Our Authors
Alphabetically By Last Name
|
Richard Ayre
Trevor Boelter Duncan P. Bradshaw Mia Bravo Bryan Cassiday Justin Cawthorne Christopher F. Cobb S.J. Deighan Viktoria Faust Steven M. Fonts Brittany Gonzalez Kelson Hargis David O. Hughes Reed W. Huston Barnaby King Abbie Krupnick Chris Lynch Mark Meier Adam Millard Nicholas Paschall Ken Pelham R. Perez de Pereda Simon Petersen Rich Phelan Paige Reiring Nathan Robinson Daniel Russell Antonio Simon, Jr. Guy N. Smith Steven S. Stafford Cavanaugh K. Sweeny Michael Warriner J.S. Watts Darren Worrow |
Richard AyreRichard Ayre was born in Northumberland, Northern England, and now lives in Newcastle upon Tyne where he continues to write horror fiction. At an impressionable age he fell in love with new wave heavy metal and rock music, and at the same time read his first James Herbert novel. The combination of these two magnificent things led him to write Minstrel’s Bargain, a tale of music and horror. Minstrel’s Bargain is the first novel in the Prophecy Books. Richard has also written Minstrel’s Renaissance, the second of that trilogy, and Point of Contact, a sci-fi chiller, as well as the short story anthology A Hatful of Shadows. When not writing, Richard can be found zooming around the Northumberland countryside on his motorcycle, Tanya.
Trevor BoelterHaving written his first short story at the age of 16, Trevor has since been celebrated as a playwright/screenwriter and is the author of over 70 short stories; many of which have been published over the past few years in such publications as Chilling Ghost Stories, Corner Bar Magazine, Peachfish Magazine, Crimson Streets, The Kaaterskill Basin Literary Journal, The Altar Collective, and many, many others. Following the sage advice of Ray Bradbury to write “a story a week,” Trevor has taken this a step further and challenges himself to a “write a scary story a day” throughout the month of October in anticipation of his favorite holiday, Halloween. Since 2011, October Ghosts (www.OctoberGhosts.com) has been visited by thousands of readers from all over the world who are entertained and captivated by his dark tales on daily basis. As a Beatles expert, Trevor wrote the play, And Now It’s All This! which chronicles the disastrous comments John Lennon made when he said The Beatles were “bigger than Jesus” and how it taught Lennon to become more outspoken and how celebrity opinions still weigh in our present day. The play premiered at the Unity Theater in Liverpool in 2014, thus cementing a life-long dream for Trevor to be initiated into the Liverpool artistic scene. When not writing, Trevor is an Executive Producer at Remote Films with their award-winning feature film, INVERSE, that will be released later this year.
Duncan P. BradshawHailing from the south of England, Duncan P. Bradshaw escapes the reality of his day job by getting home and writing down the weird and wonderful things that plague his mind. His wife, Debbie, helps out by preparing the daily sacrifices, assisted by their two cats, Rafa and Pepe, who, if they’re honest, prefer sleeping than actually helping out. Better known for his zombie books, Duncan has a style which is very much his own: dark humour, sprinkled with body parts and covered in oodles of blood and gore. He runs his own label, EyeCue Productions, and loves nothing more than putting a book together.
Mia BravoMia Bravo is a talented young writer. She is keenly interested in forensics and psychology, and knows how to use both in her stories to twist the commonplace and familiar into the extraordinary and horrifying.
Byran CassidayBryan Cassiday graduated from UCLA with a degree in English. He worked for the federal government for fifteen years before retiring. He now writes thrillers and horror stories full-time. He lives in California. Not a native Californian, he grew up in Stamford, Connecticut. He has been writing stories and novels and sending them out to publishers since the age of twenty-one. He is the author of Helter Skelter (2011), The Anaconda Complex (2011), The Kill Option (2010), Blood Moon: Thrillers and Tales of Terror (2009), and Fete of Death (2007). He spends his spare time reading thriller and horror books and watching thriller and horror movies.
