AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Zachary Ashford

Today I interview Australian author Zachary Ashford on his latest novella, The Morass, out now from Crystal Lake Entertainment.

For those who might not know of your works, what does writing horror mean to you?

To me, the writing of horror is tied into my personal issues, my tastes in fiction, and social commentary. I really think that horror is the perfect vehicle for the healthy channelling of outrage and is, along with Dystopian fiction, the genre of catharsis.

I write horror because it’s a genre I love and a genre that makes people feel things. Where else can you blend emotional and emotive prose with monsters and murderers? It’s great!

Congratulations on the release of The Morass, what motivated you to write this story and what can people expect?

Thanks! With The Morass, I wanted to write a simple little novella that was something a straight-up horrorfest to cleanse my palate after being so involved with the characters of a novel. Despite that, there was still some things in the subconscious that I’m sure I was working through. When I look at the fact my human antagonist is a conspiracy-theorist, he believes he’s doing things in the name of religion and so on and so forth, it’s hard not to see it as an allegory for some of the things I was taking issue with in the world over the last couple of years.

More than anything, though, there were a couple of things I really wanted to bring to the fore. With the novel I have coming out, I moved away from the Ozploitation-style of my other novellas, and I really doubled down on that this time. I was also wanted to experiment with what felt right as an extreme horror story for me. The result is something that takes the best parts of Australia’s love affair with vicious horror, creature features, and characters who were in desperate situations.

And then there’s the nature of the Australian wilderness, the landscape, and the horrendous creature that top it all off. So, with regards to what people can expect, balls to the wall Australian horror! If that sounds like something you’d fancy reading, jump onto Kindle Unlimited and give it a squiz!

A lot of your recent fiction seems to revolve around the creature feature – what is it about this sub-genre that appeals to you as a writer?

I think there’s a couple of sides to this discussion. First and foremost, this is the fiction I’ve always grown up loving. That moment in any story when the monster is revealed is always a moment of awe for me. And, sure, sometimes it doesn’t hit, but I want to recreate those moments when it does, and I just kinda think monsters are rad.

Away from that, though, I love the idea of monsters/creature features being this symbolic aspect of character conflict and fear, so I like to have that idea in there too.

Mostly, though, I just love monsters and want to write the kinds of stories I love. And, I mean, show me a story that wouldn’t be better with a monster in it, you know..

You’re also a schoolteacher? Do your students know you write horror? If they don’t what do you think they would think if they did? Is storytelling something you impress upon your students?

Yeah, I teach in high school, which encompasses a range of students from eleven to eighteen, so it varies. Funnily enough, the younger ones are the most enthused, and when they ask if they can read it, I’m always like, “no, and tell your parents that I said it’s for adults!’

The more senior students will ask, and I’ll generally give them the same answer. Some of my books are quite out there. With those guys, I’ll firstly say that I can’t be selling them books, but if they were going to read one, they should pick When the Cicadas Stop Singing, because there’s nothing really inappropriate in there. Otherwise, the questions will be about process, and that’s fine.

The school I teach in follows a curriculum that only focuses on creative writing and storytelling in the middle grades, and that’s always a bunch of fun. I try to give students something they can’t get from a teacher who hasn’t spent a lot of time writing and value-add. In the senior, it more comes down to analysis of texts and to consider the creation of story from an analytical perspective.

Who are your favourite authors and what are you currently reading?

I think like most of us who have been reading horror for a long time, King is the easy answer for favourite. I find it really hard to go past that answer, and while I can list of a tonne of other authors I admire, I’m going to keep it simple. I really think that in future generations, people will be able to look at the way King wrote across the gamut and recognise him in that echelon of untouchable greats in the world of storytelling.

What I’m reading right now is mostly happening on Audiobook as I’m in a writing phase, pretty deep into a manuscript, but I’m pushing through Ross Jeffery’ The Devil’s Pocketbook whenever I get a moment to read. My current audio listen is Max Booth III’s new collection, but I’ll be onto something else within days. My commute is long.

Although a lot of authors hate being asked this question, what advice would you give to other authors just starting out?

Just to write the thing. Forget ego, forget perfection. Remember character, conflict, and emotion. Also, add a monster. Everything’s better with monsters.

What’s next for you?

In the immediate future, my debut novel POLYPHEMUS is out through Darklit in September. Early feedback has been great, and it’s received some killer blurbs from writers I admire.

I’ve another novella on submission – one with a crocodile – so hopefully that.

And finally, I’m halfway through a YA horror manuscript that I’m hoping resonates for people.