Horror Aficionados discussion

This is the thread for our November Group Read with Guest Author, Catherine Cavendish. If you like gothic horror as much as I do, you're going to love Catherine's writing. Wrath of the Ancients was just released this month and Catherine was gracious enough to join us as we unearth (see what I did there?) her gothic tale of pharaohs and curses. Please help me welcome, Catherine Cavendish!

Welcome, Catherine! Wonderful you are joining in!

Welcome! Thanks for joining in!

Good to have you here, Catherine! Wrath of the Ancients has been on my to-read list for I don't know how long. I will try to join this discussion.

Thank you for inviting me here. Wrath of the Ancients was just released today - the 24th - so it's an exciting time. I'm looking forward to chatting with you all throughout November. Hope you enjoy the story:)

Welcome Catherine! I love gothic horror--looking forward to purchasing and joining in this read!!

This sounds great! I'll be joining in for this one. Thanks for joining us Catherine!

Thank you for the lovely welcome. I love Horror Aficionados. Such great people :)

Catherine, one of the questions I always ask is about the cover. What can you tell us about it? Who designed the cover of Wrath and did the artwork? How much say do you have in the design of your covers?

Hi Ken. I love this cover too. I'm afraid I don't know the name of the cover artist but it was supplied by the publisher and the artist worked to a brief - my brief. He/she did a great job of interpreting what I had in mind. The same has happened with the sequel - Waking the Ancients - which is coming out in April. That cover works equally well and I am delighted with it. I have been lucky over the years to work with some great cover artists and I have always had a say in the design. Obviously the final decision rests with the publisher but that's only fair - they're paying for it!

Kimberly wrote: "Welcome Catherine! I love gothic horror--looking forward to purchasing and joining in this read!!"

That is so kind of you, Kimberly. Thank you :)

Latasha wrote: "This sounds great! I'll be joining in for this one. Thanks for joining us Catherine!"
It's great to be here. Latasha. Many thanks :)

Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "Good to have you here, Catherine! Wrath of the Ancients has been on my to-read list for I don't know how long. I will try to join this discussion."

It will be good to chat with you Anne. Thank you :)

Joshua wrote: "Welcome! Thanks for joining in!"

Thank you so much, Joshua :)

OCTOBER IS LOVECRAFT COUNTRY wrote: "Welcome, Catherine! Wonderful you are joining in!"

Lovely to see you here! :)

Hellow Catherine, welcome.

Hello Kimberly. Thank you :)

ok, I bought it and ready to go. I'm going to finish up one I'm reading then i'll head this way.

Latasha wrote: "ok, I bought it and ready to go. I'm going to finish up one I'm reading then i'll head this way."

That's great, Latasha. Thank you. I look forward to 'chatting' with you here :)

Started this tonight. All this talk of Egypt makes me wanna read Queen of the Damned. But no! No! I gotta stay focused. I have 4 books to read in November. And I'll be moving! 😱

Latasha wrote: "Started this tonight. All this talk of Egypt makes me wanna read Queen of the Damned. But no! No! I gotta stay focused. I have 4 books to read in November. And I'll be moving! 😱"
It's interesting but when I was writing wrath of the Ancients, there weren't a lot of new novels set in Egypt around. Anne Rice had never come out with a sequel to The Mummy. Now, not only are there more titles appearing which are inspired by ancient Egypt but the lady herself is releasing that long awaited sequel later this month. You're going to be busy Latasha!

I'll buy it but I'll have to read it later.

Latasha wrote: "I'll buy it but I'll have to read it later."

:)

I've always wanted to go to Egypt and I like reading about ancient Egypt. I even enjoyed my classes in school when we learning about it!
Oh yeah - I am starting this today.

Thank you, Anne. Ancient Egypt has always fascinated me too and it was an amazing feeling when I first strolled through the temples I had only previously read about or seen on television.

Welcome, Catherine. I will be adding this one to my read list for 2018.

I wouldn't mind strolling through or by the pyramids either.

Kimberly wrote: "Welcome, Catherine. I will be adding this one to my read list for 2018."

Thank you, Kimberly :)

Latasha wrote: "I wouldn't mind strolling through or by the pyramids either."

Sadly, on my trip, I didn't get to the pyramids. One day...(sighs)

Cat, for those that may not be familiar with your work, can you give us a little about yourself, your career and how you became a writer?

Happy to, Ken. I'm a British author, brought up on M.R. James, Dennis Wheatley and Hammer Horror films, along with a healthy (some might say unhealthy!) dose of classic crime writers such as Agatha Christie, Conan Doyle and Dorothy L Sayers, courtesy of my crime novel loving mother. Also thanks to her, I have a lifelong love of history and cats. This all goes to explain certain aspects of my writing.

