a spectacular creature transformation sequence, all shot in Medieval locations. Yes it’s a challenge and will not be cheap which is why I’m using the innovative crowd funding site Kickstarter.”
….
To find out more and invest go to:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/569693974/selkie-a-haunting-adult-fairytale-inspired-by-celt
Labels:
EMILY BOOTH
Monday 22 July 2013
FrightFest and Horror Channel announce nine world premieres for short film programme
FrightFest in association with Horror Channel, will be screening nine specially selected short films, all World Premieres, at this year’s August event at the Empire Cinema, Leicester Sq. From James Moran’s sickly slick serial killer tale and Dominic Brunt’s ghastly vision of war time Hell, to Will Gilbey’s hard-boiled noir cop thriller and Mike Mort’s even harder puppet cop hero Chuck Steel, the line-up represents a rich tapestry of talent, with casts that include Hannah Tointon, Neil Maskell, Ed Speleers, Alfie Allen & Jack Gordon.
Paul McEvoy, Co-director of FrightFest & Horror Channel programme co-ordinater said today: “This year’s brilliant and insane mix of shorts includes outstanding World Premieres from some FrightFest favourites and some exciting new cinematic blood. Behold and enjoy!”
PROGRAMME
MAIN SCREEN
FRIDAY AUG 23
16:15 CRAZY FOR YOU (World Premiere)
Director: James Moran. Cast: Arthur Darvill, Hannah Tointon. UK . 2013. 10 mins
It's difficult to find love when you're a serial killer - when Charlie meets the girl of his dreams, he has to keep that slight flaw a secret from her. Will true love win the day? Or will she become another of his unwitting victims?
SATURDAY AUG 24
13:15 TURNCOAT (World Premiere)
Director: Will Gilbey. Cast: Neil Maskell, Stephen McCole, Ed Speleers. UK . 2013. 14min
Two cops break into a criminal's home, drag him out of bed and start conducting an illegal search of the premises. Cuffed to a chair, and seemingly helpless, the criminal's only chance is to play the two cops off against each other.
20:55 CHUCK STEEL: RAGING BALLS OF STEEL JUSTICE (World Premiere)
Written, directed and voiced by Mike Mort. UK 2013 13min
It’s 1986, and maverick cop Chuck Steel has his work cut out when the city’s most influential banker is kidnapped by a group of escaped convicts. With the aid of his sex obsessed robot partner, Chuck must fight a desperate battle against overwhelming odds to save the hostage.
MONDAY AUG 26
15.35 THE BODY (World Premiere)
Director: Paul Davis. Cast: Alfie Allen, Hannah Tointon, Christian Brassington, Jack Gordon. UK. 2013. 18min
The tale of a murderer who uses the cover of Halloween night to causally transport his latest victim from the scene of the crime to his final resting place.
DISCOVERY SCREEN 1
FRIDAY AUG 23
18:00 IF I HAD A HEART (World Premiere)
Director’s The Halsall Brothers. Cast: Min-Joong Kim UK . 2013. 12 min
A neon-noir set in the underbelly of Seoul . Sam IL is a street fighter who was abandoned at birth by his Mother in a coin locker. His life has been one of extreme violence and isolation.
SATURDAY AUG 24
15:15 SHELL SHOCKED (World Premiere)
Director: Dominic Brunt. Cast: Geoffrey Newland, Anthony Streeter UK . 2013. 12 min
Two soldiers from opposing sides seek temporary salvation from the battle field. A tense, life or death stand off at gun point ensues with a growing realisation...they were safer where they were...
18:15 SAMUEL AND EMILY VS. THE WORLD (World Premiere)
Director: Nick Gillespie Cast: Steve Garry, Phoebe Jones & Alex Rose March. UK . 2013. 9 min
An eerie and gruesome tale about a couple who have found a new way to survive the zombie apocalypse.
SUNDAY AUG 25
12:50 THE GUEST (World Premiere)
Director: Jovanka Vuckovic Cast: Tara Elliot, Jordan Gray & Isabella Vuckovic Canada 2013. 4 min
A man must face his personal demons as a consequence of a mysterious bargain he has made.
15:15 BREATHE (World Premiere)
Directed by Toby Meakins Cast: Jack North, Josef Altin & Orion Ben. UK . 2013. 5 min
A ghost story about a girl who only appears when you hold your breath.
Paul McEvoy, Co-director of FrightFest & Horror Channel programme co-ordinater said today: “This year’s brilliant and insane mix of shorts includes outstanding World Premieres from some FrightFest favourites and some exciting new cinematic blood. Behold and enjoy!”
PROGRAMME
MAIN SCREEN
FRIDAY AUG 23
16:15 CRAZY FOR YOU (World Premiere)
Director: James Moran. Cast: Arthur Darvill, Hannah Tointon. UK . 2013. 10 mins
It's difficult to find love when you're a serial killer - when Charlie meets the girl of his dreams, he has to keep that slight flaw a secret from her. Will true love win the day? Or will she become another of his unwitting victims?