Justin CawthorneJustin Cawthorne is the author of the horror novella There Is A Light That Never Goes Out and a number of other chilling short stories. He is a co-recipient, alongside the producers of the Tales To Terrify podcast, of the 2016 Parsec Award for Best Speculative Fiction Story for their production of his popular short story, Graves. After emigrating from the UK in 2005, following a career as a video industry journalist, Justin now works by day as a project manager specialising in IT and digital projects while using the darker hours of the night to feed his creative habits. On rare occasions he has been known to tend to his website at www.JustinCawthorne.com. Justin lives in Western Australia with his wife, two kids, four cats, and an expired lizard in the freezer.
Christopher F. CobbBorn and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, Christopher Cobb ventured off to the wilds of New York City for several years to experience the world of acting. Finding it a cruel and inhospitable world, he hid high in the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia for a time. Having grown weary of snow and perilous black ice, his life path took him back home to south Florida where he earned college degrees at Florida Atlantic University. He now lives in Jupiter—the city, not the planet—with his true love and talented artist, Alicia, their two weird cats, Simon and Weezy, and his amazingly wonderful daughter, Emma. He is a member of the Bloody Pens Writers Group, as well as the Florida Writer’s Association and intends on writing more exciting books for publication. All this makes Christopher a very happy man indeed. Visit him at www.chrisfcobb.com.
S.J. DeighanSteven Deighan was born in Edinburgh in 1983. He is the author of Things From The Past and Stages of Undress, and the original indie graphic book, Feels Like Stephen King. He lives with his partner and their children in a rural town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, where he writes a mix of prose and graphic novel scripts. Most notable is his 2016 3D horror comic book, The Party, based on the 1999 national award-winner of the same name.
Viktoria FaustViktoria Faust, also known as the Croatian Queen of Horror, has published over thirty books in the past sixteen years. She is a multitalented writer, having authored books in the genres of horror, sci-fi, and children’s literature. Her first English-language novel, Beauty of the Beast, is the award-winning start to her popular series of vampire books—it is also the book that won her the title by which she is known. A new collection of short stories as well as two books, Angel On My Grave (the prequel to Beauty Of The Beast) and The Great Escape From Fairyland (a children's fantasy), are set to be published through True North Publishing.
Steven M. FontsEstêvão Magalhães Fonts, better known as Steven, was born in Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 1977. He emigrated to the United States to study journalism and now works as a freelance photographer. He lives in Deerfield Beach, Florida, with his wife, two sons, and a Great Dane named Abílio.
Brittany GonzalezBrittany Rose Gonzalez is a rising star in the world of literature, having written an award-winning play at age sixteen. Her passion for writing ignited when she was young and reflects today in the outstanding quality of her work.
Kelson HargisKelson Hargis is an author, analyst, and professional technical writer for a Fortune 100 insurer. He has a B.S. and a B.A. in Organizational Innovation which he’s found to be completely useless. He’s also an Internet entrepreneur and partner at 1106 & Darkhouse Films, where he’s still forbidden from touching any equipment. Their 2016 Cincinnati 48 Hour Film Project entry, Abaddon, and The Villisca House Axe Murders documentary were critically acclaimed by close friends, relatives, and anyone remotely familiar with the disturbing nature of Kelson’s horror fiction. He’s occasionally permitted to relieve himself, eat, or sleep when he meets scripting word counts, casting, sourcing, and project management objectives. Kelson has published horror shorts such as Elijah’s Phone, Festival of Ghosts, and Acta Somnium under his brand Horror by Hargis. He is determined to prove his sanity to family and friends by publishing a compilation of modern realistic shorts called True Stories & Other Fantastic Tales, then despoil that with a supernatural thriller novella, Karma, Pleasure & Pain, both of which are almost done (really). Please don’t startle Kelson should you encounter him, as he is considered clinically “unstable.”
