Wednesday 4 November 2015

Don D'Auria - The Editor Who Changed My Life



“Welcome to the Samhain family…”

I stared long and hard at those words. They danced around the ipad screen as I turned it one way, then another. But, whether vertical or horizontal – or on their way in between – those magical words flashed across my stunned and disbelieving brain.

“Welcome to the Samhain family...”

The first sound I managed was a sort of squawky yelp that sent my cat diving for cover under the nearest chair and my husband dashing into the room to find out what on earth I’d done to myself.

Incoherent, I jabbed my finger at the screen and thrust the ipad at him. He read the email that had just changed my life.

“Oh, well done,” he said, giving me a big hug and kiss. “I knew you could do it.”

So, what had I done to create all this excitement?

Well, “Samhain” referred to Samhain Publishing – who are celebrating their 10 anniversary this very week. Happy Birthday Samhain! The person who had written the lifechanging email was in sole charge of their entire horror line, Don D’Auria. Don’s editorial pedigree would rival any in the business and outclasses most – certainly in horror - if truth be told. He has worked with many of the greats – including one of my heroes, multi-award winning master British horror author, Ramsey Campbell.

 And Don D’Auria, of all people, had picked a story I had written to be one of four winners of the Samhain Gothic Anthology Competition.

I had to remind myself how to breathe. In…out…in…out… I swear it was a real effort in those first few heady minutes.

My winning novella – Linden Manor – was specially written for the competition. When I saw the details, I knew I had to enter. Gothic, ghostly, creepy houses, with dark corners and mysterious, sinister histories have always been the stuff of my favourite reading and writing. The anthology was called, What Waits in the Shadows, and within a day or two I had the germ of a storyline. It grew organically and virtually wrote itself, the way some stories do. 

 I was further stunned when I read the other winning entries – Blood Red Roses by Russell James, Castle by the Sea by JG Faherty and Bootleg Cove by Devin Govaere. Fabulous, creepy. Scary and Gothic. Each one original and individual. I was in esteemed company.

Coincidentally, a day or so before I received the stunning email from Don, I had submitted a full length novel manuscript – Saving Grace Devine – a ghostly horror tale with a timeslip. I mentioned this in my ecstatic reply and within 24 hours, Don had come back to me. He loved it. He was offering me a contract!
 All my Christmasses and birthdays had arrived at once.

Working with Don is such a pleasure. He never tries to imprint your work with his stamp. As a result, Samhain has benefited from having some for the most original, daring, entertaining and diverse modern horror writing around. Over the past four years, he has built up an amazing body of work from a hugely talented bunch of authors, including some of today’s hot new names.

I have had the privilege of working with him on a further novel – The Pendle Curse – and a novella – Dark Avenging Angel. In both cases, his suggestions were always spot on and he never once tried to alter, amend or in any way change my ‘voice’.

 Sadly, joy turned to shock yesterday with the news that this will be Don’s last week with Samhain but, wherever he moves onto, his knack for finding talent, nurturing it and letting it grow and bloom will, I am sure, continue - I hope for many more years to come. I certainly trust that I will again have the pleasure and the privilege of working with him. Indeed, I look forward to it.

Whatever happens in the future, I shall always be able to point to four works of mine and turn to the page that reads, ‘Edited by Don D’Auria’.

As a horror writer, I can’t say better than that.

Thank you, Don. I know it sounds over-dramatic, but to have someone with your reputation believe in me has been, for me, truly life-changing.

Wednesday 9 September 2015

Of Witches, Vengeance and Supernatural Horror...

Don't hurt Jane - you may live to regret it

Bullied by her abusive father, Jane always felt different. Then the lonely child found a friend in a mysterious dark lady who offers her protection—a lady she calls her “angel”. But that protection carries a terrible price, one to be paid with the souls of those Jane chooses to suffer a hideous and eternal fate.

When Jane refuses to name another victim, the angel reveals her most terrifying side. Payment must be made in full—one way or the other.


"Dark Avenging Angel is a fantastic read. This novel will consume you and your free time. It is a standout story that reminds me why I love horror literature." – Jukko, Horror Underground

“I have not felt this excited by a horror since reading Susan Hill. I look forward to reading more from this hugely talented author.” – Ajoobacats Blog

"I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a scarier read." - Fictional Candy  

"Dark Avenging Angel is a beautiful and haunting horror story." - The Bibliographic Book Blog


Available from
 Samhain Publishing
Amazon 
 B&N
 Kobo


 Four hundred years ago, ten convicted witches were hanged on Gallows Hill. Now they are back…for vengeance.


