Interview with Award Winning Author and Teacher Richard Thomas

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Featured Indie Horror Indie Horror Creation Indie horror writers Lifestyle

Richard Thomas is an award-winning author of seven books: three novels—Disintegration and Breaker (Penguin Random House Alibi), as well as Transubstantiate (Otherworld Publications); three short story collections—Staring into the Abyss (Kraken Press), Herniated Roots (Snubnose Press), and Tribulations (Cemetery Dance); and one novella in The Soul Standard (Dzanc Books). With over 150 stories published, his credits include The Best Horror of the Year (Volume Eleven), Cemetery Dance (twice), Behold!: Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders (Bram Stoker winner), PANK, storySouth, Gargoyle, Weird Fiction Review, Midwestern Gothic, Shallow Creek, The Seven Deadliest, Gutted: Beautiful Horror Stories, Qualia Nous, Chiral Mad (numbers 2-4), PRISMS, Pantheon, and Shivers VI (with Stephen King and Peter Straub). He has won contests at ChiZine and One Buck Horror, has received five Pushcart Prize nominations, and has been long-listed for Best Horror of the Year six times. He was also the editor of four anthologies: The New Black and Exigencies (Dark House Press), The Lineup: 20 Provocative Women Writers (Black Lawrence Press) and Burnt Tongues (Medallion Press) with Chuck Palahniuk. He has been nominated for the Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson, and Thriller awards. In his spare time he is a columnist at Lit Reactor. He was the Editor-in-Chief at Dark House Press and Gamut Magazine. His agent is Paula Munier at Talcott Notch. For more information visit www.whatdoesnotkillme.com.

Christmas Horror Book Cover

PB: We talk to a fair amount of new writers – What tips would you give yourself if you could go back to when you started based on what you know now?
RT: Great question. I think one of the most important things to understand is your voice. So—what kind of stories are you trying to tell, what are your strengths (and weaknesses), and what excites you when you write? It’s the first assignment I give my students in my Short Story Mechanics class. You need to understand the genre (or genres) you write in, your influences, and contemporaries that are doing similar things. You learn by reading those authors, by finding “your people” and their audiences, as well as publications. It’s all connected. I started out writing more neo-noir and thrillers but then shifted into fantasy, science fiction, and horror. I still do both. The main difference between the new-weird speculative work I do and neo-noir is often realism vs. supernatural. As far as those weaknesses I just mentioned, study those voices that do it well—whether that’s setting, plot, character, or dialogue. Read, read, read. Read books and stories, read the “best of the year” anthologies, and then fill your head with images via film and tv, such as the amazing work at A24 Films these days. Take a few classes if you need to. I took quite a few, with authors I loved and respected (such as Jack Ketchum and Stephen Graham Jones) and THEN got my MFA. It all helps.

 PB: A lot of aspiring horror creators think about making the leap from day job to becoming a writer. In fact, I also transitioned from the corporate world and great salaries to chasing my passion for storytelling in multiple formats with puzzle box – Tell me a bit about the transition you went through as I imagine it was a difficult decision to make moving from a known career into the unknown world of writing and teaching fiction? Any advice there for others in this position?
RT: It’s very difficult. I spent 25 years in advertising as an art director and graphic designer, and woke up one day and realized I was very unhappy. If you want to make the shift, understand it takes years to do it right. You first have to find your voice (see my previous answer) and hone your craft. That alone may take 1-5 years. Write, practice, and publish. I encourage authors to write short stories until they figure out who they are, and what they are going to write. Once you start getting work published, push to get your stories into the BEST markets. Until you can start doing that, getting pro pay, and setting up a network and presence, I wouldn’t quit your day job. Once you get to that level, make sure you have a social media platform, and presence—that will all help to build your name, reputation, brand, etc. At that point, you probably want to write a book and find a small press or agent. I’ve published 150 stories, three novels, three collections, ran a press, and a magazine and I still teach and edit. I’d say my income is all related—all a part of the industry—but my actual stories and novels probably only account for half of my income. So be prepared to teach, to write a column, to edit, to do more. Very few can make six figures as an author. But man, it’s the most fulfilling work I do. And my teaching helps others, and I learn a lot in the process as well. I was reading those “best of the year” anthologies anyway, and it helps me too, but now I really pay attention. It’s all connected. 