David Owain HughesDavid Owain Hughes is a horror freak! He grew up on ninja, pirate and horror movies from the age of five, which helped rapidly install in him a vivid imagination. When he grows up, he wishes to be a serial killer with a part-time job in women’s lingerie… He’s had several short stories published in various online magazines and anthologies, along with articles, reviews and interviews. He’s written for This Is Horror, Blood Magazine and Horror Geeks Magazine. He’s the author of the popular novels Walled In and Wind-Up Toy, along with his short story collections, White Walls and Straitjackets and Choice Cuts.
Reed W. HustonReed W. Huston enjoys writing various flavors of fiction in his ample spare time. He finds particular joy in writing horror stories, simply to see the reactions his writing evokes in his unsuspecting readers. Growing up, Reed was fascinated by the supernatural and unexplainable, and when he wasn’t scaring himself reading the works of R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike, he was crafting his own stories. Reed’s guilty pleasures also involve indulging in horror television shows and movies, which he classifies as “research” to fuel his creative engines. His favorite authors include Neil Gaiman, Clive Cussler, and Stephen King. Reed considers King in particular a major inspiration due to his humble beginnings and even humbler personality. Ever in search of new ways to develop and refine his literary voice, Reed describes his writing as a potpourri of styles influenced by his favorite authors mixed with a dash of his personal flair.
Barnaby KingBarnaby King fell in love with literature at an early age. J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, laid a foundation for an appreciation of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. He attended Steyning Grammar School, found employment throughout the UK, and is now reading Psychology at the University of Surrey. All throughout he has had a passion for writing, creating short stories and working on potential novels. His favourite authors include the late Terry Pratchett and Iain M. Banks, as well as Richard Adams and Neil Gaiman, whose work, American Gods, first inspired an interest in Norse history and mythology. Since then Barnaby has become an amateur historian around the Viking age and is currently working on a young adult historical fiction piece set in that time period. His interest in horror has been moulded by the classic works of Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, and in particular M.R. James. When it comes to horror movies he considers himself something of a snob and prefers the subtle building of dread to jump scares. Besides writing, Viking history, and psychology, Barnaby also has a love of animals, enjoys archery, and is a classically trained singer. His main dream, however, is to foster his talents as an author and continue to improve his skill in writing for future works.
Abbie KrupnickAbbie Krupnick lives in Summit, New Jersey. When she’s not writing, she trains Brazilian jiu-jitsu and makes explosive quantities of visual art.
Chris LynchChris Lynch is a writer, technologist, and hypnotist from Cardiff, UK. He has written novels, comics, graphic novels, and screenplays for independent publishers and producers both in the UK and the USA.
Mark MeierMark Meier lives in Western Wisconsin where he produces a local talk show, LaCrosse Talk, on WIZM 1410 AM. He holds a degree in Philosophy in addition to a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and a pilot’s license. He is also the inventor of the crochet stitch known as the “Siberian Stitch.” Mr. Meier has published many stories in the Ebony Sea series, writing under the pen name “Marc Meiner.”
Adam MillardAdam Millard is the author of twenty-two novels, twelve novellas, and more than two hundred short stories, which can be found in various collections, magazines, and anthologies. Probably best known for his post-apocalyptic and comedy/horror fiction, Adam also writes fantasy/horror for children, as well as bizarro fiction for several publishers. His work has recently been translated for the German market.
Nicholas PaschallBorn and raised in Texas, Nicholas Paschall started his career in writing at an early age, jotting down stories on scraps of paper when he could and saving them to read aloud at lunch to all his friends. The teachers, upon learning this, asked him to stop as the stories weren’t exactly school-friendly, but this only spurred him on to continue his career as a writer. After a stint as a journalist and editor, he started his career as a horror author. It was brought on by reading a book he found dull and listless, which, after lending it to a coworker, he was informed it was terrifying. He thought he could do better, and has been publishing ever since. He’s been published in nineteen different printed anthologies and magazines, served two years as a recurring columnist for Dark Eclipse Magazine, and is a current columnist for The London Horror Society. His work can be found across the web, where he spins new yarns for all to enjoy on a daily basis. Visit him at www.nickronomicon.com.
