Showing posts with label Horror. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Horror. Show all posts

Top 20 Scary Horror Movies

William Cook’s Top Twenty Scary Horror Movies

 

These are my Top Twenty scary horror movies. These films all have the ability to give the audience a frightful experience by inducing a sense of fear and horror. ‘Jump scares’, psychological triggers, and scenes of terror are all used to great effect in these films.

 

Some of my choices may be slightly controversial but please remember, this is my list – these are the films that resonated with me and caused me to feel scared on some level. Believe me when I say that it takes a lot to scare me, and these films did just that. 

 

Please let me know in the comments what your favorite ‘scary films are.

 

Note: this list is no particular order.

 

1.       Silent Hill (2006)

 

Silent Hill is one of those Horror movies people seem to either love or hate. I love it – there are some really dark psychological triggers in this film that played on my subconscious to the point where I had bad dreams. Believe me when I say it takes a lot to scare me, let alone give me bad dreams. If you haven’t seen this movie, you’re in for a treat. Also, worth another viewing if you saw it ages ago.

 


2.       Hellraiser (1987)

 

This film is the stuff nightmares are made of. As an avid reader of Barker’s early horror stories this film did not disappoint and caused a few ‘WTF?’ moments.

 


3.       Maniac (1980)

 

William Lustig’s ultra-creepy horror is horrific and disturbing in ways that make watching the film seem like you’re in the nightmares of a psychotic. And you are – Joe Spinell’s acting is brilliant as the deranged killer.

 


4.       Halloween (1978) and Halloween II (1981)

 

Have gone for both of these films in the franchise as they never fail to frighten. Watch these on your own at Halloween and I guarantee you’ll be checking the locks on the windows and the doors before bed!

 



5.       The Evil Dead (1981)

 

When this was released I remember being the first in our town to rent it from the Video store. This was unlike any other horror I’d ever seen at the time and holds a special place in my nightmares. If you haven’t seen this version (i.e. the original), you need to watch it ASAP.

 


6.       The Abandoned (2006)

 

This under-rated film is incredibly creepy and is filled with atmospheric scenes that will leave you with your heart in your throat. Highly recommended.  

 


7.       Sinister (2012)

 

This film is disturbing in all the right ways – creepy, intense, and down-right scary in places. The frights will linger after the credits finish.

 


8.       The Babadook (2014)

 

A psychological horror that is unique in its ability to tap into subconscious human fears and leave the audience reeling from the experience. Brilliant but draining in its heaviness.

 


9.       The Shining (1980)

 

Stephen King hated this version of his book, but I loved it. Kubrick’s ability to insidiously effect the audience’s perspective is played out with a ratcheted string of nightmarish scenes and some brilliant acting from the cast.

 


10.       The Grudge (2004)

 

This one crept up on me and got me good. My introduction to Japanese horror led me down some very dark paths.

 


11.       The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

 

When I first saw this film, it blew my little mind to the point where I felt nauseous. It wasn’t the gore that made me feel like that, it was the fear that was induced as a result of the terrifying world I found myself in. A very scary film about that most terrifying of all creatures – humans!

 


12.       Pet Sematary (1989)

 

This movie is a slow-burn but once it gets going, it hooks deep into your subconscious fears and doesn’t let up until the finish. Every time I watch it my Achilles tendon aches!

 


13.       The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

 

A suffocating horror film about Voodoo that is incredibly tense and frightening. One of my all-time favorite horror movies.

 


14.      Hereditary (2018)

 

A foreboding and well-crafted film that follows a grieving family tormented by a demonic entity after the death of their secretive grandmother. This movie is like a fever-dream that becomes more horrifying with each viewing. If you haven't seen this and love psychological horror that'll twist your mind and should inside-out, watch it! 


15.       28 Days later (2002)

 

This movie is a disturbing vision of the apocalypse and more relevant now than ever before. The cinematography and soundtrack crank up the scares, as this high-paced horror delivers an unrelenting exercise in sheer terror.

 


16.       The Ritual (2017)

 

A slow burn with the creep factor. This movie uses standard horror tropes in a way that give the audience more than enough scary moments to savour.

