Happy Halloween … Boo!
I first heard of addiction horror through Michele Weinstat Miller. I wrote about her first two books, “The Thirteenth Step: Zombie Recovery” and “Widow-In-Law,” for The Fix—the largest addiction and recovery website. She introduced me to author Mark Matthews who also writes in the genre of addiction horror. I interviewed him for my latest article “Halloween Special: Tales of Addiction.” his new anthology, Lullabies for Suffering: Tales of Addiction Horror.
Mark Matthews spent years fighting the insatiable monster that screams for more. He says that he still dreams about the electricity of cocaine, the soothing caress of heroin, the heaven in a bottle of Stoli vodka. But the party for him ended long ago. By age 23, Matthews was a wreck. He had alcoholic hepatitis of the liver, swollen pancreas, and a bleeding stomach.
The Fix article begins with my favorite Matthews quote:
There is nothing more diabolical than the voice of addiction hijacking thoughts, rationalizing atrocious behavior.
Mark Matthews spent years fighting the insatiable monster that screams for more. He says that he still dreams about the electricity of cocaine, the soothing caress of heroin, the heaven in a bottle of Stoli vodka. But the party for him ended long ago. By age 23, Matthews was a wreck. He had alcoholic hepatitis of the liver, swollen pancreas, and a bleeding stomach.
After several failed detoxes, Matthews still didn’t wanna go to rehab, no, no, no. But at last he hit bottom and crawled into residential treatment. Getting sober was excruciating, yet rewarding. Equipped with his new recovery tools, he learned to manage life without killing himself. He returned to college and earned a Masters in Counseling and a BA in English.
Click here for interviews with Mark Matthews and Caroline Kepnes:
Halloween Special: Tales of Addiction Horror
Matthews put me in touch with: Caroline Kepnes, whose story, “Monsters” is an exquisite contribution to Lullabies for Suffering. You may already know her name. She is the bestselling author of YOU, which became the binge-worthy Netflix series. Horror master Stephen King tweeted about YOU, calling it “Hypnotic and scary. A little Ira Levin, a little Patricia Highsmith, and plenty of serious snark.”
The four additional contributors to Lullabies for Suffering are: Gabino Iglesias, Kealan Patrick Burke, John FD Taff and Mercedes M. Yardley.