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M.P. Fitzgerald's avatar

Andy is one of the first people I read and interacted with here, and outside of being the EXACT kind of sci-fi/horror I dig, he's also an incredibly kind and gentle person. He does not deserve the torment his cat lays upon him...

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Jessica Maison's avatar

Really glad to see Andy highlighted. He is one of my favs here on Substack.

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Emil Ottoman's avatar

Is Andy actually some sort of Bodhisattva?... Just asking.

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S M Garratt's avatar

I love this - I love Andys work and his life attitude and general Andyness of everything he does - if I were a Substack Ponzi marketing Wizard I would hold him up as a clear example of Person as Brand Brand as Person Authentic voice etc etc.. - except if I did that Andy would just change all the rules and rebrand as an inverted Ideolgy dyometrically opposed to himself. Finally, is there anything more Andy than writing an epic poem to explain his writing process... (obviously not an epic poem in the strict sense of conforming... that would also not work).

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Sandy Shaller's avatar

Thaddeus, I'm interested in your passion for writing horror. Do you have any writer in the genre that influenced your interest. I love horror and have a number of writers who influenced me including: H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, Richard Matheson, Bram Stoker, Sheridan Le Fanu, Shirley Jackson, and Ray Bradbury. I remember getting Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes" on my way to a PBS studio opposite the United Nations when I was working in a show called "Books That Live." All I wanted to do was get finished and get back to reading that book.

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Thaddeus Thomas's avatar

Horror influences for me are Pet Semetary, The Stand, and Thinner. The creature features I loved as a child. Kubrick's The Shining. The Oath by Frank Peretti. And lots of forgettable stuff.

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Sandy Shaller's avatar

I read all of those books except "The Oath" by Frank Peretti. I'll have to check that out. If you haven't read Stephen King's "Salem's Lot," I highly recommend it.

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Thaddeus Thomas's avatar

Peretti is Christian horror so be warned

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Sandy Shaller's avatar

Hmm. Christian horror sounds appealing. I'm going to have to look into that book. Right now, I have a giant book to read for a book club. It's INFINITE JEST by David Foster Wallace. This book is 981 pages and so heavy that you have to read it sitting down.

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Thaddeus Thomas's avatar

Oh. I need to read that one. I think I tried but was put off by something early on. But it might of been Gravitys Rainbow

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Sandy Shaller's avatar

That's so interesting, because INFINITE JEST has been compared to GRAVITY'S RAINBOW in terms of its challenging style.

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Ian Patterson's avatar

One of the things I love about Andy's work is it's trying to say something. It's horror, but with an aim. Whether it's about modernity, capitalism, or the present condition, he does an excellent job of using satire and absurdity to highlight real things about how we live today. So even when it makes me incredibly nauseous to read because I'm so mad about what's happening, I'm also thankful that he's saying it.

I'm glad to see him highlighted here! Well deserved, for sure.

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Amanda Coreishy's avatar

Andy's words here are a real joy to read.

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