Ten Questions With....... Horror Author James Newman

Over at The Crypt, I run a feature called "Ten Questions with....", which gives me the opportunity to interview some of the rising stars of horror - in particular indie directors, writers, producers, actors, and sometimes even the already famous and well-respected (such as Larry Fessenden). It's a great gig, and the best part is getting to know heaps of great people in the horror community.  

Before The Crypt was even in existence, it was my great pleasure to get to know author James Newman.  I first discovered his work when I happened across his 2012 homage to 80's pulp horror, THE WICKED.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, and struck up a friendship after I posted a review here on the blog. 

James is also the author of such books as UGLY AS SIN, MIDNIGHT RAIN, ANIMOSITY, and the recently released 666 HAIR-RAISING HORROR MOVIE TRIVIA QUESTIONS. He is currently working on his next hair-raising novel, but since he's such a helluva nice guy, he took the time to answer some questions for us horror nerds.  Enjoy.

1) First, tell us a little bit about yourself.  How did you get into horror?

     I've loved this stuff for as long as I can remember.  My dad has always been a fan of sci-fi and horror, so I can remember him renting monster movies all the time -- the cornier the better!  Sometimes, though, he would accidentally pick up something with quality, something that left an impression on me.  I can remember seeing John Carpenter's original HALLOWEEN at the drive-in when I was just five or six years old, and not long after that THE EVIL DEAD scarred me for life.  That's a good thing, BTW.

     My mom says that since I was old enough to write, she remembers me drawing monsters and making up little stories to go along with my illustrations.  Not long after I learned to read I discovered those SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK books, and it was all downhill from there!

2) What makes someone want to write about the darker side of life?

     I wish I knew the answer to that. More intelligent folks than yours truly have written entire books about it.  You've heard it all before:  how we invent vampires, zombies, and werewolves to help us deal with the "real" monsters like terrorism, poverty, and disease.

     I do find the psychology behind it all rather fascinating.  But I don't know. 

3) Your book from 2012, THE WICKED, knocked my socks off.  What was your inspiration for such a dementedly wonderful novel?

     THE WICKED was my ode to those "evil in a small town" novels that were all the rage in the 80s.  You know the ones -- more often than not they had an evil kid on the cover, and the plot was usually about sinister goings-on thanks to an old Indian burial ground.  With THE WICKED, I wanted to pay tribute to those old books I grew up with -- the good and the bad -- but hopefully do a little better than those titles that have been forgotten over time simply because they weren't that good.  I wanted to create in (THE WICKED's protagonists) the Little family a group of real, three-dimensional characters with real relationships, real modern-life problems that the reader could relate to.  Once a writer is able to pull that off, the reader is willing to suspend disbelief when the demon comes along.

4)  I was raised in a small town and could always relate to novels such as THE WICKED, which always seemed to give small towns a bad name. The town of Morganville was so well fleshed-out that it felt like home to me, which is rather scary. Do you hail from a similar town?

     Yeah, for the most part.  I live in Hendersonville, North Carolina, which is a lot like Morganville in many ways.  I'd classify my hometown as a "minor city" more than a "small town", though.  It's a good place to live, a beautiful area, and nothing at all like the hotbed of demonic activity that is Morganville.  Thank God!  (laughs)

5)  I could really feel the vibe of 80's pulpy horror fiction in THE WICKED, which I loved.  Brought me back to my teen years staying up late reading into the night.  Who were some of your writing influences?

     Stephen King was the first, definitely.  From that era I also loved Graham Masterton's stuff (still do).

     Believe it or not, though, the more I've thought about it I've realized that the BAD novels of that time, with their gaudy foil-stamped-and-embossed covers, might have influenced THE WICKED more than the good ones (I'm sure the folks who don't care for my work are emphatically nodding right now!).  Those garish paperbacks from the 80s -- how could you not love that stuff?  It's like watching a Troma film.  You know it's not a "good" movie by any stretch of the imagination, but it's so much FUN! 

  6) Your 2013 offering, UGLY AS SIN, boasts nothing but 5 star reviews on Amazon and has gotten a boat-load of good press. As much a story about redemption as it is horror, it's a book that can step into other genres. Was this your intention?

      Absolutely.  Like MIDNIGHT RAIN (my first novel), UGLY AS SIN really isn't a horror story at all, per se.  And I didn't mean for it to be.  I've been calling UGLY "white trash noir", or a Southern thriller with a streak of pitch-black humor.  I liked to read stories in that genre, so naturally I enjoy writing them too.  That said, everything I write will always be very dark.  I don't think I could turn that off if I tried!   

7) Tell me a little about your other titles: ANIMOSITY, MIDNIGHT RAIN, and PEOPLE ARE STRANGE.

