CAST MACABRE NEWSLETTER

From Cast Macbre Editor, Barry Northern,

'Welcome to the Cast Macabre Newsletter

Hi, Horror fans. Since last time we've seen the release of the very well-received, "The Stamp of a Vamp" by Paul D. Brazill, and our first flash fiction special, or Stab of Fear, "Dangerous Premonitions" by Laura Eno, which first appeared over at 52 Stiches. Stabs of Fear don't get the usual authour intro and outro sections, so here, for newletter subscribers, is some information about Laura and thoughts on the story.

Dangerous Premonitions by Laura Eno

Laura Eno has written two YA fantasy novels and a paranormal romance. Her flash fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Twisted Dreams, The Monsters Next Door, Flashes in the Dark, 10Flash, House of Horror, The New Flesh, Everyday Weirdness and MicroHorror.

For me, like many great flash stories, Dangerous Premonitions is the tip of a the iceberg of a larger narrative. Reworked for long form, this story could easily be the first chapter of a novel where we see the redemptive journey of the misunderstood protagonist with the paranormal ability and the eventual capture of the real murderer, who is still at large at the end of Dangerous Premonitions.

The fear in this tale, for me, comes not from the macabre description of the premonition, nor the horrible murder of the poor child, nor from the fact that the killer is still out there, but from the paranormal nature of the premonition itself: which the footsteps in the snow illustrate so well. It hints at some larger force at work, some unknown power beyond our understanding, which threatens the roots of what we accept to be reality. Fear of the unknown is one of our basic fears, and unlike some fears, it is a rational one. Laura shows this through the outcome for our unfortunate hero.

Authour Interview

Before we get into the interview I'd like to also mention that we are now open to submissions. You can read the guidelines here. I have to say that even though we cannot yet afford to pay our authours, that doesn't mean automatic acceptance. I've had to give my first rejection recently, which as a long time writer and first time editor, was difficult. But it is necessary if I am to cultivate the proper feel for Cast Macabre and act in the best interests of our listeners. I'm holding off on listing in Duotrope, so now's a good time to get in early before submissions become more frequent.

Now, I promised an authour interview, so let's go right back to episode one, Their Dark Master, by Mark Anthony Crittenden. Mark was the editor of the anthology Howl : Dark Tales of the Feral and Infernal released through Lame Goat Press, where this story first appeared. You can still buy the anthology on Amazon. You can help support Cast Macabre by purchasing it through the link at the bottom of the sidebar on the main site.

An Interview with Mark A. Crittenden

CM: The main character in Their Dark Master is a hitman. Why do you think hitmen make good characters?

MC: Hit men make appearances in a lot of my writing. They serve as boatmen that ferry souls to the other side, omens of portent, and of course equalizers. They are often attuned to the supernatural because they spend most of their time in the shadows, sharing that undercurrent with the other dark things of the spirit world.

In my story The Six of Swords (Champagne Shivers 2010 issue) hit men are represented by the tarot card of the same name, because the card shows a depict of someone being ferried across a river by a man (an ascribed professional of some kind) who just happens to have six swords driven into the hull of the boat, within easy reach. An occultist skilled in the tarot would know that this card by itself always signals the presence of a hit man.

And since you asked, I might as well announce that I hope to release my first book soon, an anthology of stories of which this mythology, the lore of the hit man, takes the forefront.

CM: That sounds like an interesting theme for an anthology. I'm also interested in what you said about hitmen being attuned to the supernatural. What do you think horror, as a literary form, has to say about the darker aspects of the human condition?

MC: Horror as a literary form is a give-and-take relationship between the author and reader, and is directly dependent upon on how far each are willing to go. The author knowingly constructs pathways into some very terrible situations, and the reader says, "I will do this for you. I can handle it. Just take me somewhere, anywhere." The relationship is unique because both enter it willingly knowing only one thing for sure: that things will end badly.

CM: I loved the 'bloody one' in the vat of gore. Who is he? What's his story?

MC: The Bloody One is a McGuffin, or mysterious thing that drives the plot. The less that was known about him, the more effective he would be to that end. I knew that the main character needed to "acquire" him in some way (in this case a hit was put out on him), and that to counter the stoic representation of Victor Vulheim, The Bloody One is the embodiment of negative energy and personifies failure, doubt, and the incalculable. All of these are the bane of Vulheim, who requires precision to succeed.

CM: Will there be any more Victor Vulheim stories?

MC: Funny you should ask about the longevity of Vulheim. I did intend on revisiting the character, although most of my hit men make their debut at the end of their lives. I guess that's because I've always held that it is better to burn out than to fade away. In any case, if he does appear again it will be in my upcoming anthology.

CM: Do you find writing horror to be a cathartic experience?

MC: Yes, absolutely. I think writing horror is a way of taking the mind apart and putting it back together again. When on the operating table of authoring you have only raw materials to work with: the landscape of your own mind. And just as with science you must constantly refine your methods to achieve maximum effect. Horror is fun because you can be scared by something encapsulated...at a safe distance. In this way it gives us power over certain things we cannot control.

CM: Apart from the anthology, do you have any other upcoming stories or projects you'd like to tell us about?

MC: Well, I am editing Potter's Field 4 for Sam's Dot Publishing. I am hoping to start the submissions process around August 1st of this year, assuming everything goes as planned. Aside from that I try to always be writing something. Thanks for the opportunity to spill my guts, Barry. And to all interested authors, check out http://www. samsdotpublishing.com/ for updates on Potter's Field 4. Their monthly newsletter "At The Dot" lists all of the guidelines for upcoming projects.

And Finally ...

Well, that's about it for this newsletter. If you want to share the extra special content with your friends, please encourage them to sign up at the site. Subscribers will still be able to access the latest newsletter via the Google Friend Connect bar at the top.

If you enjoy Cast Macabre, please consider donating via the support options on the sidebar. We'll be setting up a donations page soon to show you exactly where all your money is being spent, and the things we are saving up for, but our primary thrust right now is to make Cast Macabre a paying market so that we can pay our artists for their hard work.

If you can't afford it right now then you can still help greatly by contributing to the discussions on our story threads on facebook, tweeting about us, and posting about us or adding our logo on your blog using the embed code.

Or why not consider submitting a story of your own?

Until next time,

Barry J. Northern

Editor, Cast Macabre'