Upcoming Interview with Ian Rogers on Thursday, August 23.
As a bit of a birthday present to myself, I had the opportunity to interview Ian Rogers, a local Peterborough author of horror/ urban dark fantasy. It was a great intersection of two things that I enjoy: Peterborough, and Urban Dark Fantasy, so I thought I would post it on my birthday as a bit of a present to myself. It is great to discover an author whose work you enjoy living in your own city.
Check out my interview with Ian Rogers on Thursday August 23rd and have an opportunity to share in Ian’s wit and creativity. I am happy that Ian has allowed me to share with you some secrets of his own writing craft, his speculations on the nature of Canadian horror, his discussion of genre fiction, and his interest in the growing community of speculative fiction authors and the sense of community that they have created on the Can Lit fringe.
Here are some quotes from the interview:
Ian Rogers: “As a kind of joke, I came up with the term “supernoirtural” to describe my Felix Renn/Black Lands stories, simply because I thought it was a clever way of saying they were a combination of supernatural and noir. I ended up liking it and use it now as a kind of brand for the series.”
Ian Rogers: “I like to think that Canadian authors are reclaiming the “horror” word in much the same way David Cronenberg reclaimed it for Canadian film. “
Ian Rogers: “I think there’s more to horror fiction that a monster or a supernatural element. Lots of things that may not seem horrific on the surface can be turned into a horror story. That’s one of the great things about horror. It’s insidious in the way it can sneak into a story — a story that might not be neatly slotted in the Horror section at the local bookstore.”
Ian Rogers: “There’s definitely a sense of community among the Canadian spec fic authors I’ve met.”
Ian Rogers: “It’s hard for me to articulate exactly why I read spec fic. I think most people have an inherent attraction to the fantastical.”
Ian Rogers: “The spec fic stories I like best are the ones that are rooted in some semblance of reality. The ones that seem like they could actually happen. In terms of horror fiction, I find that sense of realism adds to the feeling of terror and dread.”
Ian Rogers: “I’ve always felt that it’s the little things, and the little “real” things, that truly make a story. Sometimes it’s realistic dialogue, sometimes it’s a strange habit of one of the characters. Whatever it is, it’s usually a small touch, but it goes a long way toward making the reader feel more at home in the story, and consequently more accepting of the fantasy you’re trying to give them.”
Ian Rogers: “I really love trees. I love the outdoors. But at night, I can’t think of any place scarier. Trees are great in the daytime, but I don’t trust them at all once the sun goes down.”
You can explore some of Ian Rogers’ quotes and a review of his book Temporary Monsters by clicking on his name in the Tags section of Speculating Canada on the left. Check out our interview on Thursday August, 23.
