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Ray Garton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ray Garton Jr.
Born(1962-12-02)December 2, 1962
DiedApril 21, 2024(2024-04-21) (aged 61)
OccupationAuthor
Years active1984–2023
Spouse
Dawn
(m. 1989)
Writing career
Pen name
  • Arthur Darknell
  • Joseph Locke
GenreHorror fiction
Notable worksLive Girls (1986)
Notable awardsHorror Grand Master

Literature portal

Ray Garton Jr. (December 2, 1962 – April 21, 2024) was an American author of horror fiction for adults and young adults.

Personal life

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Ray Garton Jr. was born in Redding, California,[1] on December 2, 1962.[2] He was adopted by Pat and Ray Garton,[1] the latter being a World War II veteran. Garton grew up in Anderson, California, where he only attended religious schools. Raised in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, he had left by adulthood, calling it a "pseudo-Christian cult."[3] Garton married his wife, Dawn, around 1989.[1] Weeks after being diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer, he died on April 21, 2024, at the age of 61.[2]

Career

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Garton was first published before age 22.[1] In the 1980s, Garton worked for Pinnacle Books in New York City.[3]

Growing up, Garton's media influences included Bob Wilkins' Creature Features, Dark Shadows, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Boris Karloff, Stephen King, H. P. Lovecraft, Bela Lugosi, and Edgar Allan Poe. He further credited child abuse and church-induced eschatological fears with inspiring his interest in horror fiction. Beginning with seeing 13 Ghosts, the genre was an outlet that took his then-lifelong fear "and made it fun." In 2009, he explained that horror was not his intention when beginning writing, rather "that's just what came out".[3]

In the early 1990s, he was hired by Ed and Lorraine Warren to write a book about Carmen Snedeker, her ill son, and their family's house (allegedly a former funeral home) that was infested with anal-rapist demons. After he found various Snedekers' stories to be contradictory, Garton says the Warrens told him "Everybody who comes to us is crazy. Otherwise why would they come to us? You've got some of the story – just use what works and make the rest up. And make it scary." He did so, and after A Dark Place: The Story of a True Haunting was published, Garton revealed his side of—and contributions to—the story, which was denounced by the Warrens and Snedekers. The book was oft miscategorized as non-fiction, and both the Discovery Channel (A Haunting in Connecticut) and Lionsgate Films (The Haunting in Connecticut) produced docudramas based on his work.[3]

By August 2006, he had written over 50 books, with Dread Central calling Live Girls his "crowning achievement" at that time.[4] By late 2019, his canon had increased to 68 books.[1]

Accolades

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Live Girls was a Bram Stoker Award nominee. In 2006, Garton was bestowed the World Horror Convention Grand Master Award.[3]

Published works

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When writing for young adults, to prevent that audience from accidentally reading works not written for their age level,[5] Garton published under the pen name Joseph Locke. He also wrote under the pseudonym Arthur Darknell.[1]

Collections

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As of May 2023, Locus listed two original collections published by Garton:[6]

  • Methods of Madness. Dark Harvest. July 1990. ISBN 0-913165-45-X.
    A collection of one novella, four novelettes, and two short stories—four original (Fat, Something Kinky, "Shock Radio", and Dr. Krusadian’s Method)—that originally sold for US$19.95 (equivalent to $46.53 in 2023).
  • Pieces of Hate. Baltimore: CD Publications. March 1996. ISBN 1-881475-17-4.
    A collection of one novella and eight short stories—five original (A Gift from Above, "Cat Hater", "Bad Blood", "Ophilia Raphaeldo", and "God's Work")—that originally sold for $50.00 (equivalent to $97.14 in 2023).

Novelettes

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As of May 2023, Locus listed five original novelettes published by Garton:[6]

Novelizations

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Novellas

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Novels

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Young adult

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As of May 2023, Locus listed eight young-adult novels published by Joseph Locke[10] (with one under his real name):

Stories

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As of May 2023, Locus listed nine original short stories published by Garton:[6]

Editing

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Other

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As of May 2023, Locus listed two additional non-fiction works published by Garton:[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Skropanic, Jessica (October 30, 2019). "Horror writer Ray Garton is living out a spooky books fan's fantasy here in Shasta County". Redding Record Searchlight. Shasta County, California. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Ray Garton (1962–2024)". Locus. April 22, 2024. ISSN 0047-4959. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Ray Garton, Author of Ravenous and Bestial". Horror Bound. February 3, 2009. Archived from the original on February 23, 2009. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  4. ^ Butane, Johnny (August 9, 2006). "Live Girls (Book)". Dread Central. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  5. ^ Garton, Ray. "As Joseph Locke". Ray Garton Online. Archived from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Stories, Listed by Author". Locus. ISSN 0047-4959. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Books, Listed by Author [Garton]". Locus. ISSN 0047-4959. Archived from the original on July 24, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  8. ^ Argendeli, James (August 26, 2002). "There is such a thing as a free book review". CNN. Archived from the original on January 30, 2008. Retrieved May 21, 2023. Everyone likes a good deal -- to get something for nothing. Why else would you be reading this for free on your electronic reading receptacle?
  9. ^ Johnson, Scott A. (August 3, 2009). "Bestial (Book)". Dread Central. Archived from the original on April 18, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  10. ^ "Books, Listed by Author [Locke]". Locus. ISSN 0047-4959. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
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