Sam's Lair

The Trilogy

2021-07-10T08:45:00.028+01:00

It's been a very busy year and I've been a little lapse at keeping in touch on this blog - for this I apologise!

But to update you a little on my exploits and forthcoming titles, the second book in THE HOUSE OF KILLERS trilogy, KILL OR DIE, came out in May in ebook and will be available in paperback on 5th August 2021. If you have been reading the ebooks then there isn't very long to wait now for the final part, KILL A SPY, which will be landing in your ereaders on 23 July 2021! I'm very excited to hear what you think about this trilogy as a whole.

You can also now get THE HOUSE OF KILLERS in Audio along with my first psycological thriller THE STRANGER IN OUR BED.

Catch up with the rest of the trilogy here ...

KILL OR DIE - AVAILABLE NOW IN EBOOK. PAPERBACK RELEASE: 5th August 2021

‘One of the deadliest female assassins I’ve ever encountered in fiction’ Brendan DuBois, New York Times-bestselling author of The End with James Patterson

Killing Eve meets Jason Bourne in the explosive second adventure of your new favourite spy thriller series…

An agent with an agenda. A killer with a conscience. A showdown that brought a global network to its knees…

For disgraced MI5 agent Michael Kensington, the events of the past year have exploded his life like a fist closing around a grenade.

For serial killer and career assassin Neva, they brutally exposed how hers had so irrevocably imploded.

She ran. He didn’t. But he refuses to give up on her.

With a power vacuum gaping at the heart of the conglomerate that almost silenced them and a deadly web of rogue operatives spinning out of control, they soon realise the fight for freedom has only just begun.

Kill or Die is the second gripping instalment in The House of Killers trilogy, an unmissable spy thriller perfect for fans of Mick Herron and David Baldacci.

Praise for The House of Killers:

‘Fast-paced and impeccable, this is writing at its very best … It was almost dawn by the time I finished … It demands to be read in a single sitting. An absolute triumph!’ Awais Khan, author of In the Company of Strangers

‘Wow, what a read! Buckle up for a thrilling ride through a labyrinth of secrets, lies and betrayals, in a shadowy world where no one and nothing can be trusted. And where death is just the slash of a knife away’ Abbie Frost, author of The Guesthouse

BUY KILL OR DIE

KILL A SPY - EBOOK RELEASE: 23 July. PAPERBACK: 14 October 2021

The house of killers always had one objective: to train a class of warriors that would elevate the Network from the national to the international – the amateur to the elite. It was the perfect poison… Radicalisation by virtue of not knowing any different.

They never expected their most notorious child to claw his way back to the beating heart of MI5. Consumed by hurt and rage, Michael Kensington has his own objective: Neva.

But as the body count rises like a tide that will sweep them all into oblivion, Neva will stop at nothing to make him understand that everything is at stake.

Because there’s only one way to push back against the tide… Together.

Kill a Spy is the third jaw-dropping instalment in The House of Killers series, a captivating spy thriller perfect for fans of Caroline Kepnes and Alex Gerlis.

PRE-ORDER KILL A SPY

PUBLICATION DAY: THE HOUSE OF KILLERS

2021-03-26T00:01:00.017+00:00

I'm so delighted to tell you that today is the day! THE HOUSE OF KILLERS is now available in ebook and for a limited time it will be 99p in the UK.

This is a spy thriller, action packed but with all the psychological you could possibly want.

‘One of the deadliest female assassins I’ve ever encountered in fiction’ Brendan DuBois, New York Times-bestselling author of The End with James Patterson

Killing Eve meets Jason Bourne in this nerve-shredding new thriller series simmering with obsession and espionage…

Serial killer Neva has been conditioned not to ask questions of the mysterious Network, to remain perfectly incurious and perennially cold-blooded. She must simply execute the targets they text her and live to bury the tale.

But then she’s tasked with terminating a fellow assassin and glimpses her own future in her colleague’s fate. When she leaves flowers on the gravesite, someone notices.

Agent Michael Kensington knows he’ll have his work cut out for him when he’s recruited by MI5 onto operation Archive to piece together patterns in cold cases.

Nothing could ever have prepared him for Neva…

An assassin obsessed with hell, a fugitive tortured by the secrets of her past, a woman destined to unthread him.

The House of Killers introduces a trail-blazing new voice in spy fiction. An absolute must-read for all fans of spooks past and present, from Bond to Bourne, Smiley to Polastri.

Praise for The House of Killers:

BUY NOW

ALSO AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER:

KILL OR DIE: BOOK 2 THE HOUSE OF KILLERS (Release date 29 May 2021). BUY HERE

‘One of the deadliest female assassins I’ve ever encountered in fiction’ Brendan DuBois, New York Times-bestselling author of The End with James Patterson

Killing Eve meets Jason Bourne in the explosive second adventure of your new favourite spy thriller series…

An agent with an agenda. A killer with a conscience. A showdown that brought a global network to its knees…

For disgraced MI5 agent Michael Kensington, the events of the past year have exploded his life like a fist closing around a grenade.

For serial killer and career assassin Neva, they brutally exposed how hers had so irrevocably imploded.

She ran. He didn’t. But he refuses to give up on her.

Kill or Die is the second gripping instalment in The House of Killers trilogy, an unmissable spy thriller perfect for fans of Mick Herron and David Baldacci.

