Halloween Haunts 2013: Stoker Spotlight on Marge Simon

Marge Simon is the recipient of the Bram Stoker Award® for Superior Achievement in Poetry for Vampires, Zombies, and Wanton Souls. 

1. How would you describe Vampires, Zombies, and Wanton Souls?

A concoction of poetic and artistic supernatural works that strikes terror even in the hearts of the staunchest horror fan. “In her eyes, an ephemeral light, and her stomach screamed for flesh” doesn’t begin to share the dreadful fun.

2. Tell us about what inspired you to write Vampires, Zombies, and Wanton Souls.

This collection was an extension of the first book, The Mad Hattery (a Stoker finalist).  Inspired by the art of Sandy DeLuca, I kept on writing poems for her creatures, but without the theme of hats. Some of them are wry, some a bit silly and some rather dangerous. That part led us both to collaboration on poems for a new, more serious collection that I illustrated, out this year from Elektrik Milk Bath Press, Dangerous Dreams.

3. What most attracts you to writing dark fiction?

Dark elements are present in all genres. It would be easier to answer what attracts me to writing fiction, but I’m out of time today. Thank goodness.

4. What are you writing now?

A couple of Apocalyptical flash fictions. Also, I’m just finishing up a dark speculative poetry collection with Mary Turzillo, Sweet Poison, coming out in 2014.

5. What advice would you share with new horror writers? What do you think are the biggest challenges they face?

Getting published for pro rates and staying published for pro rates.

6. Name three of your favorite horror stories.

That’s nigh impossible, only three? How about “The Birds” by Daphne du Marier, “The Pit and the Pendulum” by E.A. Poe, and “In the Penal Colony” by Franz Kafka.

7. What’s your favorite Halloween memory or tradition?

As a child, the carving of the pumpkin, ’cause I’m a wicked artist. As a teacher, I loved doing Halloween projects with the kids and enjoyed their costume parades until all that fun stuff was banned.

8. Given a choice, trick? Or treat?

Give me the yum treats. Hold the cheapo candy.

MARGE SIMON’S works appear in publications such as Strange Horizons, Niteblade, DailySF Magazine, Pedestal Magazine, Dreams & Nightmares. She edits a column for the HWA Newsletter and serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees. She has won the Strange Horizons Readers Choice Award, the Bram Stoker Award™(2008, 2012), the Rhysling Award and the Dwarf Stars Award. Collections: Like Birds in the Rain, Unearthly Delights, The Mad Hattery, Vampires, Zombies & Wanton Souls, and Dangerous Dreams. Member HWA, SFWA, SFPA. www.margesimon.com.

Read an excerpt from Vampires, Zombies & Wanton Souls by Marge Simon:

Hot August Night

Nobody knows I belong to Brother Love’s Show.

It’s a secret we’ve got, him and me — I’m singing

loud and sweet behind him in the choir,

’till intermission, when I change into a whore.

Then when he calls for souls to save, I come

waltzing in, red hot as an August night,

my hair teasy-pleasey down my breasts,

a dress with seams strained to bursting.

Certainly I’m never first, and never last, but

I’m the one they’ll remember best, of course,

a sheep strayed from the fold, but quickly saved —

it’s played that way, by Brother Love.

Very true he’s crazy, but I love him just the same.

Love the way he tries to help the uninfected,

disconnected refugees from zombie land.

Nobody knows I’m part of Brother Love’s Show,

and by the time we’re all dead, none will care.

Vampire Child

People don’t know how it is with us,

Mommy and me are best friends.

She’s warm and sweet and wonderful.

No, that’s not true. She’s cold as death,

but I don’t care, she loves me dearly.

And we are best friends, because

she knows I will keep her secrets,

like what she does after sunset, and

why she sleeps all day and never eats

regular meals, like you and me.

But that’s okay because daddy makes

my breakfast, packs my lunch for school.

I can’t say why their beds are separate,

but that’s their concern, not mine.

I can’t tell you how much they love me,

a few drops at a time.

Steam Punk Ghost Girl

Little Victorian child,

posed so prettily

on the books that

spill from my library,

what frightens you?

Or were you sent here

to share my haunts?

Don’t worry, I’m only

partly human, these days —

my time machine travels

are history, but you’ve

all that alternate history

of analog computers

and analytical engines,

things that go bump

in the night when you

turn a switch backwards.

Yesterday ghost child,

those factories are gone,

no longer will you toil

counting buttons

for a penny wage.

You think me confused,

say that you’re from the future?

Don’t play games with me.

Come, let me touch

your pretty doll, the one

that walks and talks —

and looks like me.