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Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Samhain Horror Top 10, Ginger Nuts of Horror interview
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| some ginger nuts, earlier today |
Happy to report 'The Lamplighters' is in at #8 in Samhain Publishing's Top 10 Horror Bestsellers.
Huge thanks to all of you who are pre-ordering the novel, out 1 November in ebook (and 7 February in paperback).
My interview courtesy of host Jim Mcleod at The Ginger Nuts of Horror went live today, so grab yourself a biscuit and head on over to check out chat about books, movies, coffee and ginger nuts!
More tricks & treats coming soon, including a competition to win a 'The Lamplighters' ebook!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Get your Panic on (Edge) this Hallowe'en!
PANIC BUTTON:
28 October Abertoir Horror Double Bill (with Stalker), Aberystwyth
28 October Horrorthon, Dublin
03 November Horror & Fantasy Festival, San Sebastian
04 (with Q&A), 05, 08 November Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
for further details/times/updates, check: www.facebook.com/panicbuttonmovie
ON EDGE:
26 October-04 November South African Horrorfest, Cape Town
for further details/times/updates, check: www.horrorfest.info
See you at the movies!
Friday, October 07, 2011
Samhain Guest Author: Hunter Shea
The October festival of Samhain sees the veil between worlds growing thinner. What better time then to break the veil between horror author blogs and bring you a special guest interview with Hunter Shea. His paranormal horror 'Forest of Shadows' is out now from Samhain Horror. Take it away Hunter!
Your novel 'Forest of Shadows' debuts as part of the Samhain Horror line this October. Can you tell us about the novel and the inspiration behind it?
Hunter Shea: Forest of Shadows is about a man who wins the lottery on the same day his wife dies in her sleep. The bulk of the story picks up 5 years after the eventful day and we see John, the main character, as a man plagued by deep anxieties who has used his financial freedom to delve into the paranormal. He’s been raising his daughter with the help of Eve, a family friend with an infant of her own. When he hears about a haunted cabin in Alaska, he uses it as the springboard to move on with his life and start a new chapter, so he moves his makeshift family into the literal middle of nowhere. Of course, he gets much more than he bargained for as the cold season approaches and the cabin is beset by every type of haunting known to man. He’s forced to face his deepest fears in a situation that could mean life or death.
When writing Forest of Shadows, I had a strong desire to do more than just write a simple ghost story. I wanted to tackle heavy issues like death and mourning, survivor’s guilt, anxiety disorders, and even discrimination. A haunted man, to me, is always a more fascinating subject than a haunted house, though there’s plenty of that in there as well.
A recent podcast on your website featured your overnight stay on a haunted ship. Care to reveal more about your clear fascination with the paranormal?
HS: That night on the Queen Mary, was, if anything, a total blast. I blame Leonard Nimoy and his creepy narration on In Search Of for my obsession with the paranormal. I hung on every word and image when I was a kid. Of course, I also devoured episodes of The Night Stalker, The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, you name it. My grandmother was, according to the family, a psychic, and I’ve been surrounded by people who believe there’s more around us than we can see. In fact, I’ve had two startling experiences of my own that have kind of changed my view on death and what lies beyond. One experience lasted for almost a year and involved a phantom boy that ran about my house and watched over my wife when she was very ill and on life support (she’s well now, in case anyone was wondering). Another happened briefly in a hotel room in Spain that scared the crap out of me. I used to say I like to think there are ghosts because that just makes the world a more interesting place. Now I say I know there are ghosts, and the quest for answers has only begun.
Samhain Publishing is a new player in the horror literature field. What drew you to them as a publisher and how has it been working with them?
HS: Forest of Shadows was initially offered a contract with Dorchester Publishing’s Leisure horror line. They and their editor, the amazing Don D’Auria, were, for my money, the gold standard of horror publishing. I only sent the book to Don and waited years to see if it made it out of the slush pile. I had no agent at the time and decided to take a gamble. Unlike most gambles in my life, it paid off, but the timing was horrible. Leisure imploded last year and Don left the company. Thankfully, the contract was never signed. My agent and I sat patiently, working on other things, and were thrilled when Don landed at Samhain and asked if he could publish the book with the new horror line he was developing. Everyone there has been a wonder to work with. I couldn’t ask for more. They have put together a great team and they are committed to promoting this line so much that other authors at other houses I’ve spoken to are quite envious. I have a strong feeling people are going to be banging on their doors wanting to get in in very short order.
