The Naughty Corner is a collection of three very different novellas.
First out of the blocks is ‘The Generation Games,’ my funniest and perhaps darkest story yet. Think ‘Escape Room’ meets ‘Squid Games’ for the elderly. Let’s fast-forward time by a few decades to give that context. The population crisis is out of control. Earth’s resources are close to depletion. For undisclosed reasons, Mars is no longer a viable planet to inhabit. A mandate has been put into effect condemning people to death when they hit the age of seventy. Only a lucky few will have the opportunity to compete in ‘The Generation Games’ for a passport to the latter years. Old people horror is my jam, and this novella takes things to another level, all under the watchful eyes of reality TV. Things are about to get savage.
The second novella in the collection, ‘My Name is Brian,’ is a coming-of-age tale with a difference. Brian’s an odd one, always with his head in the books or a packet of chips. He doesn’t mix well with the other kids but doesn’t seem to care. Or is he just a ticking time bomb ready to explode? Readers will have to find out for themselves.
Last but not least is the namesake ‘The Naughty Corner.’ This small-town horror novella will make readers feel all kinds of uncomfortable. Paranoia-inducing and claustrophobic, they’ll never be the same again…
A new start in a gorgeous location. The house of their dreams. But behind the gates of this well-do-do community, our family is about to uncover rules and secrets that will turn their lives upside down. And trust me, the last place you want to end up is in the naughty corner.
I’m super proud of this collection. Each novella provides different chills and thrills along the way, but all leave readers with a ‘what the hell did I just read’ feeling.
Inspiration.
I’ve become a little obsessed with old-people horror. My first foray into longer fiction was a strange piece called ‘Nana.’ Risky but fun, Nana is about the pursuit of youth but also highlights the perceived divide between young and old. There’s a tendency to write the older generation off, but regardless of age, we’re all just children in older skin. We all want to laugh like we did in the school playground, tears streaming down our faces. Regardless of age, we all still look at the stars with awe and wonder. I’m keen to exploit this continued playfulness in my stories, even exaggerate it to the nth degree. There’s so much fun to have, and ‘The Generation Games’ is the perfect example.
Target Audience
The target audience for this collection is really anyone who enjoys horror without too much gore. I tend not to write splatter, preferring to focus on the psychological aspects of horror. Most importantly, readers need an open mind and a dark sense of humor to get the most from my work.
The biggest compliment a reader can pay my work is that it’s ‘unique.’ That’s challenging, but whenever that word pops up in reviews, I always get a sense of accomplishment—mission complete. I want readers to remember my work long after reading it. I want to give them an experience that makes them question everything, to bring the walls of reality down and absorb them into new worlds where nothing is certain. I want to make them think.
I want to get as many new readers across this collection as possible. ‘The Generation Games’ is one of my strongest pieces of work, and I know it will appeal to all, not just those into horror. It’s fun, edgy, brave, and, dare I say, unique. I challenge anyone not to fall in and out of love with these characters. Good news: ‘The Naughty Corner’ collection will soon be given the full audio treatment via The Chilling App (dates to be confirmed). Not long to wait for those who prefer listening to stories.
Me?
Before beginning the writing journey, I had done nothing creative for nearly three decades. When the dark clouds started to hover, I knew I needed something other than the 9-5 and all the other daily rituals. I’m not going to say anything cheesy, such as ‘writing saved me,’ but it sure as hell gave me a new lease on life.
Starting at the ripe old age of forty-five, I’ve been writing prolifically for six years. They say, ‘It’s never too late;’ still, I’m certainly trying to make up for lost time, having been published in over two hundred journals and anthologies and penning fifteen novellas, including Mischief Night, Nana, Gone to the Dogs, 3:33, and Crows. My work has also been made into full theatrical audio productions for shows such as The No Sleep Podcast, Tales to Terrify, Creepy, etc.
Chasing The Dragon, my debut novel from Eerie River Publishing, was released in March 2024. And it only gets busy from there on in.
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