Morpheus Tales Reviews Supplement February 2016 by Adam Bradley

SEASON’S CREEPINGS By Theresa Derwin ................................................................................................. 2 PERFECT SISTERS .......................................................................................................................................... 2 CITY OF WONDERS By James A. Moore ...................................................................................................... 3 BACKCOUNTRY ............................................................................................................................................. 3 EUROPE AT MIDNIGHT By Dave Hutchinson .............................................................................................. 3 VOODOO CHILD By Andre Duza and Wayne Simmons ................................................................................ 5 HARBINGER DOWN ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Women of Horror: Robbie Barnes Interview..................................................................................................... 7 THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE .......................................................................................................................... 11 THE SINGULAR AND EXTRAORDINARY TALE OF MIRROR AND GOLIATH BY ISHBELLE BEE .......................................................................................................................................................................... 11 HAUNTING OF CELLBLOCK 11 ................................................................................................................. 11 Wayne Simmons Interview .............................................................................................................................. 13 LOST AFTER DARK...................................................................................................................................... 15

Edited By Stanley Riiks. Written By Adrian Brady, Stanley Riiks, C.M. Saunders, J. S. Watts, Trevor Wright. Proof-read By Sheri White. © Morpheus Tales February 2016. Morpheus Tales Back Issues and Special Issues are available exclusively through lulu.com: http://stores.lulu.com/morpheustales For more information, free previews and free magazines visit our website: www.morpheustales.com Morpheus Tales Review Supplement, February 2016. COPYRIGHT February 2016 Morpheus Tales Publishing, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Reviews can be used, in full or in part, for publicity purposes as long as Morpheus Tales Magazine is quoted as the source.

SEASON’S CREEPINGS By Theresa Derwin http://knightwatch.greatbritishhorror.com/seasonscreepings/ Do you fancy a little something for Christmas? If you do, and if it’s not too late, Season’s Creepings may be just what you are after (blame publication schedules if it is too late. This review was written in November, honest). Written by self-confessed Christmas addict, Theresa Derwin, and published by Knightwatch, this small book (sixty-three pages in total, including the foreword and the after sections about the author and cover artist) contains five short stories and a poem, all on the subject of Christmas, but Christmas with a creepy twist. First, there is a story, “Fifty Hades of Grey,” about the unexpectedly demonic outcome of a Fifty Shades of Grey themed Christmas present. This is followed by (in no particular order and not following the sequencing of the book itself): a contemporary take on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, a gothic interlude involving Mr Dickens himself, a pastiche Christmas poem, an outbreak of bird flu resulting in “Night of the Living Dead Turkey,” and a Christmas dinner in which the phrase “do you prefer a breast or leg?” takes on a more macabre significance. The poem, “Twas the Night” is the odd one out. It is, of course, the only poem in this slight collection and, though based on Clement Clarke Moore’s ubiquitous Christmas poem, Twas the Night Before Christmas, is actually more political polemic against the Scrooge-like proclivities of the current UK government than Christmas bauble. Theresa Derwin clearly loves Christmas and obviously had great fun putting this collection together. Although the stories explore the potentially dark side of the Winter Festival, there is plenty of black humour and decorative festive puns. The subtitle to “Night of the Living Dead Turkey” is “Death from Beyond the Gravy,” for example. I guess I’m more of a “Bah, humbug” sort of girl myself. I find much of Christmas a tad clichéd and the decorative side of things too flimsy and superficial to pay it much attention. I’ll therefore admit that this little collection didn’t fully ignite my Christmas pudding, but if you like all things Christmasy and are immersed in the festive spirit, this may be the light stocking filler you are after. By J. S. Watts PERFECT SISTERS Two teenaged sisters, enraged by their mother’s alcoholism and perceived weakness in tolerating an abusive relationship, take matters into their own

hands and drown her in the bathtub after researching how to murder someone on the internet. As if that wasn’t sketchy enough, they then go around bragging to their friends about it, landing themselves in some very hot water. Based on the book The Class Project: How to Kill a Mother by Bob Mitchell, which told the shocking true story of Linda Andersen who was murdered by her own daughters in Ontario, Canada in 2003, on its release last year Perfect Sisters drew criticism from people who knew the case as it supposedly painted the girls in an overly sympathetic light.

