Author Q&A: Jeff Kinnard (Macabre Monday)
"Macabre Monday means community. It has provided a solid place for people that enjoy horror to hang out!"
Macabre Monday is a weekly event that spotlights participants who write or write about horror fiction. One of the leaders at Macabre Monday, Jeff Kinnard is a father, husband, freelance writer, tabletop/video gamer, crafter of worlds and lover of nature. He has been writing for almost 15 years. His work on Substack includes both Macabre Monday and Choose Fiction.
Author Q&A: Jeff Kinnard (Macabre Monday)
1. What do you do on Substack? (How do you make use of it?)
I started on Substack with my own personal fiction newsletter called, “Choose Fiction” where I posted my reader-driven, serialized stories. Initially this was to gain an audience and email list that I could use to later promote my work as an author.
Now, after starting and growing Macabre Monday, I use Substack to promote other authors, provide a space for them to network and encourage them to compete in contests that test their strengths.
2. What does Macabre Monday mean to you?
To me, Macabre Monday means community. It has provided a solid place for people that enjoy horror to hang out! Substack can be a very solitary place, even within your own niche. It’s has become better with the Notes feature being launched, but still many are left feeling excluded (especially newcomers).
Macabre Monday does away with that and allows for anyone to join a fun, active and kind community of writers and enthusiasts. In the case of newcomers it has actually benefitted them by allowing for them to be discovered quickly by people that would like what they write, rather than grinding out their first few subscribers.
3. What’s your relationship with horror (or whatever you call the category you like) fiction?
I have always been a horror junky. It doesn’t matter what form the horror comes in, I love pretty much all of it. Books, movies, shows, comics, music, real life horror attractions, you name it and I’m there.
What started my fascination with horror was the blockbuster horror movie section. All the cover art always terrified me, yet it also intrigued me. One day I stole SAW from my parents after they rented it and was scared to the bone.
However, it wasn’t until I went through sleep paralysis and night terrors in my teens that I somewhat became addicted to the rush of feeling scared. Since then it has been a non-stop passion for me.
4. What are some examples of your favorite kinds of stories?
My all time favorite series is Hell Divers by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. To name a few others that I very much enjoy; Infinite series by Jeremy Robinson, Space Odyssey series by Arthur C. Clarke, Lost Gods by Brom and Dante’s Inferno by Dante Alighieri.
5. What are the best ways to keep track of what you do as a writer?
Substack would be the best way to keep track of me as a writer! I do not use other platforms currently.
More authors on Substack
I’m working on a master list of genre authors who can be found on Substack. My work-in-progress page can be found here: Substack fiction authors—including profiles and links to fiction and articles.
About Monster Complex
I write about lots of horror and genre authors over at Monster Complex. Some of the more popular such articles include Top 70 Horror Authors and Their Work (According to Google) and Urban Fantasy Showcase: 100 Authors To Know and Their Works. I’ve also posted lots of articles about monster fiction in movies, TV, comic books, music, and more. I also just launched the Monster Complex video show. Whoo-hoo!
Macabre Monday
Looking for more authors who write or write about horror fiction? Check out the Macabre Monday page and these participating members: haunting the staircase Jenovia Honeygloom John Coon reinancruz Koshmarov Michael S. Atkinson Author Michele Bardsley L.L. Ford A. B. Frank Patricia J.L. 👻🧶🖊️ Jessica Maison Jennifer Morrow Stirling S Newberry Nicolina Torres Lauren Salas Susan Earlam Jon T Daniel W. Davison Daniel O’Donnell Michael P. Marpaung Buck Weiss Leigh Parrish Macey Cole Noble Olivia St. Lewis EJ Trask Joshua T Calkins-Treworgy Skyla Anna C. Webster Carla Pettigrew V Kelly-Sibley Kathrine Elaine Renee George Alec Worley haunting the staircase ReddOscarWrites Slasher EJ Trask Josh Tatter The Man Behind the ScreenHamish Kavanagh
Great interview! Always good to hear from the Macabre Monday MC!