Stephen Kozeniewski, Putting the Splatter into Splatterpunk

Stephen Kozeniewski, Putting the Splatter into Splatterpunk

A horror author interview By Lionel Ray Green

Pigeon-holing Stephen Kozeniewski as an author is as difficult as trying to spell his last name correctly on the first try. And that’s the way he wants it.

“I’m always going to try new things,” says the Splatterpunk Award-winning writer.

Among Stephen Kozeniewski‘s works is Braineater Jones about an undead private eye set during 1930s Prohibition. He’s dipped into an alternate reality where ghosts are commonplace in The Perfectly Fine House. He’s written satirical science fiction with Billy and the Cloneasaurus. He’s co-authored a novel in the monstrous Clickers series created by J.F. Gonzalez, Mark Williams, and Brian Keene.

I had to ask: What guiding force determines the path of his writing career and lead to such varied storytelling?

“My guiding principle, often to my detriment, is simply to never be boring or derivative,” Kozeniewski says. “I say it’s to my detriment because readers clearly want to know what they’re going to get from you every time they crack one of your books. With the weirdo exceptions of Skinwrapper, Razortooth, and The Perfectly Fine Neighborhood, I’ve never really published sequels, so I can understand the frustration of my fans. And until it’s financially beneficial to me to write a sequel or a series, I’m probably not going to do it.

“I also know I’ve failed at times at my mission statement because I’m not as well read as I could be,” he continues. “I’ve definitely had antecedents I wasn’t aware of and some I was aware of and forgot about pointed out to me. So, I just try my best not to be repetitive or derivative, and for the most part it’s worked out.”

Stephen Kozeniewski won his first Splatterpunk Award in 2024 for Best Short Story with his twisted tale “My Octopus Master.” The story is a highlight from the 2023 anthology Dead & Bloated. Before his win, Kozeniewski had been nominated three other times. His short stories “My Chopping List” (2023) and “Sun Poison” (2022) were nominated the previous two years. His sci-fi horror novel The Hematophages earned his first nom in 2018.

Two of Stephen Kozeniewski‘s more recent projects include Strange New Moons and Yes, I Am a Vampire.

Strange New Moons is a 2025 anthology that he co-edited with Kayleigh Dobbs. The werewolf-themed collection includes his short story “Blackfish.”

Yes, I Am a Vampire is subtitled The Collected Short Fiction and Autobiography of Stephen Kozeniewski, 2013-2016. It’s an interesting mash-up of short stories and his autobiography.

Stephen Kozeniewski agreed to an exclusive interview with Lionel Ray Green for Ginger Nuts of Horror. The Pennsylvania author shares what sparked the idea for “My Octopus Master,” the evolution of The Hematophages, and why he thinks “The New Dark Ages” is his best work.

Stephen Kozeniewski, Putting the Splatter into Splatterpunk

A horror author interview By Lionel Ray Green

Lionel Ray Green: Your short stories have received Splatterpunk Awards recognition three years in a row with two nominations and one win. They’re all very different, particularly your winning tale with a twist “My Octopus Master.” Where did the idea for “My Octopus Master” originate? What was your reaction to it earning you your first Splatterpunk Award win?

Stephen Kozeniewski: Funny you should ask that. No one has so far. There was literally a meme posted to The Splatter Club on Facebook with essentially the entire premise. Octopi are intelligent, they could be debeaked and used for sexual purposes. And someone commented, “Which writer is going to create this story?” Nobody seems to have noticed or commented upon it, so I suppose the OP either forgot or hasn’t read it yet.

I was, of course, delighted “My Octopus Master” won. This was my first industry award win, and it was a very special night for me. But if the question is meant more along the lines of “Do you think this particular piece deserved to win?” The answer is I have no idea.  

I’ve lost enough awards and been confused by enough actual selections to know that the nature of award wins is perfectly inscrutable. Sometimes it’s the piece everybody predicted; sometimes it’s an exceptionally dark horse. Sometimes they’re offering a sop to somebody who keeps getting nominated and never seems to win. 

Sometimes they’re rewarding an elder statesman more for their career than the particular work in question. Sometimes it’s given to an upstart Young Turk based more on personal popularity than anything else. Sometimes they do both of those to try to convince the elder statesman or the Young Turk to attend the ceremony and boost the popularity of the awards committee. And sometimes it really is just the best piece winning. I have no idea which or any of those may have been the case for “My Octopus Master,” so I prefer not to speculate.

Lionel Ray Green: Your sci-fi horror novel The Hematophages scored you your first Splatterpunk Awards nomination in 2018, and you revisited that universe with a prequel novella titled Skinwrapper. What inspired the fleshworld setting and the lamprey-like alien parasites that live there? It was quite creative.

Stephen Kozeniewski: Oh, well, thank you. The Hematophages was a scrapped idea from the brainstorming I did for the novel just prior to its release, Hunter of the Dead.  I wanted to write a vampire novel, and much as I had done with Braineater Jones previously, I wanted to revamp (ha!) a hoary old monster with a fresh premise. In the case of Jones, it was zombies who needed alcohol to think. In the case of Hunter ... I couldn’t come up with anything new.