 


17.       Pandorum (2009)

 

I chose this movie instead of Alien because I felt it surpassed it with tension and scary scenes. This choice will no doubt be controversial but as far as Sci-Fi-Horror goes, I feel it outperforms Alien. Highly under-rated and well worth a watch if you haven’t seen it.

 


18.       The Amityville Horror (1979)

 

This is a classic. In my opinion, it is still is a good film for its age and will definitely play on your mind and fears.

 


19.       The Omen (1976)

 

One of my favorite horror films. This film operates on many different levels but is essentially a very scary movie for its age. The cemetery (at night) scene is brilliant. Highly recommended.  

 


20.       The Ring (2002)

 

A fantastic film that will give you the chills. Great acting and some very creepy scenes that are capable of inducing nightmares.

 



So - agree or disagree? What are your top scary movie picks of all time? Please add in comments below and thanks for reading.

 

News and New Releases

Well, I hope you all had a fright-filled Halloween and Samhain season this year. Halloween is a relatively new event in New Zealand cultural history and so the scares don’t come out en masse as they do in the USA. When I was a kid, my pals and I would make absurd effigies of ‘Guy Fawkes’ on November the 5th. We’d stuff an old pair of overalls with rags and rolled-up newspaper and then push it around in a heavy-steel wheelbarrow, chanting “Guy! Guy! Money for the Guy. If you don’t have any money, then a smile will do. If you don’t have a smile, then God bless you!” Depending on who it was we’d usually give them this spiel, but if we didn’t like them we’d throw in a few other choice lines to give the chant a bit more pep. People would give us apples and lollies (candy) and sometimes loose-change and we’d all huddle round as the sun was going down and count our loot. If we had enough, we’d race down to the corner store (we call it a ‘dairy’ over here) and buy a swag of ‘Double Happys’ – powerful red crackers that looked like mini dynamite sticks – and then stash them away for the days and weeks after Guy Fawkes when you couldn’t buy fireworks anymore. The night would usually end in a grand finale at the local school field where the parents and kids would gather around a large bonfire. Some of the kids, myself included, who had  ready access to their father’s old work overalls would throw the ‘Guy’ on the pyre while the adults let off the sky rockets and other various fireworks. Anyway, no-one does Guy Fawkes like they used to anymore. Most of the fun fireworks are all banned now and the ones available are overpriced and boring so Halloween is starting to take the reigns as a viable alternative for most of the young New Zealand kids nowadays. Anyway, the season has now passed and we are staring down the barrel at Christmas again. Is it just me, or do the years seems to go by more quickly as you get older?

Free Fiction! Dead Memories - a short story

https://parlorofhorror.wordpress.com/2016/10/20/halloween-horror-free-read-2016-best-horror-stories-on-the-internet/

This story recently won 'Runner-Up' in the Parlor of Horror's 2016 short fiction awards and is also part of my collection 'Dreams of Thanatos' - now available to all new subscribers for free - click on the image at the end of this post to download your copy.

Dead Memories

1.

I had a dream on the anniversary of her death. In the dream, I heard her unmistakable voice calling me, then I saw her and she was so real, I could almost touch her again. Everything about her hit me deep in the chest, I sat bolt upright in our big empty bed. My breath gasped, sweat beaded itself on my cold skin. I could still hear her voice in the dark. I rationalized there were only two possible reasons why I could hear such a thing. I was either hallucinating, or what I heard was her ghost whispering in my ear. Then she was gone again.

Guest Author Interview: Mort Castle




Mort Castle is a veteran of American genre-fiction. Mr Castle is a respected horror author, editor and writing teacher, a prolific short fiction author and a novelist. Among other awards that he has won he is a three-time winner of (and nominated eleven times for) the Bram Stoker Award. Today I present to you a great interview with Mr Castle and it is truly an honour as a fan – my favorite works of his are the collection ‘Moon on the Water’ and his novel ‘The Strangers.’ As his bibliography testifies I have a lot of reading of Mr Castle’s work still in front of me (rubs hands with glee). Please make sure to check out his books and grab some copies off Amazon - you won't be disappointed if you are new to Mr Castle's work (just click on the book cover images below). Here is he, the horror maestro himself, Mr Mort Castle:

Q: How have you managed to maintain your literary career for as long as you have? Do you have any tips for other writers starting off on their careers in terms of long-term strategies to maintain a career as an author?

