Deno Sandz is a critically-acclaimed horror novelist and poet from Chicago, Ilinois. With a resume that includes numerous beloved books, short stories for magazines, and poems, Mr. Sandz has proven to be a horror virtuoso in the literary field. He's also a retired U.S. Army veteran and has continued to pursue his writing in Ohio. A major admirer of the works of masters such as Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Bram Stoker, Sandz's work puts more of an emphasis on the psychological aspects of horror rather than relying on pure shock value.
He has just announced a new novel for 2017 called "Lineage."
Childhood Influences
Sandz claims that his parents were a major source of inspiration when he was little. Sandz's mother was a writer of Southern life and superstition who passed her knowledge of the written word to him at a young age. His father was a historian and a man of culture. Sandz regards his parents as "angels" who were instrumental in attracting him to the horror genre. He also cites Langston Hughes, Maya Angelo, and Socrates as inspirations.
A Southern nightmare
Sandz's Southern influences can be seen in the novel, "Miss Mary Weather: A Southern Nightmare." The book revolves around the myth of a woman named Miss Mary who went insane after giving birth to a deformed child.
When she commits suicide, an evil spirit takes over her soul. A man named Will takes it upon himself to battle the evil Miss Mary. Sandz claims that childhood nightmares which sprang from southern myths were the fuel to bringing this story to the page.
'Linage' and other new projects
Among Sandz's latest projects is a collaboration with Italian music producer Marco Spada. A music video for "Darkness" by Tribal Realities. The video is a tribute to horror icon Bela Lugosi, an actor most famous for portraying Dracula in the classic 1931 film adaption.
In addition, Sandz is teasing a new novel to be released in 2017. It's called "Lineage." At the time of this article, Mr. Sandz has been tight-lipped about the details regarding the plot or content within "Lineage." In the words of the immortal H.P. Lovecraft, "the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear" and that sensation is best felt through the world of literature.