Mike Thorn Discusses Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” on Staring Into the Abyss

Author Mike Thorn (Shelter for the Damned) joins us for a spoiler-filled discussion of the 1843 short story, “The Black Cat,” by Edgar Allan Poe. Before that, though, we each discuss our Week In Horror with brief reviews of John Lees’s latest comic series Hotell, Sci-Fi & Scary’s body horror anthology Twisted Anatomy, Alien: The Cold Forge by Alex White, Joanna Koch’s The Wingspan of Severed Hands, John Farris’s The Axman Cometh, and Alessandro Manzetti’s collection of horror poems inspired by Jack the Ripper, Whitechapel Rhapsody.

Listen to the episode.

March 25, 2021 0

Ink Heist Episode 3.12 – The Imposition of Normalcy with Mike Thorn

“Throughout the course of the episode, we talked about Shelter for the Damned, his influences, coming of age narratives, toxic masculinity, suburban horror, Stephen King’s Dreamcatcher, possession films and so much more. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and hanging out with Mike. We hope you guys enjoy the conversation as much as we did!”

Listen to the interview.

March 23, 2021 0

Pre-Order American Twilight: The Cinema of Tobe Hooper (Discount Code)

American Twilight: The Cinema of Tobe Hooper, the first comprehensive, academic, peer-reviewed study of Tobe Hooper’s oeuvre, includes Mike Thorn’s essay, “Lizard Brain Ouroboros: Human Antiexceptionalism in Tobe Hooper’s Eaten Alive and Crocodile.”

Pre-order here and use the discount code WOOAME to get 20% off.

March 18, 2021 0

Dark Between Pages Author Spotlight! | Mike Thorn

March 15, 2021 0

Kendall Reviews Guest Post: Mike Thorn Presents a Cinematic ‘Mood Board’ for His Latest Novel Shelter For The Damned

Like everything else I’ve written, my debut novel Shelter for the Damned draws inspiration from a wide array of sources. It was influenced by books, short stories, essays, personal memories and relationships, music, dreams, and cinema. I have always been interested in films focused on adolescent experience and suburban milieus (especially, but not exclusively, within the horror genre).

Read the post and see the list.

March 13, 2021 0

The Bookubus Includes Shelter for the Damned in Her February Reading Wrap-Up

March 12, 2021 0

“Boys Will be Monsters”: A. Poythress Reviews Shelter for the Damned for The New Southern Fugitives

“Thorn’s debut novel is an insight into male violence, the sloppily-hidden depths of suburbia, and the isolation of abuse. It’s not typically what you would find in the pages of a horror novel about teenage boys and a deadly, abandoned shack, but it’s the subtleties of Thorn’s narrative that keep the story moving along so quickly.”

Read the full review.

March 11, 2021 0

Night Worms Guest Post: Playlist for Shelter for the Damned

“I have curated two playlists that aim to capture the novel’s spirit, one with vocals and one without. The former playlist includes songs recorded in or before the year 2003, ranging from industrial and nu metal to hardcore and post-punk. Many of these tracks summon vivid personal memories from my teenage years. The second playlist, comprised of instrumental pieces (black metal interludes, dark ambient works, horror movie soundtracks, field recordings, and more) seeks to capture the novel’s dark atmosphere.”

Read the post and see the playlists.

March 10, 2021 0

Shelter for the Damned Reviewed on HorrorAddicts.Net

“Thorn’s writing brings a literary element to the horror genre. His descriptions are vivid and realistic. He tends toward psychological horror rather than a gorefest. Not to say there isn’t gore, but Thorn treats it tastefully.”

Read the full review.

March 9, 2021 0

Gloria McNeely Reviews Shelter for the Damned

“Dealing with themes of familial tension, coming of age growing pains, and an otherworldly darkness creeping into ‘safe’ suburban lives, Thorn shows his skill as a story teller, a character builder, and an adept horror writer.”

Read the full review.

March 8, 2021 0