Author Interview: The Coalville Witch – Richard A. Stanley

Today we sit down with horror and mystery author Richard A. Stanley, the chilling mind behind The House on Violet Hill and The Dark Wave. Known for weaving atmosphere, twists and psychological tension into his stories, Stanley has become a distinctive voice in modern British horror. With his upcoming novel The Coalville Witch set to unearth new terrors in the quiet heart of a rural town in Oregon, we caught up with him to talk about his inspirations, creative process, and what readers can expect when darkness falls over Coalville. If you’re looking for a Halloween Murder Mystery with creepy 80’s vibes, this is it!

Q: “For readers who might be discovering you for the first time, how would you describe your style of horror and what draws you to the genre?”
A: “I’m very much a lover of horror in many forms. I grew up in the 80’s, where you couldn’t move for slasher movies. As much as I enjoy that more obvious type of horror, I’ve always been more drawn to psychological horror, mysteries and ghost stories. They hold my attention more in the long term and the possibilities seem endless.

In terms of my writing style, I guess I’m a product of consuming so much over the years. I’m a huge fan of Edgar Allan Poe for the darkness he brings to the page. I’ve always enjoyed the ghost stories of M.R. James. Neither of which are particularly modern, yet there’s something about the underlying situations in those stories that help build interest. I see my style of horror as very much my own brand, sort of a combination of gothic mystery but often set in a more modern setting

Q: “Before we get into your new book, could you tell us a bit about your journey as a writer, how did you first start writing horror?”
A: Well, in some ways, I’ve just always been a writer at heart. I always enjoyed creating my own short stories as a child. It was when I got to university that I realised that it was becoming a hobby. I was about 20 years old and was writing a psychological adventure story during my downtime at university. Sadly, I never finished that script, but it’s never far from my mind. In some ways, the story was too grand, the ideas too complex, and the project too big for me. Here we are 20 years later and it’s still a novel that needs to be picked up again. When I feel I’m capable enough I will go back to finish it.

In terms of publishing my first book “The Dark Wave”, I was fast approaching 40 and wanted to tick it off my bucket list. I was aware that with work commitments, I wasn’t really reading or writing anymore. It dawned on me that I should write a novella that I would enjoy, just something for myself. I think that’s the best way to approach these things. As I mentioned, I’m a big fan of M.R. James and thought I could do a pretty good job of writing my own ghost story with a similar tone. I really had no idea what people would make of it. I had no budget, no marketing, just me releasing my side project into the world. The audience really connected with it though, and it shot into a Top 20 Amazon slot in its opening week. I literally couldn’t believe it as I sat there refreshing the page. From there, I just continued to write what I enjoyed, the audience seems to see that authenticity and has stuck with me.

Q: “What kind of horror first scared or fascinated you growing up, and do you see traces of that in your own work today?”
A: Growing up (and even now), I just adore watching Vincent Price movies. Seeing him as Prince Prospero in Masque of the Red Death for the first time has been burned into my memory. I was about 7 at the time. Even now, each year on Halloween night, I have a tradition of watching House on Haunted Hill. Yes, it’s deeply flawed, but the setting and the premise are fascinating. In terms of horror that scared me growing up. You may perhaps have heard of a film by René Laloux called Les Maîtres du temps? It’s based on the book L’Orphelin de Perdide by Stefan Wul. Strictly speaking, it’s a sci-fi story, but it indirectly explores existential terror. I can honestly say it’s a true masterpiece if you can get your head around it.

Q: “Every author brings a personal touch to fear. What does ‘true horror’ mean to you?”
A: “For me, horror is more of a set of feelings and emotions rather than a genre. We all find different things odd, uncanny or scary. So, I guess horror is that feeling of being unsettled. A thought that plays on your mind well after the event has happened.”

Creative Process

Q: “What inspired you to set The Coalville Witch in America, and why choose Halloween 1989 as the time period?
The back-cover blurb mentions occult carvings and a murdered boy in the woods. Without giving too much away, how does folklore or local legend play into the plot?”
A: We all know that the 80’s were such an interesting time period. Computers were just coming into the mainstream, but the world still had that very practical feel. Children played outside, went on bike rides and sat around telling campfire stories. The story would work in the 90’s but arguably not past that period. I needed a time and place that felt more innocent. In a similar vein, I then needed to set the story in the USA. Halloween in 80’s England just wouldn’t cut it, it wasn’t the big deal it is today.

In terms of the occult/folklore elements, I’ve always found these elements of horror interesting. It’s essentially real people with real beliefs that cause the feeling of dread. Yes, the Coalville Witch is a story, but I don’t think it’s too much of a leap for similar events to happen in the real world.

Q: What can readers expect from The Coalville Witch?
A: I’ve put real effort into the book to make sure that it isn’t just your run-of-the-mill horror story. This is a true murder mystery novel in every sense. I want the readers to be guessing “Who did it?”, “What really happened?”, “Who’s story can you trust?”. It’s the sort of book that reading groups could have a lot of fun with in terms of discussing motives and possible solutions. I’m hoping that I’ve caught the right mix of dark themes, mystery and to a certain extent, nostalgia, to make The Coalville Witch a book that people will talk about for some time.

Q: “Witch” is a loaded word in horror. How do you approach portraying witchcraft so readers feel both captivated and unsettled?
A: A good question (which I will not fully answer). I do give a background of the Coalville Witch legend. However, for the most part, the “witch” elements are left ambiguous for the reader; this is after all a mystery book.

Q: Do you see The Coalville Witch as more psychological horror, supernatural, or a blend?
A: On reflection, I’d say that it’s more psychological horror than all-out supernatural. I tried to keep the plot grounded enough in what was plausible.

