Mark Allan Gunnells loves to tell stories. He has since he was a kid, penning one-page tales that were Twilight Zone knockoffs. He likes to think he has gotten a little better since then. He loves reader feedback, and above all, he loves telling stories. He lives in Greer, SC, with his husband Craig A. Metcalf.
Book Haven: And Other Curiosities
- Print Length: 219 pages
- Publisher: Crystal Lake Publishing (26 April 2019)
An eclectic mix of tales to entertain and engage the imagination!
Come peruse the dusty shelves of BOOK HAVEN. Scan the titles, study the strange trinkets that are lined up on display. Maybe pull aside the cobwebs and run your fingers alone the spines of the books, caress the artifacts. You will find many forgotten treasures and un-mined gems among the debris.
From the author of Flowers in a Dumpster comes a new collection of short stories to terrify you, to move you, to make you think. In the spirit of High Cotton by Joe Lansdale, Trigger Warnings by Neil Gaiman, and Skeleton Crew by Stephen King, this short story collection offers an eclectic mix of Horror, Scifi, Fantasy, and drama.
Some of what you find will be dark and suspenseful, some beautiful and haunting, but all of it is yours for the taking. We’re so glad you found your way here and welcome you inside BOOK HAVEN.
You can buy Book Haven: And Other Curiosities from Amazon UK & Amazon US
KR: Coffee?
KR: Could you tell me a little about yourself please?
Sure. I’m a pretty boring guy actually. Mid-40s, happily married, biggest hobbies are hiking and going to see live theater. But my imagination, that’s another story. My mind is always creating other worlds, other people, scenarios and circumstances. Storytelling is my greatest passion, and I’ve been publishing in the small press for the past 10 years.
KR: What do you like to do when not writing?
As I mentioned above, hiking and live theater are high on my list. Of course reading, I’m always reading at least two books at any given time. Also, just spending quiet evenings with my husband, watching movies or shows.
KR: What is your favourite childhood book?
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I fell in love with it as a child, the first real book I ever read for pleasure.
KR: What is your favourite album, and does music play any role in your writing?
If I had to pick a favourite album, it would probably be Yes I Am by Melissa Ethridge. It feels very raw and honest. Honestly, I’m not that big into music. I really only listen to music in the car these days. So no, music doesn’t usually play a big role in my writing.
KR: Do you have a favourite horror movie/director?
My favorite single horror movie is the original Halloween. Such a great example of suspense and tension over gore.
Director, however, I’m going to go with Wes Craven. I love Carpenter as well, but I think for body of work, Craven has done a lot of innovative work.
KR: What are you reading now?
Currently, I’m reading The Silence by Tim Lebbon and loving it. Also reading Soul Dreams by a local author, Wofford Lee Jones, and it is quite intriguing.
KR: What was the last great book you read?
That’s so hard to pick. I will say that the latest by Craig Davidson (aka Nick Cutter), The Saturday Night Ghost Club, was simply amazing.
I also read Hank Green’s An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, and it was a great meditation on our modern social media obsessed world.
KR: E-book, Paperback or Hardback?
Yes! Yes to all of them! I just crave story, I don’t care about the delivery system.
KR: Who were the authors that inspired you to write?
Early on, definitely King. Once I discovered him, I was hooked and knew that I wanted to tell stories. As I got older, I took a lot of inspiration from the passion writers like Barker and Rice display.
KR: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer to just see where an idea takes you?
I’m not an outliner. I can respect those that are, but I tend to just start with the kernel of an idea then dive in, wait for the characters to come alive and start directing me. If I ever do any kind of an outline, it’s very loose and tentative, subject to change, because my favorite part of writing is when the story surprises even me and moves in a direction I didn’t see coming.
KR: What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I do the necessary research, but typically I don’t do a lot of research before starting a story. I wait until I need the information then do the research when I get to that section. Then I go back to writing until the next section where I need to research something.
KR: How would you describe your writing style?
My writing style tends to be very straight-forward and casual. Conversational, in a way. I also am a bare-bones writer. Not that I don’t indulge in detail and description, but not as much as other writers might.
KR: Describe your usual writing day.
I get up every morning at 4:30 and write before I have to get ready for work. I’m often too tired in the evenings after work, plus the evenings I reserve for spending time with my husband. Therefore, I do very early morning writing.
