Brett Bruton's Hidden Things, Lost Things #guest

First a news update for those of you wondering what the status of this year's Bloody Parchment short story competition is. November was my reading period during which I graded the entries and made up the selection that went through to the judges. 

What were my criteria? First off, I had to ask myself whether the story could fit the bill for horror or squeak through on the tailcoats of dark/urban fantasy. And you'd be surprised at how many authors clearly ignored the fact that horror/dark fiction was the theme. (No. Really.) Then I looked at originality. Torture porn, stories that were derivatives of movies/TV series that are currently popular, or stories that had absolutely no point, these didn't pass muster. Perhaps the most telling reason for rejection was stories that technically still needed a lot of work (as in, if you use ampersands instead of the humble "and" and structurally need a lot of work mastering the mechanics of writing).

That being said, I think the judges are going to have a tough time this year. I'm overwhelmed by the high quality of writing. The judges will be sending in their scores by the first week of January, by which time I'll be sending out the rejection letters... And will be mailing the lucky 13 who'll make it through to the anthology.

And now, without further ado, I'd like to welcome the author of the current anthology's title story, Brett Bruton.

So, Brett, tell us a little about yourself.

Born and raised in the Eastern Cape. Studied fine art, English and modern fiction at Rhodes University. Played in one rock band, then another. Occasionally, I blog. Am currently living in Cape Town, South Africa, and working in advertising. It was the only industry that offered me free beer.

Tell us a little about the background of your story.

I have a love/hate relationship with sci-fi. Much like pulp fantasy, too many authors use sci-fi as an excuse to get away with wildly improbable scenarios. Character stuck on a roof surrounded by ray-gun toting goons? Suddenly his boots have jet-boosters and his belt doubles as a gyroscopic stabiliser, because fuck logic, this is science fiction.

Good sci-fi, however, makes logic work for it. It carefully and subtly layers the sciences involved until you’re forced to look at it and go, “Yeah, that’s plausible.” It takes small bits of things you know and carefully reorganises them to create something that is both familiar and yet entirely alien.

That’s what I tried to do with Hidden Things, Lost Things. Rather than write a scary story built on everything the reader didn’t know (‘horror of the unknown’ and all that), I wanted to create something so familiar that, when he or she sits down to watch television, or curls up next to a loved one, they can’t help but wonder. I didn’t want to tell readers that monsters exist; I wanted to suggest how they could.

Are there any interesting anecdotes relating to its creation?

Nope. Sorry.

What do you like about horror as a genre?

The characters. The horror genre is built on good characters, people in the story that you can empathise with. The simplest story can be made terrifying with the right players, and if you can convince your reader that your character is scared, you’re far more likely to scare your reader.

What scares you?

Taxes. Death I’m kinda okay with.

Where can people find you online?

You can read my humour blog, These Creases, although it’s in desperate need of an update.
You can also follow my private ranting on Twitter at @BrettRexB.
You’ll have to decide which is scarier.

Purchase Bloody Parchment electronically at Amazon, Kalahari.net, and Kobo or in print at the Book Lounge.

Bloody Parchment Event 2012

Join us for this year's SA HorrorFest Bloody Parchment event when a selection of Cape Town's top local authors thrill and spook us with their horror-themed drabbles (a short story of exactly 100 words). Contributors include Sarah Lotz, Lauren Beukes, Dave Chislett, Louis Greenberg, Cat Hellisen, Joan De La Haye, Maya Teresa Fowler, Toby Bennett and others. Dress up like your favourite ghoul and join us for cupcakes and thrills at the Book Lounge (71 Roeland Street, Cape Town), on Friday, October 26, 5.30pm for 6pm.

RSVP with the Book Lounge at booklounge@gmail.com and, if you have any questions, feel free to email nerinedorman@gmail.com

Except for Bryan... Austin Malone's vision #guest

Today I welcome another of our Bloody Parchment anthology finalists, Austin Malone, who's the man responsible for the chilling tale, Except for Bryan. So, Austin, tell us a little about yourself.

I'm a new writer with a lifelong love for speculative fiction. A native of New Orleans, I live in Texas with my wife and daughter. I enjoy chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, Belgian ale, and my favorite color is purple.

Tell us a little about the background of your story.

As a child of the 80s, raised by parents who are devout horror fans themselves, I've been increasingly dismayed by the current trend to oversaturate the genre with zombies and torture-porn. I saw this anthology as an opportunity to reclaim horror for the genuinely creepy and disturbing tales that kept me awake at nights as a kid.

Are there any interesting anecdotes relating to its creation?