     ANIMOSITY is my "love letter to the horror genre", my most "personal" novel to date.  I'm really excited to see its release in trade paperback and audiobook next month.  ANIMOSITY is about a horror writer who finds the body of a murdered child while he's out walking his dog one morning.  Because of what he writes for a living, his neighbors start to turn on him, until eventually his life is in danger.  I think ANIMOSITY says a lot about how the "normal people" view those of us who dig this stuff, and asks the question, "What if your love of 'things that go bump in the night' put your life in danger?"

     MIDNIGHT RAIN is a coming-of-age thriller in the vein of STAND BY ME and Robert R. McCammon's BOY'S LIFE (my all-time favorite novel).  It was my first, and still holds a very special place in my heart.

     PEOPLE ARE STRANGE is my first -- and only, to date -- short story collection.  All of the stories in this one are about the crazy things people are capable of, no supernatural element at all.  I tend to write about that more and more these days -- how WE are the monsters -- because I think people can be the most terrifying fiends of all, sometimes.

8) Your latest, 666 HAIR-RAISING HORROR MOVIE TRIVIA QUESTIONS is an awesome compendium of horror trivia which will delight and stump even the most knowledgeable genre fans. What made you want to write this book?

     I've loved horror movies as far back as I can remember.  And I love trivia.  I also love being a huge show-off film nerd.

     I've been working on this project off and on for several years.  Finally, it came to be!

9) I've seen so many reviews and comments in which readers simply can't wait for your next novel. I happen to be in that crowd as well, so fess up: what are you working on now?

     At the moment, I'm about 3/4 of the way through a collaborative novella -- which actually might be a short novel by the time we're done with it -- with my good friend Mark Gunnells.  It's a coming-of-age horror novel called DOG DAYS O' SUMMER.  We're having so much fun with it, and can't wait for folks to read it.

     I've also been slowly but surely getting started on a follow-up to UGLY AS SIN, a new book featuring disfigured ex-wrestler Nick "The Widowmaker" Bullman. 

10) Ordinarily I would ask what some of your favorite horror films are, but in this case I will ask you about favorite horror books and/or authors.  Any lesser-known favorites to recommend?

     My favorite books:  the aforementioned BOY'S LIFE by Robert R. McCammon, LIGHTNING by Dean Koontz, CAGE OF NIGHT by Ed Gorman, THE GIRL NEXT DOOR by Jack Ketchum, and CHRISTINE and THE SHINING by Stephen King.

     My favorite writers:  King, Joe Lansdale, F. Paul Wilson, Richard Matheson, Ray Garton, Bentley Little, Thomas F. Monteleone, Robert R. McCammon, and the short work of Nancy Collins.

     EVERYONE should be reading Gillian Flynn.  She makes me murderously jealous, she's so damn good.

OCTOBER 8: EIGHT GREAT BOOKS

THE SEANCE ~BY JOHN HARWOOD (2008) - Christine has called me and old soul and it is really true when it comes to books. I can't get enough of the classic gothic tale, and this modern novel mimics a Victorian ghost story so well you'll have to check the publication date twice.

The book is told by several different characters in several different time periods but they are all connected, whether they know it or not. What binds them is the massive, dark and infamous Wraxford Hall where time is held still by a terrifying legend.

The characters are crafted beautifully, nothing is unnecessary and the imagery is just drool-worthy. Although Harwood may be exploring old tropes, he upholds the glorious gothic setting and the theme of entrapment that we as horror fans have learned to love. ~MR

INTO THE SHADOWS ~BY TROY TAYLOR -  Originally published in 2002 but refurbished by Fall River Press in 2007, this tome of mysterious American legends and dark historical events is like a treasure trove of interesting tidbits and stories.  It is broken down into five chapters: One: History's Mysteries (in which you get things like Haunted Tunnels, Relics & Altars, The Lost Colony of Roanoke, and The Disappearance of the Anasazi); Chapter Two: Without a Trace (Jimmy Hoffa, Missing in Vermont's Green Mountains, and John Wilkes Booth); Chapter Three: Among the Spirits (Unsolved Mysteries from the Other Side, Houdini & the Other Side); Chapter Four: Bloody Murder (The Whitechapel Killer, The Black Dahlia, The Unsolved Puzzle of Edgar Allan Poe); and Chapter Five: Beyond the Unknown (It's raining cats, dogs & frogs, What Lies Beneath, The Mystery of the Glowing Lights) - it's just a compendium of interesting facts & mysteries. ~CH

