Interview with Isaac Thorne, Horror Author
Haunted MTL interview with Isaac Thorne, author of horror stories such as The Gordon Place, Road Kills, The Murder of Crows, Dislike and Hoppers.
Are you interested in discovering horror literature, as opposed to only seeing it on a screen? If so, you’re in luck! I had a chance to play Diane Sawyer and interview horror author Isaac Thorne, author of works like The Gordon Place, Road Kills, The Murder of Crows and Hoppers. Admittedly, I wasn’t familiar with the author until I read his short story, Dislike, to prepare my questions. It’s actually a good story, in case you’re concerned. Anyway, here are the questions and answers!
After reading “Dislike,” I was pleased by the simple approach employed. It also seems like a fairly plausible story, as most of us have seen people carelessly ranting online. Was this at all based on a true experience?
Isaac Thorne: Dislike is unique in my catalog in that it’s a story told entirely through a series of social media posts. It’s not based on a true experience so much as it is an amalgam of experiences you can witness on any social media platform on any given day. The main thing I wanted to depict in that story is the way in which we all vent everything on social media. We shout virtually into these echo chambers thinking that we’re going to find love, support, or sympathy. What often happens instead is that we get yelled at or egged on in an unhealthy way.
What are some themes you plan on exploring in the future, or that you’d like other authors to explore?
Isaac Thorne: Almost all my stories are at least partially informed by current events. Dislike and The Murder of Crows are both more or less about our age of social media and social media justice. Decision Paralysis, on the other hand, is mainly about how damn busy we are with nonsense all the time, to the point of creating crippling anxiety for ourselves. Lately, I’ve been paying a lot of attention to guilt and rationalization, and how people are willing to accept any ridiculous excuse or story a bad guy throws out there as long as they feel like it somehow reinforces their worldview. I’d love to specifically tackle that kind of cognitive dissonance, where people are willingly gaslighted as long as they’re not threatened. But I want to do it in a unique way that doesn’t directly mirror events in the real world.
Visualization
Do you ever visualize stories as if they are movies?
Isaac Thorne: All the time. In fact, that’s primarily the way my head works when I’m writing a scene. Some reviewers of both my short story collection Road Kills and my novel The Gordon Place have said that I have a cinematic style to my writing, so I guess that comes through in the final product to some extent. It’s simpler for me to write a scene if I imagine the way it might play out on-screen, as if I was watching a movie, instead of trying to place myself in whatever the scenario is in my imagination.
What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever written, and did you like it?
Isaac Thorne: That has to be Hoppers, which is a short story about a bunch of demonic rabbits who take revenge on an automotive mechanic who ran over one of them on his way home from work. It’s a story that’s silly on purpose. I wanted to write something that was both horrific and slapstick like Evil Dead II except the possessed entities were bunnies.
Have you ever written yourself into a corner on purpose?
Isaac Thorne: Never intentionally, but it has happened. I wrote the first chapter of my novel The Gordon Place several years ago. That chapter ends with constable Graham Gordon falling into the cellar of his abandoned childhood home and getting trapped there. But it wasn’t until the fall of 2018 that I was able to sit down and take the story anywhere else. After I wrote Chapter Two, the rest started flowing naturally. For a long time, though, I feared that The Gordon Place was never going to be more than that first chapter.
Do you listen to music when writing, or would that just be a distraction?
Isaac Thorne: I used to listen to music. In fact, I incorporated the titles of some of the tunes I was listening to when I wrote Nobody Was Here into the story. That was easy because the whole thing basically takes place in a burger joint’s men’s room. Several of the songs that were in my earbuds in key scenes get a mention in the text of the story. Things are different now, though. It’s been seven years since I completed that first draft of Nobody Was Here, and my life has changed significantly. These days, listening to music or trying to have the TV on as background noise is more likely to distract me from what I’m trying to achieve. I don’t know if it’s because I feel more urgency to write something to completion now that I actually have an audience for my work, or if it’s just because I’ve become more [easily distracted] with age.
Physicality and Planning
In what ways is writing a physical process?