SATURDAY AUG 24
13:15 TURNCOAT (World Premiere)
Director: Will Gilbey. Cast: Neil Maskell, Stephen McCole, Ed Speleers. UK . 2013. 14min
Two cops break into a criminal's home, drag him out of bed and start conducting an illegal search of the premises. Cuffed to a chair, and seemingly helpless, the criminal's only chance is to play the two cops off against each other.
20:55 CHUCK STEEL: RAGING BALLS OF STEEL JUSTICE (World Premiere)
Written, directed and voiced by Mike Mort. UK 2013 13min
It’s 1986, and maverick cop Chuck Steel has his work cut out when the city’s most influential banker is kidnapped by a group of escaped convicts. With the aid of his sex obsessed robot partner, Chuck must fight a desperate battle against overwhelming odds to save the hostage.
MONDAY AUG 26
15.35 THE BODY (World Premiere)
Director: Paul Davis. Cast: Alfie Allen, Hannah Tointon, Christian Brassington, Jack Gordon. UK. 2013. 18min
The tale of a murderer who uses the cover of Halloween night to causally transport his latest victim from the scene of the crime to his final resting place.
DISCOVERY SCREEN 1
FRIDAY AUG 23
18:00 IF I HAD A HEART (World Premiere)
Director’s The Halsall Brothers. Cast: Min-Joong Kim UK . 2013. 12 min
A neon-noir set in the underbelly of Seoul . Sam IL is a street fighter who was abandoned at birth by his Mother in a coin locker. His life has been one of extreme violence and isolation.
SATURDAY AUG 24
15:15 SHELL SHOCKED (World Premiere)
Director: Dominic Brunt. Cast: Geoffrey Newland, Anthony Streeter UK . 2013. 12 min
Two soldiers from opposing sides seek temporary salvation from the battle field. A tense, life or death stand off at gun point ensues with a growing realisation...they were safer where they were...
18:15 SAMUEL AND EMILY VS. THE WORLD (World Premiere)
Director: Nick Gillespie Cast: Steve Garry, Phoebe Jones & Alex Rose March. UK . 2013. 9 min
An eerie and gruesome tale about a couple who have found a new way to survive the zombie apocalypse.
SUNDAY AUG 25
12:50 THE GUEST (World Premiere)
Director: Jovanka Vuckovic Cast: Tara Elliot, Jordan Gray & Isabella Vuckovic Canada 2013. 4 min
A man must face his personal demons as a consequence of a mysterious bargain he has made.
15:15 BREATHE (World Premiere)
Directed by Toby Meakins Cast: Jack North, Josef Altin & Orion Ben. UK . 2013. 5 min
A ghost story about a girl who only appears when you hold your breath.
Labels:
FrightFest
Tuesday 16 July 2013
HORROR CHANNEL CELEBRATES THE ITALIAN GODFATHER OF GORE
Horror Channel is giving Italian horror maestro Lucio Fulci a much deserved season – comprising of four of his most memorable films – genre classics that were either banned or heavily censored in the UK during the late seventies, early eighties.
Fulci, the forerunner of Italian splatter, once said that violence IS Italian art, and who would disagree with him when you look at the line-up, which comprises such ground-breaking master-pieces as the 1979 iconic ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS (TX: Sat Aug 3, 22:55) and the 1981 zombie shocker THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY (TX: Sat Aug 24, 22:55). Both are network premieres. The other two titles are Channel favourites CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD (TX: Sat Aug 10, 22:55) and THE BEYOND (TX: Sat Aug 17, 22:55)
The season will be exclusively hosted and introduced by Fulci’s music maestro Fabio Frizzi and Spencer Hickman from Death Waltz Records.
TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138
www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel
Fulci, the forerunner of Italian splatter, once said that violence IS Italian art, and who would disagree with him when you look at the line-up, which comprises such ground-breaking master-pieces as the 1979 iconic ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS (TX: Sat Aug 3, 22:55) and the 1981 zombie shocker THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY (TX: Sat Aug 24, 22:55). Both are network premieres. The other two titles are Channel favourites CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD (TX: Sat Aug 10, 22:55) and THE BEYOND (TX: Sat Aug 17, 22:55)
The season will be exclusively hosted and introduced by Fulci’s music maestro Fabio Frizzi and Spencer Hickman from Death Waltz Records.
TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138
www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel
Labels:
Lucio Fulci
Frankenstein's Army Movie Trailer
Toward the end of World War II, Russian soldiers pushing into eastern Germany stumble across a secret Nazi lab, one that has unearthed and begun experimenting with the journal of one Dr. Victor Frankenstein. The scientists have used the legendary Frankenstein's work to assemble an army of super-soldiers stitched together from the body parts of their fallen comrades -- a desperate Hitler's last ghastly ploy to escape defeat.
