Samantha brings us a story that truly made me shiver reading it. It’s a story that is all too possible, an occurrence that haunts many children and left me crying, thinking of what Jimmy went through.
Jimmy looked over his shoulder. A hand pressed against the other side of the glass. He laid his own over it on his side of the wall, and Jack spread his fingers wide so Jimmy could compare the size of his hand to his brother’s. Jack was almost ten years older than Jimmy, so catching up was taking a long time, but he felt sure his hand was bigger than it had been the last time. Pleased, he knocked three times, their secret signal for happiness. Jack didn’t respond.
The Other Jack by Samantha Bryant, featured in Tangle & Fen: A Dark Fiction Anthology (p. 81). Crone Girls Press.
Q (Crone Girls Press): What inspired your story in this anthology? Tell us the “story behind the story.”
A (Author): It began with a picture prompt–an image of a hand pressed against some frosted glass so you could see the shape of it, but couldn’t see enough to know whose hand it was. I’m honestly not sure where Jimmy came from, but once he started talking, he wouldn’t stop.
Q: Why do you write horror? What about the genre appeals to you as an author?
A: It gives me a place to let out my darkness and explore my uglier imaginings. It’s comforting to see people facing terrible, scary things and not giving up–even when they lose, they go down fighting.
Q: There are a number of different flavors of horror. Where does your story fit, and what drew you to this particular category?
A: The Other Jack has a bit of an urban legend feel, though I suppose it could also be the back story for the villain in a slasher flick, come to think of it. Maybe it’s because I’m a mom, but I’m drawn to horror stories that feature children. I always love horror stories with ordinary, domestic settings, because nothing is more frightening than family life.
Q: The world has been through some turbulent times in the past few years. How have current events changed (or not!) your approach to the genre as a writer?
A: I’m less entertained by disease themed horror than I might once have been, and I’ve been killing off more politicians in my stories here lately. But I still find great catharsis in reading and writing horror.
Q: What’s next in your writing journey?
A: I’m currently in the trenches with the fifth and final Menopausal Superhero novel, then I’m excited to get back to the Gothic romance I keep having to back-burner to meet deadlines. As always, I’ll continue to cheat on my main projects with short stories when I need a change or a break.
About The Author
Samantha Bryant writes superhero and horror stories, which one depends on whether she wants to save the world today or watch it burn. She is best known for The Menopausal Superhero series of novels, which asks why young people should have all the fun. When she’s not writing or working the day job, Samantha enjoys family time, old movies, baking, gaming, and walking in the woods with her rescue dogs. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @samanthabwriter or at: http://samanthabryant.com and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/bwgsxD
Be sure to check out their story in Tangle & Fen: A Dark Fiction Anthology
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