The incident is certainly a curious one, and throws up all sorts of nagging questions. Despite the cold brutality of their actions, you can’t help but feel a little empathy for the despicable duo. Perhaps that’s the sign of a good filmmaker. Credit should also go to the two female leads, Abigail Breslin (the little girl from Signs) and Georgie Henley (the little girl from the Chronicles of Narnia) who both turn in astonishing performances. Because of their ages (15 and 16), the real-life pair served less than half of their ten-year sentences before being released and given new identities. That should make you sleep well at night. Be grateful your kids are more grounded. They are, aren’t they? By C.M. Saunders

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took a two-week outdoor break in Ontario. They were attacked by a black bear, and Jacqueline was killed. Mark fought the bear off, reputedly getting it in a head lock and punching it at one point, and was awarded the Star of Courage for his selfless actions. I remember reading about the case at the time, probably because until then I had been under the impression bears were big cuddly things. Evidently, that isn’t so. Illusion shattered. The movie switches things around somewhat so there are no spoilers in what you just read, but it is no less terrifying. A couple go hiking and get hopelessly lost in bear territory. Soon, what should have been a relaxing romantic break turns into a battle for survival. You know the attack is coming. The clues are there. But when it finally arrives, nothing can prepare you for the sheer brutality of it. You can literally hear the bones crunching, and the special effects are stomach-churningly realistic. Like most irreversible, life-changing events, the onslaught is over in seconds. But then you have to live with the aftermath. Or try to. By C.M. Saunders

CITY OF WONDERS By James A. Moore www.angryrobotbooks.com I thought that this third book would see the war that’s been building up, and it would be the final book in a trilogy. But it’s not; it seems publishers and authors just aren’t willing to let the reader go once they’ve got them hooked. Despite a slight disappointment that this isn’t the final chapter, I am most definitely hooked on this series. The Fellein Empire has retreated back to Old Canhoon and prepares for the coming battle with the mysterious and brutal Sa’ba Taalor. The Sa’ba Taalor are making headway along the borders of the empire, crushing their enemies beneath their feet in a seemingly unstoppable and deadly march. Moore has created a brilliantly realised world here; his characters continue to get better with each book, and the screws tighten, the tension rises, as the coming battle gets closer and closer. To give you more details would be to ruin the surprises. You really need to start with the jawdropping first and second books in the series to truly appreciate the epic war tale that is going on. This book feels more like a stepping-stone to the next, and here the surprise twist isn’t as monumental as in the previous two books. But this is still exciting, it’s still fresh and different, and brilliantly vivid. Fantasy does not get much better than this. I can’t wait for the fourth instalment! Mr Moore, get writing — I need your next book now! By Stanley Riiks

EUROPE AT MIDNIGHT By Dave Hutchinson www.solarisbooks.com Europe at Midnight is the second part of a trilogy, although it is not a direct sequel to the first book. If you do pick this one up without reading the first book you’ll make it through, but you will miss much of the context and the excellence of the first novel. This one is set in the same dystopian world as the first, where Europe is fractured into hundreds of tiny states, where the UK is on the edge of falling apart. Jim is an intelligence officer, struggling to cope with the constantly changing alliances and “the Community,” when an attack on a London bus throws a large pile of excrement into the fan. A wickedly inventive world created with great detail, a complex and shifting plot which draws you in gradually, good characters, and you have a monumentally good SF novel. The fact that this is book two in a trilogy is even more impressive; the epic scope is becoming clear. A great SF trilogy, can’t wait for the next instalment. By Adrian Brady