Labels:
Frankenstein's Army
Saturday 29 June 2013
Interview with Steve Burt
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOl9E77okiMfu6u5fJLAi3P7Hpn1oK4qHlWP7miz7wiWQuoPxuQ7bnv3y-9uKUlRNV-hb9ZczM7IzSXAXsEF5clxuAAAD6wzofsD12LSgAtpCb7fbPaCDKgvXoCGz4aKxXT2NETRxd2Q/s200/SteveBurt.png)
His FreeKs series novels about psychic and paranormal teen detectives--FreeK Camp, FreeK Show, and soon FreeK Out, FreeK Storm, FreeK of Nature, and FreeK Accident--have amassed dozens of awards including 3 Mom's Choice golds, a Moonbeam Children's Book silver, a Next Generation Indie h.m., 3 Beach Book of the Year golds, and 2 New York, 2 Hollywood, 2 London, 2 New England, 2 Paris, 1 San Francisco and 1 Halloween Book Festival awards.
Steve's short story collections (Odd Lot, Even Odder, Oddest Yet, Wicked Odd) have earned him a Bram Stoker Nomination for Young Readers Horror (2003), a Bram Stoker Award (2004), and a Benjamin Franklin Award (2001, silver, Adult Mystery/Suspense)among others. Eight short stories from that Stories to Chill the Heart series have received honorable mentions in Year's Best Fantasy & Horror anthologies.
The inspirational Storyteller of the Heart series (A Christmas Dozen and Unk's Fiddle) garnered numerous book awards, with several stories excerpted for the Chicken Soup for the Soul Series, Family Circle Magazine, and other venues. The short story "Unk's Fiddle" won a Ray Bradbury Creative Writing Prize (one of three the author has earned).
In 2009 Connecticut Magazine profiled the retired Congregational pastor in an article, "The Sinister Minister." Steve regularly sells and autographs his books at arts & crafts shows and offers school author visits via Skype. He and his wife, editor Jolyn Joslin, live in Florida.
His Facebook page is FreeKs Series and his website (with blog page) is www.SteveBurtBooks.com Can I get an Amen?
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Interview With Steve Burt
By David Kempf
David: Tell us what it’s like to have two seemingly opposite vocations: ordained minister and Bram Stoker Award-winning horror writer.
Steve: It’s a curiosity, that’s for sure, maybe even a delicious irony. Funny thing is, if you substitute banker, plumber, dentist, or some other profession/job for ordained minister, nobody raises an eyebrow. It’s an odd juxtaposition that relies on two stereotypes: minister (Bible-thumping, gentle-Jesus-meek-and-mild) versus horror writer (excessive blood and gore plus senseless violence). But they’re stereotypes, not reality. In my case, I’m a theologian and pastor/professor who grew up loving television shows like Outer Limits and Twilight Zone, comics and magazines like The Haunted Tank (Jeb Stuart’s ghost shadowing a WWII tank crew) and Tales From the Crypt, or movies like The Mummy, Frankenstein, King Kong, and The Body Snatchers. I loved ghost stories around the campfire and couldn’t wait to get my supply of haunted mysteries when the Scholastic Book Club purchases came in. So it’s simple; I write what I enjoy: young adult horror “lite” (low blood, gore, violence factor) and adult mystery/suspense. You may want to note that I was also well-known for church leadership books and a couple of inspirational collections (including A Christmas Dozen, stories excerpted for Chicken Soup for the Soul and Family Circle Magazine). So it’s not like I don’t use my writing gifts in both professions. But to answer your original question, it’s kind of fun to see people’s response when they learn I do both.
David: And what about this nickname “The Sinister Minister?”
Steve: That came about after my book, Oddest Yet,” won the 2004 Bram Stoker Award for Young Readers. (The previous year, 2003, I was a Stoker Nominee/Finalist but lost to J.K. Rowling’s fifth Harry Potter book.) I moved from Connecticut to Vermont to serve the Waitsfield parish; the word got out that this progressive ordained had won what is arguably the horror genre’s most coveted prize. So WCATV, the largest Vermont TV station, sent someone out to interview this curious pastor/author for an evening news feature piece. At the very end of the story, the interviewer jokingly and with a smile said, “The Bram Stoker Award? For being the best at scaring young readers, eh? Well, I guess that makes you The Sinister Minister.” After that people recognized me at arts and crafts shows all around New England where I was selling and autographing my books, and they’d say, “Hey, I saw you on TV; you’re The Sinister Minister.” I eventually took advantage of the notoriety and put it on my brochures and banners with an ominous publicity photo of me.”
David: How do you reconcile your books with what more conservative Christians might consider the occult?