Laura Phillips’s grief at her husband’s sudden death shows no sign of passing. Even sleep brings her no peace. She experiences vivid, disturbing dreams of a dark, brooding hill, and a man—somehow out of time—who seems to know her. She discovers that the place she has dreamed about exists. Pendle Hill. And she knows she must go there.

But as soon as she arrives, the dream becomes a nightmare. She is caught up in a web of witchcraft and evil…and a curse that will not die.  

"The final act unfolds that is nothing shy of spell binding and is worth the price of admission alone. I for one look forward to embarking upon further reading adventures with this tremendously talented author" - Horrornews.net

"If you love a great story with witches and things that go bump in the night, you need to try this one!" - Long and Short Reviews

"The Pendle Curse is one of the best witch stories I've ever read." Majanka Verstraete, I Heart Reading

"It had it all, witches, cauldrons, spells, familiars, curses and more. I really enjoyed this one and ended up reading it in one sitting. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future." - Scarlet's Web

"I would recommend The Pendle Curse, and any of Catherine's other books, to those who enjoy suspense and supernatural." - Saguaro Moon Reviews
 
Available from:
 Samhain Publishing
 Amazon
 B&N
 Kobo



 Can the living help the dead...and at what cost?

When Alex Fletcher finds a painting of a drowned girl, she’s unnerved. When the girl in the painting opens her eyes, she is terrified. And when the girl appears to her as an apparition and begs her for help, Alex can’t refuse.


But as she digs further into Grace’s past, she is embroiled in supernatural forces she cannot control, and a timeslip back to 1912 brings her face to face with the man who killed Grace and the demonic spirit of his long-dead mother. With such nightmarish forces stacked against her, Alex’s options are few. Somehow she must save Grace, but to do so, she must pay an unimaginable price.

 "Prepare to be terrified! Prepare to be captivated!" -  Mallory Heart Reviews

"
If you love Gothic literature, Cat's the new author on the prowl... - Oh! For The Hook of a Book

"Wonderfully creepy" -  Reading the Paranormal
Available from

Have you ever been so scared your soul left your body?

 Joint winner of the Samhain Gothic Horror Anthology Competition 2013

All her life, Lesley Carpenter has been haunted by a gruesome nursery rhyme—“The Scottish Bride”—sung to her by her great grandmother. To find out more about its origins, Lesley visits the mysterious Isobel Warrender, the current hereditary owner of Linden Manor, a grand house with centuries of murky history surrounding it. 

But her visit transforms into a nightmare when Lesley sees the ghost of the Scottish bride herself, a sight that, according to the rhyme, means certain death. The secrets of the house slowly reveal themselves to Lesley, terrible secrets of murder, evil and a curse that soaks the very earth on which Linden Manor now stands. But Linden Manor has saved its most chilling secret for last. 
 "A memorable ghost story needs two things: a chilling backstory and a terminally isolated setting. Luckily Linden Manor fulfills both requirements so well that I didn't want to stop reading." Long and Short Reviews

"There are some TRULY terrifying features, and characters, in this story. So I finished it this morning, in daylight - and I'm STILL scared!" - Mallory Heart Reviews

"Cavendish brings ghostly ancient legends of the land back with her gothic tale."-  Oh! For the Hook of a Book


Available from
 Samhain Publishing 

 and in the anthology - What Waits In The Shadows

Available from:

   

Wednesday 2 September 2015

Are You Ready for the End of the World?



I am delighted to welcome fellow horror author, Hunter Shea to my blog today. He has a fabulous new book out - Tortures of the Damned - and you can read my review of it later. For now though, it's over to Hunter:

Tortures of the Damned is not for the faint of heart. 
 
Hell, when you get down to it, Armageddon tends to favor the strong. I’m not talking big muscles strong. It’s the kind of strength that comes from the soul.

The original title of the book was Run Like Hell. And that’s exactly how it was written. Each small chapter is a fast-paced sprint to the finish line, except in the world I created for my characters, the finish line is always shifting, never in clear sight. They know what they’re running from – bombs, infection, rabid animals – but never exactly sure where to, other than anywhere but here.  