PB: One of your classes is writing a novel in 365 days, how many students have completed that and have any been published?
RT: We’ve only been doing this two years now, so the total number of students is 24. Two are done and actively shopping—Joseph Sale and Erik Bergstrom—and their novels are amazing. I expect them to get published. There are quite a few from the first year that are putting the final touches on their work, making a last pass, etc. This year’s class—all eight students are really doing well, and I expect them to finish on time, and start submitting next year. Hard to say how many out of the 24 will make it will publish, but I’d say at least half. Quite a few of my students who have gone from Short Story Mechanics to Contemporary Dark Fiction to my Advanced Creative Writing Workshop have published, gotten into pro markets, have gotten nominations, have won awards, have written novels, and landed agents. Really proud of them all.

burnt tongues book cover

PB: As a published writer, teacher, and entrepreneur do you feel that indie writers stand a chance in being successful vs finding a publisher? 
RT: Depends on what you want to do, but yes, it can work both ways. I find that quite a LOT of the best work is being done at smaller, indie presses. The big five (or whatever it is now) will certainly get you more money, into brick and mortar stores, and have teams of people to help you. Working with the editors at Alibi (a Penguin Random House imprint) was a TON of work, so many rounds of revisions, but I knew that Disintegration and Breaker were TIGHT when they came out. I felt so supported. When Breaker got a Thriller Award nomination I was floored. So yes, I’d actually encourage authors to connect with indie presses first, and then write that first book and publish short stories. It’s a great community, so many supportive people, and when you finally DO break out, you’ll have a lot of fans excited to pick up your work. It’s so rewarding.

PB: Finally, we’d love to hear a writer quick tip for creating suspense from you?
RT: Suspense it tricky. When I talk about it in terms of what a HORROR story is, this is what I say. There is the terror and then the horror. Think of it as the suspense, the hints, the clues, the anticipation—that’s the terror, the emotion you create before we see it. The horror is the actualization, the fulfillment of it, the dropping of the veil, the unfurling of the creature, the physical manifestation and consequences. I talk about it a lot in my column, which you can read here: https://litreactor.com/columns/storyville-using-terror-and-horror-to-tell-powerful-stories

 CD is a magazine, and the exact issue is not online yet no. They are BIG, circulation of 10,000. PRISMS is just starting to get a cover and all so they aren’t online yet either sadly. I did have a co-written story in Best Horror of the Year, Volume 11, which is out now. Had a few things in books last year as well—a novelette, “Ring of Fire” in The Seven Deadliest anthology, and a story, “The Caged Bird Sings in a Darkness of Its Own Creation” in the Shallow Creek anthology. You can find links to those all here: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B0036EYNDC

PB: What can you tell me about the upcoming arctic horror novel? (one of my favorite settings!)
RT: I was just on Twitter saying it was The Thing if written by Jeff VanderMeer, set in New Crobuzon (Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville). It’s about a sin-eater, and the way that he protects his portal, set in a place much like Barrow, Alaska where it goes dark for 60-90 days. I’m still trying to figure it all out, but I want to approach it from a place and time that is outside of our current narrative, so it’s not 2020 Alaska, but based on a similar location, culture, and weather, of course. A friend of mine lives in the arctic and is giving me some great nuggets, just working on finding the right angle, so it can be original. I’m looking at several books for inspiration—Annihilation, Come Closer, All the Beautiful Sinners, and many short stories set in this climate.