GRAVEMINDER ~BY MELISSA MARR (2011)
Marr is well known for her YA (that's Young Adult...keep up, would you?) novels that have sold millions, but here she brings us her first book for grown-ups, and let it be known - Melissa Marr can obviously write anything.  With Graveminder, she creates a world quite similar to our own, but adds a little bit of quirk and a whole lot of creepy.  The heroine, Rebekkah Barrow, has just returned to her hometown of Claysville to bury her beloved grandmother.  Claysville is not your ordinary town though - there are secrets that lie deep within, and rituals that must be performed upon the death of one of its own.  Rebekkah's grandmother Maylene has always taken care of these profoundly important yet mysterious rituals, along with the father of Rebekkah's former love, Byron - who is the town undertaker.  When these two lost loves get round to discussing that not only they are truly meant to be together, but that something isn't quite right about the way Maylene died, they have to do everything they can to prevent hell (or something like it) from breaking loose.
I don't think it's too much to reveal that this is a book about zombies.  Surprised?  I was. I don't generally read a lot of zombie books, but this one rocks.  You know it's going to be good just by the tag-line: "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."  (But let's be clear - that doesn't always work...)~CH

TRUE BLOOD: EATS, DRINKS AND BITES FROM BON TEMPS ~BY GIANNA SOBOL (2012)
When a popular movie or television show tries to capitalize on their popularity by putting out a tie-in of any kind, it only works some of the time.  Most times it just seems like a pathetic attempt to make a few bucks.  That is not the case with this splendid cookbook featuring True Blood characters and their choices for some rockin' good recipes.  It is filled with instructions for such dishes as 'Candied Sweet Jesus Potatoes', 'Wipe Away My Red-Eye Gravy over Ham Steak', and 'Stuck in my Crawfish Critters'. Desserts? Hell yeah, hookah! They've got 'Seeing Red Bundt Cake', 'Confederate Ambrosia', and 'Last Rites Pecan Pie'. And don't forget the bloody beverages! (No seriously, try The Necromancer or the Tequila Moonrise!)  Don't worry, there is no recipe for AIDS burgers - though there is one for 'Cryin' in my Hamburger Deluxe'.  Seriously though, the book has loads of southern favorites, little tidbits written by the 'characters' themselves as a forward to the recipes, and just tons of pics from the last four seasons of the show.  In short, any fan of True Blood and eating should pick this one up. ~CH

THE WICKED ~BY JAMES NEWMAN (2012) - I've already rambled on and on about this novel (here), but think it's worth a second mention.  This day and age, it's so hard to find a decent horror novel.  I mean the kind you used to be able to find back in the eighties - one with a rockin' gruesome cover and the insides are equally as fantastic.
The Wicked tells the story of The Littles, a family who moves to a small town in North Carolina to start a new life and instead end up dealing with a whole lot of awful. Seems a children's home burned to the ground and in doing so, unleashed an unspeakable horror that besieges the Littles and the rest of the residents of the otherwise idyllic Morganville.
With its fair share of gore, sexual perversion, and simply horrific happenings, The Wicked would be the perfect compliment on a stormy night in October while you read by candlelight! Alternatively, stick it on your Kindle and a read it whilst you cook up some supper on a random Tuesday afternoon.  Either way, it comes highly recommended! (And the "beat-up", 80's pulp horror cover is awwwe-some!) ~CH

THE JAWS LOG: EXPANDED EDITION ~BY CARL GOTTLIEB (2012) - As a colossal Jaws fan, when I saw that they had re-released this tell-all, non-fiction book is a fantastic and informative look at the making a mega-hit and the first summer blockbuster we all know and love.  Author Gottlieb had a bit part in the film and a screenwriting credit for it as well.  He documents here an honest account of the year-long adventure that was the making of Jaws.

Any fan of the film will thoroughly enjoy the funny antecdotes, troubles on set, and the camaraderie of all those involved.  The film shoot was not without its issues though - everything you've heard about Bruce the mechanical shark not cooperating is true, and there were difficulties during production that made their lives a living hell.  But the end result - a critically acclaimed block-buster (quite an unusual combination, even today) - was worth all their toils and troubles.  Most of which are written about here. ~CH

THE THIRTEENTH SACRIFICE ~BY DEBBIE VIGUIE (2012)
Salem, Massachusetts is one of my all-time favorite places.  It reeks atmosphere and when I was there I seriously never wanted to leave.  So when I found this novel centered around Salem and (of course) witches, I had to take a peek.  I'm so glad I did.  I flew through this book at top speed, and was elated to discover it was book one of a new 'Witch Hunt' series.  What we have here is Samantha Ryan, a Boston detective who has a secret past rife with ritual sacrifice and dark magick.  She is the last in a line of witches who nearly destroyed not only their own coven, but everyone around them with their evil inclinations.  Sam has been trying to get her past behind her, but when a new series of "witch-related" crimes starts popping up, she is called upon to go deep undercover and try to infiltrate the new coven before they become too powerful and the past repeats itself.  As if that isn't enough, some of her co-workers are becoming suspicious as to her past, and the rift between religion and justice starts to amp-up. Samantha, now a Christian who has left the witchcraft of her youth behind, is forced to participate in some horrific rituals in order to appear "one of them", and if she's not careful, may not make it out alive.  This new series has a strong female lead and interesting characters to even things out - it is a must read and full of the darkness and hysteria that witchcraft usually brings to the table. ~CH

THE DARKEST PART OF THE WOODS ~BY RAMSEY CAMPBELL (2003) - They tell you not to judge a book by its cover but I was instantly drawn to this book by the cover art. The image you see on the front is that of a mysterious entity that lurks in Goodmanswood--a sinister but seductive version of the Green Man.

