All For Love

If you had come to me a year ago and told me that I would be publishing a love story in the not too distant future, I would likely have laughed in your face.

This is not to suggest that I am some kind of egotistical asshole. The reality is that I love horror, always have, always will. The idea that I might have a love story lurking inside me, the words covered in gore and black, viscous fluid, still seems ridiculous, yet here we are.

I wrote the first version of Be Kind, Rewind about 30 years ago, when VHS tapes were still a thing. The original story was short and a good deal darker than what appears in this novella. My plan was to dust this story off and go down my usual gloomy path, but something happened when I began to type.

A few paragraphs in, I introduced Margaret into the story. When she "spoke," I very clearly heard the voice of my mum. It was more than a little jarring, and while she passed almost 20 years ago, that voice came through loud and clear. I heard her talk, saw her move, and basically felt her come alive again with every word I wrote about Margaret.

Jessie was my mother's name, and she was the greatest woman who I ever had the pleasure of knowing, even if it wasn't for as long as I would have hoped. One of my greatest regrets is that she never got to hold one of my books, because I think she would have been seriously tickled pink at that. My hope is that when you hold this book and read the words, that you get to know Jessie just a little bit. I'm sure you would all have loved her as much as I still do.

JW