THE HOUSE OF KILLERS

2021-02-26T09:06:00.000+00:00

It's just four weeks today THIS will drop into ebook readers!

THE HOUSE OF KILLERS is written under my real name Samantha Lee Howe andit is the first part of a new trilogy. Currently you can pre-order the ebook for only 99p but this won't stay at that price for ever so order now. A little heads up too for fans of this genre, Book 2: KILL OR DIE (Release date 29 May 2021) and Book 3: KILL A SPY (Release date 23 July) are also up for pre-order at 99p as well.

So be ahead and save yourselves some money too by pre-ordering all three now.

‘One of the deadliest female assassins I’ve ever encountered in fiction’ Brendan DuBois, New York Times-bestselling author of The End with James Patterson

Killing Eve meets Jason Bourne in this nerve-shredding new thriller series simmering with obsession and espionage…

But then she’s tasked with terminating a fellow assassin and glimpses her own future in her colleague’s fate. When she leaves flowers on the gravesite, someone notices.

Agent Michael Kensington knows he’ll have his work cut out for him when he’s recruited by MI5 onto operation Archive to piece together patterns in cold cases.

Nothing could ever have prepared him for Neva…

An assassin obsessed with hell, a fugitive tortured by the secrets of her past, a woman destined to unthread him.

The House of Killers introduces a trail-blazing new voice in spy fiction. An absolute must-read for all fans of spooks past and present, from Bond to Bourne, Smiley to Polastri.

Praise for The House of Killers:

END OF YEAR ROUND UP - 2020

2020-12-30T12:29:00.001+00:00

End of Year Round Up – 2020

I went into January 2020 with high hopes for the future. The Stranger in Our Bed, was being published by HarperCollins imprint, One More Chapter, in February, and I was excited to see how this book, a departure from my usual works, would be received.

I’d spent a great deal of time preparing for several events in 2020: I had a book tour planned as well as appearances at the two top crime festivals in the country, Harrogate and Crimefest. There was also a book launch arranged in London for when the paperback came out in April. A super party, with many celebrity guests attending.

As well as the tour, I was also going to host a launch at the fabulous Sci-Fi Weekender event, due to take place at the end of March. What is that expression about the best laid plans …?

In January I fell ill with a really bad cough and ended up on antibiotics. It lasted for about three weeks and played havoc with my asthma. I fortunately got over this by the end of the month.

In February my husband, David J Howe, and I flew to Los Angeles to take part in the annual Doctor Who convention, Gallifrey One. We were both guests at the event and took part in panels and interviews. I delivered one of my popular writing workshops and we also did a launch to celebrate the digital release of The Stranger in Our Bed as it went live in ebook format on 14th February. The launch was a huge success, and so well attended and supported by lovely friends and readers that it became a huge party. It was certainly a high point of the weekend. The book shot into the best sellers lists and for a couple of days I even held the no 1 slot for ‘most popular author’ with Stephen King and Dean Koontz behind me at #2 and #3. It was extraordinary and it also raised my hopes again that the book would be a success.

While catching up with our amazing friends again we were totally unaware that this was the last ‘normal’ thing we would do this year. While we were in Los Angeles though, we became acutely aware of concerns over the Corona Virus that soon became known as Covid-19. Flying home from this trip was different to usual. I was nervous on the plane as I usually get sick after events – my immune system is pretty poor – and I was worried what we might have caught something over there or indeed on the plane itself.

That night David and I stayed overnight in a hotel at Heathrow to sleep off some of the jetlag, so that we’d be fit to drive the next day. But David started with this awful hacking cough and by the time we did make it home he wasn’t feeling well at all. The illness lasted about 10 days and we were wondering if it was covid, but at that point so little was known about the symptoms beyond a cough and a temperature and testing hadn’t begun on anyone with symptoms other than those in hospitals. Fortunately David got better. Then we heard about a friend in LA who’d been with us all through the convention. This friend had been tested and did have Covid. And, although David wasn’t tested, we do think that he may have had it and it’s possible I had in January also before we’d even known what Covid was.

As we know, the UK went into lock down in March and again, I hoped a few weeks of this would mean the virus would burn itself out. Little did we know that wouldn’t be the case. For the first month of lockdown, like most people, I struggled to keep motivated.

Very soon into the pandemic we heard of people we knew catching Covid and some even dying of it. It was horrendous. But I pushed myself to get back to work and finish the book I was writing because I thought I’d go insane otherwise. There was an amazing high point for us during this time though. My book was selling amazingly well in the USA and as a result it became a USA TODAY! bestseller. I was absolutley ecstatic and we used this as an excuse to celebrate – albeit on our own – with a bottle of bubbly.

In April The Stranger in our Bed was released in paperback. We couldn’t get out to promote but we did a live digital launch and drank champagne while talking to facebook friends for half an hour.

Around the same time I finished a new book I was writing and passed it onto my agent, Camilla Shestopal, and she submitted it to my editor at HarperCollins. A few weeks later Camilla and I had a Zoom meeting with my editors, Bethan Morgan and Charlotte Ledger, and we talked about the book and where One More Chapter saw it going. That meeting was very interesting. Both Bethan and Charlotte loved the book but they also wanted two more in the same series and so The House of Killers series was born and book 1 would be called The House of Killers. I came away feeling elated that they wanted to keep working with me. Definitely another high moment of the year!