BACKCOUNTRY For once we have a ‘true story’ that is based on verifiable events. And wouldn’t you just know it, this is actually downplayed around the film’s release. In 2005, husband and wife Jacqueline Perry and Mark Jordan 3

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then is when the book starts to get exciting. It is subtle this change, but you start feeling like you’re experiencing an 80s slasher film. You get hints of Jack Ketchum, and then Richard Laymon. The book evolves, it grabs your interest and won’t let go. It is nostalgic, and reflective, and is classic 80s horror. There’s murder, a relentless slasher, a creepy lake-side setting, multiple victims, multiple suspects. And it just keeps going, the killer working his way through our cast of characters, until the chilling twist at the end. This is not your average slasher novel, it’s much more intelligent than that, and plays on the archetypes of the genre. Ok, so to begin with it’s a bit slow, but that’s more than made up for by the excitement, the fan references, and everything else you get in the final third of the book. 80s horror hasn’t been this good since the 80s! Original, trashy and classy, 80s slasher fun! By Stanley Riiks

SEA SICK By Iain Rob Wright http://www.iainrobwright.com/ If you aren’t familiar with the name, you need to kick yourself. Hard. Iain Rob Wright is one of the UK’s most accomplished horror writers, and he writes in that distinctly British way that only we can pull off. Probably his best-known work is the shocker ASBO, but this overlooked gem has amassed almost one hundred Amazon reviews and a 4.5-star average rating, which is no mean feat. Quick tip: You can get this, and three other novels free just for signing up to his newsletter at his website. Sea Sick has been described as a cross between Dawn of the Dead and Groundhog Day, which is a pretty fair comparison. Jaded cop Jack Wardsley’s career virtually ended the moment his partner died, and his record of police brutality and reputation for not following the rules has prompted his superiors to give him an ultimatum: find a way to let go of all the anger – or find another job. Hence he finds himself on vacation aboard the Spirit of Kirkpatrick, a cruise liner built for relaxation and fun. Pretty soon, however, Jack realizes that a little fun in the sun is the last thing he’s going to get. There’s a virus onboard and it’s turning people insane. Even worse, there’s some weird magic at work that forces him to live the same day over and over again. This is one crime that won’t be easy to solve. By C.M. Saunders

HARBINGER DOWN “If anyone’s gonna be deliverin’ an ass-kicking, it’s gonna be me.” Have you ever heard a better opening line than that? Take a bow, Lance Henriksen. The retort from his granddaughter is even cooler. “Do you kiss my grandmother with that mouth?” Henriksen is the captain of a crabbing ship that has agreed to take a bunch of students tracking whales along for the ride. Their equipment reveals something trapped in ice beneath the surface of the water which, when pulled onto the ship, is revealed to be an intact Soviet moon lander, complete with bodies. The crew argue over salvage rights, but that all pales into insignificance when the crew and students learn that the ship was carrying tardigrades (a kind of segmented micro-organism capable of surviving extreme conditions) which, through exposure to radiation, have now evolved, garnered shape shifting abilities, and a very bad attitude. Yep, Harbinger Down is basically a creature feature, played out within the confines of a fishing vessel. There are similarities with John Carpenter’s The Thing and others of that ilk. In fact, the Kickstarter scheme that funded it featured the claim that the movie would be ‘In the spirit of two of the greatest sci-fi/horror films of all time, Alien and The Thing.’ It doesn’t disappoint. By C.M. Saunders

VOODOO CHILD By Andre Duza and Wayne Simmons http://www.infectedbooks.co.uk/ Hmmm… I was quite looking forward to this homage of 80s horror, and then I started reading it. The first two thirds of this book felt a little slow, too much build, too much time spent introducing the characters, and setting the scene. Three young women are getting away from it all on a trip to the country, camping by a lake. They set up camp near to the cabin of one of their grandparents, and settle in, ignoring the rumours of ghostly happenings. All well and good, except this takes up two thirds of the book. By this time I was getting bored. I was waiting for someone to get killed, and waiting and waiting. And I wasn’t really feeling the 80s vibe. But then I hit the final third of the book. This is when people start getting killed. This is when the 80s vibe really kicks into high-gear, and 5

