Good news today. The cover for Carnage: Extreme Horror was unveiled. Provided by the extremely talented Mark Kelly, pun intended, this book is looking to be one of my favourite works of the year.
Anyone who reads my blog will have heard of Carnage: Extreme Horror. This is a little side project I’m helming, in order to bring the future of horror – in my eyes – together. I’ve not been writing for long, but I’ve been reading long enough to know a good horror story when I read one. In 2014, I’ve read multiple works from Kyle M. Scott, Angel Gelique, and Jack Rollins (if you haven’t read any of their work, stop what you’re doing, get on Amazon, and grab something, anything, you’re missing out) and to say I was impressed is an understatement. Carnage: Extreme Horror is my way of honouring these authors, bringing them together and generating some buzz in order to bring them some well-earned exposure and…well, to have some extreme fun in the process.
A few months ago, Angel asked me why I chose her. The reason is simple for all three authors: Talent. Each of these authors has a firm grasp on horror and, in all honesty, they have a variety of horror sub-genres amongst them. Rollins with his Victorian-style horror, reminiscent of Hammer in their prime, who has gone out of his comfort zone to bring you one of his best works in ‘Anti-Terror’. Trust me, I’ve read it, it’s phenomenal. Angel has a twisted, macabre style that doesn’t seem befitting of a female author – her trilogy, Hillary, is resounding in its graphic descriptions of torture -, but she pulls it off with aplomb and offensive grace. It was definitely a highlight of the year and I can’t wait to read her story here. Then, there’s Scott. The new Laymon? Maybe. With heavy influence from Lee, King and many other horror authors, there’s few writers in the world who can write graphic violence quite like him. His story, ‘Room 7’, is sure to offend and scare. I can’t wait. Put them into a melting pot with me, a self-confessed and obsessed Laymonite, and a foreword from the king of Extreme Horror himself, Matt Shaw, this is looking to be a phenomenal anthology. You don’t want to miss this.
Carnage: Extreme Horror is available from December 15th. Have a very, gory Christmas…