A: Oh, man, it's perseverance. You don't give up, period. There were some very bleak times, times of serious "career reversals," when I wished I could just pack it in. Was supposed to be editor of Horror, The Illustrated Book of Fears, which would be the country's largest circulation B&W comics horror magazine; that fell through at the last minute when the distributor reneged, saying he had had a moral revelation and was convinced the magazine would encourage mental illness and criminal behavior. Had movies come close and never happen. Book contracts blow up at last minute. Markets disappearing (go take a look at today's convenience stores for the behind the counter men's magazines that used to pay my mortgage!)

New Release: Fresh Fear: An Anthology of Macabre Horror - available now!


It is with great pleasure that I can finally announce the release of Fresh Fear: An Anthology of Macabre Horror (2nd edition). This new edition has a new lay-out, formatting and a cover featuring the amazing photography of renowned French photographer, Louis Blanc (http://loublancphotos.com/). Formatting and interior work done by the talented Cyrus Wraith Walker from Cyrusfiction Productions.

FRESH FEAR: An Anthology of Macabre Horror* is a collection of horror from some of the genre's best writers of dark fiction. In the introduction, a selection from W.J. Renehan's The Art of Darkness: Meditations on the Effect of Horror Fiction, we are reminded that, "Horror serves to reconnect us with our primal selves, provides temporary respite from the droning conditions of modern life."

With over 450 pages, Fresh Fear is packed with stories written by both masters and up-and-coming maestros of the horror genre. Tales steeped in psychological horror sit alongside visions of strange worlds and fantastical landscapes drenched in blood. 'Quiet horror' sits comfortably next to more visceral portrayals of the monsters that lurk deep within the human heart. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, famously once said, "where there is no imagination there is no horror" - the horror expressed by the authors in Fresh Fear show that imagination is indeed tantamount to excellent story-telling.

Prepare yourself for 28 tales of fear-inducing horror from some of today's best authors of dark fiction.


Authors/Stories 

Scathe meic Beorh – God of the Wind 

Robert Dunbar – High Rise 

Ramsey Campbell – Welcomeland 

Lily Childs – Strange Tastes 

Lincoln Crisler – Nouri and the Beetles 

Jack Dann – Camps 

Thomas Erb – Spencer Weaver Gets Rebooted 

Brandon Ford – Scare Me 

Carole Gill – Raised 

Lindsey Beth Goddard – The Tooth Collector 

JF Gonzalez – Love Hurts 

Dane Hatchell – ‘takers 

Charlee Jacob – Inside the Buzzword Box 

K Trap Jones – Demon Eyed Blind 

Tim Jones – Protein 

James Ward Kirk – Block 

Roy C Booth & Axel Kohagen – Just Another Ex 

Shane McKenzie – So Much Death 

Shaun Meeks – Perfection Through Silence 

Adam Millard – The Incongruous Mr Marwick 

Christine Morgan – Nails of The Dead 

Billie Sue Mosiman – Verboten 

Chantal Noordeloos – The Door 

Don Noble – Psych 

WH Pugmire – Darkness Dancing in Your Eyes 

William Todd Rose – The Grave Dancer 

EA Irwin – Justice through Twelve Step 

Anna Taborska – Out of the Light 



*WARNING: R 18+ - Contains graphic scenes of violence and psychological horror. Not suitable for younger readers.



Grab your copy now - you will not be disappointed (please share this post). 


purchase at:




kindle and paperback

A free gift for you to kick off the festive season!

Here you go . . . a #Free #Book! Hopeless, a supernatural #Horror story. (U.S. & U.K. links below) - Grab a copy now and please share :) Free 'til Tuesday.


Nothing can kill a child's love for her mother . . .

A young girl must face her biggest fear – her father. As she struggles to protect her mother from the man she once idolized, young Hope must confront her situation and the possibility that they may not get out alive. A fast-paced supernatural horror story with a twist, that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From the author of Blood Related and Dreams of Thanatos

*Bonus Features: includes an additional short story and a recent interview with the author.