Q: Which moment (or scene) in the book gave you the greatest creative challenge?
A: All of it! No, really, it was the murder mystery element. In straight horror, the reader will just consume the plot. With a murder mystery, the audience is trained to pick over the smallest detail or inconsistency. There’s nowhere to hide if you get the detail wrong. Getting everything to line up, having all the characters’ motivations work and still serve the mystery was quite a challenge.

Q: Many horror writers talk about “what scares me” as a seed for their story. Was there a personal fear or memory that influenced Coalville Witch?
A: I think having children played into the initial theme of the book. The “What if… they never came back” elements, and also the not knowing what really happened. I think most of us also have a need to solve a mystery; in some way, we’re all looking for a sense of closure for various parts of our lives. In the story, 30 years have passed, and the world has mostly moved on from the incident in Coalville. For some, unsolved murder cases need to be turned over just one more time.

Q: How do you anticipate readers’ reactions? What do you want them to take away (emotionally or thematically)?
A: If anything, I just want the readers to enjoy the journey. I want to keep them guessing. My wife was one of the pre-readers of the book, and the solution kept her guessing, which was exactly what I wanted.

Q: Are there any horror authors or specific works you consciously referenced or paid homage to while writing this?
A: Not specifically. In terms of imagery, “The Burning of the Witch” is very much a call back to “The Wicker Man”. They serve very different purposes though.

Q: How does The Coalville Witch compare (in tone, scope, ambition) to your earlier works like The Dark Wave or The House on Violet Hill?
A: The Coalville Witch has definitely taken the most skill to write, just due to the nature of the mystery and time gap elements. The Dark Wave was very much a love letter to M.R. James and The House on Violet Hill was my equivalent of a fun Hollywood B-Movie. The Coalville Witch is my serious attempt at getting readers to say, “You know what, Stanley is actually a good writer.” I felt like I knew what I was doing this time around.

Q: Without spoilers, are there any characters you found especially sympathetic or challenging to write?
A: I enjoyed writing the part of Miss Martin. I had a teacher of a similar name back when I was in middle school. I could picture her very clearly when I was writing her scenes.

Q: Were there discarded elements, characters, plot threads, alternate endings, that you wish you could’ve kept?
A: As with all stories, heaps of ideas get pruned along the way. They either make the story too bloated or flow unnaturally. I’m happy with the elements that made the grade though. I did have an alternative book cover designed, which is really beautiful, and was sad to shelve it. If you were in a physical store, it would definitely catch the eye. Ultimately, it was a little too complex and detailed to stand out on the digital shelf (where most sales are these days). If I ever release a special hardback edition, though, I’d love to bring it back. I’ll see if I can share an early concept with you.

Q: If The Coalville Witch gets adapted (film, audio drama, etc.), what would your dream adaptation look like?
A: Wow, that’s not something I’ve thought about. If the book does well, I will commission an audiobook, but I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. If anything, unknown actors would be my preference so that viewers don’t have any pre-conceived opinions.

Q: What emotions do you hope readers carry after finishing the last page?
A: In this case, I want them to turn that last page and leave them thinking. Knowing “the solution”, I want them to want to go back and read the book again, knowing what they know now.

Writing Journey

Q: How has your approach to horror writing evolved from your first works to now?
A: I take things a bit more seriously now. With The Dark Wave getting quite a lot of attention in particular, I’m aware that my readers want “the next big thing”. I still sit down at a table, use a cheap Chromebook and write the stories I want to tell and read. It’s about the only way you can write if you want to have fun with it.

Q: What’s your typical writing routine (time of day, environment, rituals)?
A: Well, I have 2 young children, a regular 9-5 and tonne of projects. I’m very much a night owl; I grab the time I can.

Q: How do you overcome writer’s block or dark patches in your creativity?
A: I want to say I’m fairly lucky here. I typically know the story I’m trying to tell. Where I do get stuck, I’m usually able to go away for a bit, drink a coffee and then lead the story back on course.

Q: Do you start with a plot outline, or do you let the story emerge organically?
A: I’d say that in my process, I start with the general idea. What is the mystery? What if this happened? Here’s a weird idea, how can this be used in a story? I get a lot of the major plot points in place but I find that I then have to write organically and just try to hit the points along the way. If an even better idea comes along, that’s a bonus for the story.

Q: Have you ever been surprised by how readers interpreted a twist or element in your book?
A: I think people’s interpretation of The Dark Wave is always interesting. The ending is left slightly ambiguous in some ways. I quite like it when people ask me to clarify “What does it mean?”. It’s not exactly Turn of the Screw territory but it is nice that I was able to pull off an ending that genuinely made people think.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring horror writers trying to find their voice?
A: Just do it. Just sit down one day and write a short story, something that you can manage. You don’t have to share it, you don’t have to publish it. Just go through the process. If you love thinking about and constructing stories, you’re honestly halfway there to writing a book.

I’m not sure that I ever told anyone this publicly before. As I was ending my degree in PsychoSocial Science, I was looking for a Master’s course. I really wanted to study a Master’s in Creative Writing. I was a student at the UEA Norwich at the time, and they had what must have been the highest-rated Creative Writing Master’s course in the UK. I sat there at the induction session in a packed room, there were perhaps 60 or more prospective students in the classroom, quite lot of them standing. It all sounded really interesting and inspiring, until the open session ended with a note of warning from the lecturer. I forget the statistics, but the likelihood of anyone in the room becoming a successful writer was very small. This was followed by the fact that the course only has 2 places available. That, in effect, ended my academic aspiration in writing.

It was only years later that I realised that writing and storytelling doesn’t require academic qualifications. Of course, you need to have a good grasp of grammar, story structure etc., but we’ve been telling great stories throughout history without the need for a qualification. If you trust and believe in your ability to tell an interesting story, go for it. Start small and see where it takes you; you’ve got nothing to lose.