Martin Livings

More writing squee... thanks to editormum, I found I'd scored an Honorable Mention in ellen_datlow's Year's Best Horror for 2008! One day I'd love to get an actual reprint in there, of course, but considering the competition, I'm pretty frickin' chuffed to even get noticed.

The list of fortunate Aussies is dutifully posted HERE.

Even since I wrote Carnies, I've been talking about how it was inspired by the cheap remainered paperback horror novels I used to read as a boy. But the title of one that had a huge impact on me had eluded me for many years.

Until last night, when i finally remembered it. The Tribe. A generic title, unfortunately, but a series of intense Google searches later, I actually found it. So now I can officially name the three novels that I remember best from those halcyon days, three books I bought for peanuts from a revolving stand in my local deli that warped changed me forever. They are:

( Books beneath the cut... )

Now, I'm in no way saying these books are classics. Heck, I doubt they're even good. But for my highly-impressionable mind, they were the beginnings of a career. These are the kinds of books I'd like to write, because I don't think anyone's doing it anymore. Pulp horror, gross and fun and exciting.

I love it!