Where are you from and what do you love most about your hometown?
SC – I’m from Wakefield in England. The city is reputedly the birthplace of Robin Hood. This answer isn’t so much about what I love about the city, rather it’s the strongest memories: I remember the mournful sound of church bells on a Sunday. The peals shimmered across the rooftops and I found it to be a sinister sound. It was as if the church bells were the voices of ghostly creatures that were talking to each other. Sometimes they seemed to be arguing, sometimes conspiring. Peals of church bells chill my blood even now.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? How has that childhood dream affected your career?
SC – First of all I wanted to be an astronaut. Then I wanted to be a fiction writer. I realize both professions are about exploring the unknown.
Tell us about your latest book. Do you have anything new in the works and can you tell us a bit about it?
SC – Whitby Vampyrrhic is my latest. It draws on the ‘vampyrrhic’ legends I created for earlier books, such as Vampyrrhic and Vampyrrhic Rites. The books feature Viking vampires, and Whitby Vampyrrhic is set in the English coastal town of Whitby in World War 2.
Why did you write the story that appears in Derby Scribes 2011 Anthology?
SC – I wrote In The Spirit Of Darwin because I wanted to explore the idea of Sir Charles Darwin returning to this world in modern times and wondering where human evolution was headed. Are we bound for extinction? Or will humans learn how to become truly civilized and renounce bigotry and intolerance? The reason it appears in the Derby Scribes anthology is because Stuart Hughes invited me to speak to members of the Derby Scribes group, and he mentioned that he was editing an anthology and asked me if I’d like to contribute a story. Of course, I said ‘yes.’ I was delighted to visit to the group. They are a great bunch of like-minded souls, and I felt so at ease there it was like coming home. I’m honored to be part of an anthology created by a wonderful society.
How did you come up with the title?
SC – In The Spirit of Darwin is a play on words and all becomes clear at the end of the story!
How did you choose your genre?
SC – I always say the horror genre chose me. Ghost stories fascinated me from an early age. I did try writing crime and science fiction but they always turned out to be horror stories. My first novel, Nailed by the Heart, appeared almost twenty years ago and I’ve been fortunate enough to write horror stories for a living ever since.
What inspired you to be a writer?
SC – I wanted to tell stories. I made up tales from the age of three or four. Inventing characters and events was as natural to me as breathing. I knew it was something I must keep doing.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?
SC – Yes, every day is still a challenge and a thrill. Even though I’ve had more than twenty novels published world-wide I still find myself gripped by anxiety every moment I begin writing. It’s a ‘butterflies in the stomach moment’ as if I’m about to dive off a high cliff into the sea.
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
SC – Write. Keep writing. Even if you don’t feel like writing, still write. One day you’ll hit that seam of gold.
Visit Simon On The Web.