A short time later I signed a three book deal and had promised to turn in Book 2, Kill Or Die, in October, and Book 3, Kill A Spy, by the end of December. No pressure much …!! The only way to ease that kind of pain is to get on with the work. So, I put my head down and began writing Book 2 which I managed to deliver in August, two months ahead of time.

Later that month – and boy was this year now galloping on for me – I was introduced to actress and producer, Terri Dwyer. Terri was looking for a thriller screenplay for her company, Buffalo Dragon, to put into production and film before the end of the year. Terri read The Stranger in Our Bed and loved it. I told her I could write the screenplay and so the book was optioned and I set to work on the early drafts of the screenplay as soon as possible.

While I was waiting for film contracts to sign I finished book 3, Kill A Spy, to first draft. I had lots of time to deliver this so I put it aside for a while so that I could concentrate on the screenplay. Once I’d finished the screenplay, I went back to the book and re-edited it. This was eventually submitted to One More Chapter in October. By then I was working with the film’s director, Giles Alderson, on the screenplay and we finally reached an agreed version which became the shooting script. This was a process I learned a lot from and it has given me much confidence for doing this again in the future.

With various lockdowns and the ever changing Covid situation I feared that the film wouldn’t get made. However casting went ahead and before long the producers, Terri and Dean Fisher, had locked in a superb cast for the film.

The stars are: Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey), Emily Berrington (Humans) and Ben Lloyd Hughes (Industry) as well as Joseph Marcell (The Fresh Prince of Bel Air), Nina Wadia (Aladdin), Andi Osho (I May Destroy You), Bart Edwards (The Witcher), Terri Dwyer (13 Graves, Break) and Paul Casar (Detectorists).

When filming started, David and I went to the set for a few days. With all the Covid restrictions everyone was tested and we isolated for three weeks to make sure we were okay. It was very exciting going on the set and meeting such talented people among cast and crew. And David and I even got to do a little cameo. No spoilers on this but see if you can spot us! While I was there watching some of the filming I did have a bit of a moment where I turned and looked at David and said, ‘That’s my film!’. How does it feel to be in this situation? I went from feeling surreal, to excitement to sensory overload in the space of the first 4 hours.

When we got back to our hotel after that first day, I was exhausted and overwhelmed. And very emotional (in a good way). I’d loved everything that was happening but I had to also take it in. So much had happened to get the film to this point and it was a bit of a shock to the system that it was being realised. I suppose it isn’t much of a surprise really that I’d feel this way at first. I’m so used to disappointments in my career that I could hardly believe something was going right for a change.

That has been this whole year really. Everything I hoped would happen, actually did. Even so, you can’t assume it always will can you? So you have to just enjoy the times when things are going right.

One thing that struck me so much was how very professional Buffalo Dragon and their whole team were. This film was getting made and they were doing it well. No cut corners. No skimping on getting the best cast they could. When you look at what they have achieved during a major world wide pandemic then its nothing short of miraculous.

After a few days on set David and I went home again, and then returned a few days later to record my interview for the EPK (Electronic Press Kit) which is used to promote the film, and which will probably eventually end up on the extras on a future DVD/Blu-Ray release. This was a great deal of fun too. Afterwards I said my goodbyes to the cast and crew as I knew I wouldn’t be seeing them again. Except perhaps at the premier. It was quite a wrench leaving to be honest.

Home after this felt like a bit of an anti-climax. One of the problems was that I still couldn’t share the news about the film to anyone because it hadn’t been announced. Even so, I watched the progress of the film by following Giles on Twitter, who was posting photos that didn’t give anything away, but I knew what they meant.

Eventually the announcement went into Variety and I was able to share my excitement at last.

As I write this, the last day of filming is taking place and it’s hard to believe that it’s almost all in the can. Wow! Terri Dwyer told me she wanted to make the film this year and she has indeed achieved what others would have found impossible. And that is all down to her drive, and the outstanding efforts of all of the amazing cast and crew too. What a team!

Christmas is almost on us and I’m now signing off with my end of year round up for 2020. I’d normally not post this until 1st January, but I don’t think that much is going to happen between now and then.

2021 will see me celebrating every small success as usual. And maybe there will be some larger ones coming again, I can only hope. But either way, I think I have a lot to look forward to.

Happy Christmas everyone. Wishing you all a better year next year! Here’s to 2021!

FILM DEAL

2020-12-30T12:17:00.003+00:00

I’m absolutely delighted to share that THE STRANGER IN OUR BED went into production in November 2020 for a feature film that is due to be released in cinemas in early summer 2021.

The film is being produced by production company BUFFALO DRAGON and is directed by Giles Alderson (The Dare) and stars Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey), Emily Berrington (Humans), Ben Lloyd-Hughes (Industry).

The cast also includes … Joseph Marcell (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), Nina Wadia (Aladdin), Andi Osho (I May Destroy You), Bart Edwards (The Witcher) and Paul Casar (Detectorists).

It has been an absolute delight to work with producers Terri Dwyer and Dean Fisher as well as the amazing Giles Alderson (featured in the phot with me).

I couldn’t be happier with the chosen cast who I now see as the characters in the book!!

For more information please read the announcement in VARIETY.

COVER REVEAL!

