Interview with Steven W. Booth - By David Kempf

When did you first become interested in writing? 

I’ve always been a good writer. In elementary school, I could never understand what people were talking about with a first draft, an edit, and a final draft. For me it was a first draft, a proofread, and done. But storytelling is something I came to much later. I concluded in my youth that storytelling was the key to popularity (all the cool kids could tell stories well), and I wasn’t cool or popular, which I attributed to the fact that I couldn’t tell stories well. I didn’t understand the structure or process of crafting a story. I remember in my first days of college at University of California Santa Cruz, I wrote a short story about two serial killers meeting when one picked up the other on the side of the road. They really liked each other and were sad when they had to kill each other. The story was unpublishable, as you can well imagine. But it wasn’t until about 2005 when I started storytelling in earnest. A friend, horror author Harry Shannon, challenged me to write a novel when I tried to tell him that I wasn’t creative. Since then I’ve written about 2 million words (15 novels and a smattering of short stories, but some of those novels were written anywhere from 4 to 12 times). So, long answer to a short question, around 2005.


How did you get involved in fantasy/horror?

I blame my sister. I wasn’t a reader until I was about 13, and she gave me Piers Anthony, David Gerrold, Steven Brust, and of course JRR Tolkien and others. I’ve always been interested in fantasy and science fiction—and I feel horror has elements of both. How I got started writing horror was because of Harry again. I had been writing a lot, but not really getting anywhere with it. I tried getting into some anthologies that Harry would suggest, but he would always be accepted whereas I wouldn’t be. So my wife suggested we write a zombie short story for an anthology edited by Joe McKinney and Michelle McCrary. The anthology was Dead Set, and the short story was Jailbreak, the story of a small town sheriff who gets caught in her jailhouse on the first night of the apocalypse.

The story was accepted and was the first (or second, I’d have to look) story in the anthology. It was wildly popular, downloaded like 150,000 times (it was free, or course). So, seeing a good thing, Harry and I asked ourselves, what happens after. From that premise, we wrote The Hungry. That was also wildly popular (this was 2011, the heyday of zombie fiction). So we wrote The Wrath of God. And then At the End of the World. By the time we were done, we had written seven novels with the same characters as Jailbreak, and a thriller together. Zombies and a sheriff named Penny Miller are how I got involved.


Tell us about your first publisher.

Well, my first publisher was me. Which is to say, Genius Book Publishing, now a medium sized press handling a lot of true crime, but a smattering of other stuff, including all my novels. As far as the Horror Writers Association is concerned, I’m self published. If you saw how rigorously we vetted my books, you wouldn’t think it was done haphazardly. I was planning on starting a publishing company anyway, and I didn’t want to start with screwing up someone else’s book, so I decided to practice on The Hungry. As I said, it was wildly popular, and still holds the record for unit sales in my company. When I didn’t screw it up, I started publishing other authors. We now have 29 titles, and a gazillion more (really, like 10 or 15) coming out this year alone. Yes, eight of those titles have my by-line, and there will be a ninth by early May. But I leave it up to others in my organization to tell me whether my stuff is publishable. If it’s not, we don’t publish it. In other words, my first publisher is freakin’ awesome!


How would you classify the genre you write?

I write action-adventure and mystery. All of my zombie novels are actually action-adventure with horror elements. My thriller is action adventure with mystery elements. My new novel, The Orchard, is a mystery with science-fiction elements. My best short stories are all action-adventure, with I think one exception. I thought for a long time that I wanted to write cross-genre mystery and private eye stories like Steven Saylor and Steven Brust, but what I end up with is action-adventure and mystery.

Why do you think horror and fantasy books remain so popular?

I need to get technical here. I believe that horror is popular because people are practicing in their minds what they would do if their worst nightmares stared them in the face. Fantasy is the same, but substitute ghosts for dragons. There’s quite a bit of research that shows a good story can hijack the listener’s mind and cause them to experience in a very real way what they are hearing. Here’s an example: https://buffer.com/resources/science-of-storytelling-why-telling-a-story-is-the-most-powerful-way-to-activate-our-brains. I think people have fears and doubts, and fantasy and horror particularly, but adventure and mystery and romance and all genres are a safe way to practice being in foreign situations and test responses without actually getting rejected, beat up, or killed. Or eaten by zombie dragons, I would imagine.


What inspires your stories?

Movies. I could list quite a few that mean a lot to me, but when I think storytelling, I think movies. Alien and Aliens. Star Wars. Jaws. Ghostbusters. Sneakers. The Wrath of Khan and The Undiscovered Country. Blue Thunder and War Games (same director, turns out). A Bugs Life, Finding Nemo, Lilo and Stitch. A ton more. Each of them have a permanent apartment in my head. I have a beta reader who is going over my new novel now, and he commented that my writing style is very cinematic. I love that feeling of immersion that I get from watching really good movies. I’m a very visual person, and I see the stories in my head. Not the whole thing, just snippets of situations, actions, faces, relationships. But I see them, and I want others to see them as well. There is insufficient room in this interview for me to go into a huge amount of detail, but I will say that my Hungry novels are really Aliens with zombies. My storytelling is equal parts Sneakers, Star Wars, Jaws, and Finding Nemo. I just love those movies, and I love what they do to my brain. I want other people to have that experience with my stories as well. Except in novel form. I don’t write screenplays.

What do you think the difference between American horror and British horror is?

I plead ignorance. I am wholly underprepared for this question. I have read my fair share of American horror (which is probably less than most people who have written 7 horror novels), but I cannot think of a single British horror story I’ve really spent any time on. I will stand here and accept the inevitable shaming that will be directed at me after this answer is published. [Edit: As I’m going through my favorite horror books, I realized I’ve read both Shelley’s Frankenstein and Stoker’s Dracula. Those are not exactly recent exemplars of modern British horror, so I’m sticking with my original answer. I don’t know.]