Warning: contains adult content + themes of psychological horror and domestic abuse.

"William Cook tells a gruesome story with a sense of authenticity that makes you question with considerable unease if it really is fiction, after all."
– Graham Masterton, author of The Manitou and Descendant

“This man is simply scary. There is both a clinical thoroughness and a heartfelt emotional thoroughness to his writing. He manages to shock as well as empathize, to scare as well as acclimatize, yet beneath it all is a well read intelligence that demands to be engaged. I loved Blood Related. Ordinarily I hate serial killer stories, but William Cook won me over. He is a unique and innovative talent.”
– Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Flesh Eaters and Dog Days



#horror #shortstory #scarybooks #horrorshort #Supernatural #Ghosts

AMAZON U.S. - http://www.amazon.com/Hopeless-Supernatural-Horror-Short-Story-ebook/dp/B00VNYPPC0/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1449954106&sr=1-11

AMAZON U.K. - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hopeless-Supernatural-Horror-Short-Story-ebook/dp/B00VNYPPC0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449954247&sr=8-1&keywords=HOPELESS+cook

News and #FREE book

 Hi there - well it's been a while since my last post as things have been very busy on the home front. I have nearly finished the final edits on my latest book - 'Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors,' and have been working on a couple of other projects (novel, collection etc). SOBSSPA is a non-fiction collection of interviews that appeared first here on my site/blog - (you can find all the interviews via this link) along with an analysis of the main interview points and a couple of essays on Growth Hacking for authors and Self-Publishing by yours truly. All things going well, this interesting little book should be ready pre-Christmas along with a collection of essays and a new collection of short fiction. Meanwhile, here is a freebie for you guys - hope you enjoy it.


http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Buried-Ghost-William-Cook-ebook/dp/B00IJMI8T6/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447366729&sr=1-14&refinements=p_82%3AB003PA513I

#FREE Now! (3 Days only - 12-15/11) Dead and Buried - A Ghost Story (Please share/ #RT) - (U.S. & U.K. links below)

Ever been bullied? Ever been dead and buried? Ever been a ghost?

 
Donny is sick of everything, at home and at school. Most of all, he hates the bullies who have made his life a living hell. Strange things have been happening in the Cox household – Donny’s mother has mysteriously disappeared and his drunken father has been acting more strangely than usual. Donny’s little brother Max is relying on him to find their mother and to protect him from all the things little kids need protecting from. The local gang of thugs is intent on making Donny and Max’s lives as miserable as possible. They will resort to almost anything to make the Cox brothers’ suffer. What the bullies don’t consider, is the possibility that their cruel actions will have consequences far beyond their realms of imagination.

A supernatural coming-of-age ghost story that deals with the consequences of bullying.

Contains scenes of violence and low-level supernatural horror.

“This man is simply scary. There is both a clinical thoroughness and a heartfelt emotional thoroughness to his writing. He manages to shock as well as empathize, to scare as well as acclimatize, yet beneath it all is a well read intelligence that demands to be engaged. I loved Blood Related. Ordinarily I hate serial killer stories, but William Cook won me over. He is a unique and innovative talent.”
– Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Flesh Eaters and Dog Days

#Ghosts #Ghost #Supernatural #Horror #Paranormal #Mystery #Suspense

AMAZON U.S. - http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Buried-Ghost-William-Cook-ebook/dp/B00IJMI8T6/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447286047&sr=1-14&refinements=p_82%3AB003PA513I

AMAZON U.K. - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Buried-Ghost-William-Cook-ebook/dp/B00IJMI8T6/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447286187&sr=1-13

News and FREE BOOK Promotion.