The spooky shack in the Forest of Shadows is open for business. Inside, on the table is a ouija board. Around the table are 6 chairs. Who's invited, and why?
HS: I’m going to absent myself because I refuse to mess with the things. I’ll be in the corner playing solitaire. If I could invite anyone, I might as well assemble a group that will help prove or disprove the validity of the ouija board. So, I’d first get someone who is tops in the paranormal field, like, say, Alexandra Holzer (daughter of Hans Holzer). I’d invite three of the top scientists in the world today. It’s funny, all of these paranormal groups talk about wanting to take a scientific approach to the field, but no one is an actual scientist. Next, I’d add Stephen King to the mix, just because I’d love to see what book it inspires. Finally, I’d invite the CEO of Hasbro, who sells ouija boards in toy stores, to show him he’s either marketing something that’s dangerous or he’s selling kids on a line of b.s.
Another of your recent podcasts discussed the vampire subgenre, including your honest opinion on "sparkly" vampires. Where do you feel horror stands nowadays and what does your crystal ball predict for the genre's future?
HS: I admit that horror, especially in literature, has been in a bit of a downswing. It was enormously popular in the 1980s, but then the bookstores were flooded with a lot of crap because publishers had to scoop up whatever they could to meet the demand. Leisure horror brought it back in the mid 90s, and it’s tailed off a bit the last few years. I do think we’re ready for another upswing as a ton of top notch authors are putting work out with myriad smaller publishers, who will only get bigger thanks to their new posse of writers. Horror for YA is huge right now, but I feel that will tail off a bit over the next few years. I hear YA publishers are looking for dystopian stories now. Some people say werewolves will be the next big thing. That would be cool. We’ve cycled through vampires and zombies. Personally, I’d like to see more original monster books and movies. All in all, I think it will thrive. There are too many people who love horror (just go to a horror convention and see for yourself) and too many talented men and women working in the field for it not to be successful.
What is your favorite work of fiction (horror or otherwise) and why?
HS: I love Hemingway’s The Garden of Eden because of its complete raw look at the disintegration of a love triangle gone to flames. It’s a powerful, painful, despondent work. I also read his novel, A Moveable Feast, every year as a sort of inspiration for myself to keep writing. With horror, I think Robert McCammon’s Swan Song is nothing short of brilliant.
Please give us an insight into the journey behind your recent tattoo (the words "Never give up" with an image of a quill pen).
HS: Ah, my newest ink. It had been a few years since my last tattoo and I wanted this one to commemorate my book. I kept thinking, what writerly type image will work here? I type on a laptop, but I sure as hell don’t want a laptop tattoo. So I went traditional with the quill pen, but to show my love of horror, we added a skull at the top, made it black and orange and put my initials in the pen itself. The words “Never Give Up” have been my motto all these years working at the craft of writing, many of the earlier years filled with nothing but failure and obstacles. I truly believe what separates the successful author from the one who never ‘makes it’ is sheer determination. You have to tirelessly work, learn and improve if you want to succeed in this field. Like Alex Baldwin said, coffee is for closers, and dammit, I wanted my coffee!
As many people will know, Samhain Publishing is named for the ancient tradition that became every horrorhead's favorite festival of Halloween. What would make for your best ever Samhain celebration?
HS: Have you ever seen the movie Trick ‘r Treat? They have an awesome Halloween parade in the town and every house is decorated to the max. That would be fun to do with the family. When it’s time for the adults, I’d like to pick a different haunted location each year and explore (that is, after a few cocktails and a round of ghost stories). Then we head back to my place for a party and classic horror movie marathon, with Elvira hosting the event in the wonderful flesh! On Samhain, you should have fun, get scared and let your freak flag fly.
