Earlier this year, I met a very new and exciting writer online at THE HORROR MALL's forum, THE HAUNT. A place where writers and collectors come together to discuss everything horror. This up and coming writer's name is MARK ALLAN GUNNELLS. Our meeting happened quite by chance. Mark had noticed my name and emailed me telling me how much he loved my writing. I was thrilled. However. Overtime. I realized he thought he was speaking with Douglas E Winter! Once I broke it to him I wasn't whom he thought, we moved onto what we actually had in common. He went on to tell me about a story he had placed in one of the early editions of the BLACK INK HORROR magazine by SIDESHOW PRESS. I read the story, loved it and wrote back to Mark and told him so. From there, we have kept in constant contact at THE HAUNT.


Mark Allan Gunnells, let me start by thanking you for taking the time out to speak with me today.


Not a problem. I must admit, I tend to get a bit self-conscious when talking about myself, but I'll try to tap into my inner narcissist and do the best I can. So bring on the questions.


Let's start off with a little bit of your present life. Where do you live? Have you family? Kids?


I am living in the small town of Gaffney, South Carolina, with Joel Kiser, my partner of going on 8 years. We have no children, not even pets to act as surrogates. My mother and Joel's parents live in the area as well.


Could you give me some background on yourself such as where did you grow up? What were you like as a child? What drew you to the dark side of the literary world? And in general, how long have you been writing?


Well, I grew up right here in Gaffney. Just a small town boy at heart, I guess. As a child, I found small town life stifling but as I got older I grew to love the peacefulness of it. As a child, I was quiet and painfully shy, pretty much the Carrie of my school, the kid that was always picked on. It's okay though, I took all the bullies from my childhood, stuck them in various stories, and I get to torture them horribly. Truth is, I've been a horror geek for as long as I can remember, was drawn to fright films and dark stories right from the start. When I was around ten or so, I started writing these little one-page horror stories that were Twilight Zone rip-offs with titles like "Laura or Horror?" I like to think I've gotten better since then.


I've been hearing these weird stories about your home life. Is it true that you made author KURT NEWTON nervous when he came to visit?


Kurt has made up some very imaginative and amusing stories about myself as well as some other writers and publishers. I want to assure you none of it is true. Although the truth is a lot more boring, so maybe I should say it is true. Fact is, I have not met any of the writers or publishers with whom I've worked face to face. Gaffney, South Carolina, isn't a place most people visit unless they get lost in a Stephen King-esque fashion.


Though we too have actually only met online, we do have something else in common. We share the same publisher, SIDESHOW PRESS, which also runs BLACK INK HORROR magazine. Both are published by husband & wife team TOM & BILLIE MORAN. Can you give me some background on how you first became involved with SSP & BIH?


Well, in a bit of synchronicity and good luck. Several years ago, I sold a story called "God Doesn't Follow You into the Bathroom" to a publication called CHAINSAW MAGAZINE, and one Mr. Tom Moran was hired to do the illustrations for it. Unfortunately, that publication folded before my story ever saw print. About a year later, I saw a new magazine called BLACK INK HORROR had started, so I decided to submit a story and happened to pick "God Doesn't Follow You into the Bathroom." I did not realize that Tom Moran was running the magazine until he sent me an acceptance letter informing me he had been the one hired to do the illustrations for Chainsaw and he'd really loved my story and still had one of the illustrations he'd done, and thus I ended up in the pages of BIH.


We've all heard the saying, 'A house without books is like a body without a soul.' Which brings me to something you've mentioned online to me. Is it true the town in which you live has no bookstores, second-hand or otherwise?


Gaffney has many great qualities, but it is not a haven for book lovers. If you want to browse a bookstore, you have to drive on down the road to Spartanburg, which has one Barnes & Noble and one secondhand bookshop. The library in Gaffney, however, has opened a building next to it which used to be their storage building (and the upstairs still is) and they sell off the books that have been removed from circulation and anything anyone donates. That's all we have.


How does a writer survive in a place that doesn't really have a bookstore?

A lot of online shopping. Truth be told, even the B&N in Spartanburg doesn't stock many obscure or small press titles, so I buy almost all my books off the 'net these days.


As we speak, you have a chapbook, A LAYMON KIND OF NIGHT due to be released at the end of June 2009, which is one of four, along with the chapbooks of KURT NEWTON, BRIAN KNIGHT & EDWARD LEE. How did that deal come about?


Some more synchronicity and good luck. Because I had bought some books from THE HORROR MALL, I got a notice they had opened a new message board called The Haunt. I started posting there A LOT, some people poke fun I post there so much. So one day I started chatting with a fellow about, of all things, the 80s slasher film FINAL EXAM which was filmed on the Limestone College campus right here in Gaffney. I had written a story as homage to that movie and my alma mater, and I sent it to the fellow Haunter to read, and it was only then he realized who I was and I realized who he was. It was TOM MORAN, and he asked if I'd send some more of my stuff. I thought I was sending it for consideration in BIH, but then he came out with the chapbook offer. It all moved pretty quickly from there.