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Women of Horror: Robbie Barnes Interview As an actress what do you look for in choosing the right role? What are some things that would turn you off from playing a role? When looking at a script, I look for opportunities for character development. There’s really not a character I wouldn’t like to portray as long as there’s depth. I’ve played a coked-out stripper in Fright Teck’s Naughty List, the sweet, head-strong Elena in Matt Zaleski’s Red Acquisition, and a snotty, stuck up suburban PTA mom in Route 40 Productions’ A Christmas Tree Miracle. As long as there’s a chance for me to develop a character and make her a genuine human being that someone can relate to, I’m interested. What turns me off from a role is bad dialogue in a script, characters that aren’t well thought-out or throw-aways. Even a villain or a whore has to have humanity; they have to believe that they’re in the right and justified. If that doesn’t exist, I typically stay away.

but I’m making the attempt! Maybe in doing so, it’ll inspire one of my partners and they’ll take over. Favorite production experience. Why? It’s very difficult to pinpoint just one favorite production experience because I’ve been fortunate enough to work with so many talented people on different projects. I suppose if I have to name just ONE favorite experience, it would have to be when I worked on PheMIMEnon with FNA Productions. We were competing in the Cleveland 48-Hour Film Festival and didn’t think we had a shot at winning. There was another team that just blew everyone away with everything they do (I’ve gotten to work with them too, since then), and there was no way we could compete with that. However, when our movie showed, people had an emotional reaction to it. We were told by a few audience members it made them cry ‘happy tears.’ We ended up getting a Best Film nomination, which we were happy with! When the award was being given out, the crowd started chanting “FNA, FNA…” The host read off, “PheMIMEnon by FNA Productions,” and we were just elated. I got to watch everyone on my team, myself included, screaming and crying in delight. I’m very close to that group and being able to have a win like that with them and seeing them so happy… it’s one of my favorite life moments and I’ll never forget it. It was like the underdog won. Being from Cleveland, that’s a big deal! Afterward, we took our movie to Los Angeles and it played in an international film festival at the Chinese theatre on Hollywood Blvd. I’m still so grateful for that.

I’ve discovered that not only are you an actress, but you’ve also tried your hand at directing, producing, composing, and editing. Tell us about these experiences. Well, when I was in college there wasn’t much film going on yet in the Cleveland market. There was an abundance of theater auditions, which I did partake in; however, I really wanted to dive into movies but there weren’t many opportunities. So I made my own. I started working on scripts, borrowing equipment from the campus, acting and directing in them, and spent several hours learning the editing system and putting them together. I ended up becoming a big fan of editing, and had a knack for it. Which came in handy later when I was able to edit my own reels together and film my own video auditions for submissions. I worked with a film group called FNA Productions and put a few of those projects together. It helped me to establish myself. Sometimes you can’t rely on others to start your career, you have to take charge yourself. What other behind-the-scenes hats have you worn or would like to wear in the near future? Recently, I’ve been working on writing scripts. I’ve been connecting with a lot of very talented filmmakers and actors, and we want a reason to work together and collaborate. So I’ve been taking a stab at writing. It was a slow start, but once the ideas started to flow, I’ve been trying to work on it daily. I don’t know if any of my scripts will be any good, 7

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get distribution. I don’t need to be famous or rich from it, but I just want to be able to do what I love forever. I want to entertain. What are some of your upcoming projects? I’m still currently working on the action film, Red Acquisition. It’s one of the biggest undertakings in my career. I’m the leading lady and I do get to do some stunt work in it. I have a scene I’m filming this weekend on a private flight. I’m very much looking forward to that. We’ve gone through many waves of the horror genre from classic monsters to atomic creatures to slasher movies of the 80s all the way up to the torture porn of the early 2000s. What do you see (or would like to see) as the next big thing in horror? Honestly, what I’d love to see is filmmakers going backwards, but I don’t mean remakes. I think CGI has gone too far that it all looks too unbelievable. I miss practical effects and would love to see horror movies dabble in that again. And speaking of remakes, just stop. Horror is harder than its given credit. I’d like to see more psychological horror being made.