Isaac Thorne: There’s a tactile and auditory sensation to it that I love. I enjoy the feel of tapping the keys on my keyboard in addition to the sound of the clicks. I think the most interesting sensation for me is the relief I feel after I get my words for the day out of my head and into the document. By the time I’m done, my brain is tired, I’m yawning uncontrollably, and all I want to do for the rest of the night is stare at some silly fictional non-fiction on television, like Ghost Adventures or Ancient Aliens.
Do you create a skeletal draft or do you just go in unplanned?
Isaac Thorne: I mostly go in unplanned. The short stories, in particular, are never outlined. The way I start a new project is to form the climactic scene first in my head. I figure out what I want to lead up to, and then I flesh out the rest of the story around that. That way, everything I’m writing to get to that ultimate scene is in the service of answering one question: how did we get here? The aftermath of that ultimate scene then pretty much writes itself.
That said, I admit to having attempted to draft an outline for The Gordon Place after I wrote that first chapter and became worried that I wouldn’t be able to take it anywhere. All I knew when I wrote the first chapter is that I wanted the main character, Gordon Graham, to become trapped in his childhood home and therein be forced to confront the person whom his past had helped shape. Then I got stuck and figured an outline was probably the way to go.
The one benefit of having done so was that it helped me create the other characters in the novel. Everyone except Graham–Afia, Staff, Patsy, Lee–sprang from that outline attempt. Then I started trying to write scenes based on the outline I’d written. I got a third of the way into Chapter Two and realized that even though they’d been spawned from the outline, the characters were taking the story in directions I hadn’t anticipated. At that point, the outline pretty much went out the window.
Do you recommend using a dictionary or thesaurus?
Isaac Thorne: I recommend using both a dictionary and a thesaurus. Don’t use words when you don’t know their meanings. That’s when a dictionary is most handy. They’re also helpful for usage guidelines. A pet peeve of mine is when I see a writer incorrectly use the term “myriad.” You don’t say “a myriad of ways.” The correct usage is “myriad ways.” Many folks want to use “myriad” the same way you use “plethora,” and that’s not correct. However, it might be fine to use it that way someday soon. The way dictionaries seem to work these days is to adopt whatever the most common misusage of a word or phrase might be. That’s why nobody freaks out about the misuse of a word like “literally” anymore.
Are there any stories you’d like to write, but feel you couldn’t?
Isaac Thorne: I don’t think there are stories I want to write that I can’t write if I just sit down and do it. That goes the same for any writer. If you can imagine it, you can write it. Whether the depiction you’ve created of what you were imagining is any good is a different question and one that readers and writers can only answer for themselves.
Published in January of 2024, This Wretched Valley is Jenny Kiefer’s debut novel and is a horror written for hikers, campers, and all of your general outdoorsy type people. Reminiscent of Scott Smith’s The Ruins, with a healthy helping of Adam Nevill’s The Ritual, This Wretched Valley is a story of restless and vengeful spirits with some spectacular body horror scenes you will not forget.
The Plot.
Set in Kentucky, This Wretched Valley’s main plot covers a week in March of 2019. The time-stamped chapters follow four college friends and their faithful Australian Shepherd. One of the four friends, Clay, has discovered a rock formation that appears to have never been climbed or explored. The group embark on an expedition that is part rock climbing exploration and part scientific research. From the moment they enter the valley at the base of the rock things don’t feel right. Their dog, Slade, is acting funny and the plant life grows in unusual varieties and patterns for this part of Kentucky.
After an accident climbing the rock things go from bad to worse, with strange apparitions appearing before them and dead animals being left at the edges of the camp. The worst thing is that despite following their GPS, they can’t seem to find their way back to the car. Tempers flare, but is it because of the situation they find themselves in, or is something influencing their emotions?
Highlights.
One of the highlights of This Wretched Valley is the short chapters that are dotted throughout the book. These chapters tell the stories of other people who came before our hikers, from other centuries, that suffered due to their presence in the valley. As the main chapters culminate the characters from the historical chapters begin to pop up in the present.
The descriptions of the injuries the hikers suffer, real and imagined, are excellent. Kiefer really knows how to make a reader squirm, if you enjoy blood and gore this book is for you. There is one scene in particular with a swarm of flies that I read twice.
Drawbacks.
