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Damnation Books Author Interview: Mark Edward Hall

Mark Edward Hall is a marvel in the horror genre.

He’s published numerous novels and novellas – many of them self-published – but each and all have proved very successful with just the right balance of visceral and psychological terror.

I had the privilege to read The Haunting of Sam Cabot, published by Damnation Books in 2009 and it grips your very soul and doesn’t let go. It goes without saying that I’ll be reading more of his work in the future.

Therefore, I had to find out more about this author and explore how he brings his incredible tales to life:

Why do you write horror?

I grew up with TV shows like Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits and Boris Karloff’s, Thriller. When I was a kid I read Dracula, I Am Legend, the works of Poe, Hawthorn and H.P. Lovecraft. I was just drawn to those sorts of tales. They seemed to tell me more about the human condition than what society as a whole was trying to feed us. Also, my grandmother Luella was a medium and fortune teller and because I was the only grandchild interested, she chose me as a listening post for her oral tales of ghosts and the supernatural. To me these types of stories were thrilling. They still are.

So the long answer to a short question is, horror is where my mind goes when I sit down to write. But horror alone isn’t enough. I’m actually not fond of slice ’n dice just for its own sake. There has to be some reason for things and there certainly has to be at least one good twist to every story, otherwise it’s not fun.

Tell us about how you came to be an accomplished horror writer?

I feel sort of like I came in through the back door. I came to this a little later in life than most writers do. Not that I haven’t always been a writer. I started out as a song writer and wrote poetry and short stories when I was young. I still run into old friends who remember me telling them spooky tales, and they’ll say, Mark, are you still telling those horror stories? And I say, yup, only now I write them down. When I was eighteen I started writing a novel at my older sister’s kitchen table. I was determined to make it work. We were from a small town with lots of sinister little secrets. At least in our minds. The novel was going to be a blend of Peyton Place with some macabre elements thrown in for shock value. It never got finished and when I went in the army the manuscript got lost.

But I never lost the yearning to write novels. Years later when my wife and I settled in Richmond, Maine I decided if I was going to do it, I’d better get started, so I began the epic supernatural thriller, The Lost Village. It took me five years to write, working on it part time while I worked a full time job and played in my rock band on weekends. Because of its length I couldn’t get a single publisher to read it. So I published it myself. It was subsequently recommended for a Bram Stoker award and nominated for a tombstone award. It got me a lot of attention, and I began selling my short stories to magazines and anthologies. Damnation Books picked up The Lost Village and re-issued it last September.

Since then I’ve written seven more novels, four of which have been published and two new ones coming this year.

Now, with the publishing industry in such chaos, and the advent of devices like Kindle and Nook, my stuff is being read like never before. I’m very happy with what’s happening. A lot of my writer friends, people like J.A. Konrath and Scott Nicholson have decided to go it alone as well, and so that’s what I’ll be doing for the foreseeable future. My next two books will be self-published. I like having ultimate control over my own work. Self-publishing used to be a bad word. Not any more. It’s the future.

What do you lean towards, supernatural or psychological horror?

I like them both. All my novels contain elements of both supernatural and psychological horror.

One of my new books, however, will probably be considered a thriller. It’s called Cross my Heart & Hope to Die, and it is a fast-paced thriller with some mild supernatural elements. I like it a lot and I think it will open up an entirely new readership to my books.

Your fave authors?

The usual stable of great authors: Stephen King, Clive Barker, Dan Simmons, Simon Clark, Robert McCammon, Whitley Strieber, Brian Keene, John Shirley, and some old masters like Richard Matheson and John Farris. Farris is amazing. There are really too many to name. I like a lot of the science fiction greats as well, Asimov, Herbert, Bradbury, Arthur C. Clark.

You’re also a singer/songwriter… has songwriting made you a better storyteller? What’s harder – writing a song or writing a short story.

I think songwriting and story writing are the same thing. Either way, you’re telling a story. I believe, at least as far as I’m concerned, that each makes the other better. At this stage of my life I like writing stories better, especially novels, but I still write songs. Actually I’m involved in penning a new song for my band right now entitled Burn so Bright. It has a Pink Floyd sort of feel to it. When it’s finished and recorded I’ll put it up on my Facebook and Reverb Nation profile. I think it’s a really good song.

What piece of writing are you most proud of?

