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I'm a sucker for "insider"-type books and articles dealing with the 80's horror fiction boom, but unfortunately there's not much out there unless one wants to dig into the horror magazines of old like Midnight Graffiti, Twilight Zone, Whispers, Horror Show, etc. I became a fan in 1989, when the market was still in full swing (though showing signs of collapsing under its own weight), but as I was only 10 I wasn't quite old enough to fully appreciate how good us horror fans had it. I just thought
The main reason I wanted to read this book is because I had recently finished Blackwater by Michael McDowell, and I saw he was featured as one of the authors interviewed for the book. McDowell wasn't a public figure during his lifetime, and what I found about him online was slim, so I thought this would give me better insight into his life and his writing. Sure, there were other authors in there I've read, but it was McDowell who was the anchor for me.Winter interviewed seventeen authors for the...
Originally published in 1985 and revised in 1990 (the edition I read), this is a good collection of interviews/essays (it’s not a strict Q&A format) with the leading horror writers of the day (a couple of whom have since dropped out of sight and, curiously, V C Andrews is included but Anne Rice isn’t). It’s a solid gathering of talent, with each writer allowed the space to discuss their career, goals and inspirations and Winter keeps everything ticking over nicely. Well worth a read.
A collection of interviews with well known horror writers. Well done and I enjoyed it a lot. I like to read about the lives and working habits of writers whose work I've enjoyed. Contains interviews with: Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson, William Peter Blatty, Dennis Etchison, Ramsey Campbell, David Morrell, James Herbert, Charles L. Grant, T.E.D. Klein, Alan Ryan, John Coyne, V.C. andrews, Michael McDowell, Whitley Streiber, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, and Stephen King.
I am more interested in the authors than in their actual stories. The interviews with the different authors revealed much about their early lives. Very interesting. Also a history lesson because much of this information is about books and movies from the 70's and 80's.
My well-worn copy adorns my writing desk. Even though it's terribly out-of-print and out-of-date, it's an window into the lives and minds of some of the greatest modern horror writers(circa 1985). Anyone wanting to know the fears and motivations of some of the best horror (or any genre) writers around should find this book. Combine the often clear threads that link each of them with the tantalizingly distinct origins of their own styles and stories, and you'll find find a glimpse into the mind o...
Douglas E. Winter serves up a collection of interviews with some of the biggest names in the horror fiction market. Or at least these folks were the biggies back in 1985 when this volume came out. Thus it doesn’t account for a lot of what’s happened in the 17 years since. For example, Clive Barker is portrayed as the cutting edge of horror, and Anne Rice is mentioned only in passing. However, overall this is a fascinating look at some of the folks who helped shape the genre.
My journal entry from 1991 when I read this says, "The interview with Stephen King made me laugh."