I know it is a necessary evil in horror, that the main characters must miss things that may seem obvious to the reader for the story to build. I mean, if the hikers in This Wretched Valley picked up on how the dog was acting in the first chapter and left we wouldn’t have this excellent book. That being said, so many things begin to go wrong, but each is shrugged off or explained away. The ignorance of huge things that were happening right in front of them seemed a little too wilful. Perhaps we can give Kiefer the benefit of the doubt and assume that maybe this was the point, the wilfully ignorant get what they deserve.
Another grip I have with this book is the head-hopping. Rather than focus on one character in a chapter and reading their point of view, Kiefer has head hopped. Delivering various points of view within a chapter, sometimes within a paragraph. And that’s fine, many authors do this. However, at times it was hard to figure out who was seeing or thinking a particular thing. Going back to reread some paragraphs did help, but stopping in the middle of the action to reread is not ideal.
The Final Take.
While I’m not an avid outdoorsman myself – camping, hiking, and climbing aren’t my passions. I found myself thoroughly engaged with the descriptions of the natural world in this novel. Kiefer, a rock climbing enthusiast, clearly brings a genuine passion and expertise to her depictions of This Wretched Valley. I believe any reader who enjoys these pursuits will find a particular resonance in her writing.
For those interested, I discovered that Jenny Kiefer owns Butcher Cabin Books, a unique horror bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky. If you’re in the area perhaps pop in and explore a book store dedicated to the world of horror literature.
(4 / 5)
Book Reviews
This Work of Darkness: the people of Salem are waiting.
“Old Mother Gossip says something is wrong in Salem village.”
“Lives coil within lives. Dreams coil within dreams.”
First and foremost, I would like to thank Lucretia Grindle for providing me with an ARC of This Work of Darkness. Being immersed in 17th-century Salem Massachusetts was just what I needed to escape the insanity of the holiday season. With a planned publication date of January 16, 2025, This Work of Darkness is Book 2 of Grindle’s Salem duology. For anyone who has not read The Devil’s Glove, Book 1 of this series, please see my review here.
The Plot.
In the opening chapters of This Work of Darkness, we meet back up with Resolve Hammond. Now a young woman of means, living comfortably within the English family home in the heart of Salem, Massachusetts. Her days are filled with the rhythms of life in the bustling town – tending to the English family store and interacting with the townsfolk.
However, beneath this veneer of contentment lies a deep-seated guilt. Years ago, Resolve made a solemn promise to Thaddeus and Abigail Hobbs: she would always protect and care for Abigail as a sister. Driven by a conscience burdened by her broken promise, Resolve seeks out Abigail. The stark contrast between her own privileged existence and the abject poverty and despair she witnesses at the Hobbs farm does nothing to alleviate her guilt. Abigail’s deteriorating mental state serves as a painful reminder of Resolve’s failings.
As Resolve grapples with her guilt and the haunting memories of her past, a sinister undercurrent begins to stir within Salem. Accusations of spectral visitations and inexplicable afflictions erupt within the community, casting a pall of fear and suspicion over the townsfolk. One by one, the women in Resolve’s life – her friends, her confidantes, the very fabric of her social circle – are swept away by the hysteria, accused of witchcraft, and dragged before the court.
Highlights.
A key highlight of This Work of Darkness lies in Grindle’s masterful weaving of historical figures and events with her compelling fictional characters. This is historical fiction at its finest. The novel is rich with recognizable names and occurrences from the Salem Witch Trials, prompting me to frequently delve into further research, eagerly verifying the historical accuracy of characters I didn’t immediately recognize. To my delight, many of these were indeed real figures, and the book itself served as a fascinating gateway to deeper historical exploration. Grindle deserves significant praise for her poignant portrayal of the human suffering that unfolded during this period. Unlike many novels on the Salem Witch Trials, This Work of Darkness delves deeply into the individual experiences of its characters, meticulously exploring their motivations, relationships, and the profound impact of the hysteria on their lives.
Drawbacks.
This Work of Darkness is a sequel and as such of course must make references to the first work as a way to join the two together. However, I found that Grindle spent a lot of time in the first half of this novel recounting and rehashing the events of The Devil’s Glove. This can feel somewhat repetitive for readers experiencing this book as a sequel, and overwhelming for those approaching the novel as a standalone work.