Thanks to Hunter Shea and all at Samhain Horror.
Be sure to check out Hunter's novel 'Forest of Shadows'!
Look out for more Samhain treats around the publication of my novel 'The Lamplighters' on 1st Nov ~ and here's to a happy, haunty Hallowe'en for all!
 |
| e-book 4th Oct 2011 trade paper Jan 2012 |
Hunter Shea: Forest of Shadows is about a man who wins the lottery on the same day his wife dies in her sleep. The bulk of the story picks up 5 years after the eventful day and we see John, the main character, as a man plagued by deep anxieties who has used his financial freedom to delve into the paranormal. He’s been raising his daughter with the help of Eve, a family friend with an infant of her own. When he hears about a haunted cabin in Alaska, he uses it as the springboard to move on with his life and start a new chapter, so he moves his makeshift family into the literal middle of nowhere. Of course, he gets much more than he bargained for as the cold season approaches and the cabin is beset by every type of haunting known to man. He’s forced to face his deepest fears in a situation that could mean life or death.
When writing Forest of Shadows, I had a strong desire to do more than just write a simple ghost story. I wanted to tackle heavy issues like death and mourning, survivor’s guilt, anxiety disorders, and even discrimination. A haunted man, to me, is always a more fascinating subject than a haunted house, though there’s plenty of that in there as well.
A recent podcast on your website featured your overnight stay on a haunted ship. Care to reveal more about your clear fascination with the paranormal?
HS: That night on the Queen Mary, was, if anything, a total blast. I blame Leonard Nimoy and his creepy narration on In Search Of for my obsession with the paranormal. I hung on every word and image when I was a kid. Of course, I also devoured episodes of The Night Stalker, The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, you name it. My grandmother was, according to the family, a psychic, and I’ve been surrounded by people who believe there’s more around us than we can see. In fact, I’ve had two startling experiences of my own that have kind of changed my view on death and what lies beyond. One experience lasted for almost a year and involved a phantom boy that ran about my house and watched over my wife when she was very ill and on life support (she’s well now, in case anyone was wondering). Another happened briefly in a hotel room in Spain that scared the crap out of me. I used to say I like to think there are ghosts because that just makes the world a more interesting place. Now I say I know there are ghosts, and the quest for answers has only begun.
Samhain Publishing is a new player in the horror literature field. What drew you to them as a publisher and how has it been working with them?
HS: Forest of Shadows was initially offered a contract with Dorchester Publishing’s Leisure horror line. They and their editor, the amazing Don D’Auria, were, for my money, the gold standard of horror publishing. I only sent the book to Don and waited years to see if it made it out of the slush pile. I had no agent at the time and decided to take a gamble. Unlike most gambles in my life, it paid off, but the timing was horrible. Leisure imploded last year and Don left the company. Thankfully, the contract was never signed. My agent and I sat patiently, working on other things, and were thrilled when Don landed at Samhain and asked if he could publish the book with the new horror line he was developing. Everyone there has been a wonder to work with. I couldn’t ask for more. They have put together a great team and they are committed to promoting this line so much that other authors at other houses I’ve spoken to are quite envious. I have a strong feeling people are going to be banging on their doors wanting to get in in very short order.
 |
| Hunter Shea - playin' solitaire at the back o' the spook shack! ©Hunter Shea |
HS: I’m going to absent myself because I refuse to mess with the things. I’ll be in the corner playing solitaire. If I could invite anyone, I might as well assemble a group that will help prove or disprove the validity of the ouija board. So, I’d first get someone who is tops in the paranormal field, like, say, Alexandra Holzer (daughter of Hans Holzer). I’d invite three of the top scientists in the world today. It’s funny, all of these paranormal groups talk about wanting to take a scientific approach to the field, but no one is an actual scientist. Next, I’d add Stephen King to the mix, just because I’d love to see what book it inspires. Finally, I’d invite the CEO of Hasbro, who sells ouija boards in toy stores, to show him he’s either marketing something that’s dangerous or he’s selling kids on a line of b.s.
