This story threw me a bit, because it’s not just a straight horror… it has a beautiful romance to it and it works to make the horrific moments more intense. I found myself falling in love with the characters and gripping my kindle as tight as I dared while reading, horrified about what might happen to these two men. Or… one man, and one…?
I gripped my rifle in my hands, and I heard shouted orders in both German and English. I froze for a second, fear coursing through my blood. Even though I had seen some combat this was different. I was alone, cut off from my comrades, and didn’t know which way to turn. Before I could take another step, four German soldiers appeared in front of me. They raised their rifles at me and began shouting at me. I could feel my heart beating out of my chest.
Moonless Night by Jim D. Gillentine, featured in Tangle & Fen: A Dark Fiction Anthology (p. 232). Crone Girls Press.
Q (Crone Girls Press): What inspired your story in this anthology? Tell us the “story behind the story.”
A (Author): It was a way to challenge my boundaries. I had never written a romance between two men and decided to test myself if I could do it. I’m straight, but love is love, and I want to explore that dynamic.
Q: Why do you write horror? What about the genre appeals to you as an author?
A: I like to write horror because it is fun to be scared. To face the demon in the darkness and look at it head on. Sure we jump, we might scream or even laugh. But the need to look into the darkness is inside all of us.
Q: There are a number of different flavors of horror. Where does your story fit, and what drew you to this particular category?
A: My story could be considered an alternate history with strong horror elements. There is always legends and stories around the wars in history, so the idea of a solider falling in love with a fellow solider came to mind as a way to build that into a horror story.
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: Wow…sometimes I look at the world and see how things are going and how some people act towards science and I realize all those idiots in zombie movies are real! It makes me realize that nothing I write can ever be as horrible as some people in the world.
Q: What’s next in your writing journey?
A: I’m planning on writing a second book to my novel A Night at Death’s Door published by ProSe Press. It should be fun.
About The Author
Jim D. Gillentine grew up with a fondness for horror, science fiction and fantasy love stories flavored with the southern tang of his native Memphis. His debut novella, Of Blood and the Moon, was published in 2009 and was the first runner-up for the Darrell Award.
His novel The Beast Within begins as a bittersweet love story between a woman and a beast, which continues in Crossroads, published by Inkstained Succubus Press. The trilogy was completed with Heart of the Beast, published as a compendium by Pro Se Press. Other publications include stories published in anthologies Cover of Darkness, When the Shadow Sees the Sun, and Coppice and Brake Vol. 2.
His most recent release is A Night at Death’s Door, published in 2023 by Pro Se Publications.
Jim earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature and philosophy from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He is a member of the Literary Underworld and the Eville Writers, and is the biggest Godzilla fan in the western hemisphere. He is married to author Elizabeth Donald, and their family lives in a haunted house in Illinois.
Be sure to check out their story in Tangle & Fen: A Dark Fiction Anthology
Crone Girls Press 