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The Color of Melancholy: An Examination of Andrew Pyper’s Novels as Intersected Through My Life
It’s just a book, right? To some, this is true. But what if an author’s work has made a tangible difference in a reader’s life? Steve Stred came from humble beginnings, born and raised in Burton, BC, Canada – population approx. 75. Through the years, he’s battled depression and the fight between his small-town boy fear of the larger world and his inner self desperately wanting more; to see more, do more, experience more. Over his life, Steve’s sought out challenges – being the first in his family to graduate from university. Pursuing weight-lifting, shotput and bobsled, all with the ultimate goal to make it to the Olympic Games. But how does one pick themselves up when failure continuously rears its ugly head? A chance purchase in 2014 changed everything and set in motion a relationship between the books of his favorite author and key moments within his own life. Featuring a powerful foreword from Andrew Pyper, Steve Stred’s ‘ The Color of An Examination of Andrew Pyper’s Novels as Intersected Through My Life ,’ uses a mix of humor and seriousness to describe his upbringing, his challenges and how he fell back in love with writing, while also discussing how Andrew Pyper’s novels have woven their way into the fabric of his own history – and how a friendship was born. Steve Stred is a 2X Splatterpunk-Nominated author of more than a dozen releases. Andrew Pyper is an Arthur Ellis Award-Winning and Shirley Jackson-Nominated author who has been awarded The Grant Allen Award for his contributions to Canadian crime and mystery literature. He is the author of ten best selling novels and the smash hit ‘Oracle,’ an Audible audiobook release.
226 pages, Paperback
Published July 2, 2023
3 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Steve Stred
88 books673 followersAn award-winning author, Steve Stred lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with his wife and son.
Known for his novels, ‘Mastodon,’ ‘Churn the Soil,’ and his series ‘Father of Lies’ where he joined a cult on the dark web for four years, his work has been described as haunting, bleak and is frequently set in the woods near where he grew up. He’s been fortunate to appear in numerous anthologies with some truly amazing authors.
His novel ‘Mastodon’ will be translated into Czech and Italian over the next few years.
His novel 'Churn the Soil' won the Best Horror Novel award in the 2024 Indieverse Awards.
His novel 'Mastodon' and his novella' Sacrament' were both nominated for Splatterpunk Awards.
He is represented by Kodie Van Dusen at The Rights Factory and Alec Frankel at Independent Artist Group.
Outside of writing, Steve received his Bachelor Degree in Kinesiology from the University of the Fraser Valley in 2008, and became a Certified Canadian Pedorthist in 2013.
Known for his novels, ‘Mastodon,’ ‘Churn the Soil,’ and his series ‘Father of Lies’ where he joined a cult on the dark web for four years, his work has been described as haunting, bleak and is frequently set in the woods near where he grew up. He’s been fortunate to appear in numerous anthologies with some truly amazing authors.
His novel ‘Mastodon’ will be translated into Czech and Italian over the next few years.
His novel 'Churn the Soil' won the Best Horror Novel award in the 2024 Indieverse Awards.
His novel 'Mastodon' and his novella' Sacrament' were both nominated for Splatterpunk Awards.
He is represented by Kodie Van Dusen at The Rights Factory and Alec Frankel at Independent Artist Group.
Outside of writing, Steve received his Bachelor Degree in Kinesiology from the University of the Fraser Valley in 2008, and became a Certified Canadian Pedorthist in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 10, 2023
If you’re not gripped by the first shocking and heartbreaking chapter, then I don’t know what to tell you.
July 23, 2023
Great Memoir!
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Stred covers a lot of ground here, and it's a fast-paced and fascinating read. Highly recommended!
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Stred covers a lot of ground here, and it's a fast-paced and fascinating read. Highly recommended!
