Zombos' Closet of Horror

Interview With Lee Thomas: On Writing Horror

Author Lee Thomas writes horror, queer horror, slightly bent horror, and more than horror. If you've read his I'm Your Violence short story in Unspeakable Horror: From the Shadows of the Closet, I don't really need to tell you how he writes it. In that story he brought guilt, retribution, pasty gore, and gruesome death from under the pillow, leaving a nasty stain of reflection to think about. You can read more about his writing career, but before you do, I've pulled him into Zombos' Closet for a little chat.

In an interview you said writing has always been a part of your life. Why is that?

I'm not sure of the "why" of it. It probably had something to do with childhood insecurity. I wasn't (and am still not) very comfortable around people, and I didn't express myself well verbally; but if I had the opportunity to write an idea down and tinker with it, I was able to convey my thoughts with some form of clarity. In the third grade I wrote short stories and puppet show scripts. I wrote my first novel when I was sixteen. It was a really bad werewolf novel and the character names kept changing, but a lot of it ended up informing my first published novel, Stained.

Though I've been writing most of my life, I didn't really try to sell my work until about eight years ago, and since then I've seen dozens of my short stories published, along with 10 novels (for adults and young adults) and a handful of non-fiction pieces.

Classic Hollywood Horror-Comedies An Interview With Paul Castiglia

Paul Castiglia has been writing and editing comic books and pop-culture articles for 20 years, most notably overseeing the Archie Americana paperback series of classic Archie Comics reprints. His past forays into horror-comedy include providing a chapter for the book MIDNIGHT MARQUEE ACTOR SERIES: VINCENT PRICE covering Price’s comedic horror films with Peter Lorre, and writing the comic book based on the animated series Archie's Weird Mysteries. He has also edited the upcoming Archie Comics Haunted House trade paperback collection of spooky stories.

Paul's blog, Scared Silly, will post its first review at midnight tonight, kicking-off his adventure writing about classic horror comedies for his upcoming book, Scared Silly: Classic Hollywood Horror-Comedies.

Here's my interview with Paul to wet your appetite.

How does a writer and editor for Archie comics wind up doing a book on classic horror-comedies?

Simple, I’ve always been a fan of the horror-comedy genre, and I’ve always wanted to read a book that provided an overview of the entire genre. Since none existed, I figured the only way I’d be able to own a book like that would be to write it myself!

It really goes back to my childhood. I was a child in the 1970s, when movies and TV shows from past decades were routinely rerun. I grew up watching the classic comedians on TV, particularly Laurel & Hardy and Abbott & Costello; and I grew up watching a lot of cartoons. Both of those pastimes fed into my love of comic books.

Originally I was scared of films like “Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein” (heck, when I was real little I was also scared of Herman Munster!), but ultimately the comic relief alleviated the scares and somewhere along the line I developed a particular fondness for the “spooky” comedies.

This fondness served me well when it came time to write the “Archie’s Weird Mysteries” comic book series (based on the TV cartoon of the same name) and a chapter in a book about Vincent Price films covering the horror-comedies where he was teamed with Peter Lorre.

Horror and comedy seem to be opposites; so why do you think horror-comedies have always enticed audiences?

Psychologists will tell you that the difference between a laugh and a scream is slight. In fact, sometimes people laugh when they should be screaming. “Nervous laughter,” they call it. Both are a form of release, and when combined they make a formidable pair: what better way to relieve the tension of just being scared than with a laugh right on top of the scare?

In the end, it goes back to the basis of all stories – the idea that being a hero means conquering a problem. If you can laugh at your fears, you are that much closer to conquering them.

Interview: Kevin James Breaux Art, Word, and Fantasy

Artist and author Kevin James Breaux is about to be snatched up by Dark Quest Books for his Fantasy novel Soul Born, making it his first published novel. Before he becomes famous and it all goes to his head, let's interview him about his horror, his fantasy, and his art. He writes short stories and novels about zombies, vampires, and fairies with equal ease, and his artwork can be seen in Zombie CSU: The Forensic Science of the Living Dead and They Bite!

What's a typical writing-day-in-the-life of Kevin James Breaux like?

Basically I like to break my writing into two hour segments. If I have editing to do; that is normally done first and as early in the day as possible. Normally I work at my writing from 10-noon and again noon to 2pm. If I'm lucky and there are not too many distractions I will try and work later in the day as well, but that's normally less structured, kinda like guerrilla warfare style writing; mobile and hit and run.

You tend toward thriller-styled horror and urban fantasy in your writing. Are there differences between the two?

I like to write stories that are character driven. I started off as a fantasy writer, because it was what I knew from growing up playing all the RPG games. Then after being challenged to write outside my normal comfort zone, by Jonathan Maberry after joining his chapter of the HWA, I realized I could do what I wanted in almost any genre. I tend to lean towards things of the fantastic nature. Thriller-Horror and Urban Fantasy are, in my opinion, very closely related. Both deal with subject matter outside our daily reality. I would love to write a comic book story some day, something with super heroes.