Each time I sat down to write Tortures of the Damned, I felt as if I’d done a fifty yard dash. I really, really got into my work.  My heart raced, my fingers flying over the keyboard so fast, the typos piling up like stacks of bricks. I talked out loud, making my cats look at me funnier than usual. I frightened myself by researching the types of weapons already out there, realizing how close we all are to a terrible end. Sometimes I had to get up and pace, pondering what awful obstacle to place in the way of the decent, honest characters I’d created. 



That was the hardest part – putting good people through the Devil’s wringer. The Padilla family is a close-knit bunch. They’re not perfect, but they’re also against typecast in today’s world because the parents love each other and the children aren’t runways or sneaking pot when they can. Yes, functional families do exist! And in my mind, that foundation is what gave them the fortitude to press on when everything around them has gone insane. 


The end times are brutal, and I didn’t want to skirt any of the tough issues the Padillas would have to face. I chose Yonkers because it’s close to a major target, New York City, has a very diverse population with its share of serious issues on the best of days, and most importantly, was involved with the parking garage bombing of the World Trade Center in the 90s. Fear and distrust are an underlying current there, no matter how hard people try to ignore it. It’s a big city, with all kinds of little pockets where anything can happen. The layout of the city plays a big part in how the horrors unfold. I know, the mayor of Yonkers isn’t giving me the key to the city any time soon. My wife did grow up with him, though. 

Killing dead things shambling about is easy. When the real shit hits the fan, we’ll wish for zombies. 


SHOCK…

First, the electricity goes—plunging the east coast in darkness after a devastating nuclear attack. Millions panic. Millions die. They are the lucky ones.

AFTER SHOCK…

Next, the chemical weapons take effect—killing or contaminating everything alive. Except a handful of survivors in a bomb shelter. They are the damned.

HELL IS FOR HUMANS

Then, the real nightmare begins. Hordes of rats force two terrified families out of their shelter—and into the savage streets of an apocalytic wasteland. They are not alone. Vicious, chemical-crazed animals hunt in packs. Dogs tear flesh, cats draw blood, horses crush bone. Roaming gangs of the sick and dying are barely recognizable as human. These are the times that try men’s souls. These are the tortures that tear families apart. This is hell on earth. The rules are simple: Kill or die.

“A lot of splattery fun.”—Publishers Weekly

“Harrowing, bloodsoaked.” —Jonathan Janz, Author of The Nightmare Girl

“Frightening, gripping.”—Night Owl Reviews

“Old school horror.” —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author


I loved Tortures of the Damned. Here's my review:


"I love Hunter Shea’s books. His characters leap off the page. You suffer with them, fight in their corner, feel their fear – the whole package. The premise of this story centres on a post-apocalyptic, world where some cataclysmic episode has wiped out most of humanity and turned other living creatures into raving, rampaging killing machines. In this world, the lucky ones were those who were killed instantly. Those who survived, but were contaminated by the chemical cloud, become fatally sick – but death comes hard. Most of the main characters in the story were unscathed, because they took refuge in a fallout shelter. For them, the torture of fighting for survival with the odds stacked skyscraper-high against them, certainly earns them the title of this book, for they truly are the damned.

Suspense, terror and a plot that screams out to be filmed. Tortures of the Damned had me hooked from the first page and never let go until the end. And the ending was, for my money, well worthy of the story. Excellent."


Hunter Shea, Biography

Hunter Shea is the author of the novels The Montauk Monster, Sinister Entity, Forest of Shadows, Swamp Monster Massacre, and Evil Eternal. His stories have appeared in numerous magazines, including Dark Moon Digest, Morpheus Tales and the Cemetery Dance anthology, Shocklines : Fresh Voices in Terror.

His obsession with all things horrific has led him to real life exploration of the paranormal, interviews with exorcists and other things that would keep most people awake with the lights on. He lives in New York with his family and vindictive cat. He waits with Biblical patience for the Mets to win a World Series. You can read about his latest travails and communicate with him at www.huntershea.com.

PURCHASE!

You can purchase Tortures of the Damned in mass market paperback at more retail stores nationwide, as well as bookstores, both independent and chain.

You can also buy online at:




Giveaway!


One signed book from Hunter Shea of winner’s choice (or e-book) and a bookmark.