Ken PelhamKen Pelham writes thrillers and suspense novels from his home in Central Florida. His debut novel, Brigands Key, was the first-place winner of the Florida Writers Association’s Royal Palm Literary Award. His second novel, Place of Fear, won first place in 2012. He’s also published numerous short stories and non-fiction articles, and is a member of the International Thriller Writers, Florida Writers Association, and Maitland Writers Group. For updates on his books and thoughts on literature in general and thrillers in particular, visit www.KenPelham.com.
R. Perez de PeredaBorn in Cuba in 1941, Ramiro Perez de Pereda has seen it all. Growing up in a time when then-democratic Cuba was experiencing unprecedented foreign investment, he was exposed to the U.S. pop culture items of the day. Among them: pulp fiction magazines, which young Ramiro avidly read and collected. Far and away, his favorites were the Conan the Barbarian stories by Robert E. Howard. Ramiro, now retired from the corporate life, is a grandfather of five. He devotes himself to his family, his writing, and the occasional pen-and-ink sketch. He writes poetry and short fiction under the name R. Perez de Pereda. He serves Darkwater Syndicate as its Head Acquisitions Editor—he heads the department, he does not collect heads, which is a point he has grown quite fond of making. Indeed, it’s one reason he likes his job so much.
Simon PetersenSimon Petersen is an experienced journalist and popular blogger from Auckland, New Zealand. By day he writes about craft beer, world travel, and professional sport; by night he dreams up horror movie scenarios that’d scare the striped sweater off Freddy Krueger. Visit him at www.SlasherSam.com.
Rich PhelanRich Phelan is the author of several published short stories and novels. He is best known for the sci-fi young adult novel series, The Colleen Colgan Chronicles. He lives in Canton, Massachusetts with his lovely wife, three great children, and a diabetic puggle. In the winter he can often be found enjoying his two favorite activities: snow skiing and enjoying a local IPA.
Paige ReiringPaige Reiring is graduate of the Ohio State University, having focused her studies in the fields of English and creative writing. She loves all types of media focusing on stories: novels, television, film, video games, anything. Professionally, she dedicates herself and her writing to representing those with marginalized identities. All of her works focus on character and always hold a dash of the fantastic. In 2014 she self-published her full-length novel, Death Defiant.
Nathan RobinsonHorror author Nathan Robinson lives in Scunthorpe with his darling seven-year-old twin boys and his patient wife/editor. So far he’s had numerous short stories published by Rainstorm Press, Knight Watch Press, Pseudopod, The Horror Zine, The Sinister Horror Company, Static Movement, and many more. He writes best in the dead of night or travelling at 77 mph. He is a regular reviewer for www.SnakebiteHorror.co.uk and Splatterpunk Zine, which he loves because he gets free books. He likes free books. His first novel, Starers, was released by Severed Press to rave reviews. This was followed by his short story collection Devil Let Me Go, and the novellas Ketchup with Everything and Midway, and the novel, Caldera. He is currently working on his next novels, Death-Con 4 and a sequel to Starers.
Daniel RussellAustralian Shadows Award finalist Daniel I. Russell has been featured in publications such as The Zombie Feed from Apex, Pseudopod, and Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine. Daniel is also the former vice-president of the Australian Horror Writers’ Association and was a special guest editor of the Midnight Echo magazine.
Antonio Simon, Jr.Antonio Simon, Jr. is an award-winning author of six books and over thirty short stories published to date. His debut novel, The Gullwing Odyssey, is a fantasy-comedy that became an Amazon Kindle Top 5 Bestseller in 2014. He has won the prestigious International Book Award; the Royal Palm Literary Award; the Pacific Book Award; Indie Book of the Day; and the Reader’s Favorite Five-Star seal. Mr. Simon holds a law degree from Saint Thomas University School of Law and two undergraduate degrees (Political Science and History) from the University of Miami. He lives in Miami, Florida. Visit him at www.GullwingOdyssey.com.
