More tales of terror with a regional flavour

Well, the final proof for TERROR TALES OF EAST ANGLIA has been checked, and is now winging its way to the printers as we speak. And given the quality of some of the stories in there, I’m hopeful that it will be at least as successful as those others that have gone before it – TERROR TALES OF THE LAKE DISTRICT and TERROR TALES OF THE COTSWOLDS.

As usual, the book is packed with original spine-chilling material from a cast of old reliables as well as a few newcomers, plus a couple of classic reprints and a hatful of those macabre myths so prevalent in the eastern region. In short, we’re offering another motley assortment of varied, hair-raising horror, covering everything from marsh-monsters to vengeful spectres, from ancient curses (with a distinctly modern twist) to killer brutes enflamed by supernatural rage.

But of course none of these books would be possible without the crafty connivance of the geographical regions in which they are located. I chose these places, the Lake District first, the Cotswolds second, now East Anglia (and others to follow) not just because they are notable for their natural beauty and picturesque scenery, but because they boast deep, dark histories filled with reports of ghosts, ghouls, witches, battles and bloodshed.

Only last weekend I was traversing the leafy flatlands of East Anglia, to sample some of its secrets. All were given up with alarming ease. For every Flatford Mill, where John Constable honed his miraculous art, there is a pile of rubble which was once a spooky old building notorious for its ghosts, like BORLEY RECTORY (pictured above, with some idiot standing in front of it). For every quaint country manse, there is a lonesome church of the type MR James would have enjoyed, with menacing Latin incantations inscribed over its ancient entryways. For every verdant vista, there is a stark reminder of darker days, such as the Caxton Gibbet (pictured near the top). For every charming shadow-clock, there is an eerie lump of stonework, usually mist-shrouded and forgotten by time, but covered with demonic carvings (such as that pictured below, at Dedham).

For every … but no, we could go on indefinitely, and frankly I haven't got space even for most of the photos I took. Better perhaps to leave it there and just say that for further installments of East Anglian mystery and terror, keep checking back here for updates or pop over to GRAY FRIAR PRESS, where TERROR TALES OF EAST ANGLIA will be available for pre-order in the very near future.

Thanks for the pictures to Eleanor Finch and (for the gibbet) to Andrew Dunn.

It seems that I am now - officially - a killer!

Yes indeed, I am now – officially – a killer!

Okay, first of all that intro (not to mention the headline) is a little bit misleading. I am NOT an actual killer. But apparently I AM a ‘Killer Read’.

That’s right. And how proud am I to be able to say this?

I’ve been slaying them for years. Or at least that’s what I’ve been trying to do. Not just characters in my books and stories, but my readers, who it’s always been my ambition to put through an absolute wringer. I’ve never really wanted anyone to put a book of mine down, sit back and say: “Wow, what a satisfying read that was. How uplifted I feel.”

I want them to be a nervous wreck. I want them to lurch for the nearest bottle of brandy.

And now it’s all official. But don’t take my word for it. Pop over onto the HarperCollins website, KILLER READS (check out the official logo below), where I now have my own monthly blog – to run parallel with this one, but concentrating mainly on my crime writing.

It’s a great honour, of course, to be asked to write this new blog. It will run in tandem with the marketing campaign for STALKERS, the first of a trilogy of very hardboiled crime thrillers that I’m writing for Avon Books at Harpers, which tell the collective tale of Scotland Yard’s elite Serial Crimes Unit, and one particular detective, whose pursuit of some of Britain’s most depraved killers takes on the dimensions of a full-blown war.

Between now and next summer, I’ll be using KILLER READS to evolve my thoughts and ideas with regard to this new series – much the way I do with this blog and my other written material. The first installment is really a brief introduction to who I am and what I do, though I talk a little bit about the coming novel as well.

Just to refresh, STALKERS will be the first in a trio of tales concerning Detective Sergeant Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg, already a battle-scarred street-veteran even though he’s only in his late 30s. Heck is an affable, even-tempered guy, but he knows every trick in the book and will stop at nothing in his battle for justice.

Heck knows better than anyone that you don’t get the job done by trying to heal ‘broken Britain’, understand the disenfranchised or apologise for living to the nation’s creeps and psychos. Heck is a law-officer: there’s a system and he respects it, but old habits die hard in the depths of our inner cities – for those on both sides of the fence – so correct protocols will not always be followed, nasty tricks will be played and lowlives will be leaned upon. As such, these books will be light on finicky procedural and heavy on action and suspense.

