Local author's new book promises to chill the blood

Inspired by the extremely bad winter at the beginning of this year, Bleeding is a slight departure for the writer, since the horror element in this story is man-made.

"The theme of the book is basically about man messing around with nature and trying to play God," Philip says.

"So I suppose you could say it's a loose updating of the Frankenstein story in that sense, but there's a lot more going on in the story too. There's romance, action, suspense, horror and humour." Surely something to suit all taste!

The North Coast is experiencing its worst winter for thirty years. In the middle of a raging snowstorm, a solitary figure appears at a farmhouse in a remote part of Aghadowey.

The elderly couple that live there let him in, but the man is freezing, incoherent...and bleeding.

As they race against time trying to get his wounds treated before he dies, they learn of the events that led him to their door, and what is chasing him.

Tonight, they will come face to face with something they couldn't imagine in their darkest dreams.

Advance word on the book, by the few who have read a pre-publication copy, say it will make you laugh out loud in some parts and make your skin crawl in others.

It's not an easy balance to strike when writing, but after six novels Philip feels he has honed his style to the point where it is second-nature.

"There has always been a dark vein of humour running through all my writing. I think the laughs lull the reader into a false sense of security," he adds. "So when the horror comes along, it's even more shocking."

All of Philip's novels are available through his website at www.philiphenry.com and from Waterstone's, Coleraine, where he will also be doing a book-signing before the fireworks on Saturday, October 30 from 7.00-8.30pm.