Horror Yearbook: To start of the interview, would you just introduce yourself for any of our readers who may not be familiar with your work?
My name is Peter Straub, I live in New York City and have for maybe twenty-five years. I am a native of the Midwest, however. My wife and I lived in England and Ireland for ten years during the 70s. I forget how many books exactly I’ve written, but I think it’s eighteen or nineteen novels, two collections of short stories, and one nonfiction book of critical essay and memoirs. My work has been popular enough to allow me to live off the proceeds, so I make a living by writing, which nobody seems to be able to do nowadays. The world has gotten tougher. I’ve been able to sustain myself through my work for a very long time, and that’s a privilege and an honor. It’s something that I’m very happy to be able to say. To tell you the truth, it’s exactly what I wanted, and exactly what I needed when I began.
HYB: Let’s get right into A Dark Matter, which you just completed and hit shelves about two weeks ago. I just finished reading it, and it’s seriously good. You use this reflexive technique, in which the main character is an author, investigating this terrifying occurrence from his high school years which he wasn’t directly involved with for a novel which the character is writing. Structurally, it’s like Citizen Kane. And it’s extremely creepy and effective.. so where did this story come from?
Continue reading ‘Interview: Peter Straub – A Dark Matter’
Published by Press Release Robot February 4th, 2010
in Horror BOOKS.
Evileye Books and horror writer Mark Justice are teaming up to bring The Dead Sheriff to life in “original dime novel” and graphic novel format. April will see a series of graphic novels in the style of the sunday comics of the thirties and forties, followed by the the first prose book, The Dead Sheriff: Zombie Damnation, in fall 2010. The Dead Sheriff combines elements of the supernatural, humor and adventure in a framework that models the adventure dime novels popularized as early as 1860.
Published by wil January 28th, 2010
in Horror BOOKS.
I’m halfway through Peter Straub’s new book, A Dark Matter, and I will hopefully have a review for you before it releases on February 9, 2010. Until then check out the new teaser trailer for the novel below.
The charismatic and cunning Spenser Mallon is a campus guru in the 1960s, attracting the devotion and demanding sexual favors of his young acolytes. After he invites his most fervent followers to attend a secret ritual in a local meadow, the only thing that remains is a gruesomely dismembered body—and the shattered souls of all who were present.
Published by wil January 13th, 2010
in Horror BOOKS and NEWS.
I have read Dead Sea, Ghoul, and The Conqueror Worms all written by Brian Keene, but I have not read Dark Hollow, the one book from the author that is being made into a movie! So unfortunately I can’t tell you poop about it besides what they sent me in a press release. Even though I’m not an avid fan of Keene I have enjoyed his books, so I’m excited to see what this film has to offer. Especially after reading the synopsis below.
Below is a selection of concept art for the film that was published on Keene’s official website. Dark Hollow is being directed by Paul Campion and is aiming for a 2010 spring/early summer shoot.
Published by wil November 13th, 2009
in Horror BOOKS.
Here is some recommended reading for horror fans and gore hounds who like to read, John Everson’s The 13th, now available in book stores and on Amazon
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Everson is one of the few authors I know of who still includes sex and gore in his books. If you’re tired of boring horror novels that hold back on the horrors, Everson is the man for you, and so is the The 13th.
The 13th manages to make demonic sacrifices sexy and dangerous again. I’m talking full blown orgies and blood and guts. Rosemary’s Baby ain’t got shit on The 13th!
At a book signing for his new novel, Under the Dome, Stephen King said that he had “one more Dark Tower book to write.”
The S.K. message board followed up his announcement with the following details: “Stephen has given me permission to pass along that he has an idea for a new Dark Tower book, the working title of which will be The Wind Through The Keyhole. He has not yet started this book and anticipates that it will be a minimum of eight months before he is able to begin writing it.”
Published by wil October 9th, 2009
in Horror BOOKS.
Just in time for Halloween Greg Lamberson’s 2004 novel Personal Demons is receiving a well deserved paperback re-release from Medallion Press. The book follows Jake Helman — a detective with a penchant for booze and cocaine — who is on the trail of a serial killer dubbed the Ciper. When Helman’s corrupt ways finally catch up to him, he finds himself off the Ciper case and working for the mysterious billionaire Nicholas Tower as his head of security — a cushy dream job that soon turns into his worst nightmare. When the stakes become personal, Helman is forced into becoming a reluctant John Constantine, battling the supernatural to save his wife’s soul.
Here is some quick cut & paste news from Dread Central. Max Brooks’ The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks is due out October 6th.