Could you give our readers the premise of A LAYMON KIND OF NIGHT?


Well, the chapbook actually contains 3 stories --" A LAYMON KIND OF NIGHT," "THE SNOOP," and "VAN PEOPLE." The title story is about a woman having to walk home late at night and all the dangers she encounters on the way; "THE SNOOP" is about a nosy man who decides to go through his neighbor's house while he is away, and all the things both expected and unexpected that he finds; "VAN PEOPLE" is my take on BODY SNATCHERS, about the changes that come over the people in a town when they start buying mini-vans. If I may say, the chapbook is now available online at the HORROR MALL.


Where and how did you come up with the stories?


Well, the title story is obviously a loving homage to the late Richard Laymon. I find his books delightfully fun, literary roller coaster rides that are a pleasure to read. I wanted to write something like that, and figured if I was doing a Laymon homage I might as well make it blatant and have the main character realize she was in a Laymon-esque situation. "THE SNOOP" has its roots in a childhood incident where my family was asked to watch over the neighbors' house while they were on vacation, and we ended up taking an unauthorized tour of their home; we didn't take anything or even touch anything, we just wanted to look around. I of course am now appalled by my family's behavior, but I did get a story idea from it. "VAN PEOPLE" came from a friend of mine who shared some fears he and his wife had about the impending birth of twins, and how trading in their car for a minivan seemed to represent the end of a part of their lives.


You've mentioned to me that you have a novella project simmering right now. Are you in any position to tell our readers anything about it at this time?


Well, there's no contract at the moment so I don't want to say too much, but it does look like I'll be doing a book that collects two of my novellas, an end of the world creature feature called "CREATURES OF THE LIGHT" and a ghost story of sorts set on a college campus called "WHISONANT." The first story is pretty much set, but the second is still going through revisions.


Anything else you are working on?


Well, I have a novella on the go called "DREAM HOUSE" which is based oddly enough on a small figurine of a house I saw and became obsessed with at a local thrift store; I'm writing a few smaller pieces at the moment; I have another novella brewing that deals with some local history and urban legends.


Sounds like you write more than one story at a time.


Sometimes I do, especially when I'm writing a novella. Call it short attention span, but when I'm writing a longer piece I tend to take breaks so I can write some shorter stories and flash fiction.


I see you're reading a lot of BRIAN KNIGHT right now, would you consider him an influence?


KNIGHT is a new obsession, just started reading him. So I wouldn't call him an influence since he is so new to me, but he is definitely a hell of a writer and someone I want to read more and more of.


What writers, artists, musicians would you consider influences either in your work or maybe just that inspire or makes you want to write?


Loaded question that I could be here answering all day. CLIVE BARKER is a big influence because I'm a short story nut, much prefer writing in the short form in a world where unfortunately the market for short stories is dwindling into nothingness. But Barker is one of the only modern writers I know of who initially came to prominence and success with a series of short story collections, long before he ever released a novel. It is a dream of mine to release my own collection (or three or twenty), so I admire him greatly. NEIL GAIMAN I think is a natural storyteller that infuses everything he writes with a touch of magic and wonder, and that has definitely influenced some of my more fantastical pieces. STEPHEN KING has a master's ear for dialogue and is great at characterization. JOE R LANSDALE has taught me economy of words; he can set a scene, reveal hidden depths of a character, and craft an engaging tale all without wasting a word. Simplicity can be a beautiful thing.


Do you write only horror? Or are your drawn to other genres too?


Horror is my first love and will always be my truest love, but I do dabble in other things. A little fantasy, some slice-of-life. Gay fiction as well, although I prefer to put gay characters in my stories without making a big issue of it.


The sales of your chapbook, A LAYMON KIND OF NIGHT has been very successful at the Horror Mall. With this happening so fast, have you thought where you would like to be in five years in regards to your writing?


Honestly, I've tried not to think about it. This is by far the most scrutiny my work has ever received, and that is both thrilling and terrifying. I'm looking forward to the feedback, but also anxiously hoping the stories do their job and entertain. I've had some friends talk to me about how this could be the beginning of bigger things for me, and that would be great, but I'm trying not to focus on that too much. I'd rather focus on just continuing to write stories that I love and hopefully others will enjoy, and I'll let what comes after that come.


Once again, let me thank you for taking the time out for our readers and helping us to fill in the gaps about you and your work.
My pleasure. I said I didn't like to talk about myself and then I babbled on and on and on until you're sick of me I'm sure. And if you are, don't be afraid to try some of my fiction; it's more succinct and much more entertaining.