Steve: I don’t try to reconcile anything or please them at all; I write what I write. The same ones who are quick to damn Rowling’s Harry Potter will sometimes cop the same attitude with me about my books at arts and crafts show signings (again, basing their “knowledge” and opinions on the two overblown stereotypes (minister and horror writer). I’ll ask, “Have you read any of my stuff?” And, of course, they’ll say no (even thought they’ve already judged it and me). So I respond, “But you’ve read your Bible, right?” Of course, they say. “Well, guess what?” I answer. “If you want to have people avoid books with blood and gore, demons, people being raised from the dead, illicit sex, betrayals, torture, and backstabbing behavior, you’d better put our Bible at the top of the list. You won’t find that stuff in my books.”
David: How did your congregation feel about the type of books you’ve written?
Steve: In 2009, Connecticut Magazine did a centerpiece feature on me, “The Sinister Minister.” They interviewed members of my congregation at First Congregational Church of Lyme and found my parishioners all had copies of my books and loved giving them as gifts. They were quite proud to have as their pastor the famous Sinister Minister, the only ordained minister to ever win the Bram Stoker Award for Young Readers. One lady, Doad Jewett, who just turned 100 in April 2013 (still sharp as a tack) asked if she could attend the movie screening with me and my wife when FreeK Camp (she oved the novel) hits the silver screen. I told her it could take years, that I didn’t even have an option for it even though it won a Hollywood Book Festival Award for Teens. She said, “That’s okay, I’ll wait. But try and get them to hurry up.”
David: Is it true you were the first self-published author to win the Bram Stoker Award?
Steve: I don’t think so. The first ordained minister, yes. Maybe the first self-published author to win one in the Young Readers category. But it’s possible. In 2004 it was my Oddest Yet and books by three authors from big traditional publishing houses: Dean Koontz, Clive Barker (co-winner for Abarat), and Jeff Marriote. In 2003 it was pretty much like that, too, with my Even Odder, plus books by J.K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, and Robert San Souci. If you’re asking, is the deck stacked against self-pubbers, the answer is: Probably. But there’s a sliver of hope, I guess, and more now than in the early days of the award. (I regularly recommend self-published works of quality in several Stoker categories. Quality is quality, to my way of thinking.)
David: How many awards have you won?
Steve: I don’t know how many over the years. We keep them in a file rather than on the walls. My wife tells me that FreeK Show (2012) has seven (including the Halloween Book Festival Award, a Mom’s Choice gold, and the New York and Beach Book Festival awards). Its predecessor in the FreeKs series, FreeK Camp: Psychic Teens in a Paranormal Thriller, won twelve including a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, a Mom’s Choice, and London and New England Book Festival Best Young Adult prizes, among others. Odd Lot (Benjamin Franklin adult mystery silver), Even Odder (Stoker Nominee), Oddest Yet (Stoker Winner), and Wicked Odd (Ippy) did well, too.
Besides the Stoker, I’d have to say I’m the most proud of the three Ray Bradbury creative writing prizes I got early in my career for short fiction and poetry. None of the prizes or awards affected my income or sales, but the recognition is nice. In fact, what kept me coming back in the early going was having eight stories receive Honorable Mentions from Ellen Datlow in various annual editions of Year’s Best Fantasy and Horoor anthologies. The stories didn’t get in, but just getting noticed motivated me to keep at it. (Thanks, Ellen.)
David: What made you decide to start Burt Creations to publish your books?
Steve: I had a half dozen books out, several with traditional publishers. One of them took three years from completion to publication, another took two. The publishers created awful covers and changed the titles, then didn’t market well. Both books did okay in spite of my complaints. So early on, control of product became important to me. Then came a time when I self-published my inspirational book, A Christmas Dozen: From the Christmas Story Pastor, and sold thousands of copies around my home in Connecticut—in four months—partly because I read the short holiday stories aloud on the radio, in senior centers, and in churches.
My agent sent the book and its success story to the five major New York publishers, where the five editorial (read: content quality) loved it and passed it along with glowing comments. In all five publishing houses, though, the marketing departments said, “We have no idea how we’d get it out of bookstores, given there are 25,000 competing holiday books out there.” So all five, despite the quality and the track record, rejected it. They were pitching to bookstores and had no idea what an audience and market for the book might look like; I knew my audience (because I had already gone to where they were) and also knew my market (church folks at readings, senior citizens seeking pick-me-up stocking stuffers—none of whom were in bookstores). If I knew my audience and my market, who needed the big, traditional publishing houses if they weren’t going to come with their advertising/marketing budgets?
So when it came time to collect my previously published horror stories (I kept the rights with every magazine, never selling All Rights), I didn’t bother sending the collections to my agent (or other agents) nor to editors at publishing houses. I simply continued with the name I had chosen for the business entity that did my self-published Christmas book: Burt Creations. And I’ve been at it ever since. I sell mainly on my own at readings and arts & crafts shows or through Amazon.com and Follett Library Resources.