Hello everyone! Apologies for the lack of regular posts lately. Life has been very busy - we are packing once again for a move into a new house amongst other things. I have also been furiously editing and pruning my debut novel (Blood Related) into shape after having received the rights back recently. With a few more years of writing experience under my belt and a fresh perspective on a work that was published over three years ago, I have been merciless in my edits/rewrites and I think my readers will agree - it is a vastly improved story. I plan on an early July release in both Print and EBook. I feel really excited about the redux version and have a strong way forward with the sequel - yes, there will be a sequel, tentatively titled 'Blood Trail.' Another exciting development is that I have received a wicked blurb from one of my favorite horror authors, Graham Masterton (The Manitou, The Sleepless etc). A truly generous author and a great inspiration. Here's the blurb:

"William Cook tells a gruesome story with a sense of authenticity that makes you question with considerable unease if it really is fiction, after all." - Graham Masterton, author of The Manitou and Descendant






In other areas, I have been tweaking my EBook (only) covers and have finally settled on a font-set/style that should carry my books through into the years ahead. As a largely self-published author (now), cover design is a major consideration when presenting books to the public. It is very hard to have a style and a 'look' that stands out from the thousands of other authors doing the same thing. The font/title design that I'll use across all my titles now, while not original or unique (many authors have a similar title placement and font style), my point of differentiation will be in the art that I use for my covers. Some of it will be from other talented artists, but mostly I will be using my own creations to incorporate into the design of my covers. I'd be interested in hearing feedback from you as to your thoughts on the cover art/designs below. Good or bad, please leave a comment below - always open to fair critique of both my art and my written work. Anyway, check out the new covers below (click on the covers if you want to buy a copy of the Kindle version of the book - most are only $0.99 if they're not free. U.K. Links are at the foot of this post). At the bottom of this post you will find direct links to two FREE BOOKS. My gift to you. 

All the best and stay safe, until next time, best wishes.










http://www.amazon.com/Offerings-Suspense-Horror-Thriller-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00V5NHLHQ/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_15?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1434756916&sr=1-15&refinements=p_82%3AB003PA513I 
Burning Horror . .
A young pyromaniac battles her demons as her insatiable pursuit of the flame threatens to turn her world to cinders. Becky's life spirals out of control as she struggles with an abusive step-father who will not leave her alone. A fast-paced short horror story that will keep you on the edge of your seat as it races to its thrilling and horrifying conclusion. From the author of Blood Related and Dreams of Thanatos

Bonus Features: includes an additional short story and a recent interview with the author.
*Please Note: This eBook short story is also part of the popular collection, 'Dreams of Thanatos.'

Warning: contains adult content + themes of psychological horror and domestic abuse. 


http://www.amazon.com/CREEP-Suspense-Horror-Thriller-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00CSGOUAK/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1434756932&sr=1-7&refinements=p_82%3AB003PA513I 
Be careful who you get into a car with, even if that car is a taxi! A dark story of a young girl's date with death. CREEP is a story that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the gripping climax which is unexpected and will leave the reader cheering for more. Serial Killers don't always get away with murder, no matter how hard they try.
CREEP, is the first story in an exciting and gritty new psychological thriller series. Cassandra: Hunter of Darkness, is a hero to the victim and a merciless angel of death to the evil ones. A killer of killers, she strikes fear into the hearts of those who get their kicks off hurting others. Join Cassandra on her quest for justice and revenge as she begins her journey into the dark underbelly of serial murder and takes care of business as only she knows how.


From CREEP:

“Cassandra pounded on the window and frantically tried to push the rear doors open, first with her shoulders and then with her heels, to no avail. She peered into the dark confines of the garage and saw nothing except her frightened reflection looking back at her in the window, bathed in the dim yellow interior light of the cab. She cupped her neatly manicured hand across her brow and looked out the window again, her button nose touching the smeared glass as she did so.
She thought she heard a deep growling noise somewhere nearby outside the cab and then her window was filled with bared teeth and the blackest, evil eyes, she'd ever seen. The huge head of the Rottweiler retreated into the shadows before launching itself back at the vehicle, the razor sharp canines crunching against the window and sending a trail of cracks across the glass. Steaming froth and saliva dripped down the webbed glass as the dog began to bark and thud its massive head against the side of the cab. Cassandra scuttled across the back seat as she wet herself, waves of fear shrinking her into a ball, as the crazed dog leaped at the cab again . . .”


