Mike Thorn's Blog, page 26

Steve Stred Reviews Prairie Gothic

“‘Mini McDonagh Manor’ by Mike Thorn was pristine and showed why I love Mike’s writing so much. Following a woman who needs to confront things from the past, Mike does a really great job of encasing an entire ‘haunted house’ book in a dozen or so pages. Well done.”

Read the full review.

Order Prairie Gothic.

Beyond the Book of Eibon: A literary tribute to Lucio Fulci

I'm thrilled to announce that my new story "Offer to the Adversary" will be included in Beyond the Book of Eibon, a literary tribute anthology to the Italian horror master, Lucio Fulci! Secure your copy on Kickstarter.

Edited by Perry Ruhland and Astrid Rose, the book will also include contributions by Adam Cesare, Gemma Files, Orrin Grey, Michael Hoarty, Kai Perrignon, Matt Serafini, William Tea, Christopher Slatsky, and others. Featuring a foreword by Kier-La Janisse.

Dark Updates (For Better and Worse): Darkest Hours & Shelter for the Damned

It seems only yesterday that I unleashed my debut short story collection Darkest Hours on the world. November 10, 2020 will mark its three-year anniversary, and the end of its print run with Unnerving. So far, the book has been thriving thanks to support and enthusiasm from readers, reviewers, and horror enthusiasts from all dark corners. I fully intend to find it an excellent new home, and I will provide updates as they come!

Having said that, if you want to pick up a copy of Darkest Hours, now is absolutely the time. Order from Amazon or Barnes & Noble before it vanishes (for now…).

In other news, my debut novel Shelter for the Damned is scheduled for release with JournalStone on February 26, 2021. I have a lot of exciting news surrounding that project, but I’m going to have to sit on that for the time being.

Here’s the synopsis:

While looking for a secret place to smoke cigarettes with his two best friends, troubled teenager Mark discovers a mysterious shack in a suburban field. Alienated from his parents and peers, Mark finds within the shack an escape greater than anything he has ever experienced.

But it isn’t long before the place begins revealing its strange, powerful sentience. And it wants something in exchange for the shelter it provides.

Stay spooky, my friends! More updates soon…

Today on In Review Online: Mike Thorn on Judas Priest’s Screaming for Vengeance

“Given its distilled concentration of elements, its fierce reworking of pop sensibility, and its placement within the band’s trajectory, Screaming for Vengeance feels something like metal’s answer to Pet Sounds.”

Read the full article.

Farah Rose Smith Interviews Mike Thorn on The Eldritch Index

"Was there a pivotal moment when you decided to be a writer?

I can’t remember a time before I started writing. For better or worse, it has been a lifelong impulse. I was always drawn to reading, which is probably where my interest in writing originated. As a kid, I was excited by fantasy and horror (J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis and R. L. Stine when I was quite young, and then Stephen King when I got a little older).”

Read the full interview here.

Prairie Gothic Kickstarter

Prairie Gothic is the passion project of literary agent Stacey Kondla, with help from Jim Jackson of Prairie Soul Press. They gathered up-and-coming talents from the prairies to write a thriller of psychological horror story set in these vast open spaces. Then the pandemic hit, and their finances weren’t doing as well as we’d hoped. But they truly want to bring this collection to the public. So they’re looking to make up half the cost of paying their talented authors and editors, printing books and shipping. And they’re looking to make it well worth your while. By contributing, you can unlock special swag – books, music – exclusive contributor-only events, get a professional consultation on your writing and even have a song written about you!

Contribute to this Kickstarter.

(This anthology features the talents of P.J. Vernon, Chris Carolan, Chris Marrs, Calvin Jim, Taijia Morgan, Konn Lavery, Stacey Kondla, Rhonda Parrish, Sarah L. Johnson, Rob Bose, Mike Thorn, Marty Chan, Liz Grotowski, and Jim Jackson).

Mike Thorn on Seventh Row Podcast: The Best Films of 2020 (So Far)

Seventh Row podcast hosts Alex Heeney and Orla Smith discuss the best films of 2020 (so far).

Feat. special guests Brett Pardy, Ben Flanagan, Lena Wilson, Fatima Sheriff, Mike Thorn, & Valeria Villegas Lindval.

Listen here.

Read the shownotes.

Mike Thorn Discusses Prince of Darkness (1987) on Film Formally Podcast

Author and critic Mike Thorn swings by to talk about Prince of Darkness, John Carpenter’s 1987 horror film, and how it both expresses and interrogates the subject of epistemophobia — the fear of knowledge. It’s a great movie to go into knowing very little, so be aware that we spoil the entire plot in this episode.

We get into how the film withholds or ambiguates information for the audience, the film’s balance between pessimism and intellectual humility, and its place in Carpenter’s “Apocalypse Cycle” of movies.

Listen to the full episode.

Stephen King’s Short Story & Novella Collections, Ranked

I’m nearly finished reading Stephen King’s fiction bibliography. Since I’ve now finished reading all of his collections, I thought I’d share my personal ranking:

01. Skeleton Crew (1985)
02. Full Dark, No Stars (2010)
03. Hearts in Atlantis (1999)
04. Night Shift (1978)
05. Different Seasons (1982)
06. Just After Sunset (2008)
07. Everything’s Eventual (2002)
08. Nightmares & Dreamscapes (1993)
09. Four Past Midnight (1990)
10. If It Bleeds (2020)
11. The Bazaar of Bad Dreams (2015)

“A Day in the Life” of Author and Film Critic Mike Thorn

Mike Thorn is an author and film critic who currently resides in Calgary, Alberta (mostly inside his apartment, at the moment). Thorn’s Darkest Hours, a collection of short stories, is anything but mundane. Although his writing is full of darkness and supernatural horrors, it is always rooted in something painfully human. A genre film enthusiast, Mike excels at uncovering allegorical meanings behind fantastical works of art, often rooted in depictions of trauma and hidden pasts. He also can name the top ten horror flicks from any decade at the drop of a hat; the man has lists for everything. Mike is unique in his approach to writing, as he is informed not only by his intense love for literature, but also by his extensive knowledge of cinema. He is particularly influenced and inspired by 1930s horror. Currently, Mike works as an instructor at Bow Valley College, while also keeping up with personal writing projects. Keep your eyes peeled in February 2021 for his debut novel, Shelter for the Damned.

See the full article on Calgary Guardian.