Mike Thorn's Blog, page 38

Darkest Hours FINALLY Available on Canadian Amazon

Darkest Hours is FINALLY available in both paperback and eBook on Canadian Amazon (also available on Amazon US and UK): myBook.to/DarkestHours

Check out some of the blurb/review samples:

“The element of surprise is a tribute to Thorn’s ingenuity; the assuredness of his prose is due to his extensive knowledge of the horror genre.”
— S.P. Miskowski, author of Strange is the Night

“Mike Thorn is brilliant.”
— Waylon Jordan, iHorror

“When you first encounter Thorn’s writing, a number of qualities impress themselves: the macabre intelligence (brutal really), the chilling wit, the naturalness of the dialogue. Plus there’s the skill and style of the prose.”
— Robert Dunbar, author of The Pines and Willy

“This is subversive literary horror.”
— Tim Murr, Biff Bam Pop

“Mike Thorn has delivered a promising debut with this collection showing off his commitment to stories of nuance, heart, and of course… darkness.”
— Daniel Braum, author of The Night Marchers and Other Strange Tales

“The hallmark of great horror is that it surprises, scares, and most importantly, entertains. Darkest Hours succeeds on all these levels.”
— Brandon Wilson, The Weal

“Mike Thorn writes with refreshing originality and hides fangs behind a smile.”
— John C. Foster, author of Mister White

“Mike Thorn’s debut story collection is not to be missed by those who enjoy an academic intellect with a potent flair for fiction.”
— Dustin LaValley, author of A Soundless Dawn

Mike Thorn Brings Illumination to the “Darkest Hours”: Interview in iHorror

"If you ever want to have a truly fascinating conversation, ask an author about his or her work. Seriously, there are few things more riveting than listening to the inspiration and their personal process of writing, and even more, the subjects that sparked an author’s imagination that brought a story to life. Fortunately for me, I get to do that a lot, and Mike Thorn, whose recent debut anthology Darkest Hours just released, had plenty to say about his work and his process."

Read the full interview in iHorror.

What the Writers Say: Darkest Hours Launch at Mount Royal University

Thank you to everyone who came out to Friday’s Darkest Hours launch at Mount Royal University. It was fun to answer your questions, sign your books and read grotesque fiction aloud in public. I’m looking forward to the next launch — Wednesday, December 6th at 7pm, Owl’s Nest Books.

Check out Christian Kindrachuk's event photos on my website.

Underrated '97: Guest Post on Rupert Pupkin Speaks

Rupert Pupkin Speaks invited me to write a guest post about my picks for most underrated films of 1997. I had a great time reflecting on releases by Lillian Schwartz, Gregg Araki, Steven Spielberg and others.

Read the full post here.

Interview Feature in BeatRoute

"Halloween may be behind us, but the horror never stops, especially for Calgary artist, filmmaker and writer Mike Thorn, who just finished up his MA in English at the University of Calgary, writing his thesis on the relationship between horror and epistemology and is about to publish out his first book, a collection of 16 stories, eight of which have seen publication in various horror and genre outlets over the past couple years."

Read the full article.

Mike Thorn Q&As Dustin LaValley on Unnerving's Website

"Mike: Who are the authors that got you interested in reading? Are
they different from the ones who sparked your interest in writing? What do you read mostly these days?

Dustin: Middle School, I had an English teacher (retired Patriots player) who assigned the class collected works of Poe, though before I give them credit I have to say the fondest experience of discovering an interest in reading was due to my parents, forcing childhood me to read R.L. Stine who I loved and collected. After middle school and Poe, it was shock and awe authors such as mentors turned buddies, Jack Ketchum and Edward Lee. The last decade or so, it’s been almost all authors in the realm of crime, noir, and those of a 'transgressive' nature. A novel in the Parker or Grofield series by Richard Stark is just as likely to be read as anything by Jerry Stahl or Easton Ellis."

Read the full conversation.

Devious Dialogues: An Interview with Darkest Hours Author Mike Thorn

For the latest Devious Dialogue, Anya Stanley asked me some great questions about Darkest Hours (now available on US Amazon--international Amazon distribution coming soon!).

Who/what were some of the influences on Darkest Hours? (Book Comes Out Tomorrow!)

"Now that I’m looking back, it might be easier to identify who and what was influencing the things I’ve written. In the moment, I’m very rarely conscious of inspiration; I let my stories take me where they take me, and I don’t allow myself time for questioning. Darkest Hours, scheduled for a November 21 release with Unnerving, collects 16 pieces that I wrote between 2015 and 2017. I like to think the collection reflects a range of my interests and fixations. This post provides a brief insight into the books, authors, movies and situations that fueled the contents of my debut collection."

Read the guest post "Mike Thorn has overtaken Roadie Notes" here.

Book Review: Mike Thorn Mines the Depths of Anxiety and Doubt in Darkest Hours

Waylon Jordan reviewed Darkest Hours for iHorror. Here's a glimpse of what he had to say:

"I knew two things when I finished that story ['Hair']:

1. I was completely repulsed and disturbed by what I’d just read.
2. I would have missed the chance of a lifetime if I’d skipped this announcement because Mike Thorn is brilliant."

Read the full review in iHorror.

Interview: Unnerving Short Stories with Mike Thorn

Adrian Shotbolt of The Grim Reader had me on his blog to answer some questions about my collection Darkest Hours, coming November 21 from Unnerving.

Read the interview here.