The English Lake District is a haven of tranquility, a place for hill walkers, mountain climbers and those in search of solitude. But when the rains arrive it becomes a desolate landscape where malevolence rises up from the depths and death is not far behind. It has struck before and this time it has to be stopped.
From the imaginations of four authors working as one comes a menace that is Mostly Human.
This extended version includes four additional short stories, one from each of the authors of this Book.
Steve Lockley:
Q: What will e-readers like about your book?
A: I'd like to think that it's a fun read though I suspect that there will be a lot of people out there trying to work out who wrote what. In a way, that's what makes the inclusion of a bonus story by each of us more important. I'd also like to think that it will give readers the chance to discover new authors if they are already a fan of one of us.
Q: Why did you go indie?
I'm not sure that I have 'gone indie'. I've been having stories published in all kinds of places for more than 25 years and hope to be able to continue to. The story included in the new edition of 'Mostly Human' first appeared in 'The Sixth Black Book of Horror' and is on the long list for this year's British Fantasy Award for Best Short Story.
Q: Who are your favorite authors in your genre?
Apart from the other guys who worked on Mostly Human? Ray Bradbury, Lucius Shepard, Charles de Lint and M R James would feature on any list I put together but for much of the last couple of years I've been reading a lot of 19th century authors.
Scott Nicholson:
Q: What will e-readers like about your book?
I had a lot of fun working with such talented and varied writers, especially since I was the lone American of the group. It was reassuring to see there are writers out there even more twisted than I am.
Q: Why did you go indie?
After going the other way for years, I had about run out of road, so I dipped my toe and before I knew it I was waist deep. Now I am way over my head and I've forgotten how to breathe.
Q: Who are your favorite authors in your genre?
Stephen King is an obvious influence, but I also hearken back to Ira Levin and William Goldman and Kurt Vonnegut. I read a lot of trashy '80s horror, too, and these days I tend to read all over the map, mostly my indie friends.
Steven Savile:
Q: What will readers like about your book?
That's a question I don't have a good answer for - because every reader is different, and they're going to draw different things from the same stories. I hope though, above anything, that they'll consider the time spent with the characters worth more than the cost of entry. That's always my aim, whether the book is simply a rollicking old school adventure, or a Kafkaesque tale of hell, or anything else I might sit down and dream up. That's all any of us can hope, really.
Q: Why did you go indie?
I didn't 'go indie' I'm still involved in lots of traditional legacy publishing deals, but the opportunity to manage my back catalogue differently was exciting. I think we're approaching a tipping point with reading habits, and buying patterns, and the fact that conceivably I can finish a story on Monday and have it in the hands of readers by Friday... that's amazing. I remember my first story sale back in the 90s. It took 18 months to see the first reviews and get any reader feedback. How the world has changed.
Q: Who are your favorite authors in your genre?
I have a few writers I drop everything to read, Paul Auster, Clive Barker, Lee Child, Douglas Coupland, Joseph Wambaugh, Matt Dunn, Paul Theroux, Glen David Gold, David Nicholls, Nick Hornby, and Michael Chabon. My reading habits aren't really bound to any of the genres I write in. In fact I most read out of my genres.
William Meikle:
Q: What will e-readers like about your book?
Four writers, four countries, but we came to the English Lake District, brought together by something in the water, something old, something hungry. It's a tight, fast read and pulls no punches. I think it turned out very well and I'm as proud as punch with my role in it.
Q: Why did you go indie?
I didn't. :-) My ebooks are all published by small publishers, who handle a lot of the boring bits for me and let me get on with the writing. That said, I -feel- like an indie in that I have a strong e-presence, and that will only help as ti,e marches on and the industry starts to embrace the digital revolution .
Q: Who are your favorite authors in your genre?
Apart from the 3 other chaps in Mostly Human, I'm a big fan of Ramsey Campbell, George R R Martin, Tim Lebbon, Joe Abercrombie and Steve Duffy. Of older writers, I keep going back to Raymond Chandler, Robert E Howard, William Hope Hodgson and, of course, H. P. Lovecraft.