What are your favorite horror books? 

P.N. Elrod’s Vampire Chronicles are great. Anything by Anne Rice, but really Interview with a Vampire and the Vampire Lestat are the ones that I spent a lot of time with. I really liked Stoker’s Dracula. I am a big big fan of The Cask of Amantillado and the Pit and the Pendulum by Poe. I’ve read The Shining probably three times, but I wouldn’t put it at the top of the list. I find it compelling, but not a favorite. [Edit: Based on my answer to the previous question, I should note that Shelley’s Frankenstein was not one of my favorite horror novels. Full stop.] I also like Black Sun Rising by C.S. Friedman. That one had a big impact on my storytelling.


What are some of your favorite horror movies?

Alien, hands down, is my favorite horror movie. Next is Jaws. The Fourth Kind (that one freaks me out to this day). Sunshine goes on the list too, although that’s probably a stretch for most true horror fans. One time, a good friend and awesome horror author, Janet Joyce Holden, called my taste in horror very ‘mainstream.’ She’s probably right (and I’m still a little traumatized by that, despite it being true). Whereas I couldn’t get 20 minutes into Event Horizon, which I thought I would love. No accounting for taste.


What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as an author?

Despite being “self” published, I’m still shocked that I have been able to find so many people who want to read what I’ve written. One time, I was at a World Horror Convention in Salt Lake City, and we were doing a mass signing. Some guy came up to me and asked me to sign his Kindle in silver sharpie. I went up to him after and asked him—truly—“What the hell were you thinking?” He said, “I really love your work.” I have fans in the Philippines. I have people who really react to my work. I want people to engage with my stories, to feel them, to experience them. And they do. It’s surprising and very gratifying.


Do you have any advice for new writers?

Yes, and it could fill this interview a hundred times over. I’ll keep it short. First, persistence is everything. EVERYTHING. I’ve written 15 complete novels as I’ve said before. The most recent release I discovered I wrote 9 times, some of which bear no resemblance to the final at all. Nine complete novels to get one publishable story. If I didn’t have persistence, I would have never been able to do that. Persistence beats talent every time. Second, for a long time, I believed that if I couldn’t just “fix” a current story during rewrite—as opposed to going off on a tangent, which is what I’d usually wind up doing—it mean that I was not a disciplined writer. More than one author told me that. You can justify everything, I was told by one writing coach. It’s bullshit. Forking, diverging from the original story, getting lost in a tangent, those are all CRITICAL storytelling tools. I set aside my first novel because I wrote (not rewrote, but wrote) four entirely different stories as I was fixing it. How is that not being disciplined? I once had a conversation with Steven Saylor, one of my heroes. He showed me the first pages of the first novel in his Gordianus the Finder series, which is hugely influential on me (I wouldn’t be a novelist today if it wasn’t for Catalina’s Riddle). In those first pages, Gordianus didn’t even exist. The investigator was Marcus Tullius Cicero, who, in the resulting novels, was a minor if important character.

Even Steven Saylor needed to find his way. Why should I be any different? And David Gerrold rewrote a published novel, When Harlie Was One, because he didn’t like the ending and republished it as Version 2.0. How is that undisciplined? Third, ignore the advice that you can learn writing from reading other authors. Now, before you stop reading this interview, that advice is completely true. You CAN learn from reading others. But not if you don’t understand what you’re reading. Here’s what I mean. If you don’t know how to cook, and someone tells you you can learn how to cook like a master chef by eating great food, they are lying to you. You must know the basics of storytelling (I’m a big fan of the three act structure, but I digress) before you start reverse engineering someone else’s work. It’s like learning a foreign language. If someone teaches you the word for “towel” in Japanese, and then you listen to someone speaking Japanese, it all sounds the same until they say “towel.” That word stands out. But if you don’t know the ingredients of a story, how it’s constructed, how to bake it or pan fry it or barbecue it, what the writing equivalent of the Malliard effect is (look it up, it’s yummy), all you can say is, this is good food. Learn the basics of storytelling, plot, and structure, and THEN go read other great writers and you’ll start to see what they’re doing to your brain. When you know the elements of storytelling, reading is like watching TV with the sound off (try it, it’s creepy). You start to see what they’re doing to your brain. You can pick up on emotions, dramatic beats, and relationships by watching with the sound off. The words are getting in the way. Same with reading to learn writing. Turn the sound off.


What is your opinion of the new self-publishing trend?

I have a total love-hate relationship with self-publishing. Some stories should never ever ever see the light of day. Never. Did I say never yet? Don’t do it. I’ve written more than my fair share. I actually self-pubbed an early draft of one of these winners. I forgot about that. Then, years later, I had reworked it into something publishable. And I found a home for it (Horror Library 5–say Hi to Boyd Harris if you see him). I was so excited. Then I got an angry email from him. They only accepted NEW stories. Well, this was a NEW version. Nope, didn’t count. Shot myself in the foot because I couldn’t wait to win fame and fortune with a story that wasn’t ready and actually harmed my reputation. The publishable version is actually really good. The published version is shite. On the other hand, my other business—and the reason I became a publisher—is helping authors and publishers create books from manuscripts. If it wasn’t for self-publishing, I wouldn’t have my 8 novels nor a career in publishing nor a roof over my head. If your story is ready, go ahead and self-pub. But deciding if your story is ready is a subject for another interview. I will say, if a publisher makes you an offer on your story, THAT’s when you should consider self-pubbing, not before. So many people disagree with that advice. Take it for what it’s worth.


Do you really think you’re a genius?