Well, my job is such that I spend about six hours a night listening to podcasts. Some of my favorite ear-candy is the old time radio dramas from the 40s and 50s. While pondering what to write about, I came across an old episode about a woman who transfers the souls of her enemies into marionettes, and in listening, I rediscovered a fundamental fact: Puppets are creepy. I was also annoyed by the Xmas decorations that were popping up like fungus all over town in mid-October, and suddenly Krampus decided he wanted in on the story. For those unfamiliar with Santa's demonic little helper, Google is your friend.

What do you like about horror as a genre?

In real life, the things that frighten us on a day-to-day basis are largely intangible. Unless presented with a direct threat, we tend to exist in a state of perpetual anxiety, unable to confront the things we fear. Not so in horror fiction. There, we always have the chance to face our fears. Even when the odds are stacked hopelessly against the victims, they can at least point to a tangible source and say, "There. That's the bad guy, right there. Overcome this, and we all get to live happily ever after, or at least until the sequel comes out."

What scares you?

Once, while in a veterinary waiting room, I saw an elderly woman with a rabbit on her lap. She was feeding the rabbit strips of bacon, and I found myself unaccountably unsettled by this. So. Yeah. Little old ladies who keep carnivorous bunny rabbits... Brr.

Where can people find you online?

Like most writers, I keep a trunk full of misshapen mutant brainbabies who have never seen the light of day. This trunk can be found at http://www.austinmalone.livejournal.com. I'm also on Facebook, if folks want to drop by and say hi there.

Mico Pisanti and Fluoride in the Water. #guest

Today I welcome Mico Pisanti, who shares a little about his world and his story, Fluoride in the Water which is part of the current Bloody Parchment anthology. G'day, Mico, tell us a little about yourself.

I am a child of the eighties, and therefore I count myself privileged to have grown up listening to radio first. Television followed later. This for me allowed the theatre of the mind to develop, and this was re-enforced by my mother who loved books and passed that on to me. Stories remain, in whatever format or medium, my first love.

Tell us a little about the background of your story.

All I can remember about the genesis of this story was hearing laughter from a distance and thinking how lonely that sound can be if you’re in a certain state of mind. From there on the story grew organically, and I dare say, heavily influenced by writers such as John le Carre and Brett Easton Ellis. I had a fun with the detached narrative way the protagonist/antagonist’s thought processes worked.

Also, this story was my way of  making sense of the senselessness of crime in our country, and maybe we all needed a shot of fluoride, like that Korova milk they serve in The Clockwork Orange.

Are there any interesting anecdotes relating to its creation?

All my friends and family thought I was unhappy in my marriage: which I wasn’t. It’s like Stephen King says, sometimes you write the worst case scenario of your deepest fears to draw a magic circle around yourself, so that it will never happen.

What do you like about horror as a genre?

I think horror allows a person, whether they’re reader or writer, to encounter their fears. Facing them head on can be therapeutic, even a rush. Also, as a genre, horror does not limit you.

What scares you?

Losing the people I love.

Where can people find you online?

Facebook, I guess.

* * * *

Submissions are open for this year's anthology are open until October 31. Find out more here, or feel free to direct any questions to nerinedorman@gmail.com

Joan De La Haye and Death Express #guest

Today we welcome South African author Joan De La Haye, one of the contributors to this year's anthology. So, Joan, tell us a little about yourself?

Joan De La Haye

JDLH: I'm one of the very few South African authors living in Pretoria. Most SA authors seem to live in Johannesburg or Cape Town, heaven only knows why. My focus as a writer is predominantly on horror, but I have been known to also write some very twisted thrillers. I also spent most of my childhood living in Germany and Austria, beautiful countries. My writing tends to be rather dark and my sick and twisted sense of humour has a habit of making it's way into my stories.

Tell us a little about the background of your story.

JDLH: I wrote it quite a long time before I heard about the Bloody Parchment anthology. The story sat on my laptop waiting for me to figure out what to do with it. It was rather patient with me, I have to say. I wrote it just after I got divorced, which is probably why it's so dark. Anyway ... the story is about a couple who go to an amusement park in Johannesburg. They go on a scary new ride that no one will talk about and scary things happen.

Are there any interesting anecdotes relating to its creation?

JDLH: I wrote it shortly after I'd had a conversation with a woman who'd had an affair with a married man. What got to me, was the woman's absolute stupidity in thinking that the guy was going to leave his wife for her and that they would live happily ever after. I got home and Death Express was born.

What do you like about horror as a genre?

JDLH: I love that there are no hard and fast rules in horror. I can let my dark side out to play and that is rather liberating and lots of fun.

What scares you?

JDLH: Stupidity! And the thought of being burnt alive.

Where can people find you online?

I can be found on my blog: http://joandelahaye.wordpress.com/
And Twitter: http://twitter.com/JoanDeLaHaye

This year's competition submission deadline is October 31. Find out more about the submission guidelines and this year's anthology here.