Another of your recent podcasts discussed the vampire subgenre, including your honest opinion on "sparkly" vampires. Where do you feel horror stands nowadays and what does your crystal ball predict for the genre's future?
HS: I admit that horror, especially in literature, has been in a bit of a downswing. It was enormously popular in the 1980s, but then the bookstores were flooded with a lot of crap because publishers had to scoop up whatever they could to meet the demand. Leisure horror brought it back in the mid 90s, and it’s tailed off a bit the last few years. I do think we’re ready for another upswing as a ton of top notch authors are putting work out with myriad smaller publishers, who will only get bigger thanks to their new posse of writers. Horror for YA is huge right now, but I feel that will tail off a bit over the next few years. I hear YA publishers are looking for dystopian stories now. Some people say werewolves will be the next big thing. That would be cool. We’ve cycled through vampires and zombies. Personally, I’d like to see more original monster books and movies. All in all, I think it will thrive. There are too many people who love horror (just go to a horror convention and see for yourself) and too many talented men and women working in the field for it not to be successful.
What is your favorite work of fiction (horror or otherwise) and why?
HS: I love Hemingway’s The Garden of Eden because of its complete raw look at the disintegration of a love triangle gone to flames. It’s a powerful, painful, despondent work. I also read his novel, A Moveable Feast, every year as a sort of inspiration for myself to keep writing. With horror, I think Robert McCammon’s Swan Song is nothing short of brilliant.
 |
| suffering for his art ©Hunter Shea |
HS: Ah, my newest ink. It had been a few years since my last tattoo and I wanted this one to commemorate my book. I kept thinking, what writerly type image will work here? I type on a laptop, but I sure as hell don’t want a laptop tattoo. So I went traditional with the quill pen, but to show my love of horror, we added a skull at the top, made it black and orange and put my initials in the pen itself. The words “Never Give Up” have been my motto all these years working at the craft of writing, many of the earlier years filled with nothing but failure and obstacles. I truly believe what separates the successful author from the one who never ‘makes it’ is sheer determination. You have to tirelessly work, learn and improve if you want to succeed in this field. Like Alex Baldwin said, coffee is for closers, and dammit, I wanted my coffee!
As many people will know, Samhain Publishing is named for the ancient tradition that became every horrorhead's favorite festival of Halloween. What would make for your best ever Samhain celebration?
HS: Have you ever seen the movie Trick ‘r Treat? They have an awesome Halloween parade in the town and every house is decorated to the max. That would be fun to do with the family. When it’s time for the adults, I’d like to pick a different haunted location each year and explore (that is, after a few cocktails and a round of ghost stories). Then we head back to my place for a party and classic horror movie marathon, with Elvira hosting the event in the wonderful flesh! On Samhain, you should have fun, get scared and let your freak flag fly.
Thanks to Hunter Shea and all at Samhain Horror.
Be sure to check out Hunter's novel 'Forest of Shadows'!
Look out for more Samhain treats around the publication of my novel 'The Lamplighters' on 1st Nov ~ and here's to a happy, haunty Hallowe'en for all!
Monday, October 03, 2011
Samhain: Your New House of Horror
October is upon us and the Season of Mists this year brings Hallowe'en tricks & treats aplenty in the form of the new line of horror books from Samhain Publishing, launching tomorrow October 4th with spine tinglers from Ramsey Campbell, Ron Malfi, Brian Moreland, Kristopher Rufty and Hunter Shea.
Paper lovers can get their mits on the trade paperback February 7th 2012.
(UK readers use this link).
And to whet your appetite you can read a free preview of 'The Lamplighters' at the Samhain store (just click the 'Excerpt' tab).
To celebrate the launch of Samhain Horror I will be bringing you guest blog posts from some of the authors in the coming weeks, with the first this Friday October 7th. And you can meet & greet the first wave of scary scribes via the Samhain Cafe Yahoo! Group (over 18s only) from today.
I'm dreadfully excited to be part of the Samhain Horror line and hope you will join me in checking out its dark delicacies. Cheers!