Oh, for heaven’s sake. My company is Genius Books & Media, Inc.. I named it after my wife, who is way smarter than me. She had Genius Office Services back in 2003, an editing and transcribing service. I coopted the name and created Genius Book Services. Then Genius Book Publishing. And now Genius Books & Media. Everyone gives me a hard time about the name. All I’m going to say is, both Leya and I passed the Mensa test. That’s good enough for me. But the name isn’t a matter of ego, it’s a matter of love. My wife is amazing and she really is WAY smarter than me.


Will you have more time to write now or is the quarantine too distracting?

I’ve worked from home since January 2010. The quarantine has impacted my social life (my friends are mostly in Los Angeles proper, about 45 minutes from my home in Castaic), and I’d really like a haircut and a meal served to me that I didn’t cook myself, but really nothing else has changed. I’m writing a couple of times a week, notwithstanding the true crime book I’m ghostwriting most mornings, and I’m painting three or four nights a week. My publishing work has not abated, but my book design clients have sort of fallen away. That’s affected my income, but not my writing time. And now that my fan in the Philippines has convinced me to write more books (I’ll tell you another time), I have plenty to write. More time? Perhaps not. Too distracting? Not even a little. I just have fewer excuses for not writing.


What are your current projects?

I’m currently writing a modern-day fantasy about a group of geriatric demon hunters who get caught up in the war between the gods for control of the multiverse. I’m plotting out two sequels to my new science-fiction mystery novel, The Orchard (Lord Wilfrando Sy, I’m looking at you, and you know why!) as well as two prequels, and I’m tinkering with a science-fiction private eye novel about a plot to start a galactic war around a single planet. Oh, and I’m thinking of resurrecting that first novel that I wrote four times, now that I’ve figured out what’s wrong with it (you don’t have to fix the world to be an inspiration to others). I’m also an avid figurative and aviation artist painting about one new piece a week. That’s enough to keep me busy.


Please in your own words, write a paragraph about yourself & your work.

I am an author, artist, publisher, and entrepreneur. I am a big believer in the idea that you shouldn’t be confined to writing (or painting, or creating) what you know, because if everyone did that, nothing new would ever be created. As a writer and storyteller, I consider myself a “feral pantser.” I often haven’t a clue where I’m going with a story as I’m writing it. But since the key to a great story is persistence, not talent (talent helps, but I’ll take persistence over talent every time), I’m learning that the story that is unpublishable today will be tomorrow’s masterpiece, once I’ve written it enough times. I am very emphatic, and experience the world in terms of energy flows between people, animals, objects, and the earth, which sounds way more touchy-feely and froofy than it really is. What it does mean is that I experience the world directly, not intellectually, which is beautiful and really hard to explain to others. I’m a cat lover, working on my 13th through 20th cat in 30 years. I’ve been married for just over 20 years (my 20th anniversary was the first day that the Governor of California declared the lockdown, so Leya and I had an intimate dinner at home, and have every night since). Leya is my Chief Operating Officer, my muse, and my best friend. And she really is way smarter than me.

Twitter: @GeniusBooks, @stevenwbooth
Instagram: @GeniusBooks, @stevenwbooth
Facebook: GeniusBookPublishing, stevenwbooth.writer
Website: https://GeniusBookPublishing.com/steven-w-booth.php, https://stevenwbooth.com
steven@geniusbooksinc.com
http://www.amazon.com/author/stevenwbooth

Horror Channel marks May with the return of the monstrous Victor Crowley and David Tennant in sadistic mood

Apocalyptic nightmares, the return of the monstrous Victor Crowley, David Tennant in sadistic mood and an all-star classic vampire tale…Horror Channel marks May with eight prime-time Channel premieres, including armrest-clutching shocker BAD SAMARITAN, starring a serial-killing David Tennant,  VICTOR CROWLEY, Adam Green’s horrifying rebooted journey back to the haunted, blood-drenched bayou, Francis Ford Cappola’s powerful BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, starring Gary Oldman as the immortal Count, and CELL, best-selling horror author Stephen King’s acclaimed tech-inspired apocalyptic nightmare, starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson.

Further premium premieres include Russell Mulcahy’s iconic sword-sweeping fantasy thriller HIGHLANDER, Renny Harlin’s gripping psychological chiller MINDHUNTERS, starring Val Kilmer and Christian Slater, Tom Nagel’s supernatural road-trip horror THE TOYBOX, starring Denise Richards and Mischa Barton and DOOM, a twisty, alien mutating drama starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Rosamund Pike and Karl Urban.

Full film details in transmission order:

Saturday 2 May @ 21:00 – HIGHLANDER (1996) *Channel Premier

An immortal race of warriors, who can only die by being decapitated, are fated to duel down the ages to a distant time called ‘The Gathering’. There, the last few will battle for the

ultimate prize – power beyond recognition. From the Scottish Highlands in the sixteenth century to present day New York, Conor Macleod (Christopher Lambert) does battle against his fellow warriors while the fate of mortal man hangs in the balance.

Saturday 3 May @ 21:00 – MINDHUNTERS (2004) * Channel premiere

FBI agent Jake Harris (Val Kilmer) escorts a group of cadets to a remote island for simulation training. The cadets, under the leadership of J.D. (Christian Slater), will try to catch an imaginary serial killer within the island's elaborate facility. The FBI, however, is suspicious of Harris' methods and dispatch Gabe Jensen (LL Cool J) to act as an outside observer. What he finds is a simulation exercise that becomes dangerously real, and training drills that become a fight for survival.