You should have seen some of the ideas I tried to make work. There was one I was really excited about which was time-traveling vampires, but I just couldn’t make it make sense. At the end of the day, I couldn’t figure out anything that hadn’t been done before with our favorite bloodsuckers. One working concept was alien vampires.

I developed the idea of bloodsucking parasites living in a host’s brainpan. But it required so much sci-fi setup and was so different from the terrestrial vampire novel I had contracted for with Sinister Grin Pres that I set it aside. Ultimately, with Hunter of the Dead, I just had to settle for writing a splatterpunk vampire story that didn’t really break new ground but had fun with the tropes. I repurposed the alien concept into The Hematophages.

I don’t know if there was any specific inspiration for the fleshworld, but I’m pretty sure it was part of that same vampire brainstorming process. “What if the world was alive and the creatures living on it were vampiric?” Something like that. But I did appreciate that, as far as I know, it hasn’t been done before, and that’s generally what I aspire to.

Lionel Ray Green: In 2024, French Press Publishing released your unique autobiography/short fiction collection titled Yes, I Am a Vampire. You mention in the Preface that one of the stories is “the best thing I’ve ever written.” Which story is that and why do you think it’s your best work?

Stephen Kozeniewski: That would be The New Dark Ages.  If you catch me waxing poetic at a convention panel or the bar afterwards, I’ll sometimes talk about the importance of prose as a medium. Some stories are best told via film, others on stage, others in a graphic novel.  And the best creators always lean into the strengths of their chosen medium.

The beauty of The New Dark Ages is that it tells a story which would be impossible to relate via a more visual medium. If you could see what was happening in the room where the story takes place, there would simply be no story. With this piece I relied on the power of prose to trick the audience into making assumptions that are finally revealed to be false, to devastating effect. 

And it wasn’t a cheap trick, either, like withholding information, which often pisses readers off. I’ve had a number of readers mention to me that they had to go back and re-read the whole story to make sure that what they had done in their minds had never really occurred on the page, and that was perfectly gratifying to hear.

Lionel Ray Green: In January, French Press Publishing released the werewolf anthology Strange New Moons edited by Kayleigh Dobbs and you. As one of the creators and editors of the project, why did you all choose the werewolf theme? From your editor’s point of view, which of the stories was the weirdest take on the werewolf trope?

Oh, the werewolf theme was all Kayleigh. That’s one of her favorite genres, and she begged me to do it. And I agreed, provided we do something different with it. You can probably tell that’s a running theme with me. I don’t mind tropes, but for the love of god, I don’t need to read yet another rehash of a concept I’ve already read a hundred times before.

The weirdest take was Amanda Headlee’s scintillating entry, Lark.

Lionel Ray Green: What has the creation of the Splatterpunk Awards, which debuted in 2018, meant to you as an author. What impact do you think the awards have had on the extreme horror subgenre as a whole? 

Stephen Kozeniewski: I actually had the good fortune to be present for the conception of the Splatterpunk Awards during a long drive to western Pennsylvania in 2016. I suggested they be called the Extremities. I stand by that much cleverer title, but, alas, the creators chose to take a different tack.

It’s a little hard to answer this question without slagging any other industry awards and certain undeserving individuals who always seem to win them. And while I would be happy to expound upon that subject, for propriety’s sake, again, it would be better if you caught me at a convention panel or, more preferably, at the bar afterward. But suffice it to say that the Splatterpunk Awards filled a void in the proper acknowledgement of some very hard-working and worthy writers working today on the bleeding edge of the genre.

The splatterpunks are the ones who are pushing the envelope with horror as a whole. Their bibliographies serve as the laboratory where all of the meaningful experimentation is happening. No one on TikTok is talking about what [insert undeserving individual here] is doing with their latest dull-ass wide release. They’re talking about what Beauregard and Volpe and Morrison are doing with their nutso indie work. And so, the big-S Splatterpunks are a way of recognizing that and reassuring these artists and pioneers that their work is of value and is worthy, even if the old guard doesn’t even want to acknowledge their existence.  

Boy, that answer ended up being really fucking pretentious. It’s great is what I meant to say. It’s just great to have an award for this side of the aisle.

Check out Ben Unsworth’s review of Razortooth here

Further Reading

If you’re a fan of horror, the Ginger Nuts of Horror Review Website’s horror interview page is an absolute must-visit. This section is a treasure trove for anyone looking to deepen their appreciation of the genre and discover the minds behind some of the most captivating horror works today.

What makes these interviews particularly engaging is the way they delve into the creative processes of authors, filmmakers, and artists. Readers gain insight into the inspirations that fuel their contributions to the horror universe. Whether it’s a well-known master of the craft or an emerging talent, each interview provides a unique perspective that can enhance your understanding of horror as an art form.

Moreover, the horror interview page doesn’t shy away from exploring the complexities and nuances of the genre. Interviewees discuss themes that resonate within their work, from societal fears to personal experiences. This opens up a dialogue about what horror truly represents, making it not just entertainment but a reflection of deeper human emotions and fears.

So, if you’re seeking fresh insights, thought-provoking discussions, and a deeper connection to the horror genre, the interviews at The Ginger Nuts of Horror Review Website are a fantastic resource that shouldn’t be overlooked. Dive in and prepare to be both thrilled and enlightened!