As I mentioned in my review of The Devil’s Glove, Grindle is a wordsmith. This has not changed. However, while the phrase “Mother Gossip” (not a character but the gossip trending through the social circles of the story) initially adds a unique flavor to the novel’s language, its frequent recurrence throughout the narrative detracts from the overall reading experience. This repetitive use of the phrase, despite its initial charm, becomes somewhat tedious and disrupts the flow of the otherwise creatively written story.
The Final Take.
This Work of Darkness had me digging through the back of my bookshelf and rediscovering the joy that is Henry Miller’s, The Crucible. While the complete truth of the Salem Witch Trials may forever remain shrouded in mystery, Grindle’s exploration of the social and psychological factors that fueled the accusations was particularly insightful and entertaining.
As with its predecessor, I found myself captivated by the narrative, marking numerous passages and quotes. Perhaps my favorite from the entire series, is found in Chapter 29:
‘Truth, I would remind him, had little to do with anything these days. What mattered was what people chose to believe. That was what turned the jail keys.”
Pretty profound if you ask me.
(4.5 / 5)
Book Reviews
The Devil’s Glove: Before the Salem Witch Trials.
“The Devil does wear beautiful gloves.”
“Skin to skin. Blood to blood. Heart sister to heart sister.”
In Lucretia Grindle’s The Devil’s Glove: Salem Book 1 (May 2023), readers are transported to the chilling precipice of the Salem Witch Trials. This meticulously researched novel blends historical accuracy with supernatural elements. Grindle crafts a captivating tale of fear, mistrust, and the enduring power of human connection.
Set in the remote Puritan village of Falmouth, on the eve of the infamous trials, the story unfolds amidst the clash of cultures. A war is brewing between the English settlers and the existing Native American community, fueling suspicion and resentment. Grindle masterfully explores the themes of colonialism, othering, and the enduring human need for connection.
The Plot.
In 1688, on the eve of the Salem Witch Trials, we meet Resolve Hammond. A young woman with the unsettling gift of seeing beyond the veil of reality. When Avis Hobbs dies, Resolve’s mother, a healer with deep ties to the local Native American tribe, suspects foul play.
Despite the growing tension between the villagers and their Native American neighbors, Resolve’s mother remains silent, fearing accusations of witchcraft. But Resolve, privy to unsettling visions, senses a sinister truth. Who would poison Avis, and why does Avis’s daughter, Abigail, seem eerily pleased?
As the village descends into paranoia and the threat of war with the neighboring native community looms, Resolve must confront her unsettling gift and use it to uncover the truth, even as the men in power manipulate events for their own gain.
Highlights.
Lucretia Grindle is a wordsmith. I rarely find myself stopping to reread sentences and passages just because once was not enough. The prose in this book is unrivaled. Beautiful metaphors and turns of phrase adorn every page. I was so pleased to be reading on Kindle, highlighting line upon line, “murmur piles upon murmur like rotting leaves”, “feel for the flutter of the soul at the neck” and “the kitchen is a cave of shapes” are just a few of my favorites.
The research that Grindle must have completed for this novel must also be noted. This is not only obvious with the inclusion of real people but also in the immersiveness of the setting. Details so small you might miss them are dropped like rain throughout the chapters, each contributing to filling the bucket that is 1688 New England.
Drawbacks.
There are no drawbacks to The Devil’s Glove in so far as the plot, characters, and writing are involved. I did find some repeated metaphors and spelling errors; this however is not a problem with the story or the author but an editing issue that takes nothing away from the story or prose.
Not so much a drawback, but perhaps a misrepresentation was that The Devil’s Glove would tell the story of a mother and daughter who are suspected or accused of witchcraft. This is not this book. Although there is deep distrust between the Hammonds and the Puritan townsfolk, there is little in the way of actual accusations until the novel’s end.
The Final Take.
The Devil’s Glove is an exquisitely written novel that was a pleasure to read. It is reminiscent of Outlander with splashings of A Discovery of Witches. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of the sequel, This Work of Darkness. I will be beginning this as soon as this review is posted. After reading the last lines of The Devil’s Glove there is no way I’m wasting a second to find out what comes next.
(5 / 5)
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