2020-11-05T17:30:00.003+00:00

THE HOUSE OF KILLERS

I'm very pleased to share the cover of the first book in THE HOUSE OF KILLERS series, which will be released in March 2021 (digital) and July 2021 (Paperback).

BLURB

‘One of the deadliest female assassins I’ve ever encountered in fiction’ Brendan DuBois, New York Times-bestselling author of The End with James Patterson

Killing Eve meets Jason Bourne in this nerve-shredding new thriller series simmering with obsession and espionage…

But then she’s tasked with terminating a fellow assassin and glimpses her own future in her colleague’s fate. When she leaves flowers on the gravesite, someone notices.

Agent Michael Kensington knows he’ll have his work cut out for him when he’s recruited by MI5 onto operation Archive to piece together patterns in cold cases.

Nothing could ever have prepared him for Neva…

An assassin obsessed with hell, a fugitive tortured by the secrets of her past, a woman destined to unthread him.

The House of Killers introduces a trail-blazing new voice in spy fiction. An absolute must-read for all fans of spooks past and present, from Bond to Bourne, Smiley to Polastri.

PREORDER NOW: AMAZON UK AMAZON USA BOOKSHOP ORG

And if you are a Netgalley reviewer, you can request a copy now. THE HOUSE OF KILLERS

2020-10-07T16:45:00.005+01:00

The cat is definitely out of the bag as my new explosive espionage series is announced on Book Brunch.

THE HOUSE OF KILLER Coming in 2021 ...

Pre-order now

AMAZON UK

AMAZON USA

THE STRANGER IN OUR BED

2020-04-11T12:46:00.001+01:00

Hello!

I haven't posted anything for a while here as I have been rather busy working on my thriller writing career.

My debut thriller, written as SAMANTHA LEE HOWE, THE STRANGER IN OUR BED is officially published this Thursday (16 April 2020) and so here is a list of links that you can order it from.

The book has already received a great deal of acclaim and is a USA TODAY Bestseller.

Please give it a try if if you haven't already!

HARPERCOLLINS

WATERSTONES

FOYLES

BLACKWELLS

POSING FOR PICASSO is Racing the Clock

2019-08-17T13:28:00.001+01:00

I’m delighted to be part of StoryBundle package RACING THE CLOCK with my Supernatural Crime Thriller POSING FOR PICASSO (As Sam Stone). The Bundles are selling fast and it won’t be available for long so get over there now and bag your own collection of great titles from
The Racing the Clock Thriller Bundle, curated by Dean Wesley Smith who said …

“I love reading stories that grab me and don’t let me go until I come up at the end of the story, sometimes breathless from the ride the author has taken me on. Those kinds of stories make me want to instantly get more stories from that author, repeat the ride like getting back on a roller coaster for a second trip around. With Racing the Clock StoryBundle, those were the types of books I was looking for to put together in one place. And since I love just about all genres, I didn’t care if the books were science fiction, mystery, fantasy, or thriller, as long as the author could take me on a ride. Fast-paced and gripping can be done in any area. I just wanted the feeling. The thrill. So I went to find writers I knew had the ability (an advanced ability, actually) to take all of us readers on a breathless adventure. And in this bundle are some of the best writers in the business at doing just that. ”

Read more about the bundle here, and make sure to click on each cover for a synopsis, reviews and preview of each book

Here are some selected reviews of each of the wonderful titles involved.

Posing for Picasso by Sam Stone

“A novel that is dark, disturbing, and utterly tremendous entertainment.”
– Ken Bruen

Helmet Head by Mike Baron

“This is pure Grindhouse and I mean that in the best possible way.”
– Amazon Review

Conflict of Interest by Lauryn Christopher

“…Christopher turns the hit-man formula on its head, and in doing so gives us a surprising and entertaining read.”
– Big Al, Big Al’s Books & Pals

The Tower by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

“‘The Tower’ is not only a compelling read, but also an informal treatise on social psychology.”
– Tangent Online

The Case of the Claw by Keith R.A. DeCandido

“In conclusion, this is a great book for those who love superhero novels and something I recommend to people who enjoy taking advantage of prose fiction. In this universe, superheroes and villains can die or change or be disgraced forever. It’s not limited by the conventions of the unlimited comic publishing cycle and all the stronger for it.”
– CT Phipps, United Federation of Charles

Until Death – Death and Redemption Book 1 by Kari Kilgore

“Until Death is an innovative take on a familiar story, with layers of authenticity stacked on top of love, loss, hope, and death. Kari Kilgore is an author to watch—her lyrical voice a siren song; her insight, conjured voodoo.”
– Richard Thomas, author of Breaker and Tribulations

Missing White Girl by Jeffrey J. Mariotte

“But his true masterpiece is Buck Shelton. In his hero, he’s crafted one of the finest new sleuths in fiction.”
– Tucson Weekly

Fiction River Presents: Racing the Clock by Allyson Longueira

“… fans of the unconventional will be well satisfied.”
– Publishers Weekly on Fiction River: Pulse Pounders

GLOBAL WOMAN SUMMIT

2019-07-01T08:08:00.000+01:00

The GLOBAL WOMAN SUMMIT takes place in London 13-14 July 2019. The summit has a range of incredible speakers and is a 'New Paradigm in Empowering Women'.

I'm delighted to tell you that I've been invited to attend the GLOBAL WOMAN SUMMIT Gala Dinner on Saturday 13 July. Global Woman celebrates the successes and achievements of women all over the world. I'm very proud to be one of their guests this year.

