Ray was born in London and now lives in Kent. His short stories have been published in several well received anthologies, and collected together for the first time in Dark Matter. His first novel, EYES OF DOOM, was released by Blood Bound Books. The Creative Writing Group, a novel, is due for publication in Spring 2023
Ray's love for dark fiction can be traced back to late Saturday night showings of the classic black and white Universal movies on TV when he was a boy. 'I was fascinated, frightened and inspired. Beyond the make-up and the cinematography, which were amazing, I think it was the stories and characterisation that grabbed my imagination. Those films, like most work within the horror genre, dealt with the biggest issues: the value of life and the lengths one might go to for survival. There was always an existential aspect, and that's the point from which my work almost invariably stems.'
As for the written word, Ray cites the short ghost stories of writers such as Dickens, Blackwood and M R James as early influences. 'They were very creepy. Those writers drew you into their little dark room and locked the door behind you. You really shared the sense of dread thrust upon their characters. I was a big reader from a young age with quite an eclectic taste, but looking back I see just how inspirational those stories were.'
The decision to focus on horror as an author was an easy one. 'It's a very versatile genre to work within. With horror at it's core, a writer can tackle any issue and build it around the story-line. There are no boundaries other than the imagination so it's an incredible way to have fun, and if that shows in the writing I feel it creates an instant connection with the reader.'
Ray's love for dark fiction can be traced back to late Saturday night showings of the classic black and white Universal movies on TV when he was a boy. 'I was fascinated, frightened and inspired. Beyond the make-up and the cinematography, which were amazing, I think it was the stories and characterisation that grabbed my imagination. Those films, like most work within the horror genre, dealt with the biggest issues: the value of life and the lengths one might go to for survival. There was always an existential aspect, and that's the point from which my work almost invariably stems.'
As for the written word, Ray cites the short ghost stories of writers such as Dickens, Blackwood and M R James as early influences. 'They were very creepy. Those writers drew you into their little dark room and locked the door behind you. You really shared the sense of dread thrust upon their characters. I was a big reader from a young age with quite an eclectic taste, but looking back I see just how inspirational those stories were.'
The decision to focus on horror as an author was an easy one. 'It's a very versatile genre to work within. With horror at it's core, a writer can tackle any issue and build it around the story-line. There are no boundaries other than the imagination so it's an incredible way to have fun, and if that shows in the writing I feel it creates an instant connection with the reader.'
