Top Dr Who and horror writer to meet fans in Plymouth
Top horror and Dr Who author Mark Morris is to visit Plymouth to talk to fans about his work – and has revealed he’s written some of his novels in the city.
Mark has written more than 25 novels, including the popular Obsidian Heart trilogy, plus movie and games novelisations, and was described by Hellraiser creator Clive Barker as “one of the finest horror writers at work today”.
He’s also penned four Dr Who novels, and five audio plays about the Time Lord, which led to him working with Peter Davison, Sylvester McCoy and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Mark travel from his home near York to appear in Nightmare Lights: The Words and Worlds of Mark Morris, at Plymouth Athenaeum, Derry’s Cross, on Saturday, October 22, from 7pm.
The event is part of the Redrow-sponsored PlymLit16 literary festival, and this particular showcase is sponsored by Plymouth’s Clever Student Lets. It will be hosted by another leading horror writer: Plymouth’s own Johnny Mains.
And Mark revealed he is no stranger to Plymouth and had written large chunks of some of his novels in the city.
“I’ve met Tom a couple of times and have interviewed Colin Baker on stage. And through writing audio dramas I met Peter Davison, Sylvester McCoy.
“They are recorded dramas with a full cast and the first one’s guest star was Benedict Cumberbatch, and I spend the day with him.”
Mark has been a full-time writer for about thirty years. He began his career shortly after graduating when he took part in the Government’s Enterprise Allowance scheme, aimed at encouraging entrepreneurs.
Within six weeks he had sold his first novel, Toady, to a publisher and said: “I then wrote a second book and kept going.”
Mark said the horror genre is buoyant and added: “The horror community has been really supportive and is quite vibrant. It will be great to meet people in Plymouth, I’m really looking forward to it.
“I have done lots of events like this before, 30 years of conventions and lots of Dr Who events too.
“I recently did the Bath Children’s Literature Festival, a Dr Who event, and drew phenomenal crowds.
Tickets cost just £3, available on the door.
www.plymouthliteraturefestival.co.uk/events or www.eventbrite.co.uk