“Those who don’t learn from history are condemned to repeat it. From the Stone Age to the information age, the undead have threatened to engulf the human race. They’re coming. They’re hungry. Don’t wait for them to come to you! This is the graphic novel the fans demanded: major zombie attacks from the dawn of humanity. On the African savannas, against the legions of ancient Rome, on the high seas with Francis Drake… every civilization has faced them. Here are the grisly and heroic stories–complete with eye-popping artwork that pulsates with the hideous faces of the undead. Organize before they rise! Scripted by the world’s leading zombie authority, Max Brooks, Recorded Attacks reveals how other eras and cultures have dealt with–and survived–the ancient viral plague. By immersing ourselves in past horror we may yet prevail over the coming outbreak in our time.”
Published by Kelsey Zukowski August 27th, 2009
in Horror BOOKS.
The highly awaited sequel in the Vampire Academy series, Blood Promise, has been well worth the wait. This series just keeps on getting better and Blood Promise doesn’t anything back. It takes us in to another world than we are used to. Most of the book is set in Russia, but more importantly it is how close our heroine brushes with death and how the lines of love and monstrosity blur her vision. Yet we are still able to visit parts of that old world, although it’s different, distant, and troubling both for those that inhabit it and those that are so far away from it.
Published by wil July 24th, 2009
in Horror BOOKS and NEWS.
According to the A Nightmare on Elm Street website Robert Englund’s new autobiography, Hollywood Monster: A Walk Down Elm Street with the Man of Your Dreams, is set to hit bookshelves on October 13, 2009.
Published by Kelsey Zukowski July 4th, 2009
in Horror BOOKS.
Nightfall marks the start of a new chapter in The Vampire Diaries series. The Return is a sort of sub-series. This is the start of a new trilogy with the same characters, but a new focus in the story: Elena, the light beauty and the charming and her relationship with the powerful vampire of darkness, Damon. Stefan, the caring and more morally conscious vampire actually isn’t even in majority of the book. Nightfall was written over 15 years after the first book and there are obvious differences in both Smith’s growth as well as her characters. The style is similar, but more adult, dark, and everything is far more layered and complex.
Published by Kelsey Zukowski June 29th, 2009
in Horror BOOKS.
The Strain is a vampire novel brought to us by the collaborative efforts of horror director, Guillermo Del Toro and thriller author, Chuck Hogan. It seems that Del Toro set up the basic idea and possibly certain set ups in the story while Hogan composed the bulk of the work. The book seems to be void of Del Toro’s touch of artistry and meaning even if his basic idea of a vampire apocalypse through an airplane of the infected was promising.
The book is overloaded with countless numbers of stories, but the basic one starts with a plane that lands in New York’s JFK airport with all of the passengers dead. Of course, they aren’t really dead, just undead. The airport officials eventually call epidemiologists, Ephraim and Nora, who are part of the rapid response team. They take many precautions and wait it out quite some time before acting, but once they do they discover that everyone inside the plane appears to be dead and don’t have pulses…
Published by wil June 16th, 2009
in Horror BOOKS and NEWS.
Normally news that a movie has been put on hold is bad news, but for Max Brooks’ World War Z it may be good. The book has to be one of the hardest things to adapt into a movie, so I rather they take their time and get it right, instead of forcing out some rushed piece of crap. World War Z has the potential to be one of the best zombie movies ever, so hopefully Brad Pitt’s production company doesn’t drop the ball and screw it up.
Director Marc Foster, told Migros Magazin (well according to DarkHorizons this is what he said because I can’t read German) that the script needed a lot of work and is, “still far from realization”. He is going to start working on another film called Disconnect instead.
Published by wil June 1st, 2009
in CONTEST and Horror BOOKS.
Horror Yearbook is giving away two copies of Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro and crime novelist Chuck Hogan’s new vampire novel, The Strain, that hits bookshelves tomorrow, June 2, 2009. (Pre-order The Strain here
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This is the first book in a trilogy that Toro describes as a look into the “history, physiology and lore of the vampiric race.” Also be sure and check out the official website here or watch the two book trailers below.
Published by wil May 15th, 2009
in Horror BOOKS.
Guillermo del Toro’s new vampire trilogy The Strain’s official website launched today. There is a video introduction by Toro, a listing of his appearances (click the “Warning! Look Out For Rats” sign), contest, widgets and so on… I have included the list of characters and their descriptions from the site below.
Guillermo del Toro and crime novelist Chuck Hogan are teaming up to bring us The Strain, a trilogy of vampire novels that will explore the “history, physiology and lore of the vampiric race, tracing its roots all the way back to its Old Testament origins.”
It is probably safe to assume this will be no Twilight type of vampire crap. The first book will be in bookstores on June 2nd.
The Characters:
Ephraim Goodweather, a brilliant and mercurial epidemiologist who heads the Canary project, a rapid response team of field scientist, based in New York City, who are organized to detect and identify incipient biological threats. A reformed alcoholic, he misses living with his ex-wife, Kelly, and son Zack.
