Stephen Mark Rainey: Balancing Writing and Life

Stephen Mark Rainey: Balancing Writing and Life

Introduction

In the realm of horror and dark fantasy, few voices resonate as powerfully as that of Stephen Mark Rainey. With a prolific career spanning nearly four decades, Rainey has carved out a unique niche, blending chilling tales with profound emotional depth. His extensive body of work includes a dozen novels, six collections, and an impressive catalog of short fiction that captivates and terrifies readers. Not only has he contributed as a writer, but he also served as the editor of the influential Deathrealm magazine and penned scripts for the Dark Shadows audio drama series.

In this interview, we delve into the mind of Rainey, exploring his writing process, inspirations, and thoughts on the horror genre. From discussions on his favorite characters to insights on literary success, we gain a glimpse of the man behind the pen and the dark worlds he creates. Join us as we uncover the intricacies of Stephen Mark Rainey’s writing journey and the fascinating stories that lie within his imagination.

Please tell the readers a little bit about yourself.

I’ve been writing — mostly horror and dark fantasy fiction — for going on forty years now, with a dozen novels, six collections, nearly 300 published works of short fiction, and several scripts for Big Finish Productions’ Dark Shadows audio drama series, which feature members of the original ABC-TV cast. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, I edited the award-winning Deathrealm magazine, and I’ve also edited several anthologies, including the recent Deathrealm: Spirits from Shortwave Publishing. My wife, Kimberly, and I live in Martinsville, VA, USA, in the house where I grew up, so I have lots of memories here — many of them from my wonderfully scary childhood. We also have a houseful of derpy orange cats and one gray tabby.

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

That’s pretty tough, as I’ve written some nasty characters. Probably John Hanger, a.k.a. Balak, who appears in several of my stories as well as in my first novel, Balak. In the Bible, he was a Moabite king who worshiped false gods; in my universe, those gods were not false but “other.” And since his depraved acts pleased them, they made him immortal. In the present day, running into John Hanger never ends well.

Which of your characters is your favourite?

Lieutenant Commander Drew MacLachlan in Blue Devil Island. As a US Navy pilot in World War II, he is courageous and devoted to his men and his duty. He is also emotionally torn apart by the brutal conflicts on the Pacific island where his squadron is stationed. I feel he is the most “real” of the characters I’ve written, his internal struggles perhaps the most profound.

Which of your books best represents you?

The aforementioned Blue Devil Island is probably number one on my list, as it combines my passions for horror and history, specifically World War II history. Although the novel deals with cosmic horror on a grand scale, its character stories are the most personal, and to my mind the best-rendered, among my works of fiction. A close second would be my newest novel, The House at Black Tooth Pond, as it explores several characters in depth, whose lives are based on very real people I know or have known. It delves into some of my deepest youthful fears, updating them to reflect how the adult characters experience and react to them.

Other than the horror genre, what else has significantly influenced your writing?

I grew up reading Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels, and while those books don’t reflect modern sensibilities, I remain fascinated by Fleming’s ability to combine storytelling with vivid, detailed descriptions of people, places, and events without bogging down the narrative. Quite the opposite — his approach enriches the stories, and while I don’t consciously emulate that style, it does inspire me to make my prose as vivid and immersive as possible.

The term horror, especially when applied to fiction, always has such heavy connotations. What’s your feeling on the term “horror”, and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?

In writing circles, I never shy away from calling myself a “horror writer” because that’s what I unabashedly consider myself. But yeah, to some, “horror” is a term often relegated to a vacuous, third-rate genre in which few respectable writers would steep themselves. I worry very little about that anymore. My one concession to such notions is when I’m asked about my work, I’ll often say “I write scary stuff.” I suppose there’s a fine line between what some people consider appealingly creepy and disgustingly depraved; in my experience, the term “horror” more often conjures up the latter.

Should horror be political?

It can be, but as with any genre or mode, it “should” convey what the author wants it to convey. Personally, I tend to sneak occasional political commentary into a work as a subtle undertone; I dislike didactic fiction. In my latest, The House at Black Tooth Pond, some of the events could be considered allegorical, but they’re still more literal than metaphorical in their dramatic placement.

Why do you think so many people enjoy horror?

It’s a rush. Endorphins, don’t you know. It can be cathartic. Personally, I tend to prefer more subtle, eerie tales with vivid atmosphere to in-your-face splatter and such, but under the “horror” umbrella, there’s a place for everything. It’s a way to experience something unthinkable while remaining “safe.”

Who would be on your Mount Rushmore of horror?

