David Moody's Blog, page 16

This time I’m really sorry

Most people seemed to get the joke earlier in the week – that I wrote this month’s 12STORIES story about myself, and dressed it up as a distressing, crazed fan-related incident – but I think I loaded it with a few too many details for some folks, and quite a few people got in touch to ask if my family and I were okay.

I just wanted to set the record straight: though there are some elements of truth in my story AN APOLOGY, most of it is total fiction.

TRUE:

I did know someone called Gordon from Coventry – we worked together for a number of years and he was an all round good chapI did do an event in Coventry with Wayne Simmons which, by a freakish coincidence, took place exactly 10 years ago todayA close friend of mine did get married in Cornwall at short notice this month, and my wife and I (along with two of our daughters) did go along and made a short holiday of itI did have a fan track me down by using the WHOIS information on an old website (and I have marked everything private now) – he phoned to complain that I hadn’t released AUTUMN: DISINTEGRATION after promising it was coming for years. In the story, ‘Gordon’ had a similar, completely justifiable complaint to make about THE SPACES BETWEEN books, which are more than a decade overdue (but which I WILL write one day)July’s half-written 12STORIES entry really is going to be called CANNON FODDERThe EDEN PROJECT really is an incredible place, and it’s a prime location for a future story (photo added below as proof we were there).

FALSE:

Everything else!

I’m genuinely sorry if the story upset you. I was hoping the last few lines would give the game away, but I hadn’t counted on people not getting that far before they got worried and got in touch. On a very serious note, I’m really touched by your concern. AN APOLOGY went a little bit viral (by my standards) on Tuesday night, so thank you all for taking the time to read it.

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I’m Sorry

I’m really sorry. I couldn’t get a story written in time for June. I promised to post something every single month this year. I owe you an explanation.

Click here to read the rest of the 12STORIES project.

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Holding Up a (Grubby, Blood-stained) Mirror

The final column in my series of zombie-related writings is now available for your reading pleasure at THIS IS HORROR. I’ve written about the zombie genre at length – looking at how the genre has changed, and what (in my opinion) makes an undead tale worth reading. In this last article – HOLDING UP A (GRUBBY, BLOOD-STAINED) MIRROR – I look at why, after trying to quit the genre several times in the past, I keep coming back for more, and what it is about zombies that I find so fascinating/terrifying.

Thanks one last time to Michael and Bob for indulging my living dead-related ramblings.

You can find the previous columns at the following links:

IT’S 2023, NOT 2003 EVOLUTION OF THE DEAD ESCAPING THE HERD

And if you’re interested in my take on many of the zombie books and films I’ve referenced, please visit the ever-expanding RECOMMENDATIONS section of this site.

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Film recommendation – In the Earth

Recently I’ve been recommending some quite obscure films, but this week I wanted to draw your attention to a more recent offering. It’s from director BEN WHEATLEY, who has already built up an extraordinarily wide-ranging filmography in little over a decade. From the unexpected plot/genre shifts of KILL LIST, to the black humour of SIGHTSEERS, from his adaptations of novels by DAPHNE DU MAURIER and J G BALLARD and episodes of DR WHO to the slapstick violence of FREE FIRE, there’s always something to enjoy in his work. His most recent movie, IN THE EARTH, which was written and filmed over a very short period of time at the height of the Covid pandemic, is no exception. It recently appeared on NETFLIX here in the UK, and I think it’s absolutely worth an hour and forty-seven minutes of your time.

As the world searches for a cure to a disastrous virus, a scientist and park scout venture deep in the forest for a routine equipment run.

Read more: Film recommendation – In the Earth

There’s a very good chance you won’t enjoy IN THE EARTH. It might frustrate you. By the time you get to the impenetrable, psychedelic/hallucinogenic ending, you’ll likely be struggling to understand what you’re seeing, but isn’t that how it sometimes just is? Isn’t that the point? The world doesn’t always make sense. We might pretend we’re experts, but really we’re not. I know how to use my computer, but I don’t know the details of what goes on inside to turn my thoughts into this post. I know how to drive my car, but I don’t know how the engine works. Sure, we may have some understanding of the processes involved, but there’s always going to be a limit to our individual knowledge.

And that, I think, is the point we reach at the exact same time as the characters in Wheatley’s film.