So I’m not in bookstores and I’ve got limited distribution, but I’m okay with that. I employ a top-notch California book designer and a former Hanna Barbera copywriter (back cover material) and a strong editing team, with a goal of publishing only high quality books that will match the production values of the big houses.
My publishing house also creates ebooks for each title. Because my minister’s paycheck funds the operation and there is no significant profit (actually, it’s a loss), I can’t take on others writers’ works. It’s hard enough to foot the bill for a Sinister Minister’s books.
David: How many books have you published?
Steve: FreeK Show is the sixteenth, with FreeK Out due in May 2014. The last eight starting in 2000 are my fiction works and are all under the Burt Creations imprint. The previous eight starting in 1975 are nonfiction, with several out of print.
David: Have you ever written any adult horror?
Steve: The hardcore stuff? No. The FreeKs series is like Harry Potter and Hunger Games in that it’s classified as “crossover” fiction, appealing to young adults and adults (my wife says ages 9-99). The FreeKs series is really paranormal mystery/suspense, but they tend to slide into the Stoker horror recommendations sheets because they have ghosts, levitation, telekinesis, and other elements normally in the horror genre. The Stories to Chill the Heart series (Odd Lot, Even Odder, Oddest Yet, Wicked Odd) has a lot of adult stories that first appeared in magazines like All Hallows, Black Petals, Tales of the Unanticipated, and a few dozen other small-press organs in the 1990s. When I collected them together for Odd Lot, we first listed it as adult horror; but so many school teachers told me the stories were great for read-aloud (and appropriate for grades 5-12) that we changed the classification to Young Adult Dark Fiction and did so for the entire series. I guess I was writing “crossover” short stories back then and didn’t realize it. Even today I call it “horror lite” (certainly not splatterpunk).
David: Name some of your favorite horror books.
Steve: Edgar Allan Poe’s collections, Jaws, The Exorcist, Rick (Robert B.) MaCammon’s works, Stephen King’s Skeleton Crew and Night Shift and works by his Stoker-winning son Joe Hill, Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas series, Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes, and works by my Horror Writers Association colleagues Joe McKinney, Peter Struab, and the late Rick Hautala. And though it might be a genre stretch, I’d include the Dave Robicheaux novels of James Lee Burke and the Lucas Davenport novels of John Sandford, all of which combine mystery and horror.
David: Name some of your favorite horror movies.
Steve: Some are serious horror and some are fun horror. Serious: Jaws, The Exorcist, Frankenstein (Karloff), The Mummy (Lugosi) Sixth Sense (Willis), Psycho, The Body Snatchers, Night of the Living Dead, 28 Days, The Birds, Alien. Fun: Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead.
David: What’s your latest project?
Steve: I’m just starting the third FreeKs book, tentatively titled FreeK Out. That’ll be followed by FreeK Accident and FreeK Storm.
David: Anything else you want to tell us about yourself and your work?
Steve: I just retired after almost 35 years as a minister and have in the last 2 months moved to Florida. Lately I’ve been visiting Cassadga, Florida, to research it as a setting for the next book, FreeK Out. Cassadaga, an 1890s Spiritualist campground-turned village, is known as “the medium capital of the world.: Almost every house in the tiny village has a shingle out advertising psychic readings. Little known fact: I am the father of the well-known author, editor, and writing expert, Wendy Burt-Thomas (Ask Wendy, Query Queen blog), and books from McGraw Hill, Adams Publishing, and Writer’s Digest Books).
David: Any advice?
Steve: There are plenty of excellent stories and novels out there that don’t get to the big-time. That’s largely the luck of the draw, and you only have limited control over that. Work to produce a quality product, whether it’s a short story, a novel, or a self-published book. And, of course, the old saw: don’t quit your day job—at least not yet. Success isn’t in the money or the accolades or the reviews (though those are not to be sneezed at), but comes from discovering that story and its characters then sharing with the world in whatever way you can manage—then go back to the keyboard for the next project.
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Labels:
Steve Burt
Monday 17 June 2013
Interview with Ryan Andrews
On the eve of the UK TV premiere of ELFIE HOPKINS, on Horror Channel, director Ryan Andrews talks about a thwarted career as a Vampire Hunter, working with the Winstones and his new ‘raw’ film,
ELFIE HOPKINS is broadcast on Sat, June 27, 22:55
Q: Did you know from a young age that you wanted to be a director?
RA: From a young age I actually wanted to be a vampire hunter. I was obsessed. I carried a briefcase with wooden stacks and crosses, I was a bad ass 7 year old obsessed with horror. My VHS collection was insane from the age of about five. My grandfather thought horror was a good way for me to see the difference between good and evil. As for directing. I decided to direct after getting into video art. My work became more narrative and I decided to take the next step and go to film school. At first my aim was to make films like Matthew Barney, but that soon changed when I realised I wanted to tell stories.