I like The Lost Village a lot, but in truth there’s a novel no one has seen yet entitled Angel Island that I’m really fond of. It’s an epic blend of scifi, horror and adventure that takes place in two worlds. Think of Clive Barker’s Imajica. I’ve been working on it for almost ten years and some day I hope it will see the light of day.

E-books are becoming more popular by the day…you have made some of your work available via your site and even given it away for free. Why?

I have a philosophy that says, the more you give away, the more it will come back to you. It’s an old eastern thing that goes something like that anyway. I don’t mind giving stuff away because it brings a bigger audience to my work. I’ve proven that. I’d give it all away if I could afford to.

I’m not the only one who does that. New York Times bestselling author Scott Sigler built his career by giving away audio podcasts of his books. He still does. Every single work of fiction he has out is available for free on his website as an audio podcast. I am working toward that goal myself. I understand that times are tough and that there are a lot of people out there who love to read and can’t afford books. I offer all of my books and short stories I own the rights to for free to whomever wants them. And you know, people still buy them.

J.A. Konrath does the same thing. A lot of his work is offered for free. I think it’s not only a smart thing to do but it’s the right thing to do.

What’s next for you in 2011 and beyond?

As I said earlier, I have at least two new novels coming this year, Cross my Heart and Hope to Die, and Soul Thief which I have been offering for nearly a year now as a free serial novel on my website a chapter a week. As soon as it’s finished, it will be published, but I’ll still leave it free on my site. Also, I hope to finish another novel this year that’s more than half done. It’s a post apocalyptic horror/thriller entitled On the Night Wind. (alien zombies. Ain’t they cute?) Plus there are many more projects in store, including all of my works becoming audio books. I’m very excited about the future. I feel like I’m just getting going.

For more information on Mark’s work, visit his website www.markedwardhall.com

Countdown to Torment

Sometimes I worry about how quickly time seems to pass these days (where did January go?), but then I realise that the quicker the days go by, the closer I am to the release of my novella Torment on March 1.

While waiting with trepidation for the big day to arrive, I’ve been preparing a website to promote the book and collecting testimonials from authors well known in the horror genre – all of which I will reveal gradually from February 1. So keep your eye out on Facebook and my Dark Scribe website for information … and maybe even an excerpt!

I also hope over the next few weeks to reveal details of a number of new publishing ventures – one involving a certain novel-length work and the other concerning my artistic abilities.

2011 is turning out to be a huge year and it’s only just beginning.

Guest Blogger: Author Lee Mather

Lee Mather is a horror author from the UK and a fellow Damnation Books scribe. His first short story for DB, The Green Man was released in December, but I’ll let him take it from here:

Exploring My Dark Side.

This Christmas, my brother bought me The Making of the Empire Strikes Back book by J.W Rinzler and Ridley Scott. It’s a beautifully packaged insight into the mechanics of bringing together one of my all time favourite films, with anecdotes of the story’s origins, photo diaries and details of how the plot and key scenes were constructed. I would certainly recommend it as a collector piece for fans of the Star Wars films.

Reading the source material for Empire certainly takes me back. I’ve always found the winter holidays provide the ideal opportunity for some reflection, and this year has been no different. Maybe this is a tad indulgent, and it could be linked to the symbolism associated with the turn of the year, or perhaps the nostalgia associated with Christmas and some of my fondest childhood memories. In truth it might simply be the luxury of having a few days off work and some breathing space from my normal routine.

As an aspiring writer, 2010 has provided me with a boost in what I hope to be the fledgling stage of a much longer career. The Green Man, my first standalone publication with Damnation Books, hit the online stores in December and I approach 2011 with fire in my belly and momentum on my side. This holiday, writing has been foremost in my mind. Notably, in considering the main question I’ve faced recently—“Why do you write?”

Over the years this is something I’ve tried to rationalise, particularly in light of the dark genres I feel comfortable with. The writing itself is what I enjoy most, and the joy of shaping an idea into something worthwhile, of overcoming the challenge of evolving my tangle of thoughts into an actual story, is incomparable. I think this sentiment is deep-rooted, something bizarrely child-like when juxtaposed against the themes I pursue.

So where does this enjoyment come from?

