Gripping Gothic encounters, dramatic landscapes and intense evocation of story are at the heart of Manchester-based writer J.J. Wray’s work. His latest piece of fiction Tales of the Shadow-world is due out on 1 October (order it here) – following on from two Gothic Romance novels (the first published in 2014) Fletcher: Volume 1 and Fletcher: Volume 2.
Tales of the Shadow-world takes the form of a highly-anticipated collection of six short stories: drawing on fairytales, folklore and cinematic influences, complete with beautiful hand-drawn illustrations from David James Patterson.
And not only has J.J. Wray completed much of his work in Manchester, but he is very much inspired by the layering of culture here – with the painting Hylas and The Nymphs (1896) by John Waterhouse in Manchester Art Gallery, the key inspiration behind one of the tales. J.J. Wray has worked in and around the city – in art galleries, historic libraries, atmospheric coffee shops and public buildings – bringing this significant collection together.
An experience in itself. J.J. Wray’s work seems permeated with a poetic charm and crafts settings deep in their own wonder – often drawing on Enlightenment history, Germanic culture and J.J. Wray’s own learning, as he studied Philosophy as an Undergraduate at Manchester Metropolitan University. Now studying for an MA at The Manchester Writing School, he has been significantly inspired by his engagement with the Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies and has also contributed a number of HAUNT articles including Grimmfest coverage (including a retrospective interview with some of the people behind the short film Sybil) and a historical account of Southern Cemetery. He featured in a RAH! Podcast too.
In turn, J.J. Wray will be at the HAUNT Manchester Networking Fair and Gathering, part of the Gothic Manchester Festival, on Saturday 19 October (12-4pm) at The Peer Hat. This will also be the opportunity to talk to the author about his work , buy a copy and have it signed. Until then, HAUNT Manchester decided to speak to J.J. Wray to find out more…
Hello J.J. We are very much excited for your new book ‘Tales of the Shadow-world’ – can you tell us a little more about it?
"Hello Emily! Tales of the Shadow-world is a collection of six, illustrated short stories. Three stories are inspired more by folk/fairy-tales, the other three are inspired by Gothic films and short stories. The illustrations are by Dave J Patterson, a great illustrator and graphic designer in Australia. Dave is old friend of mine from school so it was great to work on this project with him."
Image below: J.J. Wray
Mysterious characters and emotional intensity permeate these stories. Do you see them as ‘Gothic’ yourself? And what was the inspiration behind them?
"I made a conscious effort for every story to be character driven, and by their nature, they needed to have that emotionally intensity. I am a big fan of horror films and gothic tales, which shows in the stories, however my biggest critique is they can lack the character focus, particularly with horror films. Some of these stories could be described as encounters with supernatural beings, but I wanted to maintain the focus on the central character and their fears and desires.
"I would definitely use the word ‘Gothic’ to describe these stories, however some more so than others. There are elements of Folk-horror, and the Female-Gothic, for example. The story Tiszta Lányom is quintessential Gothic, with two Brits travelling into Eastern Europe. While this is clearly born from the heritage of Dracula, the story was more directly inspired by the 1960 Hammer horror film Brides of Dracula (which actually has nothing to do with Dracula – you could call the title “clickbait” of the 60s). Conversely, the story Born of the Sea was inspired by a John William Waterhouse painting, not Gothic, yet I’ve interpreted it through the lens of Gothicism."
You are also the author of Author of two Gothic Romance novels Fletcher: Volume I and Fletcher: Volume II. Why did you decide on the short story format for your latest work? What has been the biggest challenge in doing this – and the most rewarding thing?
"I have always written short stories. I love the format and often return to Poe and Lovecraft tales; but I’ve always loved folk and dark fairy tales as well, so it seemed a natural thing for me to do. The Fletcher novels actually began quite serialised as if they were short stories. The biggest challenge was definitely not repeating myself! I wanted different types of danger, different emotions, and different key relationships where possible. Another big challenge was trying to have a fresh approach to very old ideas. For example, finding what I can bring to the lore of Elves when we already have greats like Erlkönig, La Belle Dame sans Merci, and The Elfin-Knight?
"In terms of the rewards of this project, it’s without doubt seeing the tales come to life in the illustrations. I own a few short story collections with illustrations and they really enhance the magic of the text. Dave crafted my words into images exquisitely, and I can’t wait to see what he does with other story ideas I have." Below: an illustration by David James Patterson: https://djpillustration.com/?fbclid=IwAR29e0c8w53aK34VEAp_e9rQ5di6pEKIDH7blNCAKtC8auj1hliG5ZAtgGY
Can you tell us about some of your cultural inspirations – including your connection to landscape?
"I have always enjoyed writing about landscapes, they really plant the reader into the space; Tolkien was a magician at this in my opinion. Fletcher Volume II took places all over Europe, and here I have continued in that vain. These stories are set in England, Denmark, Hungary, Greece, and Germany, and I’ve tried to capture an essence of those landscapes and the dark majesty within. In some ways the stories set in England (including the Celtic aspects), Hungary, and Germany are odes to the culture and landscapes that I felt deeply for when in those spaces. For me, it’s no coincidence several philosophers writing about the Sublimity of Nature, were German."
These stories feel somehow fused with the past – evoking another era. Was this a conscious choice… and how do they connect with the contemporary?
"All the stories are set in the 1840s, a somewhat idealised early Industrial, Gothic Europe. However, the folk elements of the stories go way beyond that, evoking the Pagan past of Europe where most of the European mythical creatures originate. Of course, one cannot escape Christianity in 19th century Europe, so that is part of the framework of many character psychologies, yet others are children of the Enlightenment trying to navigate through these older mentalities. Little of this was a conscious choice though, it was all very natural for me as some of my favourite works come from this period. Hammer horror worked with a similar lens of 1880s Victorian England/Europe, and some great horror films evoke the Pagan past in much the same way. How my stories connect with the contemporary world is for the reader to decide."
You are also a passionate sportsperson and long distance runner. Do you think your relationship with pushing yourself physically influences the feel/intensity of your work - or vice-versa?
"Possibly. I think it's all about feeling alive and feeling emotion. There is something equally primal in long distance running as there is in Horror stories. Maybe that is what I strive for in both areas. My friend often analogises long distance running to 'running from the predator', stories that are encounters with unknown entities or so-called monsters might stem from that same primal place."
Any future creative plans you would like to share with us?
"We are planning on three volumes of Tales of the Shadow-world. I have already begun the next one, but it’s in its infancy. Currently I am working on a dark Romance novel set in 1822, during slave time Jamaica. It’s quite a complicated story, but a pleasure to dive into themes I haven’t explored in my writing before."
Tales of the Shadow-world will be available online from the 1 October 2019 - order it here.
By Emily Oldfield