What kid wouldn't want to get rid of all his problems? In Dweller, young Toby finds an ally in fighting back against loneliness and bullying when he discovers a fanged, clawed monster living in the woods...a monster that will become his only friend, in a relationship that spans decades.
Author Jeff Strand, know for splashing dark humor in his serious chills, is a two-time Bram Stoker Award finalist and the author of such novels as Pressure, Benjamin's Parasite, and Casket For Sale (Only Used Once). He was kicking around ideas for a fresh spin on old horror concepts when he created Toby and his special friend.
"I thought it would be interesting to take the 'bullied kid feeds his enemies to a monster' premise and have the story cover their entire lives, from childhood to old age," Strand said. "Not in a 'Fifty years ago, he fed some kids to a monster in the woods, and now his crime has come back to haunt him!' way, but actually following their bizarre friendship from year to year. It's not an eight-thousand page book, so there's obviously some fast-forwarding, but I did want to explore the idea of it being a full lifetime relationship."
The magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland compared it classic horror, saying, "This book took me back to the days when monster movies were about the story, not flashy CGI effects and gore."
Strand has become well-known for his ability to balance humor with thrills, knowing when to ease off the laughs. "The difference between something like Dweller and a horror/comedy like Benjamin's Parasite is that the scenes of horror in Dweller are played straight," he said. "So the book tries to make you laugh and to make you scream, but (usually) not at the same time."
Dweller is a May release in mass-market paperback from Leisure Books.
Scott Nicholson is the author of seven thrillers, including THEY HUNGER, as well as six original screenplays, two story collections, and the comic series "Dirt." He was the original bass player in the Killer Thriller Band. His virtual haunt is www.hauntedcomputer.com.
