Author | Critic
On June 11, 2021, Journalstone will release Darkest Hours: Expanded Edition. This definitive version includes:
• A new foreword by Sadie Hartmann (Mother Horror)
• Author notes for all 16 stories (newly revised)
• 17 essays on horror cinema
Visit Night Worms for an exclusive cover reveal (art by Mikio Murakami).
Pre-order directly from JournalStone.
On Saturday, May 8, Cult of Cinema‘s Aaron Pynn will host a conversation between Mike Thorn (author of Shelter for the Damned and Darkest Hours) and Jamie Blanks (director of Urban Legend and Valentine).
I now have digital ARCs of Darkest Hours: Expanded Edition (coming June 11 from Journalstone). This version includes all 16 original stories, plus 17 essays on horror cinema.
Contact me here if you’re interested in reviewing and/or interviewing.
“Many of the stories in this collection concern the topics of academia (with academics being alternately portrayed as buffoonish or somewhat sinister) and drinking/drunkenness; the two are most amusingly combined in the clever ‘Speaking of Ghosts.'”
In his latest interview, Mike Thorn answers Lou Pendergrast’s questions about Shelter for the Damned, Darkest Hours, and his new story “Deprimer” (from the latest issue of Vastarien).
More information soon…
Big news!
I am now represented by literary agent Stacey Kondla at The Rights Factory. This is a very exciting development; I am thrilled to have such a skilled and enthusiastic pro championing my work.
It seems only yesterday that I unleashed my debut short story collection Darkest Hours on the world. November 10, 2020 will mark its three-year anniversary, and the end of its print run with Unnerving. So far, the book has been thriving thanks to support and enthusiasm from readers, reviewers, and horror enthusiasts from all dark corners. I fully intend to find it an excellent new home, and I will provide updates as they come!
Having said that, if you want to pick up a copy of Darkest Hours, now is absolutely the time. Order from Amazon or Barnes & Noble before it vanishes (for now…).
In other news, my debut novel Shelter for the Damned is scheduled for release with JournalStone on February 26, 2021. I have a lot of exciting updates related to that project, but I’m going to have to sit on those for the time being.
Here’s the synopsis:
While looking for a secret place to smoke cigarettes with his two best friends, troubled teenager Mark discovers a mysterious shack in a suburban field. Alienated from his parents and peers, Mark finds within the shack an escape greater than anything he has ever experienced.
But it isn’t long before the place begins revealing its strange, powerful sentience. And it wants something in exchange for the shelter it provides.
Stay spooky, my friends! More updates soon…
Mike Thorn is an author and film critic who currently resides in Calgary, Alberta (mostly inside his apartment, at the moment). Thorn’s Darkest Hours, a collection of short stories, is anything but mundane. Although his writing is full of darkness and supernatural horrors, it is always rooted in something painfully human. A genre film enthusiast, Mike excels at uncovering allegorical meanings behind fantastical works of art, often rooted in depictions of trauma and hidden pasts. He also can name the top ten horror flicks from any decade at the drop of a hat; the man has lists for everything. Mike is unique in his approach to writing, as he is informed not only by his intense love for literature, but also by his extensive knowledge of cinema. He is particularly influenced and inspired by 1930s horror. Currently, Mike works as an instructor at Bow Valley College, while also keeping up with personal writing projects. Keep your eyes peeled in February 2021 for his debut novel, Shelter for the Damned.