The Empire book reminded me of one my earliest Christmas memories, and I remember my family getting an advance copy of the film on Betamax. A whole bunch of us gathered together on Boxing Day to watch it, none with wider eyes than me. I was a massive Star Wars fan as a kid, a wannabe Luke Skywalker, even to the extent that when my Dad used to flash cars with his headlights we’d pretend we were firing lasers from the Millenium Falcon at them. It didn’t end there for me. I’d collect the toys, relive the films, and then make up my own stories. Sequels to rival the prequels, perhaps? I loved the adventure, the aspirational characters, the heart-in-the mouth pacing. I cared about the outcome.

This love of a good story never left me. The boy playing with his Star Wars toys became the man stealing himself the odd hour or two to wile away at his laptop. Writing is not some tortured escape for me, even though I produce tomes of death and doom and despair. The more I consider it, the more I think writing fiction, for me, is just that same small boy, peeking out into the adult world, looking for the next adventure.

Writing can feel like hard work. It isn’t just about putting words on a page. There are re-writes and submissions and reviews and marketing. It never ends.

I guess my point is that sometimes it’s important to step back and understand why we do what we do. The one thing clear from Rinzler’s book on Empire is that bringing the film to life was more than just work for those involved. It was a labour of love.

Selling stories is functional; a job for many. Writing stories is something else.

The Green Man is available now from Damnation Books and to download for Kindle from Amazon.com.

Find out more about the writing of Lee Mather at http://www.leemather.org.uk or follow his blog at http:\\leemather.livejournal.com.

Author Interview: Brett McBean

Brett McBean is a phenomenon in the Australian and international horror genre. His first mass market novel The Mother, about a woman’s quest along the Hume Highway to find her missing daughter, is a psychological tour de force.

In 2009, after joining the Australian Horror Writers Association I was selected into its Mentor Program. I was even more astounded when I found Brett McBean was to be my mentor. During the mentorship (and maybe a little after) Brett helped me fine tune my vampire short story Precious Blood, which was later published in The Absent Willow Review. He also gave me extremely valuable advice on my novella Torment, which will be published by Damnation Books in March this year.

But enough about me – we all want to know what makes McBean tick right? What does he think of the current state of the horror genre and what’s he’s got in store for his cult of readers?

If you want to know then read on:

It’s been almost 10 years since The Last Motel and almost five since The Mother – a lot has happened in the realm of dark fiction since then with a lot of authors and publishers coming and going. Where do you see the horror genre in Australia and the rest of the world now since you had your first big break? Has it changed?

“It most definitely has changed. The recent fall of Leisure was a big blow to mass-market horror. And the surge in e-books and e-readers has changed the face of publishing. Then with the world economic crisis, the fall in print book sales, the big retailers are struggling. I think the world of publishing is at a cross-road. It’s a strange and scary world at the moment, and it’ll be interesting to see where it leads.

“Horror, like the rest of the publishing world, is in a transitional period. People don’t have the money to buy countless expensive limited editions, and yet mass-market horror isn’t as prevalent as it was. And if you have no interest in e-books, buying costly e-readers and reading off a screen…like I said, it’s a strange and scary world for publishing at the moment, and horror is no different.”

Your first mass-market novel The Mother, is still widely-regarded as arguably one of the best modern Australian psychological horror novels and sells out each time it is reprinted. It’s recently been translated to German. The book sent your career into the literary stratosphere… how does your current work compare or could you even dream of drawing a comparison?

“I try not to compare my works; each novel or story is a different beast, with different intentions and often different styles. I have no control over how the readers will react to each book, and so I never try to second-guess whether a current work will be liked or loathed, whether it’s better or worse than my previous books. I just think of an idea that interests me and then roll with it.

Additionally, I don’t think a writer is the best judge of their own work; they’re too close to the material, they’re not an objective party. I think whether an author’s latest book is better or worse than their previous work is best left up to the readers.”

Richard Laymon has influenced your work greatly. What drew you to his novels and to him personally? How does his writing affect your own work?

“When I first started reading his books in the early 90s, his novels were unlike anything I had read up to that point. They were like a novel versions of Friday the 13^th, The Hills Have Eyes or The Texas Chainsaw Massacre; gruesome, fast-paced, no-holds-barred horror. As a young teenager who loved that type of horror, I naturally fell in love with his work. Reading a Laymon novel is like a shot of adrenaline; it hits you hard and fast and leaves you breathless and hungry for more.

