The Frighteners: 25th Anniversary Edition
In a special 25th Anniversary edition courtesy of Pete Kahle of Bloodshot Books. Pete has gone the extra mile and it looks splendid, containing a chapter that was excised from the original publication and appears here for the first time, as intended (Part 2, Chapter 21 page 143). With splendid cover art by Dean Samed, the book also includes interior artwork for each section of the book by my brother, Ray Laws.
And now I can let everyone have an inside story about the book. When writing it, I asked my close friend Stephen Gallagher (novelist, screenwriter, director) if I could include him as a fictional character, and also let him create the means by which he should die (in the novel, of course). So – the hit man ‘Gallagher’ was born (and a representation of that character is on the front cover). However, when Steve sent me a description of how he wanted to die – it was so outrageous that I couldn’t use it. My own means of ‘Gallagher’s’ demise is something I’ll leave new readers to discover for themselves, but if anyone is wondering what Steve’s method of personal disposal was – then check out his story entitled ‘Hunter, Killer’ in the collection NIGHT VISIONS 8 (which also contains stories by John Farris and Joe Lansdale, with an introduction by Robert R. McCammon). It’s all there.
Many thanks to the kind words I’ve had from those who are familiar with the novel – I hope you enjoy the additional material. I hope that new readers get a kick out of it, too. Finally, just to add that I had the great pleasure of meeting the actor Andre Morell’s son, Jason – and was able not only to say how much I loved his father’s work, but to tell him that the character of ‘Sir James Callender’ in THE FRIGHTENERS is very much based on Andre’s ‘persona’. I hope you picture him in your head when you’re reading!
THE FRIGHTENERS available in kindle and paperback at – https://bloodshotbooks.wordpress.com/books/the-frighteners-by-stephen-laws/