Least favorite production experience. Why? Without naming anything specific because I don’t want to throw anyone under the bus, I would say I hate when things aren’t organized. It makes it hard to focus on your job as an actress when you have to worry about other things that a producer or director should be worrying about. I also hate being lied to, and in this industry liars are everywhere. So you really have to be on your A-game, especially when working with new people. This is not a slight in any way, but most people working in movies (myself included) have day jobs (not associated with film) that afford us the opportunity to chase our passions. What is your day job? I’ve been blessed with an amazing day job that I love as much as when I get to act. I’m currently a product specialist for the Auto Show. I get to travel around to different cities nationwide and talk about cars with guests. When I’m not doing that, I freelance as a promo model and get paid to hang out and mingle with people while pushing a product. It’s fun and I enjoy meeting new people. They’re all so interesting. What is your ultimate goal when it comes to working in movies? The ultimate goal is just to continue to do it. I love making movies. I love being in them. I love when they get to premiere on big screens in full theaters. I love hearing audience members reacting; I like getting to make people feel an emotion. It would be nice to have more films get into film festivals and 8

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Tell us about Modus Operandi. Why do you consider this your favorite horror movie that you've worked on? Modus is special to me for a few reasons. One, I always wanted to be in a musical but never thought my voice was good enough. The writer felt differently and wrote a song specifically for my vocal range that he knew I could pull off. So I could check that off my bucket list! Other than that, I got to play producer on this movie. I wanted to make a movie that wasn't your traditional slasher, but something that would make you sick to your stomach; thoroughly disgust you while watching because of how messed up it is. The first idea I had wasn't a musical, but once the idea was presented to me, I jumped on board. It was challenging because it was for the 48-Hour Horror Film Project, and we didn't have a lot of time. There were certain parts of the night where I was really worried it wasn't going to get done on time. It would be the first incident in the competition where we didn't get a project turned in on time. However, we wrapped filming and got that sucker done! And we ended up winning Best Director, Best Editor, Best Score, Best Cinematography, Audience Choice, and I won my first Best Actress award. What is FNA Productions and what are some of the films you've done with them? Say 'FNA' really fast... that's what it stands for. Haha. FNA is my original group based in Cleveland, OH. They're a little film family that's been established over the past few years. We participate a great deal in the Cleveland 48-Hour Film Project. Some of our most noteworthy films, aside from Modus Operandi, include PheMIMEnon, Return, Next Year, Cleveland: Game On, and Sierra.

'red' and tries to sell it on the black market. My character is the leading lady, Elena, the star's romantic interest. A lot of my action scenes mostly just involve a lot of running, so it's not too extensive, but I did have one scene in particular that we had to plan out so I wouldn’t get injured. I was a little nervous about falling on my back the wrong way, but I was more excited than anything! I love action movies and love getting to fight or get thrown through walls. The first movie I remember watching as a kid was Terminator, and I remember Sarah Connor in the second film and wanted to be her. So I was thrilled when I got to throw a few punches and get thrown around a little bit.

