KPB: I think it’s very hard to find a book these days in any genre that doesn’t have some element of horror in it.
KM: Yes, because it’s a part of real life. I think it started with The Exorcist, but Stephen King was the one who put the imprimatur in there of mainstreaming horror. But he wrote what he liked and he always liked horror stories. John D. MacDonald was one of his favorite writers, and I haven’t seen him write too many Travis McGee type novels. And Peter Straub, the same thing. They’re writing things that they like, things that come out from loving what you’re doing; the best things come from that. Both King and Straub are literary writers. They’re fine writers, on any literary plateau.
KPB: Have you ever considered doing another Dark Forces volume; do you think you’d be able to pull off a sequel of equal significance to the genre?
KM: I honestly don’t know. I know there’s still a hell of a lot of good writers out there, and there are a lot of new ones whose work I don’t know that well. Marty Greenburg, who is a good friend of mine, said he’d work on a second volume with me, because he knows everybody. And I said “Gee, if I do it, I’ll do it with you, Marty” but maybe something told me in my head I did a good job, and though the book is imperfect in some ways, it’s a good book and I should leave well enough alone. So it doesn’t seem probable. Besides, if there is going to be another breakout anthology, it should ideally be done by somebody newer. New blood, as they say.
KPB: But do you think the writers are there to make it an equally successful book?
KM: I think the writers are there, sure. I think what you’ve got to do is spread ones wings out, which I tried to do, to bring in more “mainstream” people, people that are not known in this field. I don’t know who brought Jack Cady in, but he was someone who nobody had thought of for a long time. I was one of the first who brought in Joyce Carol Oates and Isaac Bashevis Singer. I mean, nobody had thought of asking him for a story and he was delighted!
KPB: Do you plan to do more anthologies?
KM: I do want to do more anthologies and I really want to do single author or reprint collections. In the fall, with Rick Cypert, I did a story collection by Mignon Eberhart, the mystery writer. She published from the late ’20’s to the late ’80’s. We co-edited that together for Crippen & Landru, who are sort of the Arkham House of mysteries and do only collections. I’m working on several other ideas with them. I like going through what’s been lost or neglected and bringing it to the readers. It’s like archaeological work.
KPB: It sounds intriguing!
KM: Oh it is! You may eventually find that original anthologies are tough to do. I mean, “tough” in the sense that for various reasons writers don’t have time for stories, they don’t have a suitable idea at the time, whatever it is. Time is the biggest factor. You may end up doing more single author collections. I just ordered a book of Eric Frank Russell’s horror stories from Midnight House, which I’m really drooling to read.
KPB: It’s great to see so many publishers out there just as eager to bring old and oftentimes forgotten work back for a new generation. And it’s great to hear that you’re actively involved in that.
KM: Oh yeah, I developed an active interest in it only five or six years ago, co-editing the Dashiell Hammett collection Nightmare Town. I’ve taken slow steps, getting to know people I wanted to know. Doug Green at Crippen & Landru has been very encouraging. And of course, reading and researching a lot has been a big part of this.
KPB: I think we’ve about reached the end, Kirby. Thanks again for taking the time to answer these questions for the book.
KM: You’re certainly welcome. Maybe you and I will bump into each other or something in the future!
KPB: That would be great!
Table of Contents
Title_Page
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Dedication
TOC
Introduction
01_Late_Shift
02_Enemy
03_Dark_Angel
04_Crest_of_ThirtySix
05_Mark_Ingestre
06_Where_The_Summer_Ends
07_The_Bingo_Master
08_Children_of_the_Kingdom
09_Detective_of_Dreams
10_Vengeance_Is
11_The_Brood
12_The_Whistling_Well
13_The_Peculiar_Demesne
14_Where_The_Stones_Grow
15_The_Night_Before_Christmas
16_The_Stupid_Joke
17_A_Touch_Of_Petulance
18_Lindsay_and_the_Red_City_Blues
19_A_Garden_of_Blackred_Roses
20_Owls_Hoot_in_the_Daytime
21_Where_Theres_a_Will
22_Traps
23_The_Mist
Afterword
Editors_Notes
A_Conversation_With_Kirby_McCauley
Table of Contents
Title_Page
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Dedication
TOC
Introduction
01_Late_Shift
02_Enemy
03_Dark_Angel
04_Crest_of_ThirtySix
05_Mark_Ingestre
06_Where_The_Summer_Ends
07_The_Bingo_Master
08_Children_of_the_Kingdom
09_Detective_of_Dreams
10_Vengeance_Is
11_The_Brood
12_The_Whistling_Well
13_The_Peculiar_Demesne
14_Where_The_Stones_Grow
15_The_Night_Before_Christmas
16_The_Stupid_Joke
17_A_Touch_Of_Petulance
18_Lindsay_and_the_Red_City_Blues
19_A_Garden_of_Blackred_Roses
20_Owls_Hoot_in_the_Daytime
21_Where_Theres_a_Will
22_Traps
23_The_Mist
Afterword
Editors_Notes
A_Conversation_With_Kirby_McCauley
Dark Forces: The 25th Anniversary Edition Page 64