Don’t let the fact there’s no clear-cut resolution to the story put you off, because in getting there, the film is a real rollercoaster. It looks absolutely beautiful, and the sumptuousness of the surroundings have an almost fairy tale-like quality. The main performances (from JOEL FRY, REECE SHEARSMITH, HAYLEY SQUIRES, and ELLORA TORCHIA) are consistently strong. What really elevates IN THE EARTH for me, though, is the atmosphere, helped in no short measure by a soundtrack from CLINT MANSELL. Filmed during the pandemic, and set during a similar viral event that’s clearly spiralled completely out of control, it taps directly into the bewilderment and unease that I think we all felt at that time. In addition, there’s a collision between science exploration and folk horror that’s reminiscent of NIGEL KNEALE’S QUATERMASS.

Maybe it’s me. Maybe this film just appeals to my specific niche. Regardless, I thought it was a fascinating watch and I urge you to give it a try. Weird, trippy, bloody, violent.. it’s another string to Wheatley’s bow. Next up for him – another complete change of direction with this summer’s insane-looking creature-feature, MEG 2: THE TRENCH. He’s a really fascinating filmmaker.

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Inside the Indie Horror World

I was really pleased to be invited to contribute to INSIDE THE INDIE HORROR WORLD by KEVIN KENNEDY. As Kevin says in his blurb, it’s not a ‘how to’ book, not a typical writing guide, instead it’s a collection of musings from more than thirty indie authors, covering a wide range of topics. Dealing with social media, the technical aspects of publishing a book, being a part of the Horror community, the changes we’ve seen in the self/indie publishing worlds… there’s a huge amount of information here submitted by authors with a wide range of styles, approaches, and experience. It’s an absolutely fascinating read.

From the publisher: Join your favourite Indie Horror Authors for some tales about their adventures navigating the industry. The highs, the lows and everything in between. Some of them give some tips and advice and others share their funny and embarrassing stories. This is not a ‘How To’ book, but there are many great lessons inside if you are looking to write or boost where you are at the moment. If you simply want to find out a little more about what goes on behind the closed doors of the horror book world, you have come to the right place.

The best part? For the next couple of days it’s absolutely FREE. Head over to AMAZON.COM and grab a copy now.

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No News Newsletter

I’m just about to press send on this month’s newsletter. It contains very little in the way of news, which might sound a little weird. However, I’m consciously trying to send more regular progress updates, and not just contact folks when I have something to sell.

If you’d like to sign up for the newsletter, there’s a form at the bottom of this page, or you can click here. Free books (including AUTUMN: DAWN) are on offer to subscribers.

If you’d like to receive an automatic update whenever I post anything to this site, click the red bell icon in the bottom-left corner of your browser window (not mobiles).

This month’s newsletter was composed with the assistance of our beautiful British Blue cat, Sydney. Just in case you don’t subscribe, I’ve added photographic evidence here. Oh, and why am I pushing the newsletter again now? Because there’s some really good stuff in the pipeline, and I don’t want you to miss it.

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12STORIES – THE RECLAMATION

As you probably remember, the 12STORIES project is all about me working through some of the stockpile of writing prompts and ideas that I’ve built up over the years. As you’d expect given my track record, a lot of them are post-apocalyptic in nature. Here’s one particular doomsday scenario that I really enjoyed writing about. One that, if time and inspiration allow, I may return to again at a later date. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to THE RECLAMATION.

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Escaping the Herd

ESCAPING THE HERD – the penultimate article in my series of zombie-themed posts for THIS IS HORROR – is now available to read over at www.thisishorror.co.uk. In this month’s column, I share my thoughts on the ingredients I believe are crucial to spinning a good undead yarn.

Thanks once again to Michael and Bob for accommodating my rants. I do get irrationally passionate about the living dead!

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British Horror Studio

I’ve said many times before that I’m a frustrated filmmaker at heart. When I started out, media courses were few and far between and the price of equipment was prohibitive. I fell into writing because I had a headful of stories I wanted to tell, and with no way of getting them onto the screen, I instead turned to publishing. Even getting a book out into the wild independently was an ordeal back then. In the twenty years or so since, it’s become incrementally easier for indie writers to tap into the print, eBook, audio, and translation markets. I think filmmaking and distribution has now reached a similar stage, where professional standard tools are available to all. Who knows… one day I might finally get my ass into gear and try to film something I’ve written.

