{Feature} Hunter Shea…Master Of The Creature Feature?

HUNTER SHEA…MASTER OF THE CREATURE FEATURE?

What makes an insanely good creature feature? Monsters come in all shapes and sizes, cultures and countries, interpretations can vary, even on the same species type. As a massive horror fan, monsters are a firm favourite. It taps into that basal instinct of being afraid and igniting that fight or flight reaction. Halloween isn’t the only time to enjoy creature features, grab a pew, grab a cuppa and lock that door because we’re about to inspect the sub-genre with a fine-tooth comb.

We have the popular werewolves, vampires, Cthulhu, and zombies. These are great but I don’t know about you, but I find these are tried, and tested monsters and I’ve found they’ve gotten a bit stale and samey. It takes a lot to have that element of surprise, maybe as a generation of horror readers, we have become a bit meh and desensitized to horror and gore.

One man in terms of horror fiction that nails the genre with flourished violence is, Hunter Shea. He loves scary movies and is a master craftsman at creating horrifying and mind-boggling creatures that quite often has me wanting to climb right out of my own skin. Often, he puts the ingredients of creatures of pop culture into a cauldron of despair, gives it a good old mix and creates something that quite likely will cause trauma to ensue. He is a wealth of information and knowledge and often shares his thoughts about horror movies on the podcast, Monster Men.

Let me give insight into some of his recent releases. Shea released Creature in September 2018. It is a brutal examination of the parallels of mental health and the unknown creature in the woods. The protagonist suffers from an autoimmune disease, she’s trapped in her own body. She can’t do what she used to anymore, she isn’t who she was anymore, she is a raging beast of frustration and it wants out. The creature in the woods also is leaving devastation in its wake. It hungers, it wants, it feeds. Shea knows how to write a story full of carnage but always writes one with heart and grit. Humanity and horror are always lurking beside one another. The creativity that he imbues is astonishing. The imagination and creativity blow my mind every time.

Then of course he knows just how to create a monster that is all too familiar. Is there anything more horrifying than the atrocity and the brutality that our own species can wreak? In his novel Slash, Shea creates The Wraith, a highly dangerous serial killer. Monsters are deadly and it’s debatable in the moment of fear if you can kill them, but do you not think that there is something so much more sinister in the realization that humans can behave in a beastly manner? That humans can end life at the drop of a hat, that humans seek out such blood lust. Hunter just knows how to create something – he breaks free from the reins and is more than happy to chase you through the night, laughing at your fear. So, it is this that gives you Hunter Shea, the master of Creature Feature, the author that can tie you up and throw you over the edge.

Hunter Shea

Hunter Shea is the product of a misspent childhood watching scary movies, reading forbidden books and wishing Bigfoot would walk past his house. He doesn’t just write about the paranormal – he actively seeks out the things that scare the hell out of people and experiences them for himself. Hunter’s novels can even be found on display at the International Cryptozoology Museum. His video podcast, Monster Men, is one of the most watched horror podcasts in the world. You’ll also find him every week on the Final Guys podcast, available everywhere. He’s a bestselling author of over 25 books, all of them written with the express desire to quicken heartbeats and make spines tingle. Living with his wonderful family and two cats, he’s happy to be close enough to New York City to gobble down Gray’s Papaya hotdogs when the craving hits.

You can follow Hunter on Twitter @huntershea1

To find out more about Hunter please visit his official website www.huntershea.com

Faithless

How do you survive hearing your family being brutally murdered over the phone?

For Father Raul Figeuroa, all faith and hope are lost. Turning away from the priesthood behind, he retreats to his aunt’s empty farmhouse in upstate New York, hoping to drink himself to oblivion. But he’s not alone in the house.

Something is trying to reach out to him. Or is he losing his grip on reality?

When his childhood friend Felix comes to visit, things take a darker turn. The deeper they dig into the mystery, the closer they get to hell literally breaking loose.

You can pre-order Faithless from www.amazon.co.uk & Amazon US

Yvonne Miller

Well, what can I say about myself? I’m a 33-year-old married woman and mum to 3 crazy boys, aged 13,6 and 4. My eldest has a genetic condition that causes a visual impairment so as you can imagine life can be very chaotic and provides many challenges along the way but I would 100% never change any of them. They fulfil my life beyond measure.

I adore books – I adore shouting about books! I’m a reviewer of mainly horror and dark fantasy.  Whether that’s featuring werewolves, evil creatures or the depravity of humanity,  I will read them all.

You can follow Yvonne on Twitter: @coycaterpillar 

Please visit Yvonne’s Official Website: www.thecoycaterpillarreads.blog