Recommended for Adult readers. Horror, Violence, & Implied Sexual Violence  

http://www.amazon.com/Hopeless-Suspense-Horror-Thriller-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00VNYPPC0/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1434756932&sr=1-12&refinements=p_82%3AB003PA513I 
A young girl must face her biggest fear – her father. As she struggles to protect her mother from the man who she once idolized, young Hope must confront her situation and the possibility that they may not get out alive. A fast-paced short horror story with a twist that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From the author of Blood Related and Dreams of Thanatos
Bonus Features: includes an additional short story and a recent interview with the author.

Warning: contains adult content + themes of psychological horror and domestic abuse.  

NOW FREE!!! GRAB A COPY QUICK.

OFFER ENDS 23RD JUNE.

In the tradition of EC Comics, The Twilight Zone and Tales From The Darkside, Devil Inside is a spine-chilling short horror story that will leave you wanting more. Graphic and descriptive, this supernatural tale winds itself around a disturbed young boy who discovers that when you make a wish, you better make sure you really want it. After all, monsters are sometimes real.
From Devil Inside:
“Jacob had no doubt as to what it was. It was the night-Beast under his bed, that lurked in his closet – the Beast that now raged before him, out in the light of day. It had escaped. ”

Recommended for mature readers. Horror, Violence, Supernatural, M15+
Short Story + 4 x Poems + Excerpt from Blood Related (novel).


http://www.amazon.com/Ticket-Suspense-Horror-Thriller-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00RAMNUBM/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1434756932&sr=1-6&refinements=p_82%3AB003PA513I
PERMA-FREE - GRAB A COPY NOW! 
Fast Train To Hell . . .
From the belly of the swamp issues forth a visit in the middle of the night from a force as dark and unimaginable as hell itself. Poor pig-farmer Abel Laroux, must battle the demons of his past as well as the nightmarish reality of the present, as he confronts a devilish visitor who has come to collect on an outstanding debt, inherited by Abel from his forefathers.

Bonus Features: Includes an excerpt from the author's novel, 'Blood Related' + the long poem 'The Temper of The Tide', in its entirety.

Warning: contains adult content + themes of supernatural & psychological horror.

AMAZON U.K. QUICK LINKS 


One Way Ticket

Creep

Burnt Offering

Hopeless

Devil Inside 

#horror #freebook #free #indie #selfpub #readers #books #thriller #kindle #amazon #Goodreads Horror, Free book, Free, Indie, Thriller, Kindle, WIlliam Cook, Amazon, @Amazon, @Goodreads, Goodreads

Recent Interview: Men in Horror: WILLIAM COOK

Recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Malina Roos for her very cool blog: How To Dismantle Your Life. Check it out.

Men in Horror: WILLIAM COOK



I first read William Cook a couple of years ago and was immediately enthralled with his writing and his style. The book I read was BLOOD RELATED. I loved it. It was intense, creepy, dark and twisted.   For some reason, my review of this book has disappeared from Amazon and Goodreads, so I dug it up and reposted it.  

"Be warned, this tale is not for anyone who dislikes gore and violence.

This is a brilliant tale of fathers and sons, serial killing at its finest and the legacy families create. Charlie and Caleb Cunningham are twins and serial killers, following in the footsteps of their father and grandfather.

The story is told through letters, news articles and from the points of view of the killers, the police and the doctors involved. All the pieces of the story are woven together beautifully through the the magical way William Cook has with syntax. Well worth the read....if you can stomach it."


William Cook

1.     When did you start writing horror?

I started writing horror stories (although I didnt know they were horror stories) when I was about ten years old. The first one I wrote won a school competition it was about a boy who gets lost in a strange desert where he witnesses giant heads falling out of the sky. He discovers that the heads are being fired out of a cannon by a voodoo witch-doctor who has somehow reversed the process of shrinking heads. I think I got the idea after watching King Solomons Mines and seeing the scary witch doctor in the movie. My first real horror publication was a story called Devil Inside which was published in 2010 in Lee Pletzers Masters of Horror Anthology. Since then I havent stopped.

2.   Have you written in any other genre?

Yes, I have recently ventured into Science Fiction, Young Adult and even had a story published in a collection of childrens Christmas tales. I also write a lot of poetry too much perhaps, and my first ever book published was a limited edition release called Journey: The Search for Something way back in 1996.

