The former editor of a newspaper in Lichfield has published a new novel.
Gary Phelps spent 30 years working in the news industry, including a period in charge of the now-defunct Lichfield Mercury before launching his own public relations consultancy.
He has drawn on some of his experience for the horror novel 13 Doors which features news reporter Joe Baxter as its central character.
The story follows him as he uses his contacts to find 13 haunted places in England to stay – an experience which brings long-buried memories to the fore.
Author Gary said:
“I have always been a devotee of horror and supernatural fiction and, as an 80s kid, grew up watching classic movies of the time.
“I wanted to write a book that paid homage to those influences, while adding something new and different to the genre. Most of all, I wanted to write a horror novel that was rooted in my journalistic background – that featured the kind of odd, real-life stories that occasionally come into all newsrooms.
“So, while 13 Doors is fiction, there are a handful of stories and anecdotes in it that are based on real stories – stories that journalists couldn’t explain.”
Gary Phelps
Priced £9.99, 13 Doors is out today (28th July). More details are available online.