July 21, 2023
I was intrigued by the premise of The Color of Melancholy. It’s an autobiography of Steve’s life and an in-depth discussion on Andrew Pyper’s work. As a lifelong reader, I love the idea of a specific author’s work intersecting with a reader’s life and how it colored the events at that time. Steve has lived an interesting and varied life and I was curious about how it informed his writing. The book started with a bang (that first chapter!) and it was interesting reading about his childhood in small town Canada. He has persevered through hardship and personal tragedy, trying to find his place in the world. It feels like he’s really found home with his writing and roles as a husband and father. This book finishes on a high note with his meeting Andrew Pyper. I enjoyed getting to know Steve a little better and recommend this book to writers and other readers.
August 14, 2023
I cannot thank Steve enough for writing The Color of Melancholy. He talks about his life a lot in here (as an autobiography you’d expect that), but also how the written words of Andrew Pyper have influenced Steve’s life and Steve’s own writing, as the years have progressed.
Steve Stred is someone I consider a friend, meeting him in a similar vein as he met Andrew Pyper. There have been times I’ve thought of myself as an annoying fanboy towards Steve, just as Steve thought of himself towards Andrew. We are both small town boys who had to give up things they loved and moved to a big city. There are also other parallels in Steve’s life and mine I won’t go into, but reading this book has been a wonderful, cathartic experience.
Steve Stred has brought inspiration to me to continue my own writing directly by taking me under his wing at times. He has also inspired me further with this autobiography. I recommend everyone who enjoys independent horror, Canadian horror, and just biographies in general. It is a wonderful read.
Steve Stred is someone I consider a friend, meeting him in a similar vein as he met Andrew Pyper. There have been times I’ve thought of myself as an annoying fanboy towards Steve, just as Steve thought of himself towards Andrew. We are both small town boys who had to give up things they loved and moved to a big city. There are also other parallels in Steve’s life and mine I won’t go into, but reading this book has been a wonderful, cathartic experience.
Steve Stred has brought inspiration to me to continue my own writing directly by taking me under his wing at times. He has also inspired me further with this autobiography. I recommend everyone who enjoys independent horror, Canadian horror, and just biographies in general. It is a wonderful read.
May 14, 2023
The fact Annie Wilkes is Paul Sheldon’s ‘number one fan’ in the Stephen King masterpiece
Misery
has become a well-known anecdote in modern horror pop culture, but those of you who follow indie horror will undoubtedly know Steve Stred has an equally strong connection with fellow Canadian author Andrew Pyper. I am not for a moment suggesting Steve is going to inflict horrific physical pain on Andrew, the complete opposite in fact, because Steve gives his literary hero so much free publicity, Andrew should hire him as either a publicist or at least give him a small percentage of his royalties! Stred states one of the primary objectives of The Color of Melancholy: An Examination of Andrew Pyper’s Novels as Intersected Through My Life is to introduce new readers to the fiction of Andrew Pyper, and I am sure I am not the only horror fan to read Pyper (five novels so far) after being cajoled by Stred’s regular and enthusiastic postings. This author was certainly a great tip, with
The Residence
featuring in my Top Ten Novels of the Year (2020) as published by Horror DNA.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
August 4, 2023
There’s an energy to Steve’s work that has you turning the pages no matter how bleak the scene becomes, if it becomes exciting or grotesque, or even if it’s just two buddies shooting the poop. His memoir is no different, as Steve details the high and low tides of his life with care and skill to the penultimate moment: when he meets Andrew Pyper, his Stephen King, in the flesh. It’s an entertaining story, with his best vomit scene to date (in his non-fiction memoir, lol) and Steve goes through great pains to detail each of Andrew’s books, his travails in acquiring them, even when laid at his feet, and how they’ve been played a part of his life.
The Epilogue moment at Little Books in Toronto was an event that I was going to attend. On May 17, my brother was found dead in his home… replaying the calendar dates, seeing the attendees and missing out on Steve’s moment was especially hard but in feeling this out, it is also the point of The Colour of Melancholy. As Andrew Pyper says in the foreword, books ‘are capable of dispelling loneliness in a way no handholding or I’ll-be-right-overing or advice-giving human being ever could.’ When I look at the social media of the time (I had two condolences), it brings the feeling of being concussed; the pictures and posts gets visually hazy and the feeling of your heart crushes… but reading this book, and relating to the heartache around Steve’s father in law, Steven Dunn, OJ and more, The Color of Melancholy serves the purpose for me how Pyper’s books have for Steve himself. For that I am thankful to everyone who made Steve at home in Toronto for him to write this book.