3.  What makes you uncomfortable?

Bad reviews! Seriously though, I am not a fan of needles absolutely hate getting jabbed, especially at the dentist when they use those syringes and stick them in the roof of your mouth etc. Bullies also make me uncomfortable and I quite often write about them. Usually really bad things happen to them in my books.

4.  Does your family read your work?

I deliberately dont encourage them to read my (horror) books for obvious reasons. Although some of my newer work like the kids stories and science fiction I dont mind as much. Ive found its very true the old adage that the worst critics are family and friends I dont know why the hell it is but I can count the friends and family (you know who you are) who have bothered reading my books on one hand! I used to actively seek feedback on my writing from friends and family in the early days, but gave up when I realized any critique from such quarters was largely pointless as it was either biased or I could tell they hadnt actually read the work in question. Sort of related to the question . . . I am working on a small kids book with my seven-year-old daughter who is a keen writer herself. She has written about ten pages so far of a story about zombies (dont know where she gets that from!) and its really good. Obviously Im biased (see above) but it really is good and Im looking forward to publishing it for her when its finished.

5.  Does your writing make you uneasy?

Most of the time, no. However, it really depends on the subject matter though and I must admit to getting a bit nervous about some of my research subjects for stories. Not so much in the subject material but in what other people or readers will think of the finished stories. I am a bit paranoid about the NSA and their monitoring of certain taboo subjects that are common to the grist of the horror mill. Subjects like terror, murder and serial killers, for example, are common research subjects for horror authors and red-flag search strings that are actively monitored by the powers that be. I used to feel uneasy when writing about topics (such as described above) but I think that I have largely become desensitized to the emotional effects of dealing with this material on a daily basis. Writing Blood Related, my novel about a family of serial-killers, definitely made me pretty strung-out and slightly disturbed due to having to project the main characters stream of consciousness on to the page via a first person narrative. Five years of my free-time went into this book and I researched just about every case of serial murder that I could find which definitely impacted on my psyche but paid off in the final presentation of the story. Suffice to say, I now have an encyclopedic knowledge of these weirdos whether I like it or not!

6.  Who would you say you write like?

I write like me of course! My writing style or voice is a collage of influence and styles everything from the way I learned to write at school, the accent of my written voice (a combination of UK and US spelling and theory), the authors I have read over and over again, and the evolution of my own style and development as a writer. I dont try to write like anyone but I do try to write like someone who knows what theyre doing (hopefully). Over the past five years I have been intentionally writing in the (north) American vernacular and it was a decision that I worried about for a while but it largely came down to the way certain words were spelled and styled and now it is like second nature to me. My schooling was based on a U.K. education system and we were taught to spell and write according to the commonwealth rules and style-guides of the day. 

7.  Who are your favourite authors?

I have many favorite authors and it will be no surprise that writers like Stephen King, James Herbert, Robert Bloch, Robert McCammon, Clive Barker, Edgar Allan Poe and Ramsey Campbell are at the top of the list. Over and above horror the authors I love to read again and again are Sherwood Anderson, Roald Dahl, James Ellroy, Colin Wilson, Charles Bukowski, Ray Bradbury, Peter Carey, Dostoyevsky and Thomas Harris. For a full rundown on my favorite books and authors, check out my list here: http://www.williamcookwriter.com/2013/08/favorite-books-list.html

