When and how did Dark Minds Press form?
Quite organically. Way back when the idea of an anthology started myself (Ross Warren) and Anthony Watson, who is my partner at Dark Minds, were regular posters on a now defunct forum. A few of us agreed that we would be interested in putting together a collection to showcase our work and get it out there. Anthony generously offered to fund the enterprise and we started collecting together stories. A fellow forumite volunteered to act as editor and we were swiftly on our way to fame and fortune. Over two years later and after several eventful twists and turns we finally have the book out there and garnering favourable reviews.
What attracted you to the horror genre?
My fascination with horror started with a book I found amongst a bowl of stuff my sister was throwing out prior to us emigrating to Spain. It was a massive book, and despite it missing the first thirty odd pages I was hooked. That book was IT by Stephen King and it led to me becoming a massive fan of the man’s work.
What type of horror do Dark Minds Press publish?
Well we only have one book under our belt at the moment and that contains quite a variety of styles and period settings, so the best way to categorise it is probably – great. There are so many wonderful writers out there struggling to get work published that you really don’t have to settle for publishing anything below par.
Talk us through some of the key authors at Dark Minds Press.
I guess the main writer that your readers will recognise, and who we were absolutely stunned by when he offered us a story, is Gary McMahon. I am certain that if he had been writing during the eighties horror boom he would be a household name. Other writers of note include Carole Johnstone and Stephen Bacon. One you might not have heard of is Shaun Hammel who has a unique style that is all his own. He has a story called ‘Human Bridge’ that is Clive Barker good.
What are your upcoming releases?
Well we haven’t decided yet on the way forward, and to be honest we need to see how sales go before we know if a further project is even feasible. A Kindle edition of the anthology will be forthcoming, just as soon as I work out the formatting!
What Dark Minds Press releases are you most proud of and why?
Obviously this has to be Dark Minds. Nothing in my creative life has given me a thrill like getting a copy in my hands.
Do e-books threaten or complement the print industry?
I hope that they will be complementary. I’m surprised more publishers don’t offer the e-book version free with the physical copy.
Are you currently open for submission?
No, but if we do decide that Dark Minds 2 is the route we want to go it will be an open submission project as we think it’s right to give all writers, no matter what their publishing credits, the opportunity to submit.
What authors would you love to see write for Dark Minds Press?
I would love to publish stories by James Cooper, Simon Bestwick, Gary Fry, Allyson Bird and Daniel Kaysen.
Who is the most influential horror writer of all time and why?
I guess you would have to go back to Poe. We are all his children.
What does the future hold for Dark Minds Press?
Hopefully we can carve out a reputation for quality fiction, professionally presented.