Judging from some of the Behind the Scenes pics, Red Acquisition seems like a pretty intense shoot. What is it about? Who is your character? Was it scary and/or challenging doing your own stunts? Red Acquisition is about a team of "acquisition specialists" who steal an unreleased pharmaceutical addictive drug which thrusts them into a conspiracy with global implications. Remember when CocaCola used to put cocaine in their drink? Imagine if a company that big could disguise an addictive drug subtly in their product lines. A 25-percent increase in one of their products like a mainstream cola brand would be billions, all of their products— fast food chains, groceries, etc.— trillions. A team of thieves steals said untraceable addictive substance known as

Anything else you’d like to add? I’d like to say thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years: Joe Quintanilla, Joe Skow, JW Myers, Bob Ellis, Len Ganley, Benjamin Barr, Matt Zaleski— jeez, there are too many to name. And also thank you to everyone who takes the time to check out the films I’ve been in, as well as this interview! I really appreciate it and wish I could give you all hugs! 9

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might be gathering dust in a vault somewhere? By C.M. Saunders

THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE From the producers of the Conjuring and Annabelle comes a new addition to the recent fad of possession movies. Scientists involved in a 1970s research project looking into ESP and related phenomena stumble across Judith (played by Rya Kihlstedt of Deep Impact fame) whose abilities far transcend anything they have encountered before. They gleefully set about testing her and documenting the results, but it doesn’t take long for them to realise that rather than someone displaying impressive feats of telekinesis, what they are really dealing with is a severe case of demonic possession. The entity makes its presence known in a variety of subtle and non-subtle ways and soon, the military come knocking in an attempt to harness and eventually weaponise the demon’s power. Predictably, that’s when things get really out of hand. Sometimes, guns and bullets just aren’t enough. Written and directed by Chris Sparling, writer of the 2010 underground (sorry, couldn’t resist) smash hit Buried, The Atticus Institute unfolds through a series of interviews-to-camera interspersed with segments of laboratory footage, giving it a gritty and decidedly intense feel. The result is terrifyingly realistic, and Sparling works the tension impeccably as it builds to an horrific climax. Poor Judith spends the vast majority of the film strapped in a chair squirming around and speaking in tongues, whilst being shouted at and receiving electric shock therapy. By the end you actually end up feeling a bit sorry for her/it and begin questioning who the victim really is in all this. As any news report will tell you, this kind of unrestrained overkill is typically what happens when western governments come up against an enemy they don’t fully understand. Though this is one of the few possession movies that doesn’t claim to be based on actual events, I have a sneaking suspicion the genesis of the story is based on the US government’s Stargate Project and its derivatives, operations set up in the 1970s to investigate psychic phenomena in response to muted Soviet projects of a similar ilk. One of the main focuses of the Stargate Project was remote viewing, something of obvious military significance, which is alluded to several times in The Atticus Institute. Though the Stargate Project was (allegedly) closed down in 1995 amid claims that it wasn’t effective enough to make it viable, the bulk of the data that was collected has never been made available to the public, so who knows what evidence

THE SINGULAR AND EXTRAORDINARY TALE OF MIRROR AND GOLIATH BY ISHBELLE BEE www.angryrobotbooks.com This is a strange book. Delightfully strange. Mirror is a little girl (human?) with a mysterious guardian who can shape-shift and is called Goliath. Mirror lives in a slightly different Victorian England to the one you might have read about in your history books, and is hunted by John Loveheart, who wants her for Mr Fingers, who wants to eat her. This is a very strange book. The narrative is complex, with time shifting, and the fairly simple plot is further complicated by the fantasy elements of the novel. This means it can sometimes be difficult to keep abreast of what/when things are happening, but stick with it, this is a book, much like Catch 22, which is worth the effort. Deceptively complex and intricate, this is at once a simple fantasy story and an epic journey into a strange and weird world. By Adrian Brady HAUNTING OF CELLBLOCK 11 Also known by the alternative title Apparitional, this is a straight-to-DVD low-key romp about group of under-pressure paranormal TV show makers on the trail of their latest spook. Their quest takes them to a remote abandoned prison, which (or so the story goes) was once the domain of a crazed doctor who experimented on the unfortunate inmates. They are warned off by the locals, but naturally ignore the warnings and continue their investigation regardless. Cue lots of cheesy scenes and even more cheesy dialogue as they realize they are trapped in a haunted prison and struggle to survive the night. Needless to say, they don’t all manage it. That’s not exactly a spoiler, by the way. What did you think was going to happen? The most interesting thing about this film is possibly the fact that it was filmed on location at the disused Missouri State Penitentiary, a site supposedly haunted by former inmates, just like in the film. There are worse ways to spend 84 minutes, but equally there may well be better uses of your time. By C.M. Saunders 11