Friday 8 May @ 21:00 – THE TOYBOX (2018) *Channel Premiere

An estranged family embark on a cross-country trip in an old, recently purchased RV. The father hopes this will bring him and his two sons closer together following their death of their mother. However, the RV has a bloodthirsty hunger, and starts dealing out its own grisly punishments. Stars Denise Richards and Mischa Barton,

Saturday 9 May @ 21:00 – CELL (2016) *Channel Premiere

When a powerful signal is broadcast across mobile networks worldwide, every cell phone user’s mind is dangerously re-programmed turning them all into instant zombie killers. With civilization crumbling as the bloodthirsty ‘phoners’ attack each other and any unaltered person in view, artist Clay Riddell (John Cusack) heads north through New England in search of his wife Alice and son Tom. He’s joined by a group of survivors, including Tom McCourt (Samuel L Jackson), and together they fight off the hyper-connected horde amidst the total chaos. Then they learn of ‘The Raggedy Man’ and his sinister flock, and in their desperation for answers they go in search of him…

Friday 15 May @ 21:00 – VICTOR CROWLEY (2017) *Channel Premiere

In 2007, forty-nine people were brutally torn to pieces in Louisiana’s Honey Island Swamp. Over the past decade, lone survivor Andrew Yong’s claims that local legend Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder) was responsible for the horrific massacre have been met with great controversy, but when a twist of fate puts him back at the scene of the tragedy, Crowley is mistakenly resurrected and Yong must face the bloodthirsty ghost from his past.

Saturday 23 May @ 21:00 – DOOM (2005) *Channel Premiere

A team of space marines known as the Rapid Response Tactical Squad, led by Sarge (Dwayne Johnson), is sent to a science facility on Mars after somebody reports a security breach. There, they learn that the alert came after a test subject, a mass murderer purposefully injected with alien DNA, broke free and began killing people. Dr. Grimm (Rosamund Pike), who is related to team member Reaper (Karl Urban), informs them all that the chromosome can mutate humans into monsters - and is highly infectious.

Sunday 24 May @ 21:00 – BAD SAMARITAN (2018) *Channel Premiere

A small-time crook who runs a valet parking scam, robbing rich client’s houses while they dine at a fancy Italian restaurant, inadvertently stumbles upon a far more dangerous criminal - a sadistic serial killer played by ‘Doctor Who’ star David Tennant - earning a chance to redeem himself. An audacious throwback to such 90s thrillers as AMERICAN PSYCHO, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, CAPE FEAR and THE VANISHING, this crazy and outrageous jump-scare exploiter piles on the suspense and rips along at a nonstop pace to mind chilling contemporary paranoia.

Saturday 30 May @ 21:00 – BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (1992) *Channel Premiere

Count Dracula (Gary Oldman), a 15th-century prince, is condemned to live off the blood of the living for eternity. Young lawyer Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) is sent to Dracula's castle to finalise a land deal, but when the Count sees a photo of Harker's fiancée, Mina (Wynona Ryder), the spitting image of his dead wife, he imprisons him and sets off for London to track her down. Also stars Anthony Hopkins, Sadie Frost, Tom Waits, Monica Bellucci & Richard E. Grant.

Horror Channel: Be Afraid

TV: Sky 317 / Virgin 149 / Freeview 70 / Freesat 138

Website: http://www.horrorchannel.co.uk

Fridays in April on Horror Channel feature the Hellraiser Trilogy of films

Friday 3 April @ 22:50 – HELLRAISER (1987)

Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman) has solved the mystery of the Lament Configuration puzzle box, a sort of evil Rubik’s cube. Unfortunately he inadvertently opens a doorway to Hell and, in death, enters the world of the Cenobites, a race of sadistic supernatural beings led by a bald Cenobite (Doug Bradley). Brought back from the edge of damnation by the blood of his brother, Larry (Andrew Robinson), Frank rises to feed on the souls of others. But he needs his lover and sister-in-law Julia (Clare Higgins) to bring him fresh blood.


Friday 10 April @ 23:15 - HELLRAISER II: HELLBOUND (1989)

Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence) has witnessed too many horrific images for her young mind to take and is placed in the care of Doctor Channard (Kenneth Cranham). No one believes Kirsty’s wild and weird tales, except the Doctor who has secretly been searching for the pleasures the dark side can bring. Soon the walls at the institute begin to crack and bleed and once dead faces from Kirsty’s recent past return to haunt her. And then a Cenobite known as Pinhead (Doug Bradley) vows to tear her soul apart.


Friday 17 April @ 22:55 - HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH  (1993)

Pinhead (Doug Bradley) has been caged in the Torture Pillar, his evil secured for all eternity. But a club owner J.P. Monroe (Kevin Bernhardt) buys this bizarre sculpture and accidentally cuts himself during its installation, dripping blood onto the ancient monument. This resurrects Pinhead but this time he’s up against a reporter Joey Summerskill (Terri Farrell) who battles Pinhead into facing his own, tortured past.


Website: http://www.horrorchannel.co.uk

Interview with Nicholas Vince

Ahead of Horror Channel’s broadcast of HELLRAISER and HELLRAISER II: Nicholas Vince, who played the Chatterer Cenobite, reflects on tackling monsters, his new one-man show and his love of Vincent Price


Horror Channel are broadcasting HELLRAISER and HELLRAISER II: HELLBOUND. How does it feel being part of such an iconic franchise?

I feel extremely fortunate. And I'm grateful to Horror Channel for screening the films, as there's a chance for people who've not seen them before to watch them. I've introduced the films at various screenings and I'm always delighted there's often a 50/50 split between fans of the films and first timers.


You’ve spoken a lot about your experiences of playing the Chatterer Cenobite. Looking back, how much would you say it has defined your career?

Oh, it made my career. It's given me the chance to work with some really interesting young film makers such as MJ Dixon, Paddy Murphy, Stewart Sparke, Katie Bonham, Federico Ichi Scargiali and Lawrie Brewster. And it led to writing comics for Marvel in the 1990's. It's opened many doors for me, particularly in terms of meeting fans of the films who've been very supportive too.


I AM MONSTERS!, your well-received one-man show, reveals the depth of affection you have for Clive Barker. How would you sum up the impact he’s had on your life?