8.  Who influences you as a writer?

I find that Im not really influenced by people directly but that I am more influenced by the things that people create. Art influences me greatly in my writing, film and music particularly, but graphic art and, obviously, written works conjure up emotion and IDEAS that definitely inform my own work. Probably the biggest influences on me have been Stephen King and Ray Bradbury. King for his amazing and prolific output and superb writing style and advice (On Writing really changed the way I approached my writing), Bradbury for his simplicity and story-telling ability that encourages original and creative thought (his stories influenced my dreams for a long time) a very inspirational pair. Ultimately though, without being too modest, I am my biggest influence. It is up to me to drive myself forward and to push hard with my writing. The outside world is full of influence and affectation, but at the end of the day, it is my will-power and my mind that allows me to sift through all the detritus and glean the remaining gems and pearls of wisdom and apply it to my own style and philosophy. One of the works I studied at University was Harold Blooms The Anxiety of Influence and it really struck home with me. The central tenet being that writers (specifically poets in Blooms discourse, but equally applicable to writers in general in my opinion) are inspired by writers that have come before them and that this somewhat inescapable influence inspires a sense of anxiety in authors attempting to forge new and original works. I believe it is true to a large extent and I work hard to try and create work that is as free from the influence of other authors styles and subject matter as much as possible. However, when you write genre fiction, this is a nearly impossible task. No writer creates in a vacuum and for every style we have a representative genre (or sub-genre) and a group of influential writers and works at the helm of such literary movements, regarded as exemplars and pinnacles by which up-and-coming authors should somehow emulate to attain the same success. Unless an author doesnt read, influence is unavoidable but, in my view, not necessarily a bad thing.      

9. Do you remember what your first horror book was that you read?

The Monsters Room (or Petes Angel) by Hope Campbell introduced me to Frankenstein, Dracula and The Wolfman when I was about seven years old. Loved it! The first real horror book I read was probably James Herberts The Rats at about eleven years old, followed closely by Shaun Hutsons Spawn, Stephen Kings Carrie and Night Shift, and Robert McCammons Mystery Walk. Suffice to say by the age of twelve I was hooked on horror in any shape or form.

10.  How old were you?

See above. I used to watch Hammer House of Horror on Sunday nights with my Mum when I was eleven/twelve years old. Still cannot work out why mum used to let me watch those shows but wouldnt let me listen to KISS because she thought they were Satanic! Go figure!

11.  Is there any subject you will not touch as an author?

Graphic descriptions of pedophilia are something I have no interest in portraying in my work. I have written stories about these creeps before but I feel it is unnecessary to portray the acts for any reason. Implication is far more subtle and effective than graphic description. I write horror that attempts to confront readers with their own fears, not make them sick in the process.

12.  What was the best advice you were given as a writer?

If you want to be a writer, just write. Pretty simple really, but a no-brainer (obviously). The best advice about writing I have read/received is Stephen Kings excellent memoir/writing guide On Writing. It is a wonderfully inspiring book for a budding writer, and more so for the writer of dark fiction. Highly recommended.

13.  If you had to start all over again, what would you do different?

I would begin writing as soon as possible, at any age. Self-doubt is one of the biggest killers to a writers self-confidence and career. In retrospect, I see that I could have had established myself as an author a lot earlier than I have if I had just given a go instead of doubting my ability and listening to naysayers who were mostly inexperienced or wannabe writers themselves. I would probably not restrict myself to genre fiction as I have up until now. I think I would have made more of an attempt to develop my story-writing skills in Science Fiction and Childrens literature. Oh well, tomorrows only a day away still time to alter direction.

14.  How many books do you read a year?

Between twenty-forty books now that I have a Kindle. Before I started reading eBooks Id probably only read ten books a year while I was writing. Before I started writing seriously I used to read about forty novels/books a year at least.

15.  Do you write every day?

In one form or another. I do a lot of blog posts and marketing which cuts into my writing time but I try and write at least 1,000 words a day. Life is very busy as I look after two primary school age kids when theyre no tat school and I have a couple of casual jobs that bring in a little bit of cash. Luckily I have a very supportive wife who earns a good salary and who encourages me with my work from home. Without her support, life would be very tough as a writer.


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You can find this interview included in my most recent book, Hopeless (click on the image below to buy - only $0.99): 

A young girl must face her biggest fear – her father. As she struggles to protect her mother from the man who she once idolized, young Hope must confront her situation and the possibility that they may not get out alive. A fast-paced short horror story with a twist that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From the author of Blood Related and Dreams of Thanatos

Bonus Features: includes an additional short story and a recent interview with the author.


Warning: contains adult content + themes of psychological horror and domestic abuse. 

http://www.amazon.com/Hopeless-Short-Horror-Fiction-Book-ebook/dp/B00VNYPPC0/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1429924537&sr=1-1

Interview, William Cook, Malina Roos, Men In Horror, New Release, Amazon, Kindle, #Amazon, #Kindle, Horror, #Writing

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