The Epilogue moment at Little Books in Toronto was an event that I was going to attend. On May 17, my brother was found dead in his home… replaying the calendar dates, seeing the attendees and missing out on Steve’s moment was especially hard but in feeling this out, it is also the point of The Colour of Melancholy. As Andrew Pyper says in the foreword, books ‘are capable of dispelling loneliness in a way no handholding or I’ll-be-right-overing or advice-giving human being ever could.’ When I look at the social media of the time (I had two condolences), it brings the feeling of being concussed; the pictures and posts gets visually hazy and the feeling of your heart crushes… but reading this book, and relating to the heartache around Steve’s father in law, Steven Dunn, OJ and more, The Color of Melancholy serves the purpose for me how Pyper’s books have for Steve himself. For that I am thankful to everyone who made Steve at home in Toronto for him to write this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2023
I’ve been slowly making my way through this book since it came out in July and I finished it tonight. This was something special that a friend wrote and I didn’t want to just fly through it.
Telling both his life story and how he got into the work of Andrew Pyper, what Pyper’s work has meant to him and forming a friendship, Steve really made something special with this book. It’s an emotionally powerful story that hooks you with a devastating first chapter.
There’s a part where Steve mentions his worry about being “that” fan to Andrew Pyper and I’ll be honest, I’ve felt that way when I’ve cheered Steve on and hyped up his books, but Steve is a pretty awesome and humble dude. The line “My butt is for sitting, not kissing!” from The Simpsons episode You Only Move Twice rings through my head often.
Steve got me into Andrew Pyper’s work by way of The Demonologist (which was great, by the way!) and I won copies of The Damned and The Guardians in a giveaway Steve hosted. After finishing this book and seeing just what these books and Andrew’s friendship means to Steve, I can’t wait to check out more of his work!
The day after this book came out, Steve and his family came up to Grande Prairie, so he and I finally got to meet in person after being friends online for years. I went bowling with he and his son Auryn, went to an arcade where Auryn and I played air hockey and he smoked me like a ham 😅 After that, we had pizza in a parking lot. It’s one of those fun memories I’ll always hold onto.
Telling both his life story and how he got into the work of Andrew Pyper, what Pyper’s work has meant to him and forming a friendship, Steve really made something special with this book. It’s an emotionally powerful story that hooks you with a devastating first chapter.
There’s a part where Steve mentions his worry about being “that” fan to Andrew Pyper and I’ll be honest, I’ve felt that way when I’ve cheered Steve on and hyped up his books, but Steve is a pretty awesome and humble dude. The line “My butt is for sitting, not kissing!” from The Simpsons episode You Only Move Twice rings through my head often.
Steve got me into Andrew Pyper’s work by way of The Demonologist (which was great, by the way!) and I won copies of The Damned and The Guardians in a giveaway Steve hosted. After finishing this book and seeing just what these books and Andrew’s friendship means to Steve, I can’t wait to check out more of his work!
The day after this book came out, Steve and his family came up to Grande Prairie, so he and I finally got to meet in person after being friends online for years. I went bowling with he and his son Auryn, went to an arcade where Auryn and I played air hockey and he smoked me like a ham 😅 After that, we had pizza in a parking lot. It’s one of those fun memories I’ll always hold onto.
July 14, 2023
Steve Stred's book, The Color of Melancholy, delves into his life, the defining experiences that have shaped him, and his deep connection with the writings of Andrew Pyper (whom Stred calls his Stephen King). Stred invites readers into his metaphorical open house, granting them access to every room, even the uncomfortable ones. He recounts his various roles as an athlete, bouncer, pedorthist, writer, and self-proclaimed superfan of Pyper's work. Throughout, he illustrates the strong synchronicity between his own path and the work of the author he so admires. In doing so, he illuminates not only his own literary influences but also the vital thread that links author and reader. An exploration of creativity, perseverance, and family, these pages bring to life an honest telling of one writer’s journey. By the end, you will know Steve Stred a heck of a lot better. I know I do. And perhaps, you’ll add some stories by Stred and Pyper to your bookshelves as a result.
