A. R. Blacke

I’m sitting here answering questions, aren’t I? Of course I’m real, and I will smack you if you come any closer. I am A. R. Blacke, but who is that? A persona, or the real me? I know it’s hard to tell now with the rise of AI, but AI doesn’t create my written words. I do, and I intend to keep it that way. I do use ChatGPT for image generation and research, much as I would a highly artistic personal assistant, but never for content creation when it comes to my writing.

You’re assuming that what I write is fiction then? Very well. If you read the landing page on this website, you’ll know that I’ve always been drawn to the Victorian era. I’m not talking about the day-to-day unpleasantries of life. It’s more about the atmosphere. There are certainly horror stories to be found in the modern era, and I write those too, but the late 1800s was the time of Dracula, Dorian Gray, and Sherlock Holmes. The writers of the time understood the power of restraint, and I was having a hard time finding that in contemporary mystery/horror. So why not write my own? It’s also deeply cathartic.

I haven’t the slightest clue. My style is certainly a result of my early reading experiences as a child, but I make no conscious effort to emulate those great writers. Sometimes I’ll be doing something as mundane as washing the dishes and my mind will start wandering. Before I know it, I’ve come up with another story idea.

M. R. James, Edgar Allan Poe, and Elizabeth Gaskell have a special place in my heart. I haven’t had much time for reading recently, but in terms of books, Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian and Caleb Carr’s The Alienist remain favourites.

I plan them carefully, then scrap that plan, and make decisions as the story develops. Sometimes I’ll intend to go in one direction, get completely stuck, and then think of another way I can go, and the words start flowing again. Although I will usually have at least a loose outline.

I’m a writer, being unusual goes with the territory, don’t you think? I don’t have a routine, although I do prefer writing around dusk, into the night. It’s cool, the day is winding down, and I relax a little more.

I don’t exclusively write gothic fiction; however, I would say that one of the hardest things is getting the atmosphere right. That is one of the core characteristics of gothic literature, often accompanied by morally ambiguous characters, and a deep sense of the past. The fear and dread often come from not knowing, rather than a chainsaw-wielding maniac. The key is to give the reader enough so that they’re drawn in, but not so much of a slow burn that they lose interest. Spend five pages describing the antique fireplace and you’re quite likely to lull at least one reader to sleep.

I would certainly hope not. Have you seen this bunch of characters? Although they would definitely make life more interesting.

Why shouldn’t it? It’s a wonderful place, and the scattered towns have a little for everybody, including stories that need to be told. There are superstitions, hauntings, murders, and romances. I won’t be writing about that last one, unless of course something untoward is involved.

I believe there are things in this world that we simply haven’t found an explanation for yet, or at least not one that will satisfy skeptical minds. But no, I’m not a ‘true believer’. I always look for the rational first, but I’m willing to admit that it isn’t always there.

There is always another story to be told, and right now I have roughly 20 outlines that need to be developed. Plus, the Archivist’s Lair is awaiting construction.

The keeper of the stories, of course.