PB: What inspired you to go artic with the next novel?
RT: I live in Chicago, so I’m familiar with the cold. Obviously not on the same level, but I felt I could tap into that sensation and reality. I wanted isolation, and was fascinated by the Barrow, Alaska darkness. What might flourish in the dark? What happens before and after the dark? And the idea of a sin-eater and a group of people holding the world together through their actions and sacrifices appealed to me.

PB: What/who are some of your major influences?
RT: I grew up on Stephen King, then the beats in college, later getting into more indie work. My MFA was a big influence, literary dark horses, and then the new-weird movement. And then all of my contemporaries, the authors I’ve published. So while I love King, and Clive Barker, and Jack Ketchum, I also love the literary voices of Toni Morrison, Denis Johnson, Mary Gaitskill, Cormac McCarthy, and Haruki Murakami. The most recent authors that are a heavy influence of my work would probably be Stephen Graham Jones, Brian Hodge, Livia Llewellyn, Alyssa Wong, Brian Evenson, AC Wise, Usman Malik, Steve Toase, Kelly Robson, Kristi DeMeester, Damien Angelica Walters, and so many others. For films, I’ve really enjoyed what they’re doing at A24 Films, my top five being Hereditary, The Witch, Under the Skin, Ex Machina, and Enemy. 

PB: Anything else related to life or writing you care to share? 
RT: For the authors out there, figure out what you have, what authority, what experience, that nobody else has going for them. Maybe it’s where you grew up, your culture, your mythology, your job, or what you’ve seen. Weave that into the genres you love, and then swing for the fences—take chances, surprise your audience, be innovative while delivering what your promise, in a way that’s satisfying. There’s only one of YOU, so tell your stories with heart, and passion, and intensity. 

You can find Richard on twitter and at his personal site https://whatdoesnotkillme.com/

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Interview with Horror Author Marie Batiste

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Featured Horror Books Indie Horror Lifestyle Women in Horror

Tell me a bit about yourself and what got you into writing supernatural detective horror? 

Well, I have loved all things supernatural since I was in elementary school. I remember checking out R.L. Stine books from the library every week, first Goosebumps and then Fear Street.  Reading has always been an escape for me and the creepier the story the better.  This is why I write what I write. People say you write what you love to read. I love mysteries, I love the supernatural and I love horror. So naturally when I sit down to write that’s what my mind steers towards. 

You have detectives, undead, necromancer, spirits, and a living sculpture all tied together. What inspired that and did it take a lot of research to get all the pieces to come together? 

I would love to say that this was all planned from the beginning, but it wasn’t.  Honestly, I just added the things that I like, and what I thought would be cool and make sense. Introducing magic and the supernatural into the real world can be tricky.  I didn’t want it to be too cliché and I didn’t want it to be too out there.  I wanted the magical creatures to have a role in this world that fits their nature. Vampires need blood so them being a blood analyst in the Medical Examiner’s office makes sense. Necromancers deal with death magic so working in the Medical Examiner’s office makes sense. When possible, they resurrect victims so the detectives can interview them.  Using water dragons as ferries make sense.

What I had to research were serial killers and different types of magical and mythical creatures. While my serial killer has some magic, he doesn’t use it when he murders his victims. He does this by torturing them and then removing their eyes while they are still alive and then their organs. I researched different serial killers and tried to understand why they did what they did. Or what could make a person decide that the only true joy in life is killing people. I still don’t have any kind of understanding of what would make a person do it but this research did give me some insight into my character and his friends. I am not a budding serial killer, I just wanted to point that out. 

I also had to research poaching. I figured if some people find joy in poaching rhinos and elephants then those same people would probably find the same joy in poaching unicorns, firebirds, and other mythical creatures. I wanted to show that just because our world has magic now doesn’t mean that everything is magical.

Is the second book the finale or do we have more in store here?

The second book, which is much darker than the first, is not the end.  I have ideas for several more in the series and it is only going to get darker.

Last Thing You See Book Cover - Horror Author Marie Batiste

What has been the biggest challenge in writing this story?