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Panic Button: Film4 Frightfest red carpet video & stonking Screen Daily review
Check out this cool video featuring interviews with the main cast & director of Panic Button at its Film4 Frightfest World Premiere. SPOILER ALERT: pretty major plot spoiler occurs around 8 mins into the video -
Pleased as punch to report that Screen Daily features a review of 'Panic Button' by 'Anno Dracula' and Empire Magazine scribe Kim Newman. The review will soon disappear behind the Screen Daily premium content paywall, but meantime you can catch it here.
"(Panic Button) addresses its subject effectively, and may prompt some viewers to moderate online habits, but works primarily as a solid horror-thriller" (Kim Newman, Screen Daily)
That's a keeper of a quote - thanks Kim!
Check out the Comments in my previous post (scroll down) for a ton of other reviews, mostly very positive indeed.
And don't forget, 'Panic Button' hits UK DVD & Blu-ray November 7th thru UK distributor Showbox Films.
Also in November, my horror novel 'The Lamplighters' will be unleashed via Samhain Horror.
My next post will include news on the Samhain Publishing horror novels line, which launches October with works from Ramsey Campbell, Hunter Shea, Krist Rufty, Brian Moreland and others.
I will have a couple of cool Samhain Horror exclusives for you in the run up to the launch, so stay tuned on this blog and at The Lamplighters Facebook Page...
'Til next slime, take scare!
~*~
Pleased as punch to report that Screen Daily features a review of 'Panic Button' by 'Anno Dracula' and Empire Magazine scribe Kim Newman. The review will soon disappear behind the Screen Daily premium content paywall, but meantime you can catch it here."(Panic Button) addresses its subject effectively, and may prompt some viewers to moderate online habits, but works primarily as a solid horror-thriller" (Kim Newman, Screen Daily)
That's a keeper of a quote - thanks Kim!
Check out the Comments in my previous post (scroll down) for a ton of other reviews, mostly very positive indeed.
And don't forget, 'Panic Button' hits UK DVD & Blu-ray November 7th thru UK distributor Showbox Films.
~*~
Also in November, my horror novel 'The Lamplighters' will be unleashed via Samhain Horror.My next post will include news on the Samhain Publishing horror novels line, which launches October with works from Ramsey Campbell, Hunter Shea, Krist Rufty, Brian Moreland and others.
I will have a couple of cool Samhain Horror exclusives for you in the run up to the launch, so stay tuned on this blog and at The Lamplighters Facebook Page...
'Til next slime, take scare!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Frightfest 2011: Panic Post-mortem
So here we are on the other side of the Panic Button world premiere at London's Film4 Frightfest 2011.
My crazy schedule of late meant I could only duck in to Empire screen 1 to check out one other movie during the weekend. And anyone who knows me won't be surprised that movie was 'The Wicker Tree', with Robin Hardy's 70s original being something of a lifelong obsession of mine. The man himself gave the film a fantastic and funny intro, full of the camp humour one would expect from him. The film itself is a curious mash-up of bawdy comedy, religious diatribe & country evangelistic music that (unlike the original) never quite gelled for me. I did get goosebumps during a brief cameo from the one & only Christopher Lee, but even that felt shoehorned in for shareholder value. The eclectic movie was strengthened by a smashing performance from Honeysuckle Weeks as 'Lolly' - she delivered some killer lines and moments ("all the way to 7," hehehe) and is definitely one to watch.