The impact has been extraordinary. Clive is not only extraordinarily talented, he's been very encouraging of all my writing and acting. When I decided to write some short stories in 2012, the first thing I did was re-read his Books of Blood to get some insight how great short stories are written.


The show reveals not just your love for playing monsters but how much, at certain times in your life, you’ve felt like a monster yourself - being gay but remaining closeted during the 70s and being born undershot and having to have major surgery. How much of your life experiences informed your portrayal of the Chatterer?

Good question. At the time, I was mostly concerned with the mechanics of making the costume and mask work, and hitting my marks on set. I did use a technique I'd learned during a mime class at drama school, where we had to bring in a cardboard box, put it over our head and make it into a character. We weren't allowed to decorate or cut it. That makes you both vulnerable and gives great freedom. Firstly, you can't see the audience, which is freeing; but you also have to rely entirely on your imagination and experiences to give the character life.

It's taken me decades to finally articulate a back story for Chatterer which I'm happy with, which I did in the short story Prayers of Desire.


Is it true that the design of the Chatterer was partly inspired by your own facial reconstruction?

Yes, that's right. I mentioned to Clive a documentary I'd watched about facial reconstructive surgery, during which I realised some of the techniques shown must have been used on me when I was 19 years old. It was really a brief conversation and I'd forgotten about it until after filming when Clive pointed out he'd remembered and incorporated what I'd described into the design of the Chatterer.

Are there plans to stage I AM MONSTERS in the future?

Yes, I'm working on some dates for later in the year for the UK and USA.


How important is the ongoing connection you have with your fans?

That's very important to me. It's something which I was taught by Clive. I used to meet up with friends when he did book signings at Forbidden Planet in London. I once saw him sign for seven hours without a break and he drew a picture along with his signature, and whilst he did that he chatted, answered any question and also asked questions. I've always tried to emulate that attitude when I meet fans, or as Clive would say 'enthusiasts'.


What ‘monster’ movies do you personally admire? Have you a favourite?

I'm a big fan of Vincent Price and the Edgar Allan Poe films he did with Roger Corman. My all time favourite is MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH. What I love about Price in that film is that the monster he plays, Prince Prospero, isn't a classic monster makeup, but he's chilling. Of more classic monsters, then it would be Lon Chaney Jr. as WOLFMAN, Claude Rains as the PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and Robert England as Freddy Kreuger.


If you had the choice of playing any of the iconic monsters, which would it be?

THE ABOMINABLE DR PHIBES, as played by Vincent Price.


Finally, what can we expect to see you in next?

They've just released Ashley Thorpe's BORLEY RECTORY onto Amazon Prime in the UK, narrated by Julian Sands and starring Reece Shearsmith. There are three other feature films nearing completion and aiming for release later this year.

I'm also working on my third volume of short stories, which has my Chatterer origin story as the title, PRAYERS OF DESIRE which is due out at the end of Spring 2020.


HELLRAISER is broadcast on Friday 3 April @ 22:50 and HELLRAISER II: HELLBOUND on Friday 10 April @ 23:15.

Revenge Trailer - Directed by Coralie Fargeat and Starring Matilda Lutz

One of the most talked about movies of recent years, Revenge lends ‘pitch-black humour and a cunning feminist agenda’ (★★★★ Daily Express) to the classic exploitation genre, and now Second Sight Films is giving this groundbreaking gore-fest the Limited Edition Blu-ray box set treatment on 11 May 2020.

The release features stacks of brand new special features, including a new interview with debut feature writer-director Coralie Fargeat and star Matilda Lutz (Medici), whose performance is ‘gripping — a powerful mix of Lara Croft and The Bride’ says The Sun. Also included are new interviews with the film’s cinematographer and the composer, a new commentary and much more.

Pre-Order from Amazon UK here - Link opens in a new window

Horror Channel celebrates Sci-Fi B-Movies with Classic Sci-Fi Weekend in April

Horror Channel also celebrates the Sci-fi B-Movie with a CLASSIC SCI-FI WEEKEND, featuring the channel premieres of mutant octopus-rampaging IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA, Fred F. Sears’ saucer-invading caper EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS, Sears’ rampaging alien bird yarn THE GIANT CLAW, Jack Arnold’s thought-provoking classic THE INCREDIBLE SHINKING MAN and Nathan Juran’s Ray Harryhausen inspired 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH. Broadcast on Saturday 11 April and Sunday 12 April from 2pm, the season also includes more strange creatures and alien invaders with  THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, THIS ISLAND EARTH and JOURNEY TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE SUN.

Full film details in transmission order:

Saturday 11 April @ 14:00 – THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951)

After crashing their car in the Scottish countryside, pregnant couple Rachel and Matt Hopkins are offered shelter by a local farmer and his family. That evening Rachel realises the farmer's daughter is a missing child from the news and attempt to leave the farm and get help, but the family capture and imprison Rachel and Matt. It soon becomes clear they want their baby….


Saturday 11 April @ 15:45 – IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA (1955) *Channel Premiere

While on a routine mission, Cmdr. Pete Mathews (Kenneth Tobey) runs into trouble when his submarine is nearly sunk by an unknown creature, which is identified as a giant octopus from the nether reaches of Mindanao Deep. The beast has been awakened by nearby nuclear testing and now, radioactive and monstrously huge, the rampaging leviathan is heading toward the North American Pacific Coast.


Saturday 11 April @ 17:20 - THIS ISLAND EARTH (1955)

When atomic scientist Dr. Meacham is chosen to take part in a top-secret research experiment, he quickly discovers that he is really involved in an evil scheme by alien Metalunans to take over Earth. After he and Dr. Adams make their escape, they are whisked away in a flying saucer to Metaluna, where they are blamed for the destruction. Will interstellar negotiation save the day or will the scientists be forced to take part in a treacherous battle to the death?