I would say the biggest challenge was writing from the killer’s point of view. He also has serial killer friends.  Being in their heads was particularly draining but it was also a little fun. I don’t know what that says about me, but it was.  I think writing dark characters can be both challenging and interesting. Their attitudes towards what they do were by far the creepiest part of the book for me.

You’ve published a few books now, any advice for new horror writers? 

I have two different series. One (Rachel Dixon series) is new and the other (Moon Investigations) I am republishing.  I find it hard to advise anyone on `writing because writing is one of those things that changes with every book. Also, what works for one person may not work for another. My one piece of advice is to finish. Whatever you are writing finish it. It might be crap and if it is the first draft it will be crap, but you need to finish it. You can fix it when you’re done.  Also, if you want to write in the horror genre then you should read in that genre and not just the popular horror. Read popular horror, obscure horror, good horror, and bad.  If you don’t read in the genre you want to write, then you aren’t going to be very good at it and you probably won’t finish it. Also, don’t be so hard on yourself.

You must be a horror fan? What are some of your recommended readings and movies? 

In horror, there is something for everyone depending on what you like. If you like comedy, Ash vs The Evil Dead and Shaun of the Dead is something you’ll like. The Haunting of Hill House is amazing and the book by Shirley Jackson is something every horror writer should read.  I loved every movie based on the case files of the Warrens which include: Insidious, The Conjuring, and Annabelle. If you love zombies, iZombie is funny, and the zombies eat brains in interesting ways. Dawn of the Dead is a good one along with my favorite 28 Days Later.  American Horror Story, Supernatural, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina have a really good story and character arcs that may inspire you to write something new.

-Where can we get the first book and where and when can we get this second in the series? 

The first book, The Last Thing You See is available on Amazon. It will be available on other platforms in July. The second book One by One is basically about a murder circus and a house infused with magic and blood lust. More of the serial killers are introduced and it is much darker than the first book. It will be available on October 30th, 2020.

Finally, where can we find and follow you? 

I can be found on Instagram @mariebatisteauthor or my website mariebatiste.com.

Thank you for doing this. I have gotten a few ideas from going through your site so thank you.

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Is Crystal Lake From Friday the 13th Real?

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Lifestyle Scary Movies and Series

Where Is The Real Crystal Lake Located?

Was Camp Crystal Lake a Real Place?

Almost every horror fan has known some experience in their life that somewhat resembles a “Camp Crystal Lake.”  Some have gone to actual summer camp. Others have stayed at a cabin with their family or friends. A day at the lake or camping in the woods is frequently considered a relaxing way to spend time over the summer…unless of course someone invited Jason Voorhees!  So, is there a real Camp Crystal Lake out there? Where is it located if so?

Horror Enthusiast went on a search to find the real Camp Crystal Lake

The Real Life Camp Crystal Lake

The truth is, there is no “real” Camp Crystal Lake, however, there is a filming location in the woods. And the filming location for the real Camp Crystal Lake, is an ACTUAL camp!  The real location for the Friday the 13th movies is Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco.  Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco is actually owned by the Boy Scouts of America. In northwestern New Jersey. 

Interestingly, despite the location being used for the original Friday the 13th movie (1980), it was not until recent years (2011), that the camp decided to open up to provide public tours.  Horror fans around the world were enthused when they realized they could actually visit the filming location of the original Friday the 13th movie.  So far, they have had 4 tours spread across 4 years, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. Each tour has been more successful and sold more tickets out faster than each previous tour.

The park itself is beautiful and what you would expect to find at a thriving Boy Scouts of America camp. Spanning almost 400 acres wide, and being surrounded by more recreation and land preservation  areas, Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco was the perfect filming location for the horror movie that has since been loved for decades by infinite fans.