Tickets are still available to attend the summit. Please check their website for further information.
Global Woman Summit

NEW BOOK DEAL

2019-06-28T14:52:00.002+01:00

I've been keeping this under wraps for quite some time. But I have been given the go ahead to 'mention' that I have signed a book deal with a new major publisher.

This title will be published in 2020 and is a main stream thriller.

Because this is a different genre to my usual works I'll be writing thrillers under my married name SAMANTHA LEE HOWE.

I can't tell you more about the book at this time, but I will say this I'm incredibly proud of it.

Thank you for supporting me over the past 12 years: I hope you will also be interested in my forthcoming new works too.

I'll reveal more on this when I can.

COME AND MEET SAM STONE

2018-08-06T12:58:00.000+01:00

LINDUM BOOKS, Lincoln, 8th September 2018

Sam Stone will be signing copies of her latest novel, JINX BOUND, at this popular book store in the heart of Lincoln.

Date: Saturday 8th September 2018
Address: Lindum Books, 4 Bailgate, Lincoln LN1 3AE
Time: 11am-12pm

WRITING WORKSHOP AT GEDLING

2018-07-14T09:12:00.002+01:00

I'll be in Gedling next Saturday to do my horror writing workshop for children. Start time 1pm-2.30pm. Bring paper and pens!

Copies of ZENA THE ZOMBIE will also be on sale. As will my latest novel JINX BOUND. Other titles will be available too.

So come and see me!

EM-CON NOTTINGHAM HERE WE COME

2018-04-03T08:37:00.002+01:00

Pleased to say we'll be returning to Em-Con Nottingham this year!

Here's the details:

EM-CON, NOTTINGHAM 5th-6th May 2018

Sam Stone and David J Howe join the line-up of guests and this ever popular event. Copies of all of their latest titles will be available to purchase at the event, including Sam's new title POSING FOR PICASSO, published by Wordfire Press, and the regular edition of the Doctor Who spin-off THE DÆMONSOF DEVIL'S END novelisation.

Date:Sunday 5-6th May 2018
Address: Motorpoint Arena Nottingham, Bolero Square, The Lace Market, Stoney St,
Nottingham, NG1 1LA
Time: 10am - 6pm

For Further Information: Em-Con Nottingham

The Music of Words

2018-03-18T14:55:00.002+00:00

When I was a child, about 8 years old, I was given extra reading classes at school. My teacher thought I couldn't read. The truth was, I didn't enjoy reading out loud. I wanted to keep the stories I was reading inside my head because when I did they lived. I'd invent dialogues in my imagination with characters, always with the right inflection that each of them had: their own soulful vocals would lend themselves to reveal their true nature.

I have always loved words - ever since I learnt to read. I wanted to absorb them. Feel them. Taste and smell them. I wanted to hear them. Above all I wanted to hog them privately to myself - because that is the beauty of reading. It is a secret and personal joy. It is a lovely and amazing pastime. For a short time a story is yours and yours alone as you connect with it. This is why words are powerful, intimate, magical, poetic and incredibly musical.

When I'm working on a book or story I often think of music (my other passion). To me words are chords and notes. They are the beats that move a story in a certain rhythm. They flow with the energy of music and have their own melody. Writers, like musicians, can hear this flow and then they write the story that comes from their hearts. The story that just has to be told can then be shared.

Some of the greatest works out there have music in them. I refer to writers such as Tanith Lee - sadly missed - she was one of the greatest word musicians in the world.

Maybe you already understand what I mean about music in words ...?

We recognise the rhythm as poetry, poetic prose, a narrative voice: that is the skill of the writer. We label it as verbs, nouns, adjectives, similes and metaphors. It speaks in onomatopoeic tones, and personifies inanimate objects.

And what I feel about this is, that anyone can learn to write if they choose to, but not everyone can hear the music of words. Perhaps the tune is not always to their taste, or is discordant. Whatever it is, when the music is missing the rhythm just isn't there and can't be felt.

So when you are reading something new - perhaps if I'm lucky it will be one of my titles - look out for the music. It might be in the roll of the sea, the caw of a bird flying over a barren wasteland, or maybe it will be the cut-off cry of a victim silenced in the night.

GUEST BLOG - CHARLOTTE BOND

2018-02-03T07:00:00.000+00:00

The Power and Lessons of Fear

by Charlotte Bond

Having kids can be a learning curve. For example, I never realised just how lucky I was to be able to sleep in until 10am every weekend. Before kids, I never really appreciated just how luxurious it can be to go to the toilet without an audience.

But being around kids – whether your own or other peoples’ – can make you look at mundane matters in a whole different light. They ask questions about the perfectly normal, but an answer of “just because” is not sufficient. You have to break down mundane matters to a level that they can understand and which you’ve never thought of before.

I have a regular horror movie evening with a female friend every couple of months. I mentioned this when walking home with my daughter and her friend, and her friend asked me: “Why do people watch horror movies?”

Without really thinking, I answered: “Because people like being scared.”

“Why? I don’t like being scared.”

And there he had me – why do we watch horror movies? Why do we enjoy being scared as adults, when it’s the worst possible experience to have as a child? It took a moment of thinking, but the answer I came up with was: because horror movies are safe, and because we learn from them. And then, because he was five, he asked me a question about something completely different.

