M is for Monster but H is for House of Fear

When I was a young, aspiring writer, I never seriously considered becoming a horror writer. And yet, last week I sent my story for the House of Fear anthology to Jon Oliver at Solaris and am this week writing another horror story for a new short story collection about phobias. And then, of course, last year my explicit tale of horror Incubus appeared in M is for Monster.

Well, M is for Monster is available for sale again here and I'll sign every copy purchased. And if you need persuading, here's a review of my short story that appears in the collection:

Erotic with a seductively blasphemous undertone from the very outset, Green's sexually charged short throbs with a thick and somewhat unsettling tone of darkness... What gradually transpires is a powerfully unnerving tale of horror, with many unspoken questions left unanswered, creating an altogether more powerful tale. Certainly one of the most atmospheric and unsettling tales in the anthology - and for that, possibly one of the best additions.

But back to the subject of my short story for House of Fear (released in the UK and US this October by Solaris Books). It's called The Doll's House and is my take on the traditional haunted house tale. In it I set out to make a story set in a nondescript Edwardian terrace on a bright sunny day as unsettling as anything set at the witching hour on Halloween. My editor made very few changes and the only alteration I had to make was to add one word. This is almost unheard of, and I like to think it bodes well for how the story's going to be received elsewhere.

That said, it's not a nice story. Not at all. Here's what my editor wrote in his email after reading the story for himself for the first time. "Ooh, that's a right nasty little shocker." And from an editor inured to the ways of horror, that's got to be recommendation enough.

M is for Monster - buy your signed copy today!

This afternoon I had my ordered copies of M is for Monster delivered, courtesy of fellow contributor Adrian Chamberlain. Thanks again, Ade.

This means that M is the Monster is now available to buy, direct, from me. And, of course, any copy purchased will be signed by yours truly and may even include one or two other freebies.

You can purchase your copy here.

In the meantime, if you need a little more persuading, here's the blurb from the back of the book.

Monsters and creatures and horrors, oh my...

With each letter of the alphabet comes a different monster, and with each turn of the page comes a new foray into another author's sinister imaginings. From new twists on traditional favourites to modern glimpses into lesser-known mythology, from time-honoured staples of the horror genre to never-before-seen-beasts of the authors' design, these twenty-six tales take you on a wild roller-coaster tour of wicked conjuration.

A shrieking banshee of the High Moor... a seductive (and deadly) incubus spirit... a ghastly lot of blood-frenzied hogs... a biblical giant whose side of the story has never been told... the sword-slinging God of War himself... a vampire, a demon, a jabberwock, and a whole hellish host of other creatures and fiends known only by a few...

It's all jam-packed inside M IS FOR MONSTER: An Alphabetical Anthology of Abominations. Twenty-six international authors, twenty-six diverse tales. Legend and lore the world 'round have come together to bring this collection to chilling, spine-tingling life.

And the alphabet has never been so frightening.

M is for Monster!

M is for Monster is a new horror anthology coming this Halloween, but it's a publication with a difference. I'll let compiler John Prescott (no, not that John Prescott) explain...

What you hold in your hands is a culmination of desire, talent, and a collective love of the macabre, mixed with a little luck and a big leap of faith. This is the product of a group of authors who came together to produce something unique - something that speaks of us all and unites us on a worldwide scale. With the book you're holding right now, we invite you to share the journey.

Inside, you will find twenty-six varied tales of monsters old and new, some dredged from the die-hard legends of old and some assembled from the innovative demands of creative necessity. These monstrosities span the lengths of the English alphabet, and with them, we authors bring to you a taste of our own flavors and haunts from around the globe.

At the outset, it seemed an intimidating challenge, this rallying of so many authors from so many locations and walks of life. But times are changing. Creative collaboration no longer knows any geographical bounds. The world is a much smaller place these days, and we twenty-six came together, bound by a common vision, to bridge what gaps remain.

I'm glad we took the plunge, and I'm honored to know twenty-five other authors willing to dive on in with me. Now it's on to you. Take a swim with us. Turn the page and ride the wave.

But beware... monsters lurk in these waters.

John Prescott


It's also quite a departure for me, as my story - I for Incubus - is about the most explicit, unpleasant and distasteful thing I've ever written, to the extent that I'm wondering if I should start an 18-rated blog to promote it, and any others stories like it that I might write.

But if all this has piqued your interest, then watch this space...