With the paperback publication of Stay in the Light, the chilling sequel to The Watchers, now a major motion picture produced by M. Night Shyamalan, we asked critically-acclaimed author A.M. Shine a few questions. Read on to hear why he chose the horror genre, his Irish heritage and how that inspires his stories, and what readers can expect from this exciting sequel.
SCREAM: What inspired you to be an author, and why did you choose the horror genre?
A.M. Shine: Books played a huge role in my formative years, but it was only when I discovered gothic horror in my adolescence that I became obsessed with them. All other genres were promptly forgotten about. I read every story I could get my hands on, regardless of author, origin, or even plot, because it was the darkness and the haunting use of language that I found so irresistible. And eventually, I wanted to add to the gothic tradition myself, to have my own voice – one that brings something new but that also respects those past writers who taught me all that I know.
SCREAM: How does your Irish heritage play into the stories you tell?
A.M. Shine: It colours every aspect of my writing, and intentionally so. Ireland is what I know and love, and I’m privileged to have such a deep cultural well to draw from. Its people are fascinating, odd as they may be, and the Irish landscape is so hauntingly bleak, it’s very much a character in itself. But, I suppose, the folktales and ghost stories are what inspire my ideas the most, as they’re so unique and often tied to the land in someway to enhance their credibility. I treat these as an inspiration for my own writing, reimagining the horror to keep it fresh, but always keeping it quintessentially Irish.
SCREAM: What was the most thrilling aspect of the adaptation of your first book, The Watchers, into a major motion picture?
A.M. Shine: I had the wonderful experience of acting as a consultant on the novel’s adaptation and can still recall the excitement of first reading one of Ishana’s earlier drafts of the screenplay. It was, of course, the same story and characters I knew so well, but the writing was so immediate and cinematic. It was fascinating to watch how she reimagined the novel with her own creative eye, realising its potential for the big screen. And through concept art, mood boards, and chats back and forth, I was in a very singular and surreal position where I could watch my debut novel come to life in full colour.
SCREAM: With the runaway success of The Watchers and the subsequent movie adaptation, what can readers expect from the sequel Stay in the Light?
A.M. Shine: Stay in the Light is a novel that couldn’t exist without the events and revelations of The Watchers, and that’s exactly how I set out to create it. As a writer, I was keen to capitalise on the unique opportunities that a true sequel presented. With so much established in the first book, I could focus on expanding the horror beyond the limits of the woodland. The lore is much grander. The mysteries are more enticing. And Mina’s’ struggles are far from over. If anything, they’ve only just begun, as the past is disturbed by a new character with dangerous ties to the coop and the nocturnal horrors that watch through its glass.
SCREAM: Will we be seeing more of Mina in future books?
A.M. Shine: For fear of spoiling any of the twists and turns in Stay in the Light, all I can say is that, should Mina survive to the last page, and if readers want more of her story, then It’d be my pleasure to oblige.