Saturday 11 April @ 19:10 – EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS (1956) *Channel Premiere

UFOs from a doomed star system invade Earth with plans of world conquest. Surrender is not an option so the human race must fight to the bitter end. Special effects are by Ray Harryhausen.

Sunday 12 April @ 14:00 – THE GIANT CLAW (1957) *Channel Premiere

When a strange flying object is spotted, it is believed to be a UFO. However, it turns out to be an extraterrestrial bird made of anti-matter which leaves a trail of death and destruction in its wake.

Sunday 12 April @ 15:30 – THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN (1957) *Channel Premiere

While on a boating trip, Scott Carey (Grant Williams) is exposed to a radioactive cloud. Nothing seems amiss at first, but several months later Scott realizes that he's shrunk in height by several inches. He sees a doctor, who admits that he's baffled. As Scott continues to shrink, decreasing to three feet tall, he becomes bitter, and lashes out at his wife, Louise (Randy Stuart). He begins to fear a cure will never be found -- since even as he becomes a national sensation, he's still shrinking.

Sunday 12 April @ 17:10 – 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH (1957) *Channel Premiere

A manned space flight from Venus crash lands in the Mediterranean, losing its most precious cargo: reptilian eggs from the planet's surface. Italian zoologist (Frank Puglia), his American granddaughter, Marisa (Joan Taylor), and returned astronaut Calder (William Hopper) must battle to the creature before it destroys everything in its path.


Sunday 12 April @ 18:50 - JOURNEY TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE SUN (1969)

Two astronauts unravel more than a mystery when they set out to explore a newly discovered planet hidden; there are two weeks left before two planets collide, but Russia and the USA refuse to co-operate.


TV: Sky 317 / Virgin 149 / Freeview 70 / Freesat 138
Website: http://www.horrorchannel.co.uk

Interview with The Soska Sisters

The Soska Sisters on the set of VENDETTA with Dean Cain

Ahead of Horror Channel’s UK TV premiere of VENDETTA (part of the VENGEANCE season), the Soska Sisters reflect on their life-long love of wrestling, getting revenge, and their next, long-waited original film BOB.


You’re back on Horror Channel. Excited?

Jen: Deliriously. We love the Horror Channel! It's our favourite place to be. Thank you for having us back!

Sylvia: LOVE the Horror Channel. It feels a little odd because you guys usually are the first to show our work and Vendetta showed up late. I won't even begin to mention the long-awaited Hellevator.


Finally, your UK fans get to see VENDETTA on British TV!

Jen: I'm so happy it VENDETTA has finally invaded British airwaves. The UK has always been so gracious and supportive of us and our work leading back to the Dead Hooker in a Trunk days. It's only fitting to have VENDETTA follow suit. It's no secret we love our British fans and hold a special place in our hearts for them. I'm excited for them to finally be able to enjoy what I like to call our "Punisher" movie.

Sylvia: Maybe it's happened because the UK has been the most supportive of our work, so Vendetta is now going to be a smash hit and we can finally get to work on the sequel. See who hasn't been horribly murdered and there's still a vendetta to take them out. We're pretty excited to see what the reaction to the film will be - we have a lot of fun directing action and working with these incredible stunt teams.


VENDETTA was the second film you made with WWE Studios (SEE NO EVIL 2 being the first). What made you want to step back into the ring with them?

Jen: Honestly, I'll try anything twice.

Sylvia: It was part of Lionsgate Films' action six-pack which was six action films. We did so well for them on See No Evil 2, they wanted us back. I'm not sure on which side, but someone asked if they wanted to hire girls for their action films and the reply was you've obviously never seen a film by the Soska's before.

Jen & Sylvia Soska with Dean Cain

How on earth did you get Dean Cain to act so mean and angry? And how challenging was it choreographing fights with WWE wrestler Paul ‘Big Show’ Wight?

Jen: Good guys play AMAZING bad guys, just no one ever gives them the opportunity. Dean Cain is such a good man. He's a real life superhero. It's a nice break from reality for him to be a bad guy. Mason isn't really bad and to that point neither is Big Show (Victor Abbott). They're both victims of their circumstances, they're both doing what they feel is the best from some pretty bad options. Paul and Dean both trained so hard for the film. Paul is a literal giant, so we adjusted the action for him. He's lethal.

Sylvia: I've never worked with a team so ready to go and push themselves in a film. That was so important to making this film because we only had 15 days to shoot it & every day there was a coordinated fight sequence for Mason, played by real life Super-man, Dean Cain. He would come to set with this great attitude, look out for everyone, kill it on camera, then head to the gym with the stunt team when we wrapped to get the fight perfect for the next day. I would work with Dean forever if I was so lucky. Paul was also a big surprise as we are huge wrestling fans, so we had been fans of his work for years, but I had no idea what an incredible actor he was. So dedicated and down to earth. When you're the biggest guy in the room, you figure out how to put people at ease, he has this charisma and star quality. He was such a pro with the fights too.

Kimani Smith was our stunt coordinator and Dan Rizzuto was our fight coordinator, and with Vancouver's finest stunt people, they created this very down and dirty prison style of fighting. We had so many stunt actors and actors who could do action in the roles to make sure all the violence was completely amped up.


The film has been described as an “all-male maelstrom of mayhem” and “hell in a cell”. How would you describe it?

Jen: That one summer I spent in an all-male prison, ha ha.

Sylvia: I adore 'All-male maelstrom of mayhem'. I could call it face punch, the movie.

The Soska sisters with wrestler Paul ‘Big Show’ Wight on the set of VENDETTA

VENDETTA heads up Horror Channel’s VENGEANCE SEASON. Have either of you had reason to be particularly vengeful in your lives?