And again – don’t just take my word for it. If you get yourself over there to KILLER READS, there’s an online link to an extract from the first book in the series. But you may need to move quickly, as I’m not sure how long that link will be open for.

Of course, even if you’re not bothered about taking in this trailer, you can do me a favour by checking KILLER READS out every so often. If nothing else, it’ll help me shed more darkness into your world of light.

The eyes have it in a new look terror tease

Two developments this week, which perhaps show that, despite currently having buried myself in DESECRATOR, the sequel to my new, forthcoming crime novel, STALKERS, from Avon Books (HarperCollins), I still have an active involvement in the world of horror fiction as well.

First of all, check out the rather sexy teaser poster which has now been produced for DARK HOLLOW, mine and Paul Campion’s movie adaptation of Brian Keene’s famous horror novel of the same name.

DARK HOLLOW is set in rural Pennsylvania, and is a sexually charged tale of ancient lore and woodland witchery. It’s also pretty gory in parts and rises, if I say so myself, to some real crescendos of movie horror. It’s quite a while now since I wrote the actual script for this, but this poster was released at the FANTASIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL earlier this summer, and interest in the project was very high. Watch this space for more info on this. It ought to be coming thick and fast in the near future.

Over here in the UK, meanwhile, I’m delighted to be appearing in several new horror anthologies between now and the end of the year. One of these, the 9th BLACK BOOK OF HORROR, from MORTBURY PRESS, will be well worth checking out. As always with the BLACK BOOKS, there will be strong emphasis on the Pan Horror style ‘contes cruels’, but with plenty of supernatural shockers included as well. I urge anyone who hasn’t already done so, to try out a couple of the BLACK BOOKS. For my money, the editor, Charles Black, has published several of the best horror stories of recent times in Minos Or Rhadamanthus by Reggie Oliver (7th Black Book of Horror), Family Ties by Steve Lockley and Paul Lewis (3rd Black Book of Horror) and Two For Dinner by John Llewellyn Probert (5th Black Book of Horror).

Though I haven’t got a copy of the cover art for the 9th BLACK BOOK OF HORROR (which is expected to be launched at FANTASYCON in Brighton next September, but may be available for purchase a little earlier) here is a full table of contents. I’m sure most of you will agree that this line-up ought to be well worth catching:

The Anatomy Lesson by John Llewellyn Probert; The Mall by Craig Herbertson; Salvaje by Simon Bestwick; Pet by Gary Fry; Ashes to Ashes by David Williamson; The Apprentice by Anna Taborska; Life Expectancy by Sam Dawson; What's Behind You? by Paul Finch; Ben's Best Friend by Gary Power; The Things That Aren't There by Thana Niveau; Bit on the Side by Tom Johnstone; Indecent Behaviour by Marion Pitman; His Family by Kate Farrell; A Song, A Silence by John Forth;The Man Who Hated Waste by Marc Lyth; Swan Song by David A. Riley

Flawed hero to tackle creeps and maniacs

Well here it is, an early stage design for STALKERS, my new novel for Avon Books (HarperCollins), due out next February.

For those not yet aware, STALKERS (which was originally titled THE NICE GUYS CLUB) is the first in a trilogy of novels, which tell the tale of Manchester police detective Sergeant Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg, a driven but flawed individual, who joins Scotland Yard’s elite Serial Crimes Unit and finds himself on the trail of some terrifying maniacs and killers.

As you may have guessed from this cover, we’re not in horror territory here. The Heckenburg books will belong firmly to the thriller category: frank cop stuff interweaving with suspense, mystery and hard, brutal action (lots of the latter, I can promise you that), but there will definitely be some very dark edges to these tales. I finally finished STALKERS about a year ago, having first come up with the concept during a brainstorming session designed to hatch new ideas for horror stories. Its central notion is extremely grim, or so I’m told – a fellow professional whose opinion I always value and who read the first draft after I’d finished it, said that he loved the police elements but that he thought it was too dark and too violent to be published as a crime novel.

On this one occasion, I’m more than happy that he was proved wrong.

The cover is clearly not finished, as you can see, but this is pretty much what the final book will look like. For those interested in knowing more, here is an early draft of the back-cover blurb, as it appears on the HARPERCOLLINS website and at AMAZON UK:

All he had to do was name the woman he wanted. It was that easy. They would do all the hard work.

Detective Sergeant Mark 'Heck' Heckenberg is investigating the disappearance of 38 different women. Each one was happy and successful until they vanished without a trace.

