Russell Holbrook is one of my newest favorite indie horror writers. I’m reading Lucy Furr now and I’m enthralled by it. So much brutal fun! So when Russell said he was releasing a Thanksgiving anthology, I had to pick his brain about his latest work, his past books, and writing horror fiction in general.
First, what a crazy time we’re living in! Have the global pandemic, crazy politics, and all the insane conspiracy theories been fueling your creativity?
Yes, it truly is a crazy time we’re living in, that’s for sure! I feel like the social tension has contributed and/or fueled my creativity, at least to some extent, and probably on a more subconscious level. Consciously, I just got an idea for inserting the pandemic into a plot, which is a first for me. I do think this is an inspiring time for everyone who enjoys creating dark art, and I also feel that those of us who do so are very fortunate to have this outlet, so I’m super grateful for that! If I couldn’t write, I think I’d go insane, haha!
Tell us about your new Thanksgiving anthology?
It’s called The Distended Table: A Collection of Holiday Favorites. The title is a play on the NPR radio program, The Splendid Table. I wonder if anyone will catch that, haha. Anyway, a couple of years ago my friend Trevor and I were talking about how there seems to be quite a lot of Christmas themed horror anthologies, but we couldn’t think of any that were Thanksgiving themed. Then we realized that Thanksgiving doesn’t have much of a presence in horror at all, not in books or in film, with a couple of notable exceptions. So, we decided to make our own book. Since Trevor is in Ireland and I’m here in the US, we were able to get writers from the US and the UK involved. We started working on it, then it got postponed for a year, then it came close to being postponed for yet another year, but we were able to complete it and get it published this year. It was a lot of work but I’m glad we did it and it looks like we’re going to do a sequel next year!
How did you contribute to the anthology? Anything you can say about the story you wrote?
I helped with the cover design ideas (not the actual artwork, though), the interior format ideas and a bit of the interior art, the layout idea, some of the editing, and I contributed a story. My story is called “Doorbusters.” It’s about a coven of witches whose High Holy day is Black Friday. They’re also cannibalistic hoarders with hearts of gold. We follow them through their Thanksgiving traditions and into the events of Black Friday when they go to their favorite big-box department store and things get a little nutty.
How does one make Thanksgiving scary? It’s personally my favorite holiday!
Well, I think horror writers can usually find the dark side to anything. Our focus was more on the gory and the weird and the insane aspects of horror, and I think this book is a lot of fun. Personally, I see a lot of brutality on the Thanksgiving holiday. It could be all peaceful, but people make it scary, especially with all the cruelty done to the animals that are used for food. And it’s so pervasive, too, that most of us aren’t even aware of it. Then there’s family dysfunction, economic class division, gluttony, etc.… But there are many, many positive aspects to Thanksgiving too, and it really is beautiful the way people gather and all that, to just share a meal and have a day to spend time together, you know. I think that, originally, Trevor and I just thought it would be hilarious to fuck with such a revered holiday. Plus, I really enjoy the juxtaposition that this type of holiday horror provides, where you take what’s supposed to be such a joyous occasion, and totally turn it upside down and rip it apart. That’s so fun! And, personally, I find the idea of going into a situation expecting it to be pleasant and fun only to have it become a nightmare, to be totally terrifying.
Let’s talk about some of your past books. I’m reading Lucy Furr now and love it! Where did the inspiration for that book come from?
Thank you! That means so much to me that you’re reading Lucy Furr and enjoying it! In the fall of 2005, I adopted a stray tuxedo kitten and named her Lucy Furr, and she is the direct inspiration for the story. She passed away in 2012 and the book is my tribute to her. It really helped me process the grief of losing her. It’s also inspired by some of my beliefs about humans and our relationship to other creatures in the animal kingdom and to each other. Initially, it was a screenplay but later on, I was able to turn it into a book.
You also wrote a memoir about your past heroin addiction. What was it like reflecting on those dark years (or what you remember) and putting it all on paper?
Writing that one was difficult, especially reliving things I did that caused pain and harm to other people. It was also terrifying because I was afraid that people wouldn’t want to talk to me again after they read it. Ultimately, though, it was also a freeing experience and something that I want to do again.
What do you have to say to anyone suffering from an addiction?
To anyone who is suffering from an addiction, not reveling in it, but who wants to change and to heal, I want them to know that it is possible, and the pain of breaking free is totally worth it. Not having to find a way to get high all the time, to be free to do the most mundane, everyday things, is just so amazing. If anyone reading this is struggling, please don’t give up, and please reach out for help. One call to a friend was all it took for me. I asked her to take me to a recovery meeting, she did, and it totally changed my life. Please reach out to someone. No one is alone in their addiction, even when we feel like we are. We always have each other.
We had a conversation about writing violence and brutality in our novels, and the feedback we receive from our loved ones. How do you handle any opinions on the gore-side of your books, whether they be positive or negative?
Well, no one in my family has read any of my horror books, at least not that I’m aware of. Since most people know me as this quiet, nice guy, they usually say, “I can’t believe that you wrote that.” That always makes me smile and laugh. Some of my close friends have strongly criticized certain scenes I’ve written. I handled that by seriously considering what they had to say and thinking of what I could do to improve. Those criticisms led to some positive changes in the stories, so I’m very thankful for those conversations. And whenever I get props from close friends or family, it’s very encouraging and I hold those thoughts close to my heart.
Is writing more of a hobby or a passion for you? Has it become a release from reality? Or just a normal way of life?
I’ve always wanted to have a career in the arts and writing was my first love, starting in the 2nd grade. Then I got into illustration and painting, then music, then film, then back to painting, then I circled back to writing and stayed there. So, it’s a passion, for sure. It also is a release from reality. While I’m writing I can totally check out and go into another world. I love that so much. Sometimes when a writing session is over, I feel discombobulated and it’s like I have to ease my way back into this “reality”. That’s weird to say, haha! It’s also a spiritual practice for me, as a type of meditation. It is a way of life as well. I listen to podcasts and read articles about “the writer’s life” and the more I get involved, the more connected I feel, the more real it is. When I really got into reading and writing horror in 2012, and it became a big part of my recovery, I knew that I wanted to dedicate my life to doing this. Since I made that decision, things have become a lot simpler for me. I’m very grateful for that. 😊
You can say anything you want!
Thank you so, so much for interviewing me, Stephanie! And thank you very, very much to YOU for reading this! Please keep reading and supporting indie and small press horror!
You can read Lucy Furr and more of Russell Holbrook’s work by visiting his Amazon author page!