Jen: I work in film. I am blessed to have seen the worst of people as well as the best. Kindness can be mistaken for weakness and people will try to take advantage of you when you have a good heart. I've learned to be guarded, not vengeful. I'm a Catholic. I'll wait on the wrath of God, ha ha.

Sylvia: The best advice regarding vengeance came early in my career from a very successful friend, he said the best revenge is to live a good life. The people who hurt you only win if you sink to their level to destroy them. Just do you. Be kind, treat people with respect & the whole world will open up to you.


You obviously have a great affinity with the wrestling world. Have you ever been tempted to get into the ring yourselves? After all, you are trained in stunt work and the martial arts…

Jen: Is it that obvious? We would love to step into the ring... and not just sneak in when they set up pre show, ha ha. I have a life-long love of wrestling. Working with wrestlers has only increased that love. They are so dedicated and driven. I'd love the opportunity to wrestle ourselves. I have a dream about both Sylv and I training at two different wrestling schools, coming up with gimmicks, everything, without the other knowing, and then coming together to fight each other. That would make a fun reality series.

Sylvia: The only two things I promised my Dad that I wouldn't do that I actually didn't was get a tattoo & become a professional wrestler. That said, we would need next to no motivation to get in the ring. We wanted to wrestle the Bellas, but they are lovely mommies now and the timing never worked out. I feel we would make pretty killer manager types.


When you look back to the days when you were forced to make ‘Dead Hookers In A Trunk’ with your own money, do you still feel you’ve got that independently-spirited drive?

Jen: Absolutely. We are far from having unlimited time and budgets. Vendetta, like all our features, was made in just 15 days. You have to know what you want and be able to roll with the punches. Having an indie spirit always saves the day because your first notion is to come up with creative solutions and not burn money. How do you make an action movie like Vendetta in 15 days? Well, it helps if there are two of you.

Sylvia: I'm so grateful that we spent that money on DHIAT, never made a dime back; my family remortgaged our childhood home to be the first investors in American Mary - so we know the weight of financing probably deeper than a lot of people. We've yet to have the big push on our films, we're still very much auteurs with a very loyal and somewhat niche audience.


How encouraged are you with the current mood to attract more women directors into genre film-making?

Jen: Right now I see a lot of talk and not much action. You see women being hired, but you don't really see them being supported to having an ongoing career. It's more like, great, we hired a women, let's find another one. I don't see established female directors getting as many calls as they should. Genre has always embraced women in front of and behind the camera. I'm happy to see the fans in support. I think a lot more has to change than a few women getting hired here and there but not really being supported to have on going careers, even with the same companies.

Sylvia: I used to be really sexist about it and throw my support behind any woman who wanted to have an opportunity & I found so many times, the people who were reaching out for help weren't the ones who needed it. I think it is important to promote filmmakers of every diverse background so that we can get more perspective and grow in our ability to empathize with lives we would never live, but at the same time, we cannot fill these places with people who have no interest in the arts and are using current political themes for a seat at the table. I used to think it was cruel how comedians made newcomers prove themselves before letting them into the group, now that I've been doing this longer, it seems essential.


Finally, what’s next for you both?

Jen: Finally an original film, our long awaited original monster movie, BOB, which is like FIGHT CLUB meets HARVEY. And we also appeared in Glenn Danzig's new feature, DEATH RIDER IN THE HOUSE OF VAMPIRES which was so much fun to shoot. I can't wait for everyone to see it.

Sylvia: It's been almost ten years since we've made an original film, so making Bob is surreal. There's a project that did not come from us that we are very excited about, hopefully we can announce that soon and it will premiere in the UK!


VENDETTA, which kicks of the VENGEANCE season, is broadcast on Horror Channel, Saturday 4 April at 9pm.

UK premiere of The Soska Sister’s VENDETTA leads Horror Channel VENGEANCE SEASON in April

April is a wicked month on Horror Channel as cops and villains fight it out in the VENGEANCE SEASON, a hard-hitting violent action collection which includes the UK TV premieres of the Soska Sister’s all-male maelstrom of mayhem, VENDETTA, starring Dean Cain and Paul ‘Big Show’ Wight, and the fight-to-the death revenge thriller BLOOD OUT, starring Luke Goss, 50 Cent and Vinnie Jones. Broadcast on Saturday nights at 9pm throughout the month, the season also includes the channel premieres of gritty, bullet-fuelled THE PRINCE, starring Bruce Willis, John Cusack and Jason Patric, and Martin Warren’s THE HEAVY, starring Gary Stretch, Vinnie Jones and Christopher Lee.

Full film details in transmission order:

Saturday 4 April @ 21:00 – VENDETTA (2015) *UK TV Premiere
When his wife is killed by a criminal that he put away, Mason (Dean Cain), a hard-nosed detective, deliberately gets arrested in order to get revenge. While inside, Mason discovers a new criminal enterprise that those behind it would kill to protect.  Pushed beyond his limits Mason will stop at nothing for vengeance.

Saturday 11 April @ 21:00 – THE PRINCE (2014) *Channel Premiere
Bruce Willis, John Cusack and Jason Patric face off in this fast-paced action thriller. A mechanic - and retired assassin - with ties to the underworld is drawn back into the life he gave up when his daughter is kidnapped. To rescue her, he must confront his former rival.

Saturday 18 April @ 21:00 – BLOOD OUT (2011) *UK TV Premiere
When big city detectives refuse to further investigate his kid brother's gang related murder, small town Sheriff Michael Spencer (Luke Goss) drops the badge and goes undercover to find his brother's killer and avenge his death. Also stars Vinnie Jones, Val Kilmer, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Tamer Hassan.