Lee Mather, the man behind Masks #guest

Today we welcome one of this year's anthology contributors, Lee Mather.

Tell us a little about yourself.

LM: I'm a 34-year-old writer and business graduate from Manchester, England. I have works published in horror, urban fantasy and science fiction. My fiction tends to have a dark heart.

Tell us a little about the background of your story.

LM: Masks is my contribution to the anthology. The story features a celebrated actor who is terminally ill. He receives a series of cryptic notes that hint at a terrible choice coming his way, a choice that might lead to a cure. I wanted to write something that touched upon our various faces, and how better to portray this through an actor.

Are there any interesting anecdotes relating to its creation?

LM: I wrote this story on my honeymoon of all places! I'm not much of a sunbather, and rather than read by the pool, I decided to write. It's pretty weird to see the outcome, which is a horrid little tale, and think that it started life in the Malaysian sunshine. I had a pen in one hand and an ice-cold Mojito in the other…

What do you like about horror as a genre?

LM: To be honest, I like any story that makes me feel, irrespective of genre. Horror doesn't have to be something that is shlocky or full of cheap thrills, but it should leave you with that raw, punched in the solar plexus feeling. Horror is best done when, as a reader, you have a reason to care about the outcome of the story. Pain and fear and grief are very real, very potent aspects of our lives. With a horror story, you hopefully get to experience these emotions from a safer place.

What scares you?

LM: Pain, physical or mental, inflicted in my loved ones, and me helpless to protect them. Oh, and spiders. I hate the little bastards.

Where can people find you online?

Anything you might want to know about me can be found at www.leemather.org.uk

Read up more about the current issue of Bloody Parchment and the submission guidelines here.

Toby Bennett's world of horror #guest

The Mother City of Cape Town has had horror quietly going about its business in the shadow of the Hoerikwaggo in the shape of Toby Bennett, one of last year's Bloody Parchment short story competition finalists.

A born-and-bred Capetonian, Toby says: "I was born in Cape Town back in 1976 and loved stories from an early age. I’m not sure if my relationship with horror was always a good one since I can remember some pretty strong nightmares as a child. My first memories actually involve a couple of scenes from the original The Amityville Horror, I was too young to really understand what I was seeing at the time (my parents had taken me into the drive in as an under two) but that didn’t stop the bloody hand prints sticking, if you will forgive the pun. It took a viewing of The Omen 2 and an increase in vocabulary before my parents actually realised that I was sure there was a coven owls waiting to pluck out my eyes while they slept.

"So that was the start anyway, since then I have written six novels and various short stories. I’m not keen to be tied down to one particular genre but I’m a definite fan of the supernatural and unusual. I hope that comes across in my work, I certainly consider my job done if I can take people out of their own world, even just a little, and give them a glimpse of something new."

The background of Toby's story treads some familiar ground for those who love the genre. He says: "I think the inspiration or at least context for the story should be familiar to anyone who has a passing acquaintance with HP Lovecraft. I’ve always thought that the monsters you don’t, or can’t, see are far more terrifying than the ones you can. A werewolf is just a big dog and these days, god help us, vampires sparkle in the sun; real fear lurks in an empty room where you are completely alone but don’t feel it. You look into the mirror and ask, 'is this me?' or turn suddenly in the hope of catching a glimpse of what might be watching you, worlds away, but somehow tickling the corner of your senses and running tentacles lightly over the back of your neck. The unseen and the unknowable are at the heart of true terror, everything else we have made up to fear, ghosts, goblins or gods, are just ways to give shape to something more profoundly disturbing to us: the emptiness and the unknowable things that might dwell within. A few withered leaves is an attempt to tap into some of that fear and a question I have always asked myself, 'If I could turn round quickly enough what might I see following in the wake of my shadow?'"

As for what Toby loves about horror as a genre, he says: "Like I said human beings have a need to quantify and catalogue the things that go bump in the night. Horror taps into something primal and can be so many different things for different people. The one thing I think we all have in common is that no matter how terrifying something gets we don’t want to look away. Perhaps it’s similar to the way that some people take a morbid interest in serial killers. Once you’ve read a story or understand the ‘rules’ of a monster it seems less frightening, so horror really does offer us a kind of catharsis and ironically even a defence against our deepest fears. That’s the cerebral answer, another way of looking at it is that it can be fun to create a character and then five minutes later come up with a reason why something might want to eat them."

And in answer to the million dollar question most horror authors can give some pretty creative answers--What scares you?--Toby says: "Mice so depraved that they wear red shorts held up by suspenders! Also being asked to provide pictures of myself. Otherwise I’m fine… when I’m awake."

Check out Toby's website at www.thedragontower.co.za

The majority of his written works are available at Amazon, but he's also on Facebook.

Find the Bloody Parchment anthology here.