Interview: Jonathan Maberry On Vampire Hunters and Other Things

It is always a pleasure to speak with Jonathan Maberry, one of the hardest working authors on the scene today. He stopped by the closet recently to discuss comic book writing and his other projects...and pay close attention to that brief mention about a novelization in the works for an upcoming movie. It's something to howl with delight about...

I was all set with a bunch of questions regarding your Marvel Comics scripting, but you've answered them already. There is one thing I'm curious about: how did you handle the panel by panel flow of the comic story, and how detailed were your scripts for the artist?

In the gap between Marvel reaching out to ask me if I wanted to write for them (world’s dumbest question) and getting my first assignment, I read a boatload of comics and studied the modern form. Comics have evolved since the days when I first read them. I took a few and practiced writing the scripts for them. Kind of a retro-engineering approach. Then Marvel sent me some sample scripts. Turns out I was pretty close to the mark.

But there’s more to it than that, of course. Like anything there are tricks to the trade that the most experienced comic book writers know. Guys like Garth Ennis, Steve Niles and Alan Moore make it look effortless, but there’s a lot that goes into it.

It’s also a team process. The writer pitches a story to the editor, who usually makes a few changes to more smoothly fit it into the long-range plans for that title and to work it into the overall continuity of Marvel. Then the writer hands in a beat sheet that outlines the story based on where the story points will fall on the pages. When that’s approved, the writer does the script. My first story was a 32-page special (Punisher: Naked Kill), my second was an 8-page Wolverine short (Ghosts, the back-up feature in Wolverine: The Anniversary).

The writer decides on the number of panels per page and gives the artist an idea of what should be in the panels. That sounds simple, but it isn’t. For some panels you can be very simple, like:

Tight on Black Panther as she reacts.

Some panels require much more direction, like:

Inside Deadalus Tower MICKEY FANE is introducing the place to some prospective customers. He’s tall, handsome in an oily way. A Tony Stark on the Dark side of the Force. Nicely dressed, big smile, rings, expensive watch. He’s center stage talking to two Middle Eastern-looking men in dark suits. Behind him we see Frank and Dirtbox coming through the revolving door. The lobby of Deadalus Tower is polished marble, brass, huge windows. Lots of people, a security desk with guards.

Interview With Anton Strout An Urban Fantasy

It was around midnight when author Anton Strout left the Penguin Group offices. Hustle and bustle, bustle and hustle, had filled his day, and now he was heading to the Cafe Borgia on Bleecker Street to coax a little more bustle from his tired brain, hoping to finish book three of his four book contract for Simon Canderous, the Department of Extraordinary Affairs's lone psychometrist, and his series of urban fantasy adventures.

With thoughts of Earl Grey, Oolong, and perhaps even--would he be so adventurous?--green tea buzzing around his thoughts as he briskly walked through the streets of Greenwich Village, he did not notice one of his shoelaces had come undone; that is, until he tripped head first onto the pavement. As he regained his composure and tied the lace with a tight double-knot, he noticed the edge of a bright gold disc sticking out from under his heel. He moved his foot, picked up the disc, and adjusted his glasses and his position to the street light to get a better view. Well I'll be...it's a gold coin, he thought, moving his lips as if he were about to whistle.

"Ow! Yer got me fer sure, that's the truth."

Anton Strout looked around, then down. A two-foot tall fellow looked up at him. He wore a bright green jogging suit, large Nike Air Zoom Dunkesto Blue sneakers--he had unusually large feet for such a small fellow--and a bright yellow cap covered his blazing red hair. Anton Strout re-adjusted his glasses, blinked his eyes a few times, and moved his lips in a soundless whistle again.

"If'n it's not Madoff makin' off with all me savin's, and this blasted recession puttin' the touch onta me investments, now I've gone an' spilled a coin of me precious realm and you's there at the wrongest of moments. Well, I spose you'll be wantin' me treasure, then? C'mon man, close yer mouth and exercise yer wits, I hain't got all night." The small fellow tapped his big right foot with impatience.

Director Marcus Nispel Talks Chainsaws and Crystal Lake

Scott Essman conducted the following interview with Friday the 13th's director, Marcus Nispel.

Although he’s only 45, Marcus Nispel has been making TV commercials and music videos for 20 years, as he says, “to pay the bills.” But, obviously, Nispel’s heart has been to make feature films. He burst onto the scene with a revised Texas Chainsaw Massacre, starring Jessica Biel, in 2003. That version of the often-filmed tale in sequels and remakes stood out due to Nispel’s infusion of harsh reality using a washed-out stylized palette of colors and with most of the work created in-camera on set. Now, Nispel is back with another reimagining, this time, with his take on the Friday the 13th series, where he is going back to actually remake the original 1980 film. Like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Nispel is going to the original root of the material of the first film with Friday the 13th, re-inventing the original myths upon which those legendary horror franchises are based.

Why did you decide to take on Friday the 13th, having already remade a horror classic with Texas Chainsaw Massacre?