“But I think what I love most about a Laymon novel is the sense of fun that shines through in his writing. Reading a Laymon novel you can almost see the devilish twinkle in his eye, the unbridled enjoyment he seems to have had while writing the book. I love Laymon’s enthusiasm and unapologetic love for all things horror. These things are what I take most from Laymon’s work. But let’s not forget, he was also a fine writer, despite the sometimes pulpish storylines; he was a marvel at creating mood and instantly identifiable characters, and he could create wonderful tension and a real sense of dread. So I also learnt about pacing and mood from reading Laymon.”

What’s in store for 2011 for you – what should readers expect? Tell us about Torment and The Awakening?

“2011 should be a big year for me, publishing-wise. The first book in my ‘Jungle’ novella trilogy from Tasmaniac, Concrete Jungle, should be out very soon. As should the new edition of my short story collection, Tales of Sin and Madness, which will published by LegumeMan Books. A little later in the year should see the release of my third novel, Torment (Severed Press), a new novella from Delirium Books titled Dead Tree Forest, and a new edition of my first novel, The Last Motel, from LegumeMan Books.

“Torment is a sort of homage to David Morrell novels; I think it’s best summed up as: a supernatural First Blood. It’s a fast-paced horror/thriller set in a small mountain town in the US state of Georgia. The novel is a continuation of my short story ‘The Cycle’, and deals with souls, man-hunts and ghosts of the past.

“The Awakening is my coming-of-age tale, but with a difference. Set in a small town in Ohio, it’s the story of a fourteen-year-old and one eventful summer, in which he befriends a strange old neighbour. Aside from the usual troubles such as bullies and awkward first-loves, there are also zombies (yes, zombies!), though not of the Romero-kind. I delve into Haitian Voodoo and treat zombies as the sad, soulless creatures of myths and legends. So really, The Awakening is a marriage of two of my loves/interests: coming-of-age tales and Haitian folklore and the Voodoo religion.

As any writer knows you don’t always get as much time to read as you would like – what did you get a chance to read last year and what did you think?

“Well you’re not wrong there. Unfortunately last year my time was severely limited, and I didn’t get to read nearly as much as I would have liked. I usually keep a list of books I read, but I didn’t bother last year, and so, my memory being what it is, I can’t recall a lot of what I read. I did read A Confederacy of Dunces, which I loved. One of the funniest and yet saddest books I’ve read.

“I also read King’s Under the Dome, which I liked, but came away a little disappointed. I loved the concept, but the characters never came to life for me, which is usually one of King’s strengths as a writer. And then there was Cannery Row, by Steinbeck, who is one of my favourite writers. While not quite up there with his best, I still adored his writing, his off-beat characters and strong sense of time and place. Those are the books that immediately jump to mind.”

Finally, what advice do you have for writers looking to create their own bestsellers like The Mother?

“Don’t try and write a bestseller; don’t write a story simply because of what’s popular at the moment, and don’t try and guess what will be the next hottest thing. Simply write the kind of story that interests you, one you would pick up in a bookstore if someone else had written it. Write for yourself. If you don’t enjoy the process, don’t have any passion for the story and characters, then it will show in the finished product. You have to write what moves you, and hopefully, if you’re lucky, it’ll move one or two (or a million) readers as well.”

To learn more about Brett and his writing visit www.brettmcbean.com

A Tale of Two Sites

So I decided to create a sister website to profile some of my dark artwork.

Dark Artisan

With my comic strip Allure of the Ancients, written by Mark Farrugia appearing in Midnight Echo #5 this month, I thought I needed another format to get my “visual horror” out there.

Some of the images on the site are years old, while others I’ve done just in the past few months. I’ve also added some links to some other very talented artists via The Design Inspiration.

If you have the time, please check out the gallery and let me know what you think.

Greetings 2011, farewell 2010

2010 was a mixed bag for me with a number of highs and too many lows, most recently with a downer over Christmas when a historical health problem reared its ugly head and put me in hospital.

But I’m back at home now and looking forward to 2011 and here’s why:

1. An eight-page comic, Allure of the Ancients, which I illustrated (written by Mark Farrugia) will be published in Midnight Echo Magazine #5 in January.
2. A proposal for a graphic novel with Horror Writers Association president and Stephen King expert Rocky Wood is being considered by a US publisher.
3. My first full-length novel is being considered by another US publisher and; last, but not least
4. My first novella “Torment” will be published by Damnation Books in March.