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Wayne Simmons Interview Your latest book Voodoo Child is out now. Tell us about the book. Voodoo Child is very much a slasher horror novel. In fact, it’s more than that: it’s an 80s slasher horror movie told in book format. If you’re a fan of the late 70s/ 80s slasher horror craze, then this book was written for you. Voodoo Child is collaboration with Audre Duza; how did that come about? I’ve been friends with Andre for years, and an admirer of his work for even longer than that. Andre takes a very punk approach to writing which has always appealed to me. His bizarro novel, Dead Bitch Army, was one of the first zombie novels I read and remains a personal favourite. As I was writing Voodoo Child, I kind of hit a brick wall and then had the idea of bringing someone else in on the project as co-writer. I approached Andre, knowing that, like me, he was a huge fan of the era of horror cinema the book was riffing on, and he was very into the idea. Andre’s input injected a vitality and off-the-wall zaniness to this book that, I feel, takes it up a notch. Working with him was a real blast.

I got to know Andre. I can’t pinpoint an exact time we started to work together, as I’ve been helping Dave out with editing for quite a while, but it formalised around the time that my novella The Girl in the Basement came out through Infected. The title says PR & Marketing but I think it’s fair to say I do more than that. Dave and I work very well together, I think, and just share out what needs to be done without worrying so much about remits. We’ve big plans for IB, not least our Year of the Zombie project next year involving many of our zombie horror writing peers.

You’ve been writing for a while now. What inspired you to start writing? Just being an obsessive fan, really. I think there comes a time when you’re so into something that you simply can’t stand by the sidelines anymore; you have to get involved. That was the case for me and horror. What other writers have influenced you? Within horror, I’d say David Moody, Stephen King, Shaun Hutson, Richard Laymon, Skipp & Spector right off the cuff. These days, I mostly read noir and writers such as Lawrence Block, Mickey Spillane, Christa Faust, Milton K. Ozaki, Richard Montanari and many others are doing it for me.

Tell us about The Girl in the Basement, your last novel. It’s my favourite project to date, to be honest, because it represents where I am as a reader as well as writer, being more of a noir tale. Basic premise has the main character, Kayley Sands, falling asleep on the bus one night on the way home after a gig. Next thing she knows, she’s tied up in a basement. And her captor isn’t a very nice man. It’s violent, emotive, trippy and, ultimately, very uplifting.

What are your other influences? Music. I’m a big rock and metal fan. Wayne, you also work as the PR and Marketing director of Infected Books, how did that come about and what does it involve? Again, it was a natural progression that arrived out of friendship. This time, it was David Moody (Infected Books Head Honcho), a writer I admired and became good friends with around the same time

Do you have any rituals or routines when you write? None at all. I sometimes write to music (like now: KISS is spinning on the boom box) and at other times I don’t. I’ve written on the bus, at the 13

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laundrette, at the beach, in bed, just about anywhere one man and his pen/ laptop/ PC will fit.

What book are you reading now? Ace Frehley’s bio.

How difficult/different was the collaborative writing process? How did you put the book together? It wasn’t difficult at all. I had a basic plan in place, maybe the start, a little of the middle and some sort of ending. But when Andre got involved, the whole thing took on a new life and became an entirely different beast. I don’t remember any issues at all, working together. We just batted the manuscript back and forth over a couple of years, working and reworking the ever-evolving content. I think collabs require both writers involved to not be precious about what they’re working on. Andre and I ruthlessly edited each other – and that’s what made the whole thing work, I think.