Camp No Be Bo Sco sign the real location of Crystal Lake from Friday the 13th

Several sources claim that it is “Tomahawk Lake” in Sussex County, New Jersey.  This is incorrect. The Lake used in the Friday the 13th film is on site at Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco, and is actually called “Sand Pond.”  This can be further confirmed by checking out the  awesome store offered by the Boy Scouts of America on their Nobebosco.com storefront.  They sell some key evidence such as: “Angry Mother Lake” T-Shirts, “Angry Mother Lake” Tour Souvenirs, and even bottled sawmill shavings and lake water by the “Angry Mother Bottling Co.”.  Obviously, this is a reference to the original movie, which features Jason’s ‘angry mother’ as the killer. It is even possible top buy pieces of the log cabins used in the movie itself!

Final Words About Friday the 13th and Camp Crystal Lake

Jason Voorhees is one of the most famous and deadliest of all horror movie slashers. However, it is almost impossible to imagine Jason Voorhees anywhere besides his Camp Crystal Lake (with the exception of Jason X, aka ‘Jason in Space’). And while “Camp Crystal Lake” is technically a fictional location, the camp rented to produce the first Friday the 13th film is most certainly real. That all said, the horror fan tours that are always sold out at the REAL Camp Crystal Lake show a strong demand by the fan base to explore the lake property that created Jason Voorhees. These tours of Jason’s tomb will make it nearly impossible for him to rest in peace…thus, Horror Enthusiast can only assume Jason will be back!

Disclaimer: Do not show up at the Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco unless you have purchased tour tickets, as it is private property and they do not typically allow public access!

Do you love Camp Crystal Lake and Friday the 13th like we do? There are tons of fan materials made every year. Check Horror Hub Marketplace for the latest Friday the 13th fan merchandise.

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Is Freddy Krueger Immortal? [Nightmare on Elm Street Trivia]

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Lifestyle Scary Movies and Series

Does Freddy Krueger Live Forever?

Freddy Krueger is an intimidating, nightmare-intruding horror movie killer! Being one of the only “reality manipulating” slashers, he holds a lot more power than the traditional horror movie slasher.  In almost every Nightmare on Elm Street movie, they try to kill Freddy Krueger for good…but Freddy always seems to come back!  Freddy’s repeated return to the big screen leaves Elm Street fans everywhere wondering…

Is Freddy Krueger Actually Immortal? Is there any way to kill Freddy Krueger for good? What are the most effective strategies to survive a Nightmare on Elm Street movie?

Ways Freddy Krueger Has Died (or Been “Killed”)

Freddy Krueger is an intrusive, finger-knived slasher who just keeps coming back.  Still, here are some of the ways his victims have tried to take him out…

Death From Being Forgotten

When an entire town disbelieves in Freddy Krueger or otherwise “forgets” him, he is unable to kill.  Freddy Krueger gets his power from the fear his victims feel and think after hearing horror stories about the finger-bladed slasher.

Drag Him Out of the Dreamworld

The Nightmare on Elm Street killer thrives in the dream world, where his power truly vibrates.  With that said, many victims have discovered that Freddy Krueger can be pulled out of the dreamworld and into reality, where he is much weaker. And while he is still a very agile fighter in the real world and quite dangerous…at least the victims stand a better chance!

Killed by Fire

Although Freddy’s “real life” demise came from being burned alive while trapped in the boiler room…he was also burned alive, after being dragged into the real world at the end of the first movie.

Hypnocil

Hypnocil is one of Freddy’s indirect weaknesses. The fictional “Elm Street” prescription eliminates dreams, effectively eliminating Freddy Krueger’s back door entrance to slaughtering endless Elm Street victims.

Holy Blessings

Freddy Krueger is pure evil, and thus hates all things “church.”  When anointed correctly with holy water or otherwise blessed, Freddy Krueger cannot sustain power.  The catch? His bones have to be blessed and they are buried in a super creepy automobile graveyard.  Bring a cross.

Steal His Power

In one movie, a heroine successfully ‘steals’ the power from some of her fallen friends.  Before Freddy knows what hit him, she beats his butt, sending him away for a long time.  The down side, is that only some people seem to have the power to absorb skills and abilities from their dead friends.