Of course there’s the daily grind at work and my own family as well, so it appears 2011 will be still busy, but definitely much more positive and enjoyable.

Over the coming months I will be profiling the works and lives of some of my fellow Damnation Books authors on this blog so stay tuned and have a great 2011!

Can you judge a book by its cover?…

So I can finally reveal the front cover of my forthcoming novella “Torment”.

Many thanks to the very talented Neil Jackson for creating the cover and of course head cover artist at Damnation Books Dawne Dominique!

Damnation Books will publish “Torment” in March 2011 and I think the cover sets the tone very nicely.

Torment tells the story of Jessica Newman, a woman haunted by the death of her mother during an exorcism – performed by her Deacon father.

When her father dies, Jessica must travel to his home in the Scottish highlands where she will come face to face with the truth and a shocking evil.

Let me know what you think and stay tuned for more updates!

Exorcisms … are they the new black?

Ok… given my forthcoming book Torment is centred around an exorcism, I just had to see The Last Exorcism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOQTxalr334

Despite feeling a little let down by the ending, there is a hell of a lot to like about this film.

The story: disheartened and maybe a little disillusioned Reverend Cotton Marcus sets out to debunk the “demonic possession” phenomenon by inviting two film students to accompany him to a farm in Louisiana where a young girl is believed to be possessed by Satan himself.

The mockumentary style, like The Blair Witch Project, works in the movie’s favour. As the horror escalates, the viewer is drawn in – trapped with the characters.

The acting IMHO is the real highlight. Ashley Bell who plays Nell is perfect, playing innocent one minute and frightening the next. Patrick Fabian, who plays Reverend Marcus is also believeable, playing the role of the con-man of the cloth with controlled strength.

The middle section of the film is when the film really shines, as the “demon” takes control of Nell and terrorises everyone in the house. One scene where the “possessed” Nell borrows the camera is particularly unsettling.

The Last Exorcism is probably one of the most well-acted horror films I have seen for some time and certainly deserves a place alongside Blatty’s The Exorcist. Let’s just hope they don’t spoil it by jumping on board the sequel train. But hey, that’s just my opinion.

The E-Book revolution

E-Books are all the rage in publishing at the moment, with many publishers, including large publishers, using the instant digital world as a marketing tool.

Take the novella The Painted Darkness, written by Brian James Freeman and published by Cemetery Dance Press.

I was lucky enough to be able to download a free PDF version of the title before its impending release. The Painted Darkness is a fine piece of dark fiction that pulls at the heartstrings at a very visceral level. The story revolves around Henry, an artist tortured by something horrible that happened during his childhood.

The concept of imagination – and whether truth is real or make believe – that runs through Freeman’s story, certainly resonated with me and the climax of the story was very rewarding.

Freeman weaves the tale well, shifting from past to present, the horror always there, waiting. But what he has really capitalised on is the e-book phenomenon; by giving people his book in electronic format for free he has proven his book is worth buying in print form.

With my novella Torment (to be published by Damnation Books in e-book and print formats from March 2011), I was a bit hesitant at first about publishing it electronically. However I can now see how the instant PDF version can very quickly and easily get the good word out about your book.

Therefore I can’t recommend e-books enough and it is certain there are many more to come.www.brianjamesfreeman.com

Dark Scrybe .. Dark Artisan?

So I’m a writer, but one of the other skills I have is as an artist.

When I left school I had good grades in English and Art; I had two choices: Journalism or Graphic Design. I chose Graphic Design and finished a Diploma. On the side though I was heavily into comic books and even drew a few of my own.

Things happened though. I got married and decided to follow the journalism path. Now many years later, after a career as a newspaper journalist, my desires to be a writer and an illustrator of note are merging…

After joining the Australian Horror Writers Association I submitted an eight page comic story for Midnight Echo #3 edited by Dave Schembri. He liked my drawing style, but the story was a bit lax (admittedly he was right!), but obviously my attempt rubbed off on him.

A few months ago another AHWA member and prolific writer and editor Mark Farrugia, had a story that he thought suited a comic. He met Dave and he – to his credit – suggested me.

Now that comic Allure of the Ancients will be published in Midnight Echo #5! Funny how things can turn full circle.

The best part is that Allure is generating me more work … which I hope to reveal more about very soon.