Q: Do you have a favourite director?
RA: I love different directors for different things. I love Wes Craven for keeping me awake for the early part of my teens. Tony Scott and QT for True Romance, my bible to relationships, Harmony Korine for not giving a fuck and Riddley Scott for showing how important it is to create a world within your movie (Alien).
Q: Where did the idea for Elfie Hopkins come from?
RA: Well, I was fresh out of film school and sick of saying I was a director when I hadn't yet done a film. I thought the only way I'm going to learn to direct features is to get out there and shoot something. I based the script on my youth as a wanna be vampire hunter. Then I got mu co-writer Riyad to write the script with me as I'm not really a script writer.
Q: The casting is quite something, how did you get Jaime and Ray Winstone on board?
RA: I met Jaime years ago when I was a camera assistant. We became friends. She loved this short I directed called Fangula and we made a deal that one day we would do a feature movie. I met Ray through Michael Wiggs Ray's agent. We made a short film together called Jerusalem about the artist William Blake. We became friends so it was natural for him to be in my movie. As actors, they are so similar it's surreal.
Q: Were you nervous as this is your first feature film?
RA: Yes, of course but you have to start somewhere. I just got on with it. It was a massive learning curve. It was a very small budget with limited shooting time. We only got through it because I had such amazing support from my crew, family and friends. It's set me up with so much experience for the next film.
Q: You must be pleased that it’s getting its UK TV premiere on the Horror Channel?
RA: As a huge horror fan and horror channel fan it's like a dream come true. For my first movie to be out there for horror fans to actually see is really exciting.
Q: So what are you working on at the moment?
RA: I'm actually working on a really raw new feature film. It's super exciting, based around the dark side of youth culture in London . It follows one girl on a macabre journey set over one night.
Ryan Andrews, thank you very much.
ELFIE HOPKINS is broadcast on Sat, June 27, 22:55
Q: Did you know from a young age that you wanted to be a director?
RA: From a young age I actually wanted to be a vampire hunter. I was obsessed. I carried a briefcase with wooden stacks and crosses, I was a bad ass 7 year old obsessed with horror. My VHS collection was insane from the age of about five. My grandfather thought horror was a good way for me to see the difference between good and evil. As for directing. I decided to direct after getting into video art. My work became more narrative and I decided to take the next step and go to film school. At first my aim was to make films like Matthew Barney, but that soon changed when I realised I wanted to tell stories.
Q: Do you have a favourite director?
RA: I love different directors for different things. I love Wes Craven for keeping me awake for the early part of my teens. Tony Scott and QT for True Romance, my bible to relationships, Harmony Korine for not giving a fuck and Riddley Scott for showing how important it is to create a world within your movie (Alien).
Q: Where did the idea for Elfie Hopkins come from?
RA: Well, I was fresh out of film school and sick of saying I was a director when I hadn't yet done a film. I thought the only way I'm going to learn to direct features is to get out there and shoot something. I based the script on my youth as a wanna be vampire hunter. Then I got mu co-writer Riyad to write the script with me as I'm not really a script writer.
Q: The casting is quite something, how did you get Jaime and Ray Winstone on board?
RA: I met Jaime years ago when I was a camera assistant. We became friends. She loved this short I directed called Fangula and we made a deal that one day we would do a feature movie. I met Ray through Michael Wiggs Ray's agent. We made a short film together called Jerusalem about the artist William Blake. We became friends so it was natural for him to be in my movie. As actors, they are so similar it's surreal.
Q: Were you nervous as this is your first feature film?
RA: Yes, of course but you have to start somewhere. I just got on with it. It was a massive learning curve. It was a very small budget with limited shooting time. We only got through it because I had such amazing support from my crew, family and friends. It's set me up with so much experience for the next film.
Q: You must be pleased that it’s getting its UK TV premiere on the Horror Channel?
RA: As a huge horror fan and horror channel fan it's like a dream come true. For my first movie to be out there for horror fans to actually see is really exciting.
Q: So what are you working on at the moment?
RA: I'm actually working on a really raw new feature film. It's super exciting, based around the dark side of youth culture in London . It follows one girl on a macabre journey set over one night.
Ryan Andrews, thank you very much.
Labels:
Ryan Andrews
Saturday 15 June 2013
Film4 FrightFest 2013 announces opening and closing night films
This year’s festival opens with the world premiere of The Ford Brothers THE DEAD 2: INDIA - the first-ever International production of a zombie film shot in India .