Until then, I’m always happy to support indie filmmakers. I’m under no illusions – I know it takes a lot of time, effort, and commitment to translate an idea into a finished film. I’ve encountered a lot of people who’ve found success over the years, and today I wanted to post about the folks at HEX STUDIOS who are intent on taking their indie horror vision to a new level.

Back in 2013, I watched (and loved) the first HEX movie – LORD OF TEARS. Director LAWRIE BREWSTER and writer SARAH DALY took me by complete surprise with a haunting and unnerving movie. It also introduced the world to the sinister (and immediately recognisable) OWL MAN.

Fast-forward ten years (where the hell did that decade go?) and HEX appears to have gone from strength to strength. They’ve produced a string of movies which have largely been funded through Kickstarter. Personally, I’m not a fan of using crowdfunding for books, but for the development and funding of movies I think it’s a perfect approach. Their resume seems to indicate that they’ve fine-tuned the process.

The reason for today’s post is to bring your attention to a new initiative – HEX are looking to establish a new British horror studio. Following in the footsteps of genre greats like HAMMER and AMICUS, they’re looking (to quote Lawrie) to create a “place that would become a spiritual home for horror artists, fans and independent filmmakers”.

Sounds good to me. And given the HEX track record, I’ve no doubt it’ll happen.

It’s early days, but visit www.britishhorrorstudio.com and join the mailing list to get involved.

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Film recommendation – Dead and Buried

Apologies for the infrequent updates this last couple of weeks – I’m deep into the writing of another new book. There’s always time to recommend a film, though. File this week’s suggestion under forgotten gems.

I’ve mentioned before, I think, that during the 1980’s, when the UK government’s ridiculously heavy-handed video nasty legislation cleared the shelves of almost all horror movies, one of the only ways my younger brother and I could get our horror kicks was by perusing the relevant shelves of Birmingham’s book stores. A prized possession was my copy of the ALIEN photo novel (which still sits proudly on my office bookshelf today). When Pete and I found a paperback novelisation of a new movie called DEAD AND BURIED with an eerie and mysterious cover, and bearing the tag line ‘the creators of ALIEN bring a new terror to Earth’, we were immediately sold. It took me many years to finally track down a decent copy of DEAD AND BURIED, and it was not at all what 11-year-old me had expected. Back in 1981, this film was unfairly mis-sold.

A series of brutal murders of tourists rock the small and otherwise peaceful coastal town of Potter’s Bluff. Sheriff Dan Gillis pieces together the mystery and discovers that the town, and its residents, are not as they seem.

Warning – the following trailer contains glimpses of most of the film’s best moments and some huge spoilers.

Read more: Film recommendation – Dead and Buried

There are no xenomorphs in DEAD AND BURIED. There’s nothing otherworldly about it at all, actually, but you can understand why the studio was keen to cash in on the producer and writers’ connections with Ridley Scott’s masterpiece. It’s a shame, actually, because I think the association diminished DEAD AND BURIED‘s impact somewhat. It’s about as far removed from a science-fiction blockbuster as you can get. Instead, it’s a claustrophobic and genuinely creepy tale about small town secrets that’s part TWILIGHT ZONE, part NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.

The cast reads like a who’s who of early eighties genre greats. JAMES FARENTINO (who, to me, will always be the pilot of BLUE THUNDER on TV) is the local sheriff who’s married to the school teacher played by MELODY ANDERSON (Dale Arden in Mike Hodges’ 1980 FLASH GORDON). Popping up in the supporting cast are other horror luminaries including ROBERT ENGLUND and LISA BLOUNT. Particular mention needs also to be made of the brilliant special makeup effects courtesy of the late, great STAN WINSTON. There are some truly impressive scenes here, not least the time-lapse reconstruction of a murdered girl’s face (as glimpsed in the trailer posted above).

Okay, so the twist in the tail is pretty easy to spot early on, but DEAD AND BURIED succeeds in delivering a solid and unsettling story that’s definitely worth an hour and a half of your time. It’s currently streaming on SHUDDER.

But don’t just take my word for it. Here’s another trailer with an introduction and voiceover from the magnificent GUILLERMO DEL TORO.

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