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Short Sharp Shocks! 47 is Crowded House & Other Stories by S.J. Budd. The book is published on the 31st January but is available now for pre-orders on Amazon. A few days into the New Year Dean sat down and talked to the author.
DEMAIN PUBLISHING: Hi! Great to meet you – can you tell us a little about yourself? S.J. BUDD: Hi, I‘m Sarah I’ve been a horror writer for about five years. I live in London but am originally from Cornwall which is an ancient Celtic region in South West England. Cornwall is home to many myths and legends as well as ghosts which had a big effect on me growing up. DP: Ah, a beautiful part of the world. Been a little while since we’ve been down that neck of the woods but definitely one to add to the list of places to visit in 2020. What are you stories about? SJB: Sure. Until I Go – This is a tale of a young woman, Selina who is seeing her mother for the last time. They have had a troubled relationship but she still hopes that maybe some love can be salvaged before the end. Selina visits her mother in hospital hoping that maybe her mother will finally tell her she loves her only child, but not all mothers are kind and loving. Crowded House – Near where I live there is an abandoned house is a very nice little street which has fascinated me for years and is the inspiration for this story. Most people dream of owning their own home, creating their own little sanctuary from the outside world in which to build a family. So how come this one was allowed to fall into ruin? I began to wonder who had lived here and that’s how this story came to be. A young woman has been left a house from her mysterious Uncle. She hopes this will be the start of a new life, a better life. When she arrives, the house is in a dire state, but she is determined to fix it and to also find out more about her Uncle. She feels guilt at never making an effort to see him. A Bubble of Friendship Will Keep Us is about trying to hold on to the magic and innocence of youth, of wanting things to always stay the same. DP: Three great stories – we really enjoyed them here at DEMAIN so well done. Did you have to do much research when writing them? SJB: None, unless day dreaming counts! DP: Ah, fair enough. What would you say was your biggest creative success? SJB: Recently I had a short story released on the No Sleep Podcast. I’m a huge fan! I never thought for one moment they would accept my story but they did and it allowed me to join the HWA. DP: Good for you and again well done. Which books (or authors) do you read and would you say they influence you? SJB: I read so many books! They are mostly horror, but I will occasionally delve into contemporary fiction. I’m a big fan of short stories as well as novels. Currently I am reading the latest Ellen Datlow – The Best Horror of the Year (Volume 11) and am really loving it. I also love Aphotic Realm which I’ve been published in. They are really going places [they are!]! My favourite authors include; Adam Neville, Stephen King, Patrick Rothfuss, Susan Hill, Jonathan Janz and Shirley Jackson. DP: Some great names again. What is ‘horror’ to you? SJB: Horror is so many things to different people. To me horror is a quiet force that sneaks up on you. It’s not about scary creatures and monsters with big teeth. Horror is a daily part of our lives, there’s no escaping it. It’s it the dark underside of life, of things going wrong, life not turning out how you expected it to. We only have one life, and for some it’s not very long. If we mess up, we can’t always fix our mistakes. There’s no rest button, our past haunts us, our ultimate demise is inescapable. DP: So true, so true. Sadly as you get older a point quickly comes when you realise how fleeting it all is...is there a book or film you’re looking forward to? SJB: I’m really excited about The Reddening which has just been released by Adam Neville. He’s one of my favourite authors whose stories scare me so much I usually end up having nightmares! I’ve still yet to see Midsommar and Pet Sematary. DP: Us too, though did actually get out to see Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker recently...what is S.J. Budd scared of? SJB: I’m afraid of EVERYTHING! I am the world’s biggest wimp. My fear gives me never ending inspiration for horror tales. Recently I flew to Iceland and cried all the way there as there was some slight turbulence. DP: Oh my lord, I’m with you on that one. I hate flying. And oddly I was recently commissioned to write a horror movie set on a plane. It’s going to be filmed in the Ukraine on a purpose built set. Don’t worry though I’ve done my research and if I travel over night etc I think it’ll only take me three days to get to Kiev by train. There’s no way you’re getting me in the air again! Let’s change the subject: creatively is there anything you’d like to do which you haven’t quite managed yet? SJB: I’ve been writing seriously for about five years, but I still feel like I’m just getting started. There’s so much I want to do with writing. In the future I’d love to release a short story collection, as well as longer works of fiction. I’ve recently finished a novella and will be submitting it this year. DP: Good for you! Never give up either. A frothy one: Marvel or DC? SJB: Eeek! Can I say Batman? My kids are obsessed with Harley Quinn and the Joker. That’s DC right? DP: [Right!] Finally then, can you tell your readers something they might be surprised to find out about you? SJB: I have an obsession with Cactus plants! DP: That’s...unusual ha ha! Thank you so much for your time and the best of luck with your Short Sharp Shocks! If you’d like to connect with Sarah direct find her on Twitter: @sjbuddj
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Author Interview - Christopher Beck (Short Sharp Shocks! 46 The Birthday Girl & Other Stories)1/17/2020 Book 46 in the Short Sharp Shocks! series is Christopher Beck’s The Birthday Girl & Other Stories. The book is out for pre-sales now on Amazon, with a publication date of 31st January 2020. Dean and Christopher recently sat down and talked about it.