Desperate to find her missing sister, Lauren Wraxford seeks out Heck’s help. Together they enter a seedy underworld of gangsters and organised crime.

But when they hear rumours about the so-called 'Nice Guys Club' they hit a brick wall. They're the gang that no one will talk about. Because the Nice Guys can arrange anything you want. Provided you pay the price…

Dark, terrifying and unforgettable. Stalkers will keep fans of Stuart MacBride and Katia Lief looking over their shoulder.

It might also be interest for crime hounds that I’ll shortly be commencing a brand new blog on the HarperCollins KILLER READS website. I’m not quite sure when, but I think it will be pretty soon. Watch this space for more information on that.

Enemies - coming soon to a door near you!

Despite the torrential rain and slate-grey skies, it is supposed to be summer here in the UK, so at last it's time to think about going on vacation. In fact, a nice break is now looming imminently for Cathy and I, so things will be quiet around here for a little while - and what a relief that will be.

The first half of 2012 has been an intensely busy one for me. With the Avon deal now in the bag (but much work still to do on the first book in the trilogy, let alone the second and third), new movie scripts in development and a possible graphic novel on the horizon, there hasn't been much time to sit down and contemplate the Universe recently. Neither has there been much opportunity to pen short stories.

A couple of friends have recently asked if, now that I'm writing a series of dark crime novels, will I be neglecting that old favourite of mine - the short, spooky tale?

Well, hopefully the three exclusives I reveal in this week's post will answer that question. Pictured above is the cover for ENEMIES AT THE DOOR, my next collection of horror stories and novellas, which will be out in hardback and paperback from Gray Friar Press either in late summer or early autumn this year. I'm not going to give anything away about the TOC yet, but suffice to say that it will contain plenty of original material as well as one or two timely reprints.

Meanwhile, left is the cover for STAINS, which will be an ebook re-issue of my hardback collection of the same name (though with different artwork) which was published by Gray Friar back in 2007.

STAINS is another collection of stories and novellas all set firmly in the horror bracket ("horror with a capital H", as one reviewer at the time described it). No further details are available yet - these are just tantalising snippets of news I'd like to leave you with before I depart on my hols - but this electronic version of STAINS will be available for purchase some time in late summer. I'll post all the necessary bits and pieces nearer the time.

As an extra titbit of last-minute excitement, another brand new story of mine, IN THE FOREST OF THE NIGHT, will soon be appearing in A CARNIVALE OF HORROR: DARK TALES FROM THE FAIRGROUND (from PS Publishing, edited by Paul Kane and Marie O'Regan). The cover for this one is simply stunning, but sadly I'm not in a position to post it yet, nor the full TOC, but the book will be launched at 5pm on Saturday September 29th, at FANTASYCON 2012 in Brighton. I'll be on hand to sign a few copies, along with the following other (thus far) confirmed contributors: Peter Crowther, James Lovegrove, Muriel Gray, Alison Littlewood, Lou Morgan, Robert Shearman, Rio Youers and cover artist Ben Baldwin.

So there you go ... I ain't finished with the short form yet.

Walkers In The Dark - now out as an ebook

I'm chuffed to announce that what I consider to be one of my very best collections of short fiction - WALKERS IN THE DARK - is now available in ebook form from Ash-Tree Press.

First published in softback in March 2010, WALKERS IN THE DARK was launched at the World Horror Convention in Brighton, UK, and contained only original material: five brand new horror novellas, all drawing on one of my preferred areas within supernatural fiction - eldritch mysteries intruding into the spiritual desert of our modern world, and always, hopefully, with chaotic and terrifying consequences.

If you fancy venturing in, be prepared for lashings of the ancient and arcane, spiced up here and there with sex, violence and folklore of the extreme darker variety.

Reviewing the book on his PAGE HORRIFIC blogspot, James Carroll said:

"This is imaginative fiction at its finest, and these highly atmospheric tales of haunted lives and innocence lost, transcend genre boundaries and ultimately defy classification."

I'm particularly happy that WALKERS IN THE DARK now exists in electronic format because when it first came out in softback it only had a short print-run. I wouldn't exactly say that it has since become a collector's item, but I've had a number of contacts over the last two years from readers trying to trace a spare copy, and even I, the author, have not been able to help them. It was short-listed for a British Fantasy Award in 2011, in the capacity of Best Collection, but was pipped at the post by Stephen King's FULL DARK, NO STARS (I don't suppose I could really complain about that).