November 14, 2023
I finished The Color of Melancholy by Steve Stred last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a true story about Steve, his memories growing up in Canada, the work he put in over many of those years to be on the Olympic bobsledding team and the injuries that took a toll on his body from it. He trained in so many other sports at the Olympic level and it blew my mind how the hell he went through what he did in that pursuit. But it's told through the lens of one of his favorite authors, Andrew Pyper's novels and how Andrew's work touched each part of his life, hus accomplishments and his failures (that he unabashedly writes about). And haven't we all had that one author that saw us through the most precarious points in our lives that we can relate to? I know I have. This was an excellent journey through his younger life, a good way for the reader to get well acquainted with the author. Highly recommend!
July 22, 2023
Who knew the Steve Stred memoire would be a body horror story!?
Wow, this starts with such feeling and drama, it's incredible. It just sucks you in. I devoured this in one sitting. A wild ride for sure, a life that has evolved so much. Not many people have had all these experiences and come out a better person, and so tenatious. I am so happy that I somehow discovered this talented, thoughtful and kind man. He deserves a round of applause for baring his soul.
Wow, this starts with such feeling and drama, it's incredible. It just sucks you in. I devoured this in one sitting. A wild ride for sure, a life that has evolved so much. Not many people have had all these experiences and come out a better person, and so tenatious. I am so happy that I somehow discovered this talented, thoughtful and kind man. He deserves a round of applause for baring his soul.
June 26, 2023
Just...wow!
Honestly, the heartfelt execution of this...the way Stred looks at Pyper's books through the intimate lens of memoir is touching and emotive.
It doesn't matter if you've read Piper's books or even Stred's... this is Literature, the way it should be understood: a personal exploration of what it means to be alive and the crutches we rely on to keep it that way!
Powerful stuff!
Honestly, the heartfelt execution of this...the way Stred looks at Pyper's books through the intimate lens of memoir is touching and emotive.
It doesn't matter if you've read Piper's books or even Stred's... this is Literature, the way it should be understood: a personal exploration of what it means to be alive and the crutches we rely on to keep it that way!
Powerful stuff!
August 15, 2023
I'm a huge fan of Steve's fiction writing and really enjoyed this one as well. Loved learning the inspirations, struggles, triumphs, and overall background of Steve's life. So many aspects of his story connected and resonated with me on a personal level. Well written and highly recommend!
July 21, 2023
Melancholy
The author Steve Stread takes you on a journey through his life. The highs and lows. The heart-stopping moments where you think, oh my gosh. Lossess and heartache. But he shows how the love of an authors work helped him through it all. Heart touching read.
The author Steve Stread takes you on a journey through his life. The highs and lows. The heart-stopping moments where you think, oh my gosh. Lossess and heartache. But he shows how the love of an authors work helped him through it all. Heart touching read.
December 18, 2023
The Color of Melancholy is a lot of things - an autobiography of an extraordinary life - an exploration of the ways in which art, and more specifically, stories, can support us through both the brightest and darkest of times - and an ode to the works of Andrew Pyper.
Steve Stred tackles the most difficult storytelling feat of his career - the story of self - with humor, vulnerability, and introspection. Using his discovery of Andrew Pyper's oeuvre as a framework, Stred shares stories of success, failure, brushes with death, adrenaline highs, and life in the Canadian wilderness. I laughed, I cried, and now, I feel like I need to read everything both Stred and Pyper have ever written.
A fantastic addition to the world of nonfiction horror!
Steve Stred tackles the most difficult storytelling feat of his career - the story of self - with humor, vulnerability, and introspection. Using his discovery of Andrew Pyper's oeuvre as a framework, Stred shares stories of success, failure, brushes with death, adrenaline highs, and life in the Canadian wilderness. I laughed, I cried, and now, I feel like I need to read everything both Stred and Pyper have ever written.
A fantastic addition to the world of nonfiction horror!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews