Writer Wednesday | Simon Marshall-Jones

This weeks guest, kicking off the new year is the creator of Spectral Press Simon Marshall-Jones here to talk about his first release and his new project. 

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“Walking along the narrow hallway, past the ruined grandfather clock and the shattered area of panelling, he moved towards the centre of the house, where the cellar door was located. But it was not the cellar that interested him, not tonight. He’d taken his fill of wine and the dank atmosphere down there repelled him. It was the other door he wanted–the one they had found beneath a crude patch of blistered plaster and rotting plywood.
The door with no handle. The one they’d had to wrench open with a crowbar, drawing blood as Rob had nicked the palm of his hand on a large splinter of wood.
The door to the Quiet Room.
When he reached the door Rob placed the flat of his hand against the wood, feeling the rough grain beneath his palm. The door was unpainted; untreated. Bare wood, rough-hewn and strangely appealing.
“What’s in there,” he said. Then he regretted his words. He knew exactly what was in the room: nothing. No other doors, no windows, no paper on the cold walls, no covering on the bare board floor, no furniture; no light, no smells. No sound.
It was the Quiet Room.”
(Extract from What They Hear in the Dark by Gary McMahon - ©2011 Gary McMahon/Spectral Press)


The spooky words quoted above are an extract from Gary McMahon’s What They Hear in the Dark, published by the newest of the new kids on the publishing block, the high-quality chapbook specialist, Spectral Press. It’s only been in existence as a concept for three months, although its conception happened in the wake of FantasyCon 2010 last September. The period from abstraction to concrete actuality has been a relatively short one – the first chapbook has now taken on substantiality and is available to buy from the publisher.

And what better way to start than by publishing a story by one of the brightest stars of the horror firmament – Gary McMahon. The author of numerous novels and short story collections, including How to Make Monsters, Pieces of Midnight, Rain Dogs and the recent critically acclaimed Pretty Little Dead Things, this is like having Metallica turn up on your doorstep and asking if they could release their next album on your back-room DIY record-label – in other words, absolutely, indubitably, mind-blowing. It’s more than just that, however, much more: the story is a searingly dark and heart-rendingly grim look at the limits of love, and how that love is affected by loss and grief, and ultimately how each of us comes to terms with losing someone close.

But, like some unrecorded wise-person once said, the proof is in the pudding – a story not only has to be good, but also has to look good. And that’s where Spectral goes all out to wrap it all up in an eye-catching and harmonious package, an aspect that has been noticed, and appreciated, by reviewers, readers and authors alike. Consequently, the orders have been flying in, and the books flying out, and that started even before it was officially published. Nearly half of the print run of 100 signed and numbered copies have already gone. I honestly couldn’t have wished for a better start to the imprint – it certainly bodes well for the future.

So, if you like your ghostly/supernatural tales with a dash of grim, then I suggest you get on over to spectralpress.wordpress.com to get more details on how to order individual issues or how you can subscribe so you never miss anything that Spectral publishes. If nothing else, I recommend you get your order in as quickly as possible – if the past month is anything to go by then the remaining copies of Gary’s chapbook won’t be here at Spectral Headquarters for very much longer.....