Author | Critic
Mike Thorn is a beloved Losing the Plot alumnus who returns to discuss his latest book, Dreams of Lake Drukka & Exhumation, out with Demain Publishing’s Short Sharp Shocks series. We talk about the influence of location on fiction, films we’ve enjoyed recently, the challenge of long distance relationships and more!
Destiny of Howling Libraries reviews Dreams of Lake Drukka & Exhumation and welcomes me as her blog’s first ever interviewee.
Once again, I find myself with a few spare copies of Darkest Hours that I’m willing to sign and mail out ($18 USD + shipping).
Contact me if you’re interested!
“Perfectly paced from the first sentence, these stories grab you by the collar with the urgency of mortal danger. Highly recommended.”
— Bram Stoker Award nominee S.P. Miskowski, author of Strange is the Night
“Thorn presents a collection of horror stories that are not only scary, but also intelligent, thoughtful, and carefully planned confronting the anxieties of modern life.”
— iHorror
“Just read the opener, ‘Hair’ and became an instant fan. How can you not delight in a story about a metalhead fixated on long hair who starts obsessively eating it until hair begins to… um, well, buy Darkest Hours now and find out.”
— Bram Stoker Award winner Michael Arnzen, author of Grave Markings
“When you first encounter Thorn’s writing, a number of qualities impress themselves: the macabre intelligence (brutal really), the chilling wit, the naturalness of the dialogue. Plus there’s the skill and style of the prose. It may all play out like a nightmare, but a terrible logic remains inherent.”
— Robert Dunbar, author of The Pines and Willy
“These short stories show the author’s incredible range and versatility.”
—Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann
“Fast, fun and full of fear, Darkest Hours turns on a dime from a laugh to a scream. Terrifying and sly, Mike Thorn writes with refreshing originality and hides fangs behind a smile.”
— John C. Foster, author of Mister White
“Mike Thorn’s debut story collection is not to be missed by those who enjoy an academic intellect with a potent flair for fiction.”
— Dustin LaValley, author of A Soundless Dawn
“Take a dollop of Michael A. Arnzen and Brian Evenson’s quirky styles, and add a pinch of Mark Twain, stir well and let bubble, and you have a sense of Mike Thorn’s stories.”
— Bram Stoker Award winner Marge Simon, author of Four Elements and Satan’s Sweethearts
“One of the best and most rewarding feelings as a horror fan is reading a new author’s work and being blown away by their talent and the awe of discovering something cool. That is the exact feeling I got when I first sat down to crack open Mike Thorn’s debut story collection, Darkest Hours.”
— The Horror Bookshelf
“I think Mike Thorn is an author to watch. I think he’s going to do great things in the world of horror and dark fiction, and I for one, will be there to watch it. Will you?”
— Char’s Horror Corner
“Darkest Hours is for readers wishing to take a thrilling walk on the dark side. Mike Thorn has delivered a promising debut with this collection showing off his commitment to stories of nuance, heart, and of course… darkness.”
— Daniel Braum, author of The Night Marchers and Other Strange Tales
“Darkest Hours is a varied and hugely enjoyable gathering of dark fiction. There is more than enough talent showcased within these pages to suggest that Mike Thorn’s journey has only just begun.”
— Grim Reader Reviews
“Darkest Hours is horror for horror people. For the ‘confirmed ghost story and horror film addict,’ if you will. But it’s also for people with strong emotions and a desire for philosophical thought.”
— One Critical Bitch
“There are times in Thorn’s prose where I’m reminded not only of some of the best Stephen King from Skeleton Crew or Night Shift, but also of some of the more bizarre stories from Clive Barker’s Books of Blood.”
— Biff Bam Pop
“The stories are clever and witty. The characters are all too real.”
— Cedar Hollow Horror Reviews
“Mike Thorn’s Darkest Hours contains the most diverse selection of stories that I’ve ever read from a single author.”
— Sci-Fi & Scary
“Join us Saturday October 19, 2019 at 11:00am for the APL Author Series with Mike Thorn. Come enjoy open discussion and reading with the author and refreshments.”
From the Airdrie Echo: “On Saturday at 11 a.m., we have another author reading, for adults this time, with Calgary horror author and film critic, Mike Thorn.
Thorn is the author of two short story collections, Darkest Hours and Dreams of Lake Drukka & Exhumation, and his film critiques can be found in several publications.”
Join us Saturday October 19, 2019 at 11:00am for the APL Author Series with Mike Thorn. Come enjoy open discussion and reading with the author and refreshments.
Mike Thorn is the author of the short story collection Darkest Hours.
His fiction has appeared in numerous magazines, anthologies and podcasts, including Dark Moon Digest, The NoSleep Podcast, DarkFuse, Unnerving Magazine, Turn to Ash, and Tales to Terrify. His film criticism has been published in MUBI Notebook, The Film Stage, The Seventh Row, Bright Lights Film Journal and Vague Visages.
He completed his M.A. with a major in English literature at the University of Calgary, where he wrote a thesis on epistemophobia in John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness.
Mike Thorn reviewed Niall Howell’s debut novel Only Pretty Damned for FreeFall Magazine (volume 29, no. 2).
My upcoming short story duology, Dreams of Lake Drukka & Exhumation, is now listed on Goodreads! The book will be released on September 27 through Demain Publishing‘s Short Sharp Shocks series. This is my first standalone publication since Darkest Hours, and I can’t wait to share it with the world.
These stories both depict characters who unearth horrific, long-buried family secrets.
It was only in retrospect that I could see the connections between the two pieces. When I revisited them for publication, it struck me that they work well as companion pieces. Both plots depict unfulfilled pacts with supernatural undercurrents, both include journeys to uncover unresolved familial trauma, and both pivot around the revelation of repressed memories. I wanted to explore the relationship between setting and atmosphere in these pieces, and to depict horror within internal and physical ‘sites of trauma.’ The characters are grappling with painful memories / experiences that have held them back, consciously or unconsciously. One story focuses on a character who is the agent of her own revelations, whereas the other story sees someone whose agency is quickly and brutally taken away.
Join Niall Howell (author of Only Pretty Damned) and Mike Thorn at New Level Brewing Co. on August 21 from 7-9 pm. New Level is offering a special Damned-theme Clown Alley Porter for this event.