Edgar Allan Poe. H.P. Lovecraft. Stephen King. Clive Barker. I have lots and lots of other favorite writers, many of whom I prefer to any of these, but in the bigger picture, I feel like these four may represent the most timeless icons.

Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative, that have stayed with you?

It was less a review than a personal phone call about Blue Devil Island. When I worked in educational publishing, our company CEO’s father had been an F6F Hellcat pilot in the Pacific in WWII, so our CEO bought him a copy of the book. His dad called me at the office one day to compliment my work, and he said to me, “It’s almost hard to believe you weren’t there.” He did clarify that a few little details here and there didn’t quite ring true, but that I had otherwise very successfully captured in prose “the way things were.” No other commentary on my work has been more personally meaningful.

What aspects of writing do you find the most difficult?

I’d say it’s piecing together a complicated plot puzzle, more so with novels than short stories. I do my best to create plots that are multi-dimensional and — hopefully — unpredictable, which sometimes creates a kind of idea gridlock. Sorting out these pieces, tossing those that weren’t well-formed, and rebuilding them into a coherent whole oftentimes keeps me up into the wee hours.

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Both. I suppose I should say sometimes one, sometimes the other. It depends entirely on any number of variables: the particular work at hand, certain external circumstances, whether I’ve gotten sufficient sleep (ha!), or if there’s a deadline looming over me. I tend to work more efficiently when I do have a tight deadline, although it can also stress me out.

What’s your best advice for new authors about social media?

Balance your social media platforms so that they’re not solely about your writing. For example, if your Facebook page is nothing but perpetual billboard, people lose interest. Admittedly, it is difficult to gauge what’s too much and what’s not enough; I’ve struggled with this since social media became a thing. Promoting yourself wisely online can certainly help build a solid readership. Some writers have more of a knack for promoting than others, so it may be helpful to follow successful writers and, to some degree, emulate their processes. Some writers are very comfortable posting about their personal and social lives, and others are not. It’s not a one-size-fits-all proposition, but once you find a mode that feels right — and nets some results — go with it.

How do you balance making demands on the reader with taking care of the reader?

That’s one of those juggling acts in which you improve with experience. I’ve always been a big fan of not giving the reader every little piece of a story puzzle, sometimes to the point of allowing considerable ambiguity. T.E.D. Klein did this brilliantly in some of his works, and they are among my favorite horror stories. However, I think more readers prefer a wrapped-up package, even if it’s not altogether neatly. I strive to reach a happy medium, where I may make it abundantly clear that I, as the author, know exactly what’s going on and why, but I might leave some of it out so the reader can fill it in. Leave out too much, though, and the reader may feel alienated and want to swat you upside the head.

Writing is not a static process; how have you developed as a writer?

Read and write, write and read. I try to read all kinds of styles and themes, though I generally stick close to the horror field because I want to stay at least marginally informed about who among my peers is doing what at any given time. Beyond that, I get out of my office as much as possible and experience everything I can. I travel to the extent that the budget allows, I listen intently to people talk, online and in the world beyond. I challenge myself to write outside my comfort level…whatever that is. Discovering that is a perpetual quest.

What’s the most surprising thing you learned while writing your books?

That my brain can fill in the most glaring gaps in my prose so that I never see them. I can edit anyone else’s writing very thoroughly and confidently. However, I can proof my own manuscript a hundred times. Every single time, I will find more typos that my brain overlooked., I mean, it’s bad. I never realized I was quite so blind.

What does literary success look like to you?

Having a solid, well-regarded body of work, I think. Mine is definitely solid, and at least in some circles, reasonably well-regarded. I wish the circles were bigger, but I can’t complain. (Actually, I’m famous but nobody knows it.) No, I have no real fame, but at least in the field that means the most to me, I have a modicum of recognition, and you can best believe I’m thankful for that.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received regarding your writing?

To be stubborn. Don’t throw in the towel, don’t voice bitterness, and press on even when it hurts. I don’t necessarily write every day; I sometimes take little physical and mental health breaks. But these are usually short and sweet, and when I’m passionate about what I’m working on, I’ll write as many hours of every day as I can manage until it’s done.

Do you have a favourite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?

From my short story, “The House at Black Tooth Pond,” which was the precursor to my novel of the same title:

By combining a high-pitched vocalization with a shrill, warbling whistle, my brother could mimic the cries of the whippoorwills that lurked in the nighttime woods around Black Tooth Pond, convincingly enough that only a trained ear could discern the difference.

I knew the difference.

