My father passed away when I was a toddler, so that horror of life introduced itself to me early on.
Beyond that, I was the youngest of five kids, and I’d watch a lot of the movies my siblings were watching, which definitely included horror. Carrie, John Carpenter’s Halloween, The Exorcist were early favorites!
Why do you think the horror is so popular in both literature and films?
Horror helps us deal with our emotions, and the oftentimes shocking nature of experiences we deal with in everyday life. It makes us wonder how we’d react in dire situations, and it helps us to be mentally prepared for those times.
What do you think of the alternative sources of horror, such as Reddit’s No Sleep stories?
I don’t spend a lot of times on those formats, but I’m fine with them. Again, those stories help us deal with real life horrors.
What kind of horror do you prefer for your own entertainment?
I love movies and books – short stories in particular. I actually prefer short stories to novels, but I love both.
What is your favorite kind of horror monster and why?
For decades, it was the zombie. The whole idea of losing our loved ones – and having them come back to attack us and try to eat us, really hit home with me! Then The Walking Dead came along, and I think weekly exposure to all those zombies cured me of my fear of them!
Do you do anything special for Halloween?
I like to set up scary decorations. My wife most definitely does NOT. She wins, what can I say? In the 25 years we’ve been married, I set up scary decorations a couple of years. One year we dressed up like vampires to hand out candy, and we really scared the hell out of some neighbor kids! One little girl screamed, dropped her candy bag and bolted off the porch! I felt a little bad about scaring her like that. Just a little, though.
Name one of your horror stories you think fans should read.
“Still Water,” from the Deadsville collection. It was the first story I wrote for that book. I love the characters, and the story holds up well – especially the ending. Powerful stuff.
Why do you think the horror is so popular in both literature and films?
Horror helps us deal with our emotions, and the oftentimes shocking nature of experiences we deal with in everyday life. It makes us wonder how we’d react in dire situations, and it helps us to be mentally prepared for those times.
What do you think of the alternative sources of horror, such as Reddit’s No Sleep stories?
I don’t spend a lot of times on those formats, but I’m fine with them. Again, those stories help us deal with real life horrors.
What kind of horror do you prefer for your own entertainment?
I love movies and books – short stories in particular. I actually prefer short stories to novels, but I love both.
What is your favorite kind of horror monster and why?
For decades, it was the zombie. The whole idea of losing our loved ones – and having them come back to attack us and try to eat us, really hit home with me! Then The Walking Dead came along, and I think weekly exposure to all those zombies cured me of my fear of them!
Do you do anything special for Halloween?
I like to set up scary decorations. My wife most definitely does NOT. She wins, what can I say? In the 25 years we’ve been married, I set up scary decorations a couple of years. One year we dressed up like vampires to hand out candy, and we really scared the hell out of some neighbor kids! One little girl screamed, dropped her candy bag and bolted off the porch! I felt a little bad about scaring her like that. Just a little, though.
“Still Water,” from the Deadsville collection. It was the first story I wrote for that book. I love the characters, and the story holds up well – especially the ending. Powerful stuff.
Special thanks to Dale Elster for popping in. Keep checking back for more author interviews!
As always,
#5 - Whines and Spirits by John A Connor has an excellent variety of twenty-two stories, each with their own unique plots. Connor is an upcoming author I will be reviewing again in the future.
#4 - Deadsville by Dale Elster and T.D. Trask is a collection of stories that take place in a fictional town in New York. The two make an excellent writing duo, and I hope they release another volume soon.
#3 - Fantasy For Good is a charity anthology that supports The Colon Cancer Alliance. The stories, written by some of the most well-known authors in the business, include a variety of fantasy sub-genres.
#2 - Times of Trouble is an anthology featuring a time-travel theme. I found this collection to be one of the best science fiction anthologies ever published.
#1 - At Hell's Gates: Bound By Blood, another charity anthology, which donates proceeds to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. There are actually three volumes currently available, each with its own theme, but this volume is my favorite of the three and focuses on the dark side of family.