Saturday 25 April @ 21:00 – THE HEAVY (2009) *Channel Premiere
During a routine hit, “Boots” Mason (Gary Stretch) learns a hit has been placed on his own life when a crocked cop, Dunn (Vinnie Jones), tries to kill him. While seeking his revenge, secrets kept hidden are exposed and no innocent bystander is safe as bullets fly. In this world where you can trust no one, all bets are off! Also stars Christopher Lee.


TV: Sky 317 / Virgin 149 / Freeview 70 / Freesat 138
Website: http://www.horrorchannel.co.uk

Competition: Win Magic on Blu-ray

Magic is released on Blu-ray on March 23rd.

And to celebrate we have a great competition and 2 copies on Blu-ray to give away.

Synopsis
With the continuing popularity of creepy dolls on screen from Hugo to Annabel via the many incarnations of Chucky, we meet one of the original devilish dummies: Fats…the side-kick from hell. Adapted for the big screen by William Goldman from his best-selling book, Magic is directed by Richard Attenborough and arrives on Blu-ray on 23 March 2020.

Corky (Hopkins – The Silence of the Lambs, The Two Popes) is a shy magician who just can’t get a break, but when he introduces foul-mouthed ventriloquist doll, Fats, to his act, his star begins to rise. With the chance of hitting the big time finally on the cards, the pressure starts to get to him. In a panic Corky flees the big city, returning to the security of his hometown. When he reunites with old high school flame Peggy (Ann-Margret – Tommy, Grumpy Old Men), love could be in the air. But Fats doesn’t approve and he’s about to create carnage. Who’s really pulling the strings?

It’s time for some Magic…but beware, the demonic dummy will have you screaming for mummy.

Click here to buy from Amazon (Opens in a new window)

For your chance to win both just answer the question below.

COMPETITION CLOSED

Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 30-03-20
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Interview with Heather Slawecki - By David Kempf

Heather Slawecki holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature from Widener University. She began her writing career as a feature writer for the Bucks County Courier Times and has spent the last twenty-five years as an award-winning senior copywriter.

On a personal note, Heather is my cousin and we are almost the same age. She's a mere two days older than me. I am very proud of her for finding her voice and writing this trilogy. Our grandfather Harold loved to read novels. I think he would be very proud of her today.
So am I.


When did you first become interested in writing?

I fell in love with writing as a teenager. It was a great outlet for me. I still have my diary from fifth grade. It’s hysterical. I was fortunate to have extremely good English teachers who helped inspire and encourage me. I started out in nursing school but was excelling in my writing and literature classes. I made the decision to change my major to English. It didn’t go over well at first (haha). But I have no regrets and have made my living writing from the minute I graduated from college.


How did you get involved in murder mystery fiction?

It’s a genre that I gravitate toward when reading. I love unraveling a good mystery. The more twists and turns the better.


How did you go about finding a suitable publisher?

By trade, I’m a copywriter and have a plethora of knowledge about marketing and promoting. I have a few friends who tried traditional publishing and found it frustrating. Most first-time authors won’t find an agent, and the rest find themselves doing their share of promoting themselves anyway. So, I did my research and developed a plan for myself—including starting my own publishing company.


Tell us about all the hard work that went into writing a trilogy. 

I never set out to write a trilogy. But when I got to the end of the first book, I knew I had so much more story to tell. So, I kept writing and writing and writing. The struggle came with the third book. It was the hardest because I had to bring everything together and make sure I didn’t disappoint my readers. It’s also the most complex and involved the most research. That took time and meant folding things into the first two books. So, there was constant editing of all three books along the way. A lot of hard work went into 310,000+ words.


What do you see as the primary difference between British and American mystery?

I really enjoy reading both British and American mystery. Ironically, in college, British Lit was my favorite. I do think British novelists have a knack for creating good old-fashioned spooky and ominous settings to go with their plots.


What are your favorite books?

I have a wide range of favorites. Call me extremely unoriginal, but Pride and Prejudice will always be my favorite. When it comes to murder mystery, I love all of Michael Palmer’s work. I’m very intrigued by medical mysteries, probably because of my nursing background.

Michael Crichton was brilliant. I read Jurassic Park in one day. I also enjoy John Grisham and Dan Brown. The Firm and The DaVinci Code are up there on my list!


What are some of your favorite movies?

I’m all over the place on movies. It depends on my mood. If I like a good book, I’ll look for it in theaters. The Hunger Games—Good stuff. I also love to laugh and could watch We’re the Millers and Horrible Bosses once a week. Again, not very original here, but my favorite movie of all is The Sound of Music.


What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as an author?

Knocking out a trilogy all at once!
             

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Take your time. Do it right. Don’t rush anything, do your homework, and don’t neglect the editing process. Make sure your work is tight. Then do your research and find the right method of publishing for you.
     

What is your opinion of the new self-publishing trend?

I think it has its ups and downs. The market is saturated with some pretty terrible books because of self-publishing. But thankfully, there are some fabulous self-published authors who have changed the game. Most people no longer turn their noses up if you say you’re self-published. It seems to be more of a personal choice, not an only-option for those who couldn’t find an agent. I never looked for one!


What are your current projects?

I’m knee-deep in promoting the Element Mysteries which are releasing right now. I’ve started another book that is more supernatural. Plus, I have a non-fiction project that will likely publish next year. I’ll have to switch gears from desensitized fiction murder to real life crime. I may actually need an agent for that one! 


Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work. 

I think some of the tribulations in my life have led me to the most triumphs. My favorite quote is “there is no strength without struggle.” I believe success is a combination of both passion and persistence. You have to be one hundred percent committed and believe in yourself. I’m extremely proud of all the three novels in the Element Mysteries series. I think if you can read and re-read your own work and still love it, that’s what it’s all about. That’s success right there because the whole world is subjective. You have to love what you do and what you create.

Find out more about Heather at
https://www.heatherslawecki.com