From the Author
It’s crazy thinking back on the journey since the completion of Tamer Animals. On one hand, it’s my most acclaimed book to date, even getting a review printed in Scream Magazine with a perfect score, and winning the Author Shout cover wars contest for the fantastic cover by Francois Vaillancourt. It’s been called ‘The greatest horror story of all time,’ and was several people’s favorite book of 2018.
So why is it I found myself trying to forget the book just a few months after its release? Why did I tell myself I hated it when clearly I was ridiculously proud of that book. It was amazing to have a name in my head, then an idea, and then finally, after a year of waiting, to hold the book in my hands.
Well, the answer is two-fold, really. First, there were some naysayers—some were people I actually look up to—who said they took issue with the way I (spoiler alert) handled the teen’s lives in the last act of the book. These people told me they loved the characters I had created, and it was just too much to see them die so brutally. And the problem was, I started agreeing with them. It took me a while to shake the idea that I had screwed up—that I had been too abrasive, too careless.
But that’s the thing about Tamer Animals that kind of makes it special. The point I was trying to make is that the world doesn’t care about you. I think that’s as real as it gets.
Secondly, I experienced a disconnect with the book. I had ideas and plans for Tamer Animals that really required full ownership of rights to accomplish. I’m still grateful to Bloodshot Books for the wonderful work they put into a wonderfully presented book, but I have to say, I’m glad to say the book is ‘mine’ again. It’s what inspired me to write the book you just read.
Rotten Little Things came into my head, demanded to be written down, and was finished before I knew it. I know it’s short, but I think it packs quite the emotional punch, while adding to the overall lore of the Coheelee Creek and Goatman storyline.
Thank you for spending a couple hours with me. I hope you enjoyed this book. Please leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads. And check out more of my books! And who knows, maybe we’ll find out more about what this Tyler guy has to say to Paul in a future novel.
- Justin