Howard and Jon Ford, the British director, writer and producer team behind the acclaimed African-set zombie road movie 'The Dead’ said today: “It's truly an honour to be the opening film – mind-blowing! Being at FrightFest for ‘The Dead’ was such an incredible experience for us and one of the highlights of our whole journey with the film. It's an awesome event with a brilliant crowd and we both sincerely cannot wait to see you all there!”.
The film follows the story of India-based American engineer Nicholas Burton (JOSEPH MILLSON) in a race against time to reach his pregnant girlfriend Ishani Sharma (MEENU). Burton enlists the help of an orphan street kid Javed (ANAND GOYAL) and together they make a perilous 300 mile journey across deadly landscapes as a zombie apocalypse threatens to engulf the entire nation.
Film4 FrightFest will close with the UK premiere of directors Aharon Keshales & Navot Papushado’s extraordinary revenge thriller BIG BAD WOLVES. Soaked in twisted tension, fairytale myth and seat-edged suspense, the film follows the lives of three men on a collision course: following a series of brutal murders: the father of the latest victim now out for revenge, a vigilante police detective operating outside the law, and the main suspect in the killings - a religious studies teacher arrested and released due to a police blunder.
Aharon and Navot said today: “We always dreamt of having a film which would be good enough to be shown at FrightFest, but not even in our wildest dreams did we think that an Hebrew speaking revenge thriller would get us there. FrightFest is really making history here. As a token of our appreciation we promise to give everyone there a night they won't easily forget”.
All the directors and some cast members will be attending the festival.
Film4 FrightFest Co-director Alan Jones commented: “Film4 FrightFest is delighted with our Opening and Closing Film choices. Both THE DEAD 2: INDIA and BIG BAD WOLVES represent everything FrightFest is about; the discovery, nurturing and celebration of vital new voices in the genre. FrightFest launched the Ford Brothers' THE DEAD to worldwide acclaim in 2010 and Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado's RABIES in 2011 became the only movie in our entire 14-year history to warrant successive extra screenings based on overwhelming want-to-see demand. So to welcome both duos back with their stunning new movies, both exploring unusual cultural aspects within a remarkable genre framework is an absolute thrill. These films bookend Film4 FrightFest perfectly and hint at what we are trying to achieve this year - the best platform to deliver our broadest, most diverse and most surprising event ever”.
Film4 FrightFest, the UK ’s biggest genre film festival, runs from Thursday 22 August to Monday 26 August at the Empire Cinema, Leicester Square . The full line up will be announced on Fri 28 June. Festival & day passes go on sale from 29 June. Tickets for Individual films are on sale from 27 July.
Bookings: 08 714 714 714 or www.empirecinemas.co.uk
Labels:
FrightFest
Wednesday 29 May 2013
Interview with Michael Mulvihill
The 30ish author published a short story, “Ethagoria Nebsonia,” in BP in 1998 and had a poem, “The Bombing,” in The Kingdom News about a domestic tragedy in Ireland.
"Siberian Hellhole" (2013) a horror novel, is his first novel to be published by The Wheelman Press. He is also a clinical psychotherapist and hypnotherapist and member of The I.C.H.P.
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Interview with Michael Mulvihill
By David Kempf
Tell us how you became involved in writing fiction.
Oh goodness David. I was just a kid and I much preferred watching ‘V’ and ‘The Lost Boys’, than writing anything. It is like I still do love my TV to this day. I totally loved ‘American Gothic’ the TV pilot that was put off air, loved ‘Millenium’, ‘X Files’ and ‘Brimstone’, magnificent stuff.
From the ages of four to twelve I did not relate to school what so ever. Weird! I now have six higher level qualifications up to an M.A. I just got scholarly.
But I swear on The Bible, when I was a kid, me, school, books, Heck! I was more interested in reading about mans’ inhumanity to man but NOT what was expected of me to read back in Junior School.
Once when I was a kid I picked up a very bloody magazine that explained what was happening to people in Argentina under the Juntas Military Regime of the 1980s, I was never examined about this, nor about The Holocaust, or how Russia defended itself against Nazi invasion. And believe me as a kid this is what I was into. My teacher wanted me reading Charlie and The Chocolate Factory which I thought was asinine and not for me.
Thus let us just put it mildly, my talents and intelligence went totally under the radar screen until I went to Stratford College on Zion Road. In this secondary college I learnt how to believe in myself.
I did an entry exam to Stratford College and the Principal actually told my dad that I would be an asset to the school. I was never led to believe this in my junior school years like one single bit.
I was really lucky. I got to study intelligent poems that I really related to, by poets like Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon. My teacher took note of all of this. She told my dad at a parent teacher meeting that I was a very intelligent person, very aware of what was around me in my environment and that I had books in me.
I have never looked back since that time. Just kept moving on and now I got my first book out and I am happy with that.
How many books have you written?
