Jamberoo dark fiction author Alan Baxter embraced his “London roots” when writing his new book.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Born in Sussex, England before settling in Australia in 1999, Baxter has penned seven novels and about 80 short stories and novellas.
His new novel Devouring Dark was released in both paperback and e-book formats earlier this month.
Devouring Dark blends elements of crime and horror.
“It’s a genre mash-up – London organised crime and supernatural horror,” Baxter said.
“I’ve embraced my British roots, my London roots a bit… I grew up in the UK and I’ve always wanted to write a London crime novel.”
Baxter, 48, has won three Shadows Awards.
These are run by the Australian Horror Writers Association, and dedicated solely to horror and dark fiction.
“That sort of contemporary, supernatural/crime noir area has always been my ballpark,” he said.
“Some things are a lot more fantastical, a lot more urban fantasy, and some things are more subtle supernatural. Devouring Dark is more the latter.”
In addition to the new book, Baxter will also be appearing at the upcoming Wollongong Writers Festival.
The ‘Writing Sci-Fi’ workshop is on November 24 from 10am to 1pm at Wollongong Town Hall.
The event is a partnership with the South Coast Writers Centre.
Baxter will discuss the conventions of fantasy, science fiction and horror.
He will also discuss the basics of genre writing, the rules you need to know before you break them, and strategies for building believable stories in other worlds.
“Hopefully it gives people a lot of tools of how to world-build; whether it’s a completely different world, a future world, a horror world or whatever else,” he said.
“They should hopefully come away with the tools to develop something cohesive and interesting.”
Tickets are $15 for SCWC members and $25 for non-members.
More details: www.wollongongwritersfestival.com.