Horror movies are just the latest extension of an age-old tradition of storytelling. Before we had written words, people used to gather around the fire and tell stories. Stories in those days had a purpose: to educate as much as entertain. This is perfectly illustrated with fairy tales, which are still around today. Fairy tales are stories with a moral message. What that message might be has been changed or interpreted differently over time. One of my favourite fairy tales is that of Little Red Riding Hood which is constantly being re-examined for both obvious and hidden meanings ranging from “don’t stray from the path” to an allegorical tale of a woman’s growing sexual awareness.

To quote the exceptional Roald Dahl, fairy tales today are very “soft and sappy”. As Dahl so accurately points out in his Revolting Rhymes book, fairy tales used to be filled with far more gore and terror than they are now. For example, the original tale of Rapunzel, as collected by the Grimm brothers, didn’t have Rapunzel being a witless dolt and saying to her captor: “Oh my, you weigh so much more than my fair prince!” What actually gave away their liaison was the fact that she fell pregnant with twins and her clothes stopped fitting as her belly grew. While these details were included in the first edition of the Grimms’ work, it was changed by the second edition when the Grimms decided that pre-marital pregnancy was too immoral for their audience.

One thing the brothers did keep in the stories however was the part about the prince falling down from the tower and being blinded when he fell into a rose bush. It is interesting to note that sex outside of marriage was seen as objectionable, while blinding someone or pushing an old woman into an oven was seen as acceptably necessary to the moral lesson. I have seen some modern children’s retellings retain the subplot of the prince being blinded, but it’s certainly not something that you would find in, for example, Disney’s “Tangled.”

An adult’s love for horror stories – whether in book or movie format – can grow out of a love of fairy tales, as there are many similar elements in evidence. There is gore. There are definite good guys and bad guys. Luck can play a strong role. And there’s always a moral message whether that’s something as simple as “don’t go into the cellar when you hear weird sounds” or something greater like “don’t fiddle with DNA and try to play God or your creation will try to eat you.”

In many modern horror movies and novels, we live vicariously through an experience and come out the wiser for it. We enjoy watching or reading about other people getting stalked by the monster because we learn what not to do in the same situation. At the same time, the story also validates the lessons we already know from the fairy tales of old: for goodness sake, Natalie Dormer, don’t go off the path in the suicide forest when you’ve been told not to and your sister is missing. We all know that you shouldn’t do something that stupid, and we enjoy being proved right, even as we root for Natalie to get out of it alive.

There are societal judgments involved in horror movies as well, some of which are receiving a backlash. The most notable one is the sexual transgression: you can pretty much guarantee that anyone who has sex in a horror movie is next in line for killing – we’re right back to Rapunzel’s pregnancy again. Whether it’s horror stories or fairy tales, you can’t have a woman survive and be the heroine if she’s had non-marital sex at any point in the narrative.

Horror stories, whether in the form of movies or books, fills a hole in our psyche. We want to be aware of the dangers in life – both real and imagined – and know how best to deal with them should we ever encounter them. We like to see others triumph, and watch while those we deem unworthy fall prey to whatever is hunting them. Horror is validating, it’s educational, it’s been around a very long time and, most likely, is here to stay.

About Charlotte Bond

Charlotte Bond is an author, ghostwriter, freelance editor, reviewer and podcaster. Under her own name she has written within the genres of horror and dark fantasy. As a ghostwriter, she's tackled everything from romance to cozy mystery stories and YA novels. She is a reviewer for the Ginger Nuts of Horror website, as well as the British Fantasy Society. She is a co-host of the podcast, Breaking the Glass Slipper.

Click to purchase her latest novel MONSTROUS

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And Finally on The Daemons Tour ...

2018-01-29T07:00:00.000+00:00

WHOOVERS MEET UP, DERBY, Friday 2nd February, 2017

Join Damaris Hayman, Keith Barnfather and some of the authors of THE DÆMONSOF DEVIL'S END Novelisation and screenplay.

With Sam Stone, David J Howe, Jan Edwards, Raven Dane and Debbie Bennett TBC

Date: Friday 2nd February 2018
Address: The VoiceBox, Forman Street, Derby, DE1 1JQ
Time: 7.30pm

Hold onto your Christmas Vouchers

2018-01-15T09:22:00.000+00:00

We'll be at ...

WATERSTONES, Birmingham Saturday 20th January 2018

Some of the authors of this amazing Doctor Who Spin off, will be in store to sign and promote THE DÆMONSOF DEVIL'S END Novelisation. This is a ticketed event with a talk and Q & A.

For further information and to book please contact Waterstones Birmingham 0121 633 4353.

Join Sam Stone, David J Howe, Debbie Bennett, Jan Edwards and Raven Dane

Date: Saturday 20th January 2018
Address:Waterstones Birmingham, 24-26 High St, Birmingham B4 7SL
Time: 6.30pm

LINCOLN THIS WEEK!!

2017-12-04T07:00:00.000+00:00

WATERSTONES, Lincoln- Thursday 7th December 2017

Some of the authors of this amazing Doctor Who Spin off, will be in store to sign and promote THE DÆMONSOF DEVIL'S END Novelisation.

