A.S.O.H.: What made you want to be a full time writer? Why did you pick horror as one of your preferred genres?
TOM: I always wanted to be in show business. However, it was a trip to Disneyland when I was boy, probably around 1971. The Haunted Mansion took my breath away. It was everything, the house, the rooms, the ghost host voice (Paul Frees to those in the know.) After going on that ride, I begged my mom to buy me the record from The Haunted Mansion. I listened to it over and over again. Savoring the pipe organ and sound fx. That made me want to write my own ghost stories and by the time I was 10, I was reading, “Famous Monsters of Filmland” by Forrest J. Ackerman. So, I loved all those old horror films from the 1930’s and 40s. I picked horror because everyone love a good scare and a chilling ghost story.
A.S.O.H.: Obviously there are strong inspirations for this title from The Night Gallery. Why did you pick that as your main inspiration?
TOM: I had been kicking around the idea of trying something I had never written before and that was writing short stories. I actually avoided it in favor of full-length novels. Then one night when I couldn’t sleep, I turned the television on at like 2am and “Night Gallery” was on. I suddenly went back to my childhood when this was one of those television shows that gave all of us kids nightmares. I don’t even remember the episode that night. But it was as always the allure of Rod Serling’s macabre way of introducing each story and adding to the element was Tom Wright’s paintings. That’s when I had my “Ah-ha” moment. Then I had to decide how many stories. There was the challenge too to write a shorter story with beginning middle and end. Not as easy as one might think.
A.S.O.H.: Besides Night Gallery what other films or books helped inspire some of the stories in Midnight Never Ends?
TOM: I’d say, “Creepshow” was a film for sure. I saw that in the theatre in original release and it had a huge impact on me. I like the mood of that film. I don’t care for “Creepshow 2” It just doesn’t have the same feel. But the filmmakers were guys who were inspired by the old Gaines horror comics from the 50’s and 60’s like “Vault of Horror” and “Tales from The Crypt” (which I read as a kid too.). Robert Aldrich’s 1964 classic “Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte” is another film that has all that perfect mood for inspiration. As authors go, I site, Richard Matheson, True crime author, Robert Graysmith, and of course Rod Serling. Which oddly enough only wrote one novel.
A.S.O.H.: Where do some of your ideas in Midnight Never Ends come from?
TOM: Well oddly enough, some were loosely based on some real events. Story # 4 came from a reoccurring nightmare I had as a child. Story #2 was based on a trip I was sent on by the company I worked for. I was flown to Los Angeles to bring back a new hearse to northern California. Story # 1 & Story #2 I let my imagination run wild.
A.S.O.H.: Your stories have some very dark and violent elements. Why do you choose to show the violence and horror in detail instead of turning away like some other "quieter" horror writers.
TOM: Great question. You’d be surprised to learn, I’m not a fan of gore. I have always found moods more disturbing than shock. But there is something liberating by not holding back. I think all authors struggle with the decision of going full throttle or toning it down as to not lose readers. Now there’s two very great elements in scary people. One is telling them the details so they can imagine it in their own mind’s eye. And then there is the way Hitchcock did the shower scene in Pyscho… You never see the knife actually make contact, but you can hear the stabs and that bridges the imagination gap. Same thing goes for Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. Because they had so much trouble with the shark…Spielberg opted the Hitchcock approach as to show but not let the audience see…their imaginations do all the rest. When that girl gets attacked at the beginning…your mind is going into overdrive as to what’s happening below the water. The short answer is, holding back is not allowing your characters to speak truthfully.
A.S.O.H.: Lastly, what is one of your favorite horror movies or novels of all time that you would want to see reviewed on A Slice of Horror?
TOM: Rosemary’s Baby is a real favorite. Polanski did such an amazing job creating the right atmosphere and impeccable casting. Ruth Gordon won the Oscar for playing Minnie Castavet. The first book that scared me, was the novel, “The Amityville Horror.” When that came out in 1978 I had never ready anything so scary. Of course Hollywood really blew it all up. My favorite horror novel of recent is Michelle Muto’s “The Haunting Season.” I’d love to see a review on that book.