Anyway, all of that is now in the past. The ebook version is out there just waiting to be snapped up at the bargain basement price of £4.61 (or $7.19) .... so go for it.

Just in case you need your appetite whetting further, here is a little taster:

THE FORMLESS: When a pretty young student is mysteriously declared dead, her university suitor heads north to her home in the Scottish Highlands to investigate - what he discovers there is sufficient to challenge not just his sanity, but the survival of his very soul ...

SEASON OF MIST: In the misty autumn of 1974, a series of child murders afflicts an industrial Lancashire town. Local kids are certain it's the work of the mythical demon supposedly dwelling in a local derelict coal mine; nevertheless they set out to enjoy their usual autumn festivities ...

FATHOMS GREEN AND NOISOME: Cryptozoologists explore an icy lake high in the Welsh mountains, in whose depths a monstrous beast is reputed to dwell. But the perils they face in this cold and inaccessible region may actually lie much closer to home ...

GOLGOTHA WAY: Aged World War Two veterans are distressed by continued obscene vandalism at the local Cenotaph. Their suspects range across the board from everyday hoodlums to anti-war protestors and anarchists. But rumours are rife that the actual culprit is a mysterious individual, all charred and ragged as if burned by a flame-thrower ...

WALKERS IN THE DARK: Deep in Liverpool's deprived Toxteth district, a bunch of students plan to excavate beneath the floor of a derelict urban monastery, where research has led them to believed that a stash of Viking gold was buried. But the mission is fraught with danger - local gangs haunt the area, and when they finally unearth their 'treasure' they find there was a good reason why it was buried in the first place ...

Farewell to another Doctor Who stalwart

I was very saddened this week to hear about the death of Caroline John, the lovely actress who played feisty Liz Shaw in Doctor Who.

Caroline passed away at the age of only 71, after appearing in five classic Who stories during the Third and Fifth Doctors’ tenure – who can forget Spearhead From Space, Inferno and The Silurians?, Who at its absolute best – and later reprised the role in various audio and straight-to-video spin-offs.

Liz Shaw wasn’t one of the longest serving characters in Doctor Who, but she certainly made her mark, combining beauty and sexiness with brains and personality. I always recall a newspaper article from when Caroline was first cast as Liz, showing her posing in a bikini - Caroline later went on to say that this was never the way she'd envisaged Liz, and how right she turned out to be. It was quite a culture shock back in 1970 for the Doctor to have a companion who knew almost as much as he did when it came to astrophysics, and who had no hesitation in pulling him up if she thought he was out of line.

I never got to meet Caroline unfortunately, though she appeared very recently in a Doctor Who audio drama I wrote called THE SENTINELS OF THE NEW DAWN, from Big Finish. The story centres around Liz as she was in later life – a retired Cambridge scientist, whose days as a UNIT officer had come under scrutiny thanks to government officials detecting a blank space in the service record. In the story, Liz recalls an incident involving herself and the Third Doctor, which occurred after her official departure from UNIT, but which she’d clearly hoped had been forgotten. (The remarkable piece of artwork you see at the top, is taken directly from the SENTINELS cover, though it will now have taken on a whole new resonance in the eyes of many).

I won’t say too much in case I spoil it for anyone who hasn’t yet heard it, but Caroline, as always, was superb in the role, bringing it her traditional authority and allure. It will always be a deep regret of mine that I had the chance to meet her during the recording, but for once was not able to attend as I had somewhere else I needed to be that day.

Anyway, RIP Caroline (1940-2012). In the words of Big Finish: Lovely, kind, brilliant.



It seems almost irreverent to mention anything else this week, but I doubt Caroline would have minded too much. So, in other Doctor Who related news, fans may be interested to know that a PODCAST for COUNTER MEASURES is now available to be listened to (just follow the link).

COUNTER MEASURES is a new Doctor Who spin-off from Big Finish, concerning the adventures of a small but elite military/scientific cadre who, after helping to fend off the Dalek menace in REMEMBERANCE OF THE DALEKS (first screened in 1988, though it’s actually set in 1963), are charged with defending the Earth against all kinds of extraterrestrial and home-grown horrors. I was very pleased to be asked to write the pilot episode, THRESHOLD, and from what I’ve heard so far the team more than do it justice. (The banner shows actor Simon Williams as Group-Captain Chunky Gilmore).

Anyway, check out the PODCAST – for those of you who prefer your Who to be old-school, with more than a hint of Quatermass, it should whet your whistles nicely.