KR: Do you have a favourite story/short that you’ve written (published or not)?
Unfair! That’s like asking a parent to pick their favourite child. Even if you have one, you aren’t supposed to admit it. I will say my newest collection, Book Haven and Other Curiosities, and my upcoming collection, The Daylight Will Not Save You, I am incredibly proud of. I think they are eclectic, entertaining, and show a wide range of what I can do as a storyteller.
KR: Do you read your book reviews?
I do. I am a writer that craves feedback, so I can’t help but read them. The bad ones sting a bit, but I still welcome thoughtful negative reviews as much as I welcome the glowing ones. Ultimately, if the story is one I’m proud of and pleases me, I can accept the fact that it still may not appeal to everyone.
KR: How do you think you’ve developed as an author?
Good question. I definitely think my writing has become more polished, less sloppy and unfocused as I’ve gotten older and gained more experience. I am very passionate about the short form, but I do think I’ve gotten stronger at telling longer narratives.
KR: What is the best piece of advice you’ve received regarding your writing?
Write the story you are passionate about, the story you want to read. Don’t worry about markets or trends, simply write for the sheer joy of it.
KR: What scares you?
The usual stuff. Death. Old age (not ageing itself, but the fear of losing mobility, memory, etc.). Snakes.
KR: Can you tell me about your latest release please?
Book Haven and Other Curiosities is a collection of the titular novella and 19 other short stories of various lengths and subjects. The title story is set in a future where the world’s literature has been lost and a government agency is tracking down leads on a possibly mythical secret library. The rest of the stories run the gamut from supernatural and psychological horror to touching emotional pieces, even a few more erotic tales.
KR: What are you working on now?
I’m writing a novel entitled The Advantaged. This one isn’t horror at all, but a moral dilemma drama that I’m very excited about.
KR: You find yourself on a desert island, which three people would you wish to be deserted with and why?
Fictional character from my writing – a character named Dru that appeared in my stories “Survival of the Fittest” (in my collection Flowers in a Dumpster), “Evolution” (in my collection Book Haven and Other Curiosities), and “Mutation” (in my upcoming collection The Daylight Will Not Save You). She’s a bad-ass who knows how to get shit done!
Fictional character from any other book – Hell, Hermione Granger from the Potter books could conjure us up some food and a boat for that matter.
Real-life person that is not a family member or friend – Neil Gaiman, even stuck on an island I would want some good stories.
KR: Thank you very much Mark.
Mark Allan Gunnells
You can follow Mark on Twitter @MarkAGunnells
Book Haven: And Other Curiosities
An eclectic mix of tales to entertain and engage the imagination!
Come peruse the dusty shelves of BOOK HAVEN. Scan the titles, study the strange trinkets that are lined up on display. Maybe pull aside the cobwebs and run your fingers alone the spines of the books, caress the artifacts. You will find many forgotten treasures and un-mined gems among the debris.
From the author of Flowers in a Dumpster comes a new collection of short stories to terrify you, to move you, to make you think. In the spirit of High Cotton by Joe Lansdale, Trigger Warnings by Neil Gaiman, and Skeleton Crew by Stephen King, this short story collection offers an eclectic mix of Horror, Scifi, Fantasy, and drama.
- -The title novella features a futuristic landscape where the world’s literature has been lost, and a group of government agents are on the hunt for the mythological Book Haven, a vast secret library.
- -In “C U Soon,” a girl dies in a car accident while texting with her boyfriend, but after her funeral he continues receiving mysterious messages from her.
- -In “The Man Who Watched the Ocean,” a man mourning the loss of a past love decides to try and join her.
- -In “Tanner” a man purchases a used tanning bed in which someone once died and finds that houses aren’t the only places that can be haunted.
- -In “Human Bones in a China Cabinet,” a young man has an unusual collection hidden away in a china cabinet
- -In “The Sandbox,” a friendless boy playing in a sandbox encounters a strange yet familiar old man who shapes the course of his life
- -In “The Farm,” a horror fan visits the location of a cult classic
Some of what you find will be dark and suspenseful, some beautiful and haunting, but all of it is yours for the taking. We’re so glad you found your way here and welcome you inside BOOK HAVEN.
You can buy Book Haven: And Other Curiosities from Amazon UK & Amazon US
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