More From This Author
Books & Stories
Evergreen Chapel
Story Art Sneak Peek
Amazing Artwork By Daniela Rivera
"The Great Bath"
Anthology: Uncanny & Unearthly Tales
Release Date: Oct 27th, 2023
Preorders: Paperback
About the Author: T.S Vickers lives in Leicester, England. When he's not writing, he's either working as a Mental Health Practitioner, rehearsing with his band, or at the pub. A fan of science fiction and horror, he has been writing as a hobby for a decade, and over the past few years has made publishing his goal. So far he has published two short stories, with Bandit Fiction and Cultured Vultures, and he's hoping to increase that number.
Release Date: Oct 27th, 2023
Preorders: Paperback
About the Author: T.S Vickers lives in Leicester, England. When he's not writing, he's either working as a Mental Health Practitioner, rehearsing with his band, or at the pub. A fan of science fiction and horror, he has been writing as a hobby for a decade, and over the past few years has made publishing his goal. So far he has published two short stories, with Bandit Fiction and Cultured Vultures, and he's hoping to increase that number.
Q & A
How does it feel to have this story published for the first time?
I feel a good sense of accomplishment and a weight off my shoulders. This story has been in the works for almost three years, and I’ve written over five different versions of it, so it means a lot to see the work I’ve put in finally pay off.
What inspired the idea for your story?
In the autumn of 2020, when COVID-19 lock down restrictions were eased slightly in the UK, I visited the city of Bath with my partner. Unlike the characters in my story, we had a lovely time there. It wasn’t until our last day, when it was raining, that it occurred to me the name Bath could work as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Having visited the museum my story is set in, I pieced together local lore and history into a modern tale of heartbreak and revenge.
We know that writing can be a tumultuous journey with a lot of obstacles, what is your kryptonite as a writer?
Finding the time to do it. I work full-time to support my family, and raising my baby can be a handful, so I’m not able to write as much as I’d like to. In a way, that makes the opportunities I get to write feel special, so I really let loose and don’t get too worried about whether the content is good or not – it can be edited later. As long as I enjoy my writing session, I’m happy.
Tell us about your favorite author. What about their book(s) call to you and how do they inspire your own writing?
My favourite author without a doubt is Iain Banks. He’s the only author I’ve read more than five published works of. Everything about his books captivates me, in both his Culture series and his other works. It’s his dark sense of humour and limitless imagination that pulls me in, not to mention the heart that holds his stories together.
Clearly, you’ve succeeded at writing a captivating story for GrendelPress, but we all start somewhere. What advice would you give yourself as a young writer?
To be more dedicated and sensible. Like a lot of writers, especially aspiring authors, I have so many unfinished works, and that’s partly because I’ve let ideas run away from me. In the past I’ve attempted projects with two many plots, characters, and themes, and they end up imploding into a DNF. I think it would have been better for me to start off simpler and focus more on getting the project complete.
We’d like to argue that every good story makes both the author and the readers feel something. What perspectives or beliefs have you challenged with your story?
I feel that The Great Bath explores the way we interact with our emotions. We think we’re in control of ourselves, but there are feelings behind every decision we make and everything we do, silently dictating how we live our lives. I think we don’t ask ourselves often enough whether the decisions we make are in our own best interest, or whether there’s a spark of a feeling inside deceiving us. Rowan is especially guilty of this, and it’s not until he experiences the repercussions of his actions that he really questions whether he wanted to make them in the first place.
What do you love most about your story’s genre?
The Great Bath takes inspiration from both Gothic and Folk horror. It includes real folklore set in the backdrop of one of England’s most historical places, and it's the setting and atmosphere that I loved most about writing this piece. Horror gives us a place to explore the mysteries of the world, and in doing so, explore our emotions, and oftentimes we’re unhappy with what we discover.
What are some other genres you’d like to break into and why?
Science fiction. Sci-fi is a place to explore boundless possibilities, but the science behind it allows us to feel like our wild ideas could well be a reality, even if we’re millennia away from them. It’s a genre that can be as terrifying as it is exhilarating.
If you had to pick another story of yours to share with your readers, what would it be?
That would have to be my other published story, called Evergreen Chapel. It is a short story about a man breaking into someone’s house in broad daylight, for what he considers to be a good reason. It aims to make the reader think deeply about someone’s situation before judging their actions.
