Ask John Taff discussion

John, as a part-time super-villain, I am always interested in horror stories of all kinds. This is the first time I have stumbled across your wonderful work. What would you suggest a new reader begin with to get their feet wet? I am most interested in stories where the Villains come closest to winning.

I'm not sure that my work has actual "villians" who either win or lose. I mean, since it's dark speculative fiction, bad stuff generally happens, but it's usually not a hero/villain thing. I guess some of my shorts, collected in Little Deaths, end on bad notes... "Calendar Girl, "The Lacquered Box," "The Mire of Human Veins, "Box of Rocks." In my latest novel, The Bell Witch, the spirit ultimately does what she says right up front she's there to do. And in my upcoming thriller--Kill/Off, out in October--the hero is really an anti-hero. So...does that give you some idea?

I think I'll hit up "The Bell Witch." I'll grab it in the next week or so, and shoot you a review. :)

Great. Hope you enjoy it!