I was recently able to speak to the voice behind the upcoming horror novel ‘Shallow Basin’. Shallow Basin is a coming of age story about a teenage boy who has to deal with the dire consequences of a local monster that has been unleashed on mankind. You can visit her website here. Join me in getting to know a little more about author Suzanne Cowles:

What’s the inspiration behind Shallow Basin?

I consider myself a visual artist not an author, because prose is only one tool used to convey the story. How the plot translates to cinema is just as important to me.

The desire to create something unique inspired the concept of a well-crafted horror story about the twisted relationships of an entire southern town threatened by the existence of an urban legend.

The story has page-turning action, family drama, romance, creepy chills and occasional humor. To my knowledge, there is nothing out there remotely similar.

Without giving anything away, what can you tell us about the Creepler?

The Creepler lives in the swampy woods and is a bi-pedal reptilian creature with sinister eyes, sharp teeth, menacing claws and makes a creepy noise when near. The Cryptomorph species is a mutation from something unknown by man.

Do you identify with any of the characters?

I have heard the cliché “write what you know” and I do, but I also research a lot of new material.

Some of my life experiences end up on the page, as well as, fragments of other people I know. That is what makes the characters real.

Are there any horror novels that inspired you, or even a few you simply recommend?

Due to time constraints, I prefer to watch horror movies but have been a huge fan of Clive Barker’s lifetime works especially HELLRAISER. He has a true command of graphic description that evokes serious uneasiness in me.

I am a diehard ALIEN franchise fan and would love to see the saga completed by my “TRANSFECTION” script. It ties together the four movie plots, answers the questions the fans always wanted to know and presents something new but complimentary to the whole package.

That is why I create art, to entertain the audience.

In what formats will Shallow Basin be available?

Any format available (print, eBook, audio, film) and I’m thinking ahead of new presentations such as interactive tablet apps that create a total package.

I’m seeking agent representation, but I have not ruled out self-publishing. There is a whole debate about the pros and cons of traditional v indie. My thoughts are that if you have a solid story to sell then the course taken to get to the consumer should not be the primary focus.

Creative solutions drive industries forward. Old school tactile books and new age eBooks can peacefully co-exist.

Do you have any suggestions for aspiring horror writers?

If you ask the brick n mortar stores horror is dead, evidenced by their removal of the genre section from the aisles. In fact, the word had become so taboo that most Literary agents will not touch it with a Hazmat suit. Yet on Twitter, there are a zillion fans.

Great literary fiction such as Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN and Emily Bronte’s WUTHERING HEIGHTS started the genre. Originally called Gothic, to horror and now a dirty word never spoken aloud.

New authors should be aware that the industry frowns on anything not Hobbit or Vampire because once something is commercially successful the executives ride the horse until its dead. I intend to help bring horror back to where it originally started, by using carefully crafted words as weapons to paint images no one can forget.

Thank you so much, Suzanne, for sharing your time with our readers.

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