DEMAIN PUBLISHING. Hey Christopher, great to speak to you again. It’s been a little while since we’ve worked together. For those that don’t know about you – please tell us about yourself and how (or why) you became a writer. CHRISTOPHER BECK: Hi! I was born in San Diego, CA but raised (and still live) in the small town of Fairton, NJ. My love for storytelling started in high school and while I dabbled with writing during those (and following) years, it wasn’t until much later that I really committed to the craft. I was going through some rough times personally and writing stories became therapeutic for me. It gave me a way to sort through and express feelings that, at the time, I didn’t know how to deal with otherwise. DP: That’s really interesting, we could tell that the stories in your collection were deeply personal. Please tell us a little more about your stories specifically... CB: Sure. Missing Child is based on real life. I once was married and my ex-wife had a little girl with whom I developed a great relationship. After the marriage failed, things between the ex and I were a bit sour and that left my relationship with her daughter uncertain. This story was an attempt to deal with that uncertainty. It was tough at the time, but I am happy to say that, years later, I still have wonderful relationship with the kiddo. The Birthday Girl: sometimes, in life, terrible things happen, and sometimes there are no happy endings. Stories like this aren’t easy to tell but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be told. The Trash Can: the great thing about short stories is that they don’t always have to explain things, they can just be pulpy fun. I was living with my brother and he had dog that liked to raid the trash. So my brother purchased a trash can that was basically dog proof. Soon after, our roommate at the time threw a paper towel into it and the lid seemed to slam down way too hard. Instant story. DP: You’re so right about ‘pulpy fun’ – I’m glad that we ordered the stories in your collection the way we did but I won’t spoil things...did you find any of the stories particularly difficult to write? CB: The entirety of The Birthday Girl was tough. I sat on the story idea for some time as I was worried where writing it would take me emotionally. DP: Well done though! I know it was tough but you got there! Slightly lighter, what books (and / or authors) do you read and do you think influence you or your writing? CB: King. Koontz. Bentley Little. Robert McCammon. John Grisham. David Morrel. Robert B Parker. Paul Tremblay. Josh Malerman. Max Booth III. This, of course, is a short list. There are many, many others that I enjoy reading, and I would say something can be learned from all of them. DP: Without a doubt. Right now I’m reading one of the best books I ever have – yes, appreciate that is quite a statement but it’s about the way French people think / what influences them and already it’s had a massive impact on something I’m writing...massive...anyway, what does ‘horror’ mean to Christopher Beck? CB: Horror, to me, is the darker side of life. Life can be fun and wonderful at times but in the blink of an eye it can all change. Unfortunately bad things sometimes happen, and those things can really mess a person up. DP: Yeap, so true...living in the moment is so important...is there a horror book or film you’re looking forward to? CB: Book - Touch The Night by Max Booth III. Film: A Quiet Place 2. DP: Ah, I need to read some more of Max’s work and I’ll be honest I did start watching A Quiet Place but never got to finish it – that’s one of my missions for January, thank you. It was quite a scary film I seem to remember...is there anything which scares you? CB: I would say loss of loved ones, and that certainly has made it into my stories. DP: Yes, having worked with you over the years I would attest to that. Creatively, is there something you’d like to achieve... CB: I have yet to publish a novel, that’s definitely something I’d like to shoot for. DP: And here at DEMAIN we’d certainly be interested in reading that. Okay, two quick ones: Marvel or DC? CB: I enjoy both, but would put my flag in the Marvel Camp. DP: Cool, cool...I’m sure you’re looking forward to seeing Morbius with Jared Leto – I saw the trailer the other day and it looks very intriguing and obviously has a clear link to the Spiderman universe...have to say though I’m certainly doffing DC’s Titans Season 2...and finally then, can you tell us something surprising about yourself? CB: Ummm…Once upon a time I had the privilege of being on a radio show with Joe Lansdale. And I bet that was a blast. All the best with your Short Sharp Shocks! Christopher. If you would like to connect with Christopher direct: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Chrifive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrifive Here at DEMAIN we wish you all the very best for 2020. It's going to be a very busy year by the looks of it with quite a few releases...no time to rest on our laurels...let's get straight down to it...
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CategoriesArchives
November 2023
AuthorDean M. Drinkel |