A brief interval gave me the chance to catch up with some old friends & to make a few new ones, then it was time to head on in for the World Premiere of 'Panic Button'. Frightfest founder (and erstwhile Panic Button supporter - thanks Alan your cheque is in the post!) Alan Jones and producer/co-writer John Shackleton introduced the movie to a packed auditorium. My thanks to John for giving me a shout out during his intro, I was touched (your cheque is in the post too!). It was fun seeing the film on huge screen with a full-on sound mix, amidst a crowd of likeminded horror fans. There was lots of applause, laughs (in all the 'right' places) & a palpable feeling of rising tension during the finale (either that or my Premiere trousers were on too tight). Mr Shackleton took to the stage again for a Q&A after the end credits rolled, accompanied by the main cast members and director Chris Crow. My favourite moment was when an audience member asked (in all seriousness) if the film would be used in schools as an educational tool about the dangers of social networking. "We might have to tone Michael Jibson's dialogue down a bit," came the reply (Michael plays pottymouthed 'Dave' in the film :-)
The Empire foyer afterwards was buzzing, and cast and crew took to the red carpet for a press junket of photo calls and interviews - you can see them shine in the Frightfest Day 3 report below (coupla mins in to the video). It was a pleasure to finally meet some of the cast members & to catch up with some of the production team - also to meet the lovely Louise of UK distributor Showbox & raise a glass with some FrightFest friends before hometime.
A slew of reviews has since appeared online, with people Tweeting, Blogging and Facebooking about the movie. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with a few naysayers out there (but you can't please everybody). One negative Twitter response bemoaned the movie's 'unbelievable' premise - i'd love to hear their thoughts on the premises for 'Troll Hunter', 'Fright Night' and of course... 'The Wicker Tree'! Sorry, but I go to festivals like Frightfest year in, year out, expressly to see films with unbelievable premises - leave banal reality at home on the telly where it belongs. Rant over!
So, here are some of the post-FrightFest reviews for Panic Button. Positive or negative, huge thanks to the reviewers for taking the time to watch and comment on the film.
"A modern horror movie that is very much a product of our times. Just excellent." (Adam Stephen Kelly, Screenjabber)
"One of the beauties of attending an event like Frightfest is settling in to watch a film with little or no expectations, only to come out buzzing at its conclusion. And boy does Panic Button fit that bill – a neat, taut, clever little chiller that deserves all the plaudits I can throw at it." (Simon Fitzjohn, Movieramblings)
 |
| climbing the stairs to FrightFest 2011 - it all starts with the poster... i mean the screenplay, yes the screenplay dammit! |
 |
| Oh Chriiist! Oh Jeeesus Chriiist! - The Wicker Tree |
 |
| Panic Button Q&A: L-R Chris Crow (director), Joshua Richards (Rupert Turner), Elen Rhys (Gwen), Jack Gordon (Max), Scarlett Alice Johnson (Jo), John Shackleton (producer) |
A slew of reviews has since appeared online, with people Tweeting, Blogging and Facebooking about the movie. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with a few naysayers out there (but you can't please everybody). One negative Twitter response bemoaned the movie's 'unbelievable' premise - i'd love to hear their thoughts on the premises for 'Troll Hunter', 'Fright Night' and of course... 'The Wicker Tree'! Sorry, but I go to festivals like Frightfest year in, year out, expressly to see films with unbelievable premises - leave banal reality at home on the telly where it belongs. Rant over!
So, here are some of the post-FrightFest reviews for Panic Button. Positive or negative, huge thanks to the reviewers for taking the time to watch and comment on the film.
"A modern horror movie that is very much a product of our times. Just excellent." (Adam Stephen Kelly, Screenjabber)
"One of the beauties of attending an event like Frightfest is settling in to watch a film with little or no expectations, only to come out buzzing at its conclusion. And boy does Panic Button fit that bill – a neat, taut, clever little chiller that deserves all the plaudits I can throw at it." (Simon Fitzjohn, Movieramblings)
"An enjoyable, if completely ludicrous, social network thriller... It perfectly captures the paranoia about website privacy and data collection, and is thought-provoking where Hideo Nakata's embarrassingly dated Chatroom was laughable." (Becky Reed, ThisisfakeDIY)
"Helped by some strong performances from the cast this is a way above average chiller that has plenty of nasty twists to keep horror fans happy. Well worth seeing." (James Whittington, Horror Channel)
I have tons more films to check out that I didn't get time to see at the festival, including The Kill List, The Woman, The Theatre Bizarre and Troll Hunter, but for now they'll have to wait cos that deadline looms. Until next time...
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