We chat with author Matthew Lyons about A Mask of Flies, which follows a criminal on the run after a failed heist must confront dark family secrets and demons from her past made flesh.
Hi, Matthew! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Sure! I’m a horror writer and lifelong nerd based out of Denver, Colorado. My third novel, A MASK OF FLIES, just came out August 6 from Tor Nightfire.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve been telling stories since before I could write them down, honestly. My family loves to tell the story of little two or three year old me wandering around with a pen and a pad and then handing them to whatever adult was closest (usually my mom or my grandma) and insisting they write down the story exactly as I told it. Telling stories has always been magic to me, man.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Monster at the End of This Book
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Shining
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
Your latest novel, A Mask of Flies, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
“Reservoir Dogs meets The Thing”
What can readers expect?
A MASK OF FLIES is a bloody, mayhem-laden crime-horror novel about a hardened career criminal uncovering nightmarish, cosmic-horror secrets about her past in the immediate aftermath of a botched bank heist. But also, it’s a love story, a story about chosen family, and an unabashed love letter to Southern Colorado’s San Luis Valley.
Where did the inspiration for A Mask of Flies come from?
A MASK OF FLIES was inspired by my first trip to the San Luis Valley some years ago. The landscape’s natural stark beauty seemed like the perfect setting for a horror novel.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Shit, how can I pick? This novel was an absolute blast to write (even the really hard parts), honestly. But if I have to pick just a few, I’d say that I had a whole lot of fun hanging out with Anne Heller, my main character, so much; beyond that, there are a few bloody dustups throughout the course of the story that I had a full-on blast choreographing.
What led you to your interest in the horror genre?
I mean, like any millennial kid, I loved Goosebumps when I was younger, and eventually that evolved into reading my mom’s old Stephen King paperbacks. But honestly, the thing that really crystallized my love for horror was the first time I watched EVIL DEAD 2, because it proved beyond a reasonable doubt that horror is super compelling because horror can be anything.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently hard at work on my fourth novel! No spoilers, obviously, but at this point I can say that it’s a story about loss, grief, the nature of ghosts, and the fact that everybody has kind of a fucked up relationship with their hometown.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
Ooooh, okay, I love this question. This year I’ve really dug FEVER HOUSE by Keith Rosson, THE Z WORD by Lindsay King-Miller, and HORROR FOR WEENIES by Emily C. Hughes!