The cry, mournful and eerie, now wafted from the darkness outside my bedroom window. I knew that sound, and it made me quail.

It wasn’t a whippoorwill’s song, but my brother’s.

My brother was dead.

Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?

I most recently completed The House at Black Tooth Pond, which, as I just mentioned, was an expansion of my short story of the same title, which appeared in the anthology Shunned Houses, edited by Katherine Kerestman and S.T. Joshi (October 2024, WordCrafts Press). The story is a standalone piece, but after I finished it, I kept dreaming up all kinds of plot extensions, of character development, and it finally shaped itself into a novel. Look for The House at Black Tooth Pond in February 2025 from Crossroad Press.

I’ve just begun working on a new, collaborative novel with Elizabeth Massie, titled Freezer Burn. It’s a blend of horror and science-fiction, which is a rather different animal than anything either Elizabeth or I have done before.

What’s the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer?

Q: What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done? A: When I was in elementary school, I was a demon on my bicycle — riding wheelies, going long distances with no hands on the handlebars, going at super speed and taking jump ramps that sent me flying remarkable distances through the air; that kind of thing. One day, I was riding home from school, and I saw two young ladies of my acquaintance walking down the sidewalk.

To show off, I took both hands off the handlebars, turned around to holler at them, and waved wildly. When I looked back around, somehow, this parked car had gotten in front of me, and BOOM! I ended up getting thrown over the handlebars and onto the trunk of the car, from which I slid half-conscious onto the pavement. I wasn’t seriously hurt, but I did leave more flesh and blood than I like to think about on the asphalt. My bike was a bit bent up, but I managed to get it back home. I was way too embarrassed to confess my idiocy, so I told my parents that Bobby Hoffman — a kid who regularly bullied me — had thrown me off my bike.

(He had actually done that on a few prior occasions, though I’d never suffered any injury.) Well, much to my horror, my dad called Mr. Hoffman on the phone to report on his son’s misdeed. And… of all things… Bobby admitted to it! Maybe he was feeling guilty from his past transgressions, but he never again threw me off my bike. Nor did I ever lift my hands from the handlebars without maintaining absolute situational awareness.

The House at Black Tooth Pond by Stephen Mark Rainey

AIKEN MILL, VIRGINIA… A legend-haunted town in Sylvan County, located in a remote, mountainous corner of the state. With its long history of countless deaths and disappearances, Aiken Mill has become known to law enforcement as “The Cold Case Capital of the World.”

Now, an unidentified, mutilated body has turned up in the town. During his investigation, Sheriff Bryce Parrott discovers frightening clues that lead him to believe some ghostly force—or entity—may be responsible for the killing.

While exploring the darkest corners of Sylvan County, psychology professor Martin Pritchett and his brother, Phillip, happen upon a crumbling, century-old house beside a body of water called Black Tooth Pond. A strange compulsion leads both men back to the house time and time again, but neither can remember any of the events that occur there.

As both Sheriff Parrott and the Pritchett brothers attempt to solve their respective mysteries, their paths begin to converge—paths that lead inexorably to the ancient, foreboding house at Black Tooth Pond.

***

“Stephen Mark Rainey is a consummate storyteller…at the top of his game.” — Richard Chizmar

“Stephen Mark Rainey’s The House of Black Tooth Pond dwells at the intersection between the traditional haunted house story and tales of cosmic dread, expertly combining both into a frightening, genre-bending novel that both thrills and chills. — Peter Rawlik, author of Reanimators, Reanimatrix, The Book of Yig

“What T.E.D. Klein did for Lovecraftian horror set in upstate New York and NYC, Stephen Mark Rainey does for the rural South.” — Leverett Butts, author of Guns of the Waste Land

Stephen Mark Rainey

Stephen Mark Rainey is the author of a dozen novels, six short story collections, over 200 published works of short fiction, and the scripts to a trio of Dark Shadows audio productions (from Big Finish Productions), which feature members of the original ABC-TV series cast. For ten years, he edited Deathrealm magazine, one of the most acclaimed, influential horror publications of the 1980s and 1990s. He has also edited the anthologies Deathrealms (Delirium Press), Song of Cthulhu (Chaosium), Evermore (with James Robert Smith, Arkham House), and, most recently, Deathrealm: Spirits (Shortwave Publishing). Mark lives in Martinsville, Virginia, with his wife, Kimberly. He is an active member of the Horror Writers Association.

LINKS:

Website: www.stephenmarkrainey.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/s.markrainey/

Bluesky: @markrainey.bsky.social

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/stores/Stephen-Mark-Rainey/author/B000APPI20