Join Sam Stone, David J Howe and Raven Dan

Date: Thurday 7th December 2017
Address:Waterstones Lincoln, 297A High Street, Lincoln, LN2 1AF
Time: 5.30-6.30pm

MORE CHANCES TO MEET THE WRITERS

2017-11-20T07:00:00.000+00:00

TWO CHANCES THIS WEEKEND TO MEET WITH SOME OF THE WRITERS OF THE DOCTOR WHO SPIN OFF THE DAEMONS OF DEVIL'S END.

WATERSTONES, Peterborough, Saturday 25th November 2017

Some of the authors of this amazing Doctor Who Spin off, will be in store at Peterbrough Waterstones to sign and promote THE DÆMONSOF DEVIL'S END Novelisation.

Join Sam Stone, David J Howe and Raven Dane

Date: 25th November 2017
Address: Waterstones, 38-40 Bridge St, Peterborough PE1 1DT
Time: 12-4pm

WATERSTONES, Arndale Centre, Manchester, Sunday 26th November 2017.

Some of the authors of this amazing Doctor Who Spin off, will be in store to sign and promote THE DÆMONS OF DEVIL'S END Novelisation.

Join Sam Stone, David J Howe, Raven Dane, Jan Edwards and Debbie Bennett.

Date: 26th November 2017
Address: Manchester Arndale Shopping Centre, Market St, Manchester M4 3AQ
Time: 2-4pm

Book Tour Continues ...

2017-11-13T07:00:00.000+00:00

MEET DAMARIS HAYMAN, KEITH BARNFATHER AND THE WRITERS OF

THE DAEMONS OF DEVIL'S END.

THE WHO SHOP, Saturday 18th November 2017

Some of the authors of this amazing Doctor Who Spin off, will be in store to sign and promote THE DÆMONSOF DEVIL'S END Novelisation and DVD with actress Damaris Hayman, Richard Franklin and David Simeon.

Join Sam Stone, David J Howe, Raven Dane, Debbie Bennett, Suzanne Barbieri and Jan Edwards.

Date: Saturday 18th November 2017
Address: The Who Shop, 39-41 Barking Road, Upton Park,London. E6 1PY
Time: 1-3pm

Coming this week ...

2017-11-06T07:00:00.000+00:00

THE DÆMONS OF DEVIL’S END TOUR BEGINS ...

Join the writers ...

FORBIDDEN PLANET, London, 10th November 2017.

MEET THE WRITERS!

Join: Suzanne Barbieri, Raven Dane, Jan Edwards, Debbie Bennett, Sam Stone and David J Howe for the first date on THE DÆMONS OF DEVIL’S END novelisation, book signing tour.

Date: Friday 10th November
Address: Forbidden Planet, 179 Shaftesbury Ave, London WC2H 8JR
Time: 5-6pm

GALAXY FOUR, Sheffield, 11th November 2017.

MEET THE ACTRESS, DIRECTOR AND THE WRITERS!!

Sam Stone, David J Howe, Raven Dane and Debbie Bennett, join Director Keith Barnfather and Damaris Hayman at Galaxy Four in Sheffield to launch the DVD and Book Novelisation of THE DÆMONS OF DEVIL’S END.

Date: 11TH November
Address: Galaxy Four, 493 Glossop Road, Broomhill, Sheffield, S10 2QE
Time:12-3pm

POSING FOR PICASSO NEWS

2017-10-22T09:23:00.000+01:00

I'm delighted to reveal the cover for my forthcoming title POSING FOR PICASSO.

Above with a quote from crime writer Mike Ripley. Artwork by the amazing Marcela Bolivar. This supernatural thriller will be published on 10th January 2018 with Wordfire Press.

POSING FOR PICASSO

It was Annabel, and something was wrong with the features … He thought he saw a triangle, not an irregular jigsaw shape after all. And it was missing from her face. As if a sharp pastry cutter mould had been stamped through her skull.

When Detective Jake Chandler is called in to investigate a murder, nothing can prepare him for the gruesome sight of Annabel Linton …

Annabel was his model for Russian artist Avgustin Juniper who finds himself in the centre of the investigation … but he had no motive.

Criminal attorney Cassandra Moúsa sees this a her next big case will stop at nothing to prove her client’s innocence.

But as more of Juniper’s models die, Chandler’s investigation leads him to four beautiful, unique women and the lost diaries of Pablo Picasso.

Something wants to return … and Chandler has to stop it.

Changes to events

2017-09-03T11:59:00.000+01:00

There has been a few changes to our appearances since I last posted - so here is the updated list:

COVENTRYCOMIC CON, Coventry, 1st October 2017.

Sam Stone and David J Howe will be attending this new event in Coventry.

For Further Information COVENTRY COMIC CON

Date: 1st October 2017
Address: Main Hall, Sports Connexion, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry CV8 3FL
Time: 10-5PM

SFW IN THE CITY, Sheffield, 7-8TH October 2017.

Sam Stone and David J Howe will be running Author Central at this new SFW event. Join Chic Festivals, Telos Publishing and Area 51 with media and author guests, live music and more.

Date: 7-8 October 2017
Address: 37-43 Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 2PN
Time: ALL WEEKEND

For more information visit SFWINTHECITY

GALAXY FOUR, Sheffield, 11th November 2017.

Sam Stone and David J Howe join Keith Barnfather and Damaris Hayman at Galaxy Four in Sheffield to launch the DVD of DEAMONS OF DEVILS END.