The novel revolves around the Price family and nearly centrally around eldest sister Heather. Her father has been in the asylum on the outskirts of the wood ever since he came to town to research a fungus that was causing people to hallucinate, and then fell victim to it himself. Now he mumbles of creatures in the woods, repeating the word, "selcouth"... If the whole town is too frightened to even enter the woods, then why does the entire Price family find themselves drawn to it?
I can't say enough about this book, so I'll keep it short, it's elegant, brilliant, and spooky as all get-out. Pick it up! ~MR

The Wicked: Classic 80's-Style Pulp Horror Makes A Welcome Comeback!

Back in the day - and I'm talking the 80's here - I was obsessed with reading all those horror novels with the lurid covers. Demons peeking out from behind the mountains of a small idyllic town, evil dolls with glowing eyes, ghastly ghouls hovering over a baby's crib, haunted houses that seemed to be alive...those covers were designed to attract the attention of horror fanatics such as myself, and generally held a story within that ran the gamut of ridiculous to genuinely frightening.

When I noticed the cover of The Wicked, I was promptly  taken back to my teen years and knew I had to check it out immediately.  I am a bit remorseful, however, that I purchased this title through my Kindle instead of buying the actual tome, as this cover is one of beauty (right down to the back cover that sports a faux price tag from Totem's Grocery and a well-used and battered-looking cover declaring 'An ancient evil rises...burns....kills...').  You just can't get it more right than that.  Shock Totem publications has re-released James Newman's 2007 throwback to 80's horror: The Wicked, and they've done a stylish and commendable job. 

The book itself is a helluva fun ride, too.  David Little has moved his family from the streets of New York City to the quiet mountains of North Carolina to escape a crime that has shattered his - and even more so his wife Kate's - world.  We quickly learn that Kate was violently raped walking home from work one night and the end result has produced a pregnancy that in effect has not only impaired the couple's happiness, but forced the question that haunts David's days and nights:  is the forthcoming child his?  Or the product of the worst event in both their lives?  They bring with them a young daughter, Becca, who has keenly observed that Daddy doesn't seem to love her new brother or sister-to-be.  

They relocate to Morganville, N.C. - where Kate's brother Joel is the local assistant (and acting) coroner - with intentions of starting over.  Kate is sure the impending birth will set David's mind at ease immediately, and as a woman of great faith she claims to "know" the baby is her husband's because God has told her so. This logic doesn't exactly make Kate a religious nutso, but it does swiftly show us that while Kate feels that God will help them through their troubles, David isn't quite so sure.  He in fact, has a sneaking suspicion that the baby will be a mulatto and has serious reservations about God's actual existence.

Amidst the carefully constructed story of the Littles, the author unwinds the heinous back story of Morganville.   Several months prior to the Little's arrival, a terrible tragedy struck the peaceful community.  A demented teenager obsessed with devil worship and the occult set fire to the Heller Home for Children, an orphanage/hospital that housed dozens of sick and helpless kids.  Killing everyone inside, the fire consumed the town's spirit with it as well, and has brought forth an unholy evil that is intent on destroying Morganville and all those who live within it. 

When the residents of Morganville start dropping off like flies to violent and sexually deviant deaths, it's up to David and his elderly ex-Marine neighbor, George, to decipher not only the unpleasant and sometimes repulsive manner of deaths of the innocent victims, but the disturbingly inexplicable acts of the townsfolk.  Walking around naked, fornicating without abandon, and committing unspeakable crimes - all in the name of MOLOCH - poses the age-old question: does evil exist?  Does a demon command an army of followers to kill in his name?  Is all hope lost?

Not backing down from violence in any form, this book just reaches out and grabs you from page one and doesn't let go. This is one of the fastest reads I've encountered in quite some time.  Filled to the brim with the old-style pulpy horror we fans expect, The Wicked boasts a high kill count and a fair amount of sexual perversion, but doesn't become too formulaic in its approach. Though a kickback to the horror novels of the 80's, it never falters in its believability and for all intents and purposes presents a compelling story with likeable characters and a fast pace.
Stick around at the end of the novel for the Afterword by the author; it's more than apparent that he is just as big a fan of those lurid and gory old 80's horror paperbacks as the rest of us.
Not just a guilty pleasure, The Wicked is a must-read and comes highly recommended from yours truly!