By Jim Mcleod 
River Eno: The Horror of Their Life
Today, we are delighted to welcome the talented author River Eno to Ginger Nuts of Horror as they join us with their fascinating entry in our ongoing series, The Horror of My Life. This special series explores the pivotal and defining moments that have shaped their unique journey into the captivating and chilling world of horror fiction.
The first horror book I remember reading
Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. I was about 12. I thought I was ready for it because as a young child I’d watched the Hammer films reruns with my father on Saturday afternoons. But man, I was not prepared! To this day that book, and those vampires, freak me right out.
The First Horror Film I remember watching
Hammer Films was my first introduction to horror films, so I’d say, The Mummy scared me the most as a child, some dead person wrapped in gauze and shambling toward you is horrifying at five years old.
But again, the first horror that stuck with me was Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot. That story embedded a deep love, and a love to fear, of vampires that has stayed with me my whole life. It has inspired many projects, like Spec Pub’s upcoming VAMPIRE HUNTERS: AN INCOMPLETE RECORD OF PERSONAL ACCOUNTS and shows up in almost all my writing.
The head vampire in Salem’s Lot, the Master, was crippling scary, and he didn’t really do anything! He was a bit of inspiration for the vampire in my short story, The Appropriated Journal of Baron von Herberstein.
The Greatest Horror Book of All Time
I don’t know about the greatest, but The Last Vampire by Christopher Pike and 30 Days of Night, the graphic novel, are both excellent. I think you see the pointy-toothed theme with my horror!
The Greatest Horror Film of all time
Let the Right One In, the Swedish version and its American remake, Let Me In, are amazingly gross and scary and timeless and in my top five. 28 Days Later is up there too!
The Greatest Writer of All Time
Writers are too different to pick, but right now I’m reading, The Tooth Fairy by Graham Joyce, again. It is one of my favorites that I like to go back to when I want to be really creeped out.
The Best Book Cover of All Time
The book, The Manitou by Graham Masterton, was around my house growing up. My mom loved it. It was kind of plain, with a woman in an oval picture frame. To me, she seemed so lost and so forgotten that I will never forget the cover even though I’ve never read the book.
The Best Book I Have Written
I hope to get better with every story I write, but I am partial to the short story Perfect Happiness that I wrote for the anthology: Incubate: A Horror Collection of Feminine Power and also the short, An Turas, which was in the Yule: Tales of the Winter Solstice anthology.
The Book I am Working on Next
This July 22, Speculation Publications’ is releasing its eleventh book, VAMPIRE HUNTERS: AN INCOMPLETE RECORD OF PERSONAL ACCOUNTS, an anthology of letters, transcripts and journal entries of vampire hunters throughout history. The stories we collected are diverse and amazing, and my own story The Appropriated Journal of Baron von Herberstein is in there as well.
After that, I’ll be re-releasing new versions of my first two Anastacia books, in anticipation of the long-awaited third book, The Demon Within.
I’m also working on my Spec Pub pet project, the third Winter Lore book, Aurora: Tales of Winter Dreams, that will be coming out this November. These anthologies are exciting for me because autumn and winter are my favorite times of year, and I love diving into ancient pagan roots and cultures and finding stories with a broader meaning of death, rebirth and magick.
VAMPIRE HUNTERS: AN INCOMPLETE RECORD OF PERSONAL ACCOUNTS:
“Vampires stalk us from the shadows. They’ve been feeding on blood, our very life force, since before words were pressed into clay. But we are not unprotected. For as long as vampires have hunted us, there have been those who hunt them. This is a record, fragments of journals, letters and transcripts, collected to chronicle how vampires can be identified, how they are evolving, slaying strategies, and the threat they pose to humanity.
From Agamemnon to Edgar Allan Poe, Cape Canaveral to Kiribati, this Incomplete Record of Personal Accounts explains the appetites, habits and horrors of these creatures of the night. Testimonials have been gathered, organized, and passed on in a single book throughout history.
With stories from Gwendolyne Kiste and A.C. Wise, as well as LCW Allingham, George K. Angelou, Juno Crew, William J. Donahue, River Eno, Henry Herz, Mina Humiston, D.C. Kugtima, Camellia Landman, Carter Lappin, Caolán Mac an Aircinn, Hope Madden, TT Madden, Lee Meeder, A.R.C Mitra, Bill Mulligan, Nico Martinez Nocito, Toni Owen-Blue, Dale Parnell, and Johan Robertsson.
These incomplete records are now released to illuminate the darkness where evil thrives.”
“Vampire Hunters surprised and delighted me. Beautifully researched, twisty and smart, Uncle Charles’s preserved chronicles of vampire hunters, saints, outlaws, poseurs (and Poe!) span time from the siege of Troy to the clandestine horrors of present-day America. Clippings, drawings, and photos flesh out a panoply of adventures: a 16th-century German baron endures horrors on behalf of the Holy Roman Empire; Jews protect Ireland in the time of the Cossacks; a vampire at Cape Canaveral longs for space. Make no mis-stake; this book is filled with Tales of the Unexpected-ly amazing. Recommended 100%!”
–Nancy Holder, Lifetime Achievement Award winner, the Horror Writers Association
BIO
River Eno is an author and managing copy editor and co-owner of Speculation Publications: a women-owned indie press striving to amplify new and established voices. River writes dark-erotic/urban fantasy novels—The Anastasia Evolution Series—and horror-adjacent short stories, usually with a bend toward paganism or pagan archetypes. Residing on the east coast with rescue dogs, old turtles and family; River is vegan, a practicing witch, and an herbalism enthusiast with polyglottal aspirations.
WEBSITE LINKS
https://www.speculationpub.com/vampire-hunters
https://linktr.ee/rivertheauthor?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=f651bda9-317c-433a-8383-5
Further Reading
If you’re a fan of spine-chilling tales and hair-raising suspense, then you won’t want to miss the horror features page on The Ginger Nuts of Horror Review Website. This is the ultimate destination for horror enthusiasts seeking in-depth analysis, thrilling reviews, and exclusive interviews with some of the best minds in the genre. From independent films to mainstream blockbusters, the site covers a broad spectrum of horror media, ensuring that you’re always in the loop about the latest and greatest.
The passionate team behind The Ginger Nuts of Horror delivers thoughtful critiques and recommendations that delve into the nuances of storytelling, character development, and atmospheric tension. Whether you’re looking for hidden gems to stream on a dark and stormy night or want to explore the work of up-and-coming horror filmmakers, this page is packed with content that will ignite your imagination and keep you on the edge of your seat.
So grab your favorite horror-themed snacks, settle into a cozy spot, and immerse yourself in the chilling world of horror literature and film. Head over to The Ginger Nuts of Horror and embark on a journey through the eerie and the extraordinary it’s an adventure you won’t soon forget!
Sandra Ubege