Date: 11TH November
Address: Galaxy Four, 493 Glossop Road, Broomhill, Sheffield, S10 2QE
Time:TBC

More Info: HERE

GALLIFREY ONE, Los Angeles, USA, 16-18 Feb 2018.

Sam Stone and David J Howe, join the line-up of excellent guests at this ever popular Doctor Who convention in Los Angeles.

Date: 16-18 Feb 2018
Address, Los Angeles Airport Marritot, 5855 W Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA
Time: ALL WEEKEND.

PENSACON, Pensacola, USA, 23-25^th Feb 2018

Sam Stone and David J Howe join the line-up of guests at this thriving Pensacola show.

Date: 23-25^th February 2018
Address: Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E Gregory St, Pensacola, FL 32502
Time: All Weekend

For further information HERE

SFW 9, Pwllheli, North Wales, 22-25 March 2018

Sam Stone and David J Howe run Author Central in Spaceport at this event. Please join Chic Festivals, Telos Publishing and Area 51 with a host of Media and author guests at the Hafan Y Mor Holiday camp in North Wales. This is a long weekend of Panels, Talks, Music, entertainment, cosplay and more.

Date: 22-25 March 2018
Address: Hafan Y Mor Holiday Park, Pwllheli LL53 6HX
Time: ALL WEEKEND

For more information visit SFW9

Forthcoming Appearances

2017-08-16T10:16:00.001+01:00

WHOOVERVILLE 9, Derby, 2 Sep 2017

Sam Stone and David J Howe join the list of fantastic guests at this ever popular event.

Date: Saturday 2nd September 2017
Address: QUAD, Market Place, Cathedral Quarter, Derby, DE1 3AS
Time: 10am - 5pm

For more information HERE

COVENTRYCOMIC CON, Coventry, 1st October 2017.

Sam Stone and David J Howe will be attending this new event in Coventry.

For Further Information COVENTRY COMIC CON

Date: 1st October 2017
Address: Main Hall, Sports Connexion, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry CV8 3FL
Time: 10-5PM

SFW IN THE CITY, SHEFFIELD, 7 & 8 October 2017

Sam Stone and David J Howe will be running Author Central at this new SFW event. Join Chic Festivals, Telos Publishing and Area 51 with media and author guests, live music and more.

Date: 7-8 October 2017
Address: 37-43 Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 2PN
Time: ALL WEEKEND

For more information visit SFWINTHECITY

GALLIFREY ONE, Los Angeles, USA, 16-18 Feb 2018.

Sam Stone and David J Howe, join the line-up of excellent guests at this ever popular Doctor Who convention in Los Angeles.

Date: 16-18 Feb 2018
Address, Los Angeles Airport Marritot, 5855 W Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA
Time: ALL WEEKEND.

PENSACON, Pensacola, USA, 23-25^th Feb 2018

Sam Stone and David J Howe join the line-up of guests at this thriving Pensacola show.

Date: 23-25^th February 2018
Address: Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E Gregory St, Pensacola, FL 32502
Time: All Weekend

For further information HERE

SFW 9, Pwllheli, North Wales, 22-25 March 2018

Sam Stone and David J Howe run Author Central in Spaceport at this event. Please join Chic Festivals, Telos Publishing and Area 51 with a host of Media and author guests at the Hafan Y Mor Holiday camp in North Wales. This is a long weekend of Panels, Talks, Music, entertainment, cosplay and more.

Date: 22-25 March 2018
Address: Hafan Y Mor Holiday Park, Pwllheli LL53 6HX
Time: ALL WEEKEND

For more information visit SFW9

Sam's Lair

The Trilogy

Killing Eve meets Jason Bourne in the explosive second adventure of your new favourite spy thriller series…

Praise for The House of Killers:

PUBLICATION DAY: THE HOUSE OF KILLERS

Killing Eve meets Jason Bourne in this nerve-shredding new thriller series simmering with obsession and espionage…

Praise for The House of Killers:

Killing Eve meets Jason Bourne in the explosive second adventure of your new favourite spy thriller series…

THE HOUSE OF KILLERS

Killing Eve meets Jason Bourne in this nerve-shredding new thriller series simmering with obsession and espionage…

Praise for The House of Killers:

END OF YEAR ROUND UP - 2020

End of Year Round Up – 2020

FILM DEAL

COVER REVEAL!

Killing Eve meets Jason Bourne in this nerve-shredding new thriller series simmering with obsession and espionage…

THE STRANGER IN OUR BED

POSING FOR PICASSO is Racing the Clock

GLOBAL WOMAN SUMMIT

NEW BOOK DEAL

COME AND MEET SAM STONE

WRITING WORKSHOP AT GEDLING

EM-CON NOTTINGHAM HERE WE COME

The Music of Words

GUEST BLOG - CHARLOTTE BOND

And Finally on The Daemons Tour ...

Hold onto your Christmas Vouchers

LINCOLN THIS WEEK!!

MORE CHANCES TO MEET THE WRITERS

Book Tour Continues ...

Coming this week ...

THE DÆMONS OF DEVIL’S END TOUR BEGINS ... Join the writers ...

POSING FOR PICASSO NEWS

Changes to events

Forthcoming Appearances

THE DÆMONS OF DEVIL’S END TOUR BEGINS ...

Join the writers ...