Guy N. SmithGuy N. Smith is a best-selling author with over one hundred books to his name. He first wrote for the sporting press in 1963 and over the ensuing years contributed many articles to The Gamekeeper & Countryside, Shooting Times and several other publications. He has also penned many short stories for anthologies including the legendary London Mystery Selection. Throughout his career he has written horror, mystery fiction, westerns, children’s fiction and a number of non-fiction titles. In between his writing he has had a varied and interesting career—he has worked in banking, was a private detective, and had his own shotgun cartridge loading business. For nearly four decades he has lived with his wife Jean in a remote area of the Shropshire/Welsh border hills. Guy has his own shooting, deer stalking and organic small holding. They have four grown-up children and four grandchildren who live in various parts of the UK.
Steven Samuel StaffordSteven Samuel Stafford was born May 31, 1976 in Martin, Tennessee. His parents recount the tale of his mother, Brenda, going into labor with him as they watched the film, Arsenic and Old Lace. His earliest exposures to the horror genre were his grandmother’s retelling of the classic folklore ghost story, The Golden Arm (most famously done by Mark Twain), and an elementary school filmstrip based on Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Stafford began the outlines of several of his works in the mid-nineties while still in high school, but began his writing career in earnest after the advent of online digital publishing. He published his first work, Buoyant Mary, in January of 2013, and has published several others since then. He is an avid reader of H.P. Lovecraft, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Edgar Allan Poe, whom he credits as his greatest inspiration.
Cavanaugh Kellough SweenyCavanaugh Kellough Sweeny, MBA, JD, DDS, BS, is a self-made Texan millionaire. After working for international oil companies for twenty years as part of a prison labor program, he achieved the American Dream with a winning ticket at the racetrack. Cavanaugh—or “Cav” as his friends call him—is a highly successful motivational speaker. He is not a lawyer, dentist, or even a motivational speaker, but through the power of delusion (read: positive thinking), he believes he is. He has also served as a director for various multimillion dollar companies and successfully driven them into bankruptcy. Mr. Sweeny now divides his time between lecturing and watching football in his numerous homes throughout the state of Texas, but not in King County as there’s an outstanding warrant for his arrest there. Admittedly, he may be a tad senile, but he more than makes up for this with his extensive gun collection.
Michael WarrinerBorn and raised in Central Florida, Michael Warriner pursued an early interest in learning music and creating characters in hand-drawn comic books. He began his career working simultaneously in the mental health industry and as a character performer at his local theme park. It was while pursuing his degree in Psychology that he began writing stories “just to kill time.” Before long, he had written two manuscripts. This developing interest in telling stories was further driven by his fascination with amateur filmmaking. By day, Michael now applies his education and training to assist clients diagnosed with mental illness. By night, he writes novels, and in his free time he composes music. He draws upon these varied interests to create unique characters and thrust them into memorable stories.
J.S. WattsJ.S.Watts is a British writer. Her poetry, short stories and book reviews appear in a wide variety of publications in Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the States, including Acumen, Mslexia and Popshot and have been broadcast on BBC and Independent Radio. She has been Poetry Reviews Editor for Open Wide Magazine and Poetry Editor for Ethereal Tales. J.S’s debut poetry collection, Cats and Other Myths, and her latest collection, Years Ago You Coloured Me, are published by Lapwing Publications, as is her multi-award nominated poetry pamphlet, Songs of Steelyard Sue. Her novels, A Darker Moon—dark literary fiction and Witchlight—a paranormal tale with a touch of romance, are published in the US and UK by Vagabondage Press. For further details see her website: www.JSWatts.co.uk.
Darren WorrowDarren Worrow started out as a cartoonist, contributing to a variety of music magazines and fanzines. He published his own underground comic from 1995 to 2006 and then, favouring the writing, began writing books in 2012. While he loves writing comedy, he is not afraid to venture into other genres, particularly horror and thriller. Mr. Worrow currently writes a regular causerie for a local news site and freelances other articles. He is the author of White Space-Van Man, a sci-fi comedy, and the organizer of a charity anthology book of short stories titled I Am Not Frazzle, which helped raise money for a disabled children centre.
|
