Laymon Month: Guest Post by Gord Rollo

Hi folks,

Hope this guest blog finds you and yours well. I’m sitting up here in Canada remembering one of my literary heroes and although I can’t believe Richard has been gone for so long already, I find I’m not as sad as I thought I might be. Don’t get me wrong, I’m deeply saddened Mr. Laymon passed away so tragically young and that the horror genre lost one of its truly unique voices, but I’m sitting here smiling at all the endless hours of joy he gave me while I was growing up, and the legacy of great stories he has left behind for anyone else to discover.

I was lucky enough to have grown up in Canada, where the bookstores stocked all the British versions of Richard’s books, long before Don D’Auria at Leisure Books was smart enough to re-release his backlist to all the rabid horror fans in the United States. It was the Headline Books imprint that I always bought, and they had the coolest covers on them – much better than the US versions that would follow. I devoured them as a teenager and it was Richard that gave me hope as a fledgling writer. I’d been reading King and Koontz back then and although I loved all their books too, Richard’s were the first books that I sat back and thought that maybe I could do that too. His books were written for the common man (and woman – lol!) and they weren’t so damn literate that I had to carry a dictionary around with me to get through them. I like that. I liked their simple plots and accessible dialog. I liked how nasty and violent they were too, like all the slasher movies I was getting into, only put on paper like no other writer I’d came across before. In short, Richard gave me hope that someday I could be a writer too, and I’ll always remember him for that.

My favorite books of his are ONE RAINY NIGHT, ISLAND, BITE, IN THE DARK and NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER, but my all time favorite book of his that I own is a copy of SAVAGE that came directly from Richard’s private office. I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Laymon in person, but I’ve been fortunate enough since his passing to meet and get to know his lovely wife Ann and their insanely charming daughter Kelly. I mentioned to Ann one night at a book convention that the only novel of her late husband’s that I had never read was SAVAGE, Richard’s unique spin on Jack the Ripper. A few weeks later I received