Siberian Hellhole is my debut novel David.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA9WIVvP7cd2zH6Uub8N83QORdzboGN-hZ_EGF7-XKOyGb0Ew6SSGqHwwoAreGvWg4HEerxnZIWtCnJL6orOOR1Fix-Pf5fHw_AtfTBqD1m6osZA86TxkVD2i6Rk-rkG23YvFTrS4ry_c/s320/SiberianHellhole.jpg)
This novel is set post Glasnost at the time of Perestroika in Russia. Tobias has to leave Moscow, there is no work he can hardly feed himself. He finds work in Siberia. But instead of finding peace from solitariness he finds a land that is ravaged with demons from Hell which are lurking under the ground that he is protecting and waiting to take over the entirety of Siberia and the world.
Do you enjoy creating horror fiction in particular?
Yes I love writing horror fiction because I seem to be able to release some unconscious energy onto the page when I write. I mean some people have said that horror fiction helps people to prepare for death and to acknowledge and become aware of the shadow or dark side of their own personality. Which is an interesting concept if you think about it, I guess you could say at some level I find writing therapeutic. I love writing horror fiction because I find I can place variety of elements of life into it.
What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment as an artist so far?
Getting Siberian Hellhole published was great. The cover looked great. Wheelman Press really did do a very good job. Plus I have gotten decent reviews from bloggers like Paranormal Romance Review (Maria Perry Mohan) Fifth Dimension Science Fiction Horror Blog (Stuart Anderson) and Best Book Review.co.uk (Janette Skinner) also gave this novel a good review, alongside speculative fiction author Charles Miller who positively rated my novel.
When Stuart Anderson of The Fifth Dimension wrote that Siberian Hellhole is an intelligent horror story I was so delighted. He was the first to review my book.
Then I panicked and thought no one else would review my work until Maria Perry Mohan recently gave my book an excellent review.
Also more recently when Janette Skinner wrote about my novel Siberian Hellhole,
“I made the mistake of starting to read this on my terrace in the moonlight by the light of my kindle. Bad mistake, I was so un-nerved by the narrative and the night birds that I had to stop and crawl into bed beside my slumbering husband. Not many books create an atmosphere like that for me”
What can I say?
I mean this is the best compliment that can be possibly written about a horror novel and I was delighted to read it.
Name some of your favorite horror books.
Dracula, Let The Right One In, The Metamorphosis, The Master And Margerita (which has a surrealist horror elements in it) Edgar Allan Poes Tales of Mystery and Imagination, Hannibal, The Butcher Boy (as far as I can see this is pure surrealist horror about the unhinging of the mind).
I loved and still do, Lorenzo Caracaterras Sleepers and A Safe Place, Diary of Anne Frank, Thomas Keneallys Shindlers Ark which to me had such morose scenes of true life horror. I guess I define horror books in a broader way than most.
Name some of your favorite horror films.
Francis Ford Cappolas version of Dracula, 1994, Shadow of The Vampire 2000, Pit and The Pendulam (1961), Them, Kidnapped, I am Legend, The Original Vampire Killer, The Addiction, The Lost Boys, Fright Night, The Crow, Funny Games, The Others.
Why do you think old school horror fiction remains popular?
Old school horror fiction for me is more literary, readable and intelligent. I mean I am going to re-read kafka and Poe when I have free time. But I do promise to read The Others and Perfume when I have free time also.
I love intelligent fiction. I just have not been seduced by the likes of King and Koontz, I love reading true old ghost stories, castles and atmospheric stuff about poltergeists and exorcisms, so there is just this part of me that likes things done old school anyway.
I am not sure if I can give anything but an unbiased answer to this question. For me old school horror films are way better than the stuff of now never mind what was written down on paper when the likes of Poe and Stoker was around versus nowadays. I like my vampires dangerous threatening and malevolent. Not sex symbols that are waiting to come out of the closet.
What are your latest projects?
In the next edition of Blackpetals.net I will have a very disturbing horror story in it which will feature a vampire horde invading the house of a single female. This is an example of intense short horror fiction.
My next novel will feature a Dublin Vampire Lucis Diaboli who believes he is externally showing signs of aging and feels he needs to get his fangs into the blood of an aristocrat in order to continue looking youthful.
Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work.
I am a person who has really just begun to tap into my abilities as a writer. Siberian Hellhole is the best novel I have written thus far because it is the only novel I have published so far. I really feel there are a lot of dark fiction, horror and surrealism stories left in me. I hope to have a long life so I can write as many books as I think are in me. So longevity is something I wish to achieve.
Links:
Amazon link
http://www.amazon.com/Siberian-Hellhole-Michael-Mulvihill/dp/0988742349
Blog
http://michaelmulvihillhorrornovelist.blogspot.ie/
Fantastic latest review of the novel
http://ablogofhorror.com/2013/05/23/siberian-hellhole-review/
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Michael Mulvihill
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