Distraction

Krueger is a softie for attention. In fact, he absolutely loves the limelight! So any opportunity for attention usually takes priority for the glove-wielding slasher.  Victims have used his vanity and attention-loving weakness as a way to escape him or otherwise take him out.  One time, he was even beheaded after being distracted.

Trapped Souls

Freddy’s power gets greater as he absorbs the souls of his victims, trapping them in his evil forever. However, sometimes it is possible to find ‘cracks’ in Freddy’s spirit, freeing the trapped souls enough for them to fight back.  When the souls fight back, they fight back hard, typically dragging Freddy back to hell.

Freddy Always Comes Back

Painting of the Nightmare on Elm street house

The Nightmare on Elm Street slasher is one tough killer. No matter how they try to take Freddy out, he always comes back.  Freddy is even seen winking, taunting the audience in 2003 as Jason carries his head out of the water. Part of the problem people do not realize when trying to kill him, is that he is pure evil himself. Bottom line: Freddy Krueger is immortal, despite being able to die in the real world.

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Is Jason Voorhees Immortal?

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Lifestyle Scary Movies and Series

Can Jason Voorhees Be Killed? [Friday the 13th Trivia]

Is the Friday the 13th Slasher an Immortal Killer?

Jason Voorhees is a sincerely strong horror movie slasher. Fans have watched him sustain unbelievable blows and violent damage to literally stand motionless.  He has even been lit on fire (Freddy vs Jason, for example), to simply walk forward with his blade as though it were not happening at all! Friday the 13th fans have been debating Jason’s mortality and when exactly he became the impenetrable monster that he is today.  Horror Enthusiast thumbs through the volumes of the Friday the 13th franchise to discover whether Jason Voorhees is immortal…or not!

Ways Jason Voorhees Has ‘Died’ (Ways They Tried to Kill Jason)

Can the hockey mask-wearing Friday the 13th slasher be killed? Following all of the ways people have tried to kill Jason Voorhees throughout his movies makes the answer clear!

Drowning

Although it is later explained that Jason Voorhees survived the childhood tragedy, most fans believed and still believe he died in Crystal Lake.  Technically, he survived the drowning…and although it is not clear if he was immortal at the time of the near-drowning, it has been speculated he was born immortal.

Dismembered

Many people, including Tommy Jarvis (a character in some of the movies), thought that dismembering Jason Voorhees would kill him.  Unfortunately, Jason is immortal and he survived dismemberment.

Explosive Firing Squad

Jason Voorhees suffers some pretty extreme gunfire and literally blows up as a result. The FBI unloads a ton of fire power on this horror movie slasher.  None of the agents who fired at Jason that day would ever suspect he would be back yet again!

Swallowed By Hell

Jessica Kimble (a character in one of the movies) uses a magical dagger to strike Jason, sending him straight to hell. Still, hell would eventually spit him back out to slash again!

Atmospheric Disintegration

Of the many insane ways horror movie slashers meet their “demise,” being burned up alive in Earth’s atmosphere HAS TO BE THE CRAZIEST!  Jason still returns after his outrageous death in Jason X (2001).

jason voorhees drawing from Friday the 13th holding a machete.

Jason Has the Last Laugh

Although many sources claim that Jason Voorhees is definitely dead…his constant re-emergence at Camp Crystal Lake has been evidence that he is here to stay.  Jason has literally come back from hell itself in order to torment again.  One time, another killer (Freddy Krueger), even had the power to bring him back.  No matter how many times fans may think he is dead for good, he seems to return! Jason Voorhees also maintains the title ‘deadliest horror movie slasher’ (highest body count)!

This horror movie slasher may live on forever through his glorious on-screen kills…however, he has also become a cultural horror icon, as each year, millions around the world enjoy a hockey mask costume for Halloween. One thing is definitely certain, Jason Voorhees is immortal one way or another!

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