I have been creating stories since I could hold a pencil and can track my life through a succession of typewriters, word processors and, latterly, computers. I sold my doll's house and various other toys when I was nine years old in order to buy my first portable Smith Corona. I loved that little machine :)

Living in an old haunted (yes, really!) building in North Wales led me to switch from the genre I was writing in (historical fiction) to horror, which I have pursued for a number of years. I have had a number of novels and novellas published by Etopia Press, the late lamented Samhain Horror, Crossroad Press and now Kensington, under their Lyrical Underground imprint. Wrath of the Ancients is the first in my Nemesis of the Gods trilogy - the second of which (Waking the Ancients) comes out next April.

My husband and I share our lives with a one year old black cat called Serafina who has aspirations to be the subject of her own story one of these days.

I had to check to see if I've read A Room with a View. I haven't and I think my mind is trying to convince me it's The Room in the Tower, I think by E.F Benson lol.

Chapter 2-
Adeline is brave!

I have 2 cats, Dorgan & Freya then some that's adopted me- Ma Petite and Mr. Valentino.

https://www.cafecentral.wien/en/

Café central' website. Wowwww Catherine, did you go there?

Chapter 4
(view spoiler)[ after hearing the scratching 3 times, I'd be out of there. No thank you! That's too scary for me. (hide spoiler)]

Latasha wrote: "https://www.cafecentral.wien/en/

Café central' website. Wowwww Catherine, did you go there?"
Hi Latasha. Yes, I've been there a couple of times. The melange is to die for - and the pastries are out of this world. It's an amazing place. As far as locations are concerned, I have tried to be as accurate as possible when using real locations. It helps that I know Vienna from my many visits there

Latasha wrote: "Chapter 2-
Adeline is brave!

I have 2 cats, Dorgan & Freya then some that's adopted me- Ma Petite and Mr. Valentino."
What gorgeous names :)

Catherine wrote: "Latasha wrote: "Chapter 2-
Adeline is brave!

I have 2 cats, Dorgan & Freya then some that's adopted me- Ma Petite and Mr. Valentino."
What gorgeous names :)"

thank you.

Catherine wrote: "Latasha wrote: "https://www.cafecentral.wien/en/

Café central' website. Wowwww Catherine, did you go there?"
Hi Latasha. Yes, I've been there a couple of times. The melange is to die for - and the..."

oh wow! I bet that was amazing!

Latasha wrote: "Catherine wrote: "Latasha wrote: "https://www.cafecentral.wien/en/

Café central' website. Wowwww Catherine, did you go there?"
Hi Latasha. Yes, I've been there a couple of times. The melange is to..."

I can certainly recommend it!

Latasha wrote: "Chapter 4
[spoilers removed]"

Don't mean to butt in but Latasha,(view spoiler)[ you could never live in my apartment. I hear scratching at least once a week. Oh wait. Maybe that's just my beagle (hide spoiler)]. ;D!

Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "Latasha wrote: "Chapter 4
[spoilers removed]"

Don't mean to butt in but Latasha,[spoilers removed]. ;D!"

lol!! that wouldn't be so bad.

Anne (w/ an E) wrote: "Latasha wrote: "Chapter 4
[spoilers removed]"

Don't mean to butt in but Latasha,[spoilers removed]. ;D!"

You hear all sorts of strange noises in our home. They come mainly from the rafters. Comes from living in a 260 year old building...with a history of haunting

the house I'm currently living in was built in the 30's. I thought I wanted to live in an old house til I moved in one. I'm getting ready to move soon and that house is 20 next year. lol. I don't hear stuff but ... with just renting, an old house is not for me.

Even a relatively new one can come with...shall we say...guests? Be happy in your new home. May all the spirits be friendly ones :)

Bought the book! I can start it next week.

Lena wrote: "Bought the book! I can start it next week."

That's great, Lena. I shall look forward to your thoughts on it. :)

No Catherine no!! I love spooky stuff, I'll read & watch it all day but I do not want to see or hear anything! I'm a scaredy cat when it comes right down to it.

Latasha wrote: "No Catherine no!! I love spooky stuff, I'll read & watch it all day but I do not want to see or hear anything! I'm a scaredy cat when it comes right down to it."

I'm sure everything will be fine. Just fine ;)

Catherine wrote: "Latasha wrote: "No Catherine no!! I love spooky stuff, I'll read & watch it all day but I do not want to see or hear anything! I'm a scaredy cat when it comes right down to it."

I'm sure everythin..."

LOL!