Page 37 - Reader's House magazine

Mark Anthony masterfully creates gripping horror tales with unforgettable characters, earning universal acclaim and elevating the genre to new heights. own trauma. I hope readers can relate to this, as I know I can. What challenges did you face while writing the ‘LIT’ series, and how did you overcome them? I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process! Well, most of it. Writer’s block was never really a problem for me however, sinking into the process could be quite challenging because I am quite an upbeat person! I think it’s important to just write. Just start and keep going. I knew what I wanted the story to be, so I kept myself on track by focusing on the end goal and pace of a particular storyline. Writing the violence was never fun but necessary. It truly is scary what you can imagine in your own mind. We all do it, its just I make a storyline around it. How has your background as writing style? D R A F T Mark Anthony’s LIT is a dark, gripping fantasy that blends supernatural horror with deep human emotion. Exploring malevolent Leviathans feeding on vulnerable souls, it follows three Conduits navigating trauma, alliances, and terror. With suspenseful prose, profound themes, and compelling characters, LIT is an evocative and promising start to the series. an avid fan of supernatural and dark fantasy genres shaped your It’s the greats that inspired me. Peter Blatty, Dean Koontz and Anne Rice. I think because my imagination is very visual, and I always found that great storytelling coupled with amazing and vibrant characters took the story so far. Great visual references and well written characters are essential. The reader must care what the characters are up against! It elevates threat, fear and suspense. The reader walks with the character. If the character resonates with them, the reader will bond with them and follow them with dedication and feel- ing. The reviews for the series indicate my readers love the characters and feel they can relate with one or more of them. The readers own these characters and invest heavily in them. I have to respect that in my writing. Could you share insights into your writing process, particularly how you build suspense and tension in your novels? Picture the scene in your mind. Feel it, see it, smell it and hear it. I create image boards and have a set playlist of music for when I am writing. They are all very centric to me. Images that create feeling or spark a mood. A phrase that brings me to that place to write, that atmosphere to work within. Music causes emotions. I use it to bring a certain theme or gravitas to my work as I write. Everyone is different. What themes do you hope readers will take away from the ‘LIT’ series? I am hoping it moves people. Yes, it scares people. It is dark, surreal and at times, even disturbing. But watch the way the people move within it and the relationships that form. It speaks to real people, the reality of no complete good, no complete bad and how innocence can be lost as a reaction to fear. What advice would you offer to aspiring authors looking to write in the supernatural and dark fantasy genres? Keep writing and have faith in your work. It sounds easier in theory than in execution, but it is essential. Learn all you can, read all you can but somewhere in that keep your own voice. That’s what separates you from others. Fine tune your own unique approach. Reader’s House II 37