THE CLEARING by Tom Deady
INTERVIEW
- What is on your nightstand?
I always have my Kindle, a paperback book, water, my phone, and a set of headphones. Great question, I never really thought about how almost everything is to support my reading addiction (I listen to audio books on my phone).
- What author would you totally fan?
Definitely Stephen King. I did get to meet him once at a book signing, but I only got to chat for about ten seconds, so I wasn’t able to completely make a fool of myself. I have also had the honor of meeting horror greats Peter Straub, Joe Hill, and Robert McCammon at various events, all without resulting in a restraining order against me.
- What makes you cringe?
The one thing that makes me cringe when watching horror movies is slitting wrists or throats. Especially if it’s with a razor blade. I have no idea why this bothers me when most of the gory stuff doesn’t. If the question was meant to be non-physical things that make me cringe, it’s the use of “coincidences” when I’m reading books. I’m always surprised to see how often the deus ex machina is still used in horror novels.
- Do you obsessively plot out each point or just go with the flow?
I almost never plot or outline. Most of my stories start with an idea for a single or a character, and I just start writing. Interestingly, I did have a rough outline for The Clearing. I originally started it to submit to a site that was going to publish one installment monthly, and had to provide a summary for each installment. The majority of the outline remained intact as I fleshed out the story.
- Is there a word you love to use?
I can’t think of a specific word, but I do have a love for words that were more popular in the mid-twentieth century. For example, “henchmen” is a great word. “Skullduggery” is another one that I love. I also like to use “penultimate” only because I see so many people using it incorrectly (it is often mistaken as a synonym for ultimate or final).
Also, if you have any pictures of your pet you would like to share, please attach them. My readers love animals!
ASIN : B09BYX63QX
Publisher : Vesuvian Books (August 10, 2021)
Publication date : August 10, 2021
Language : English
Praise for THE CLEARING
“Downright creepy. Tom Deady brings the scares in this gripping novel of horror and courage.” —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author
“Tom Deady excels in creating a history and mystery that is engaging and action-packed. The Clearing’s strong protagonists and their realistic concerns, beliefs, and choices creates a memorable and thoroughly engrossing read that is difficult to put down and impossible to predict—just the ticket for a superior horror novel and should ideally reach into adult reader circles, as well as mature teens.” —Midwest Book Review
“Deady shows an ability to switch from adult to young adult horror with the ease and confidence of a true wordsmith. The Clearing is a fast-paced supernatural tale, intelligent and sparkling with great characters, and more than a few chills. Superb.” —Dave Jeffery, author of Beatrice Beecham’s Cryptic Crypt and Ship of Shadows
When Hannah Green’s dog comes out of the woods carrying a sneaker that contains a partially decomposed foot, she thinks it’s the worst thing that could ever happen to her.
She is wrong.
Hannah and her best friend, Ashley, decide to play detective but find themselves in the middle of a decades-old mystery.
What is the strange old woman Mama Bayole hiding in her decrepit farmhouse? Why is the local librarian so determined to prevent them from researching town history? Who is following them around Hopedale, New Hampshire?
The girls make a shocking discovery about what has been happening in the woods behind Hannah’s house. As they get closer to the truth, things take a dangerous turn, and they play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse that may end up costing them their lives.
Tom Deady’s first novel, Haven, was published by Cemetery Dance in 2016 and won the Bram Stoker Award® for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. He has since published a novel entitled, Eternal Darkness, as well as several short stories and novellas, his most recent being Coleridge.