What is your proudest moment as a writer? Finding a copy of FLU at my local Waterstones. Are you disappointed with any of your work when you look back on it? Absolutely. I think all of it could be better written. But you could edit and re-edit the same book all your life, and what would that achieve? I mean, just look at what George Lucas did to the first three Star Wars movies. shudder What's the best piece of feedback that you've had from your audience? Don’t trust the proofreader. Get someone you trust to give it the once over. What is the most important thing when becoming a writer? That you enjoy it.

If you could go back in time to when you started writing and give yourself one piece of advice what would it be? Don’t bother. Stick to playing the guitar. (I’m joking).

Do you write for a particular audience, or for yourself? These days I write for myself, but I’m a reader who likes to read a certain type of book and style, so hopefully it all comes full circle.

Do you read reviews of your work? How do you deal with criticism? Yeah, I do. I think as the years go by and the onestar reviews clock up, you learn not to take it all so much to heart. I think the important thing is to listen to the reviews – especially the critical ones.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Play guitar, go to gigs, get involved with animal rights stuff (I’m an active member of Animal Welfare Party and admin on a Veggie/ Vegan Facebook group) and walk lots of dogs every day. I’m also a regular contributor to Skin Deep Tattoo Magazine.

Where do you get your inspiration? Life experience, I guess. And from being a fanboy. 14

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Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. A bunch of wayward teens (most of whom appear to be pushing thirty) lie to their parents, sneak out of a school dance, nick a big yellow school bus, and drive off toward a cabin deep in the woods to get laid. “Let’s break some rules!” There are jocks, stoners, virgins, even a token black guy with headphones. Yeah, you already know bad shit is going to happen. That’s even before the stolen school bus runs out of petrol leaving them, ahem, lost in the dark. The hapless bunch soon stumble across a seemingly deserted farmhouse, which according to local legend, once belonged to a family of cannibals, and one by one they fall victim to a lunatic with an axe because they are all too dumb to escape. Luckily or unluckily for them, Mr Cunningham (Robert Patrick, of Terminator 2 and not much else), Vietnam vet and now vice principal of the high school, is hot on their tails. It’s easy to see how this film could sink beneath the surface and be shunted off into oblivion leaving nothing but a trail of bad reviews in its wake. It’s derivative, corny, and offers nothing new to a genre that didn’t have much going for it in the first place. The stand-out scene is a slow-mo closeup of a knife entering an eyeball, for goodness sake. But still, this is rocking good fun. By C.M. Saunders

What parts of being a writer do you like best? And least? Best: being my own boss. Least: being my own boss (I’m not very disciplined!). Who are your favourite authors and favourite books? Think I’ve answered this in part already? But my all-time fav horror is Carrie by Stephen King. My all-time fav noir is The Sins of the Fathers by Lawrence Block. Do you get writer’s block? How do you cope with it? I might be going through something like that now, actually. I’m just waiting to see if it lifts, to be honest. I’m not in a rush anymore to get books out. I’ve enough other stuff going on to keep me occupied. If you could meet anyone, fictional or real, dead or alive, who would it be? I’d like to have a green tea with Gene Simmons. What are you working on now? Absolutely nothing, fiction-wise. Do you have any advice for other writers? Just enjoy it, I say. And don’t take yourself or anyone else too seriously. What scares you? This question! Ha! What makes a good story? One that has a start, middle, and end. That keeps the reader engaged with characters that they feel invested in. It really is that simple, I think. LOST AFTER DARK I have my weaknesses. Nobody is perfect. My weaknesses are legion, but they include horror flicks, heavy metal, and all things eighties. Maybe that’s why, for all its faults (ham acting, predictable plot, hopeless dialogue, to name but three) I still think this film rocks. OK, there’s no glam metal, and it’s only set in the eighties rather than being a true product of the decade that style forgot, but it’s certainly cheesy enough. As homages to slasher movies go, this is right up there with Behind the 15