I think it’s an interesting task to revive the franchises. I enjoy it because watching these types of movies is a ritual. People know what’s going to happen – the different stages.  They wouldn’t want it any other way. It’s got a receptive and interested group of fans. You give them what they want but not what they expect. But you can put twists on it. There is a lot to be said for remaking something like it. If you look at the original, that came out after Texas Chainsaw and Halloween. They had spawned that yarn already.  It’s a similar type of situation. If it was a crime movie or who-done-it, you wouldn’t want to make it. Here we go back to the original mythology from the first few movies. It’s going back to the root of that.

LOTT D Interview With Dark Scribe Magazine

Dark Scribe Magazine's Vince Liaguno interviews yours truly and fellow members of the League of Tana Tea Drinkers.

DSM recently caught up with Cozzoli (aka ILoz Zoc) and five of his LOTT D compatriots for an informal discussion about this groundbreaking new consortium of horror bloggers. Joining him are Stacie Ponder, FINAL GIRL proprietress and AMC columnist extraordinaire, Lance Vaughan (aka Unkle Lancifer), co-creator of the childhood terror site KINDERTRAUMA, August Ragone , author and renowned authority on Japanese film and culture who helms THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND GODZILLA, John Morehead, academic and explorer of the social, cultural, mythic, archetypal, imaginative, creative, and even spiritual aspects of the fantastic at his blog THEOFANTASTIQUE, and Mike Petrucelli (aka Pax Romano), witty commentator on the queer subtext of horror films from BILLY LOVES STU.

Horror Bloggers United: A Roundtable with the League of Tana Tea Drinkers

An Interview With David Wellington: Night of the Sugar Eating Fiends

"They're coming! Barricade the door!" I threw the hammer to Zombos and held a plank of wood in place across the doorframe. "The nails, the nails! Who has the nails?" screamed Zombos as the sound of pounding increased.

We turned to Chef Machiavelli. He stood like stone with his hands over his ears. His eyes stared into oblivion. His mind had retreated to a safer place where the Food Channel was running an all-day marathon only he could see.

"Here!" shouted Pretorius, our groundskeeper, over the ever increasing pounding on the front door. He tossed over the box of nails. Both Zombos and I reached for it too soon, jammed our fingers, and sent the box flipping end over end, spilling nails out of reach.

"Oh, Lord. We are toast," sobbed Zombos. But then the pounding stopped. We breathed deeply, waiting for something else to happen. I was shaking, and Zombos showed his age more than usual.

"Who's the damn fool who put those toothbrushes into our trick or treat bags anyway?" asked Pretorius.

Zombos and I looked at each other. At the same time we uttered the same name. "Zimba." Only Zimba, Zombos' wife, would dare to commit such a heinous act on the spookiest night of the year.

"Hell of a damn thing to do," said Pretorius. "You might as well go dancing over graves or give McDonald's McDollars if you want to rile up the little monsters and invite doom."

Unspeakable Horror...Speaks!

No place is darker than in the shadows of our closets...
And on each self, and in each corner, rests shoes, and clothes, and unspeakable horrors...

Editors Vince Liaguno and Chad Helder step into Zombos' closet for a chat about their upcoming horror anthology that dares to open the creaking doors to those most personal, untidy closets we all share, where the light bulb is always dark, and the space is always pressing. And where fear is always piled deep in the farthest, darkest, corner.

How did Unspeakable Horror: From the Shadows of the Closet come about?

Chad Helder:  In 2006, I started a website called Unspeakable Horror [http://unspeakablehorror.com/] that explored the intersections between the horror genre and queer theory. Early on, I heard from Vince who was about to publish his first novel. We quickly became friends. At some point, Vince came up with the idea of publishing an anthology of gay horror stories. As a lover of short fiction, I was really excited about the prospect. That’s how it all began. Vince launched Dark Scribe Press, and the project began.

Victoria Blake Speaks: Underland Press Rises

Victoria Blake is the founder and publisher of Underland Press. She started the company after three years as a prose editor at Dark Horse Comics, in charge of the production of the Aliens, Predator, Hellboy, and Lankhmar novels. She came to book publishing from a career in newspapers, having worked as both a hard news and features reporter. Currently completing an MFA in fiction at the Warren Wilson Program for Writers, she holds a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College at Columbia University.

Publisher Victoria Blake steps into the closet for a chat about her upstart, Underland Press, which dares to make wovel (web novel) a word to remember...

What creative urge inspired you to start Underland Press?

I read Brian Evenson’s amazing novella, “The Brotherhood of Mutilation.” I’d never read anything like that before—the prose was so spare and yet the world he created was so alive. I fell in love. When Brian told me that he was writing a follow-up novella, I knew that if there was any way for me to publish both as one book, that’s what I wanted to do. I had been thinking about leaving Dark Horse—I already had a business plan and I’d gotten my printer bids and I had a rough financial projection. The start of Underland was when Brian said I could have the book as my first title.