So what changed from that first draft? Pretty much everything aside from the core concept and a few early scenes. Martin Savage was originally the district attorney who put James Barclay away. At one point the original draft featured a blood orgy at an old folks' home—yes, really. And I'm pretty sure the scene with Sheila and Geraldine (Martin and Geraldine in the first draft) was a pretty obvious rip-off of the scene in King's IT with Beverly Marsh and Mrs. Kersh.

After publishing Ghostland, I flip-flopped between various different projects, as I often do when I finish a book, trying to decide what to write next. I knew I needed some time away from Rex Garrote and Ben and Lilian, to let the rest of their story gestate. So rather than start something entirely new, I decided to rewrite my silly, terrible first novel from scratch, into something I could be proud of. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I really enjoyed writing it, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. If you have, I hope you consider leaving a review where you purchased it.

As always, there are people to thank. First and foremost, I should thank my mother, who is absolutely nothing like Ruby Savage. She always reads those first final drafts, and while she sometimes doesn't appreciate the subject matter, she has always encouraged me to keep writing.

Thanks also to the amazingly talented visual artist François Vaillancourt, whose wonderfully macabre artwork graces the cover. He really captured the essence of what I was going for when I came up with these characters.

Thanks to Dallas Mayr (aka Jack Ketchum), whose comments about my debut collection gave me an extra boost of confidence just when I started feeling like I might be spinning my wheels. I wish I had known he'd read my stuff when he was still around—but it was a pleasure to speak with him briefly over email while discussing his contribution to the VS:X anthology I put together a few years back.

And of course, thank you to all the readers. I would still write even if no one was reading my books, but knowing people are reading what I write makes the process more of a pleasure than a penance.

Thanks for taking this trip to Barrows Bay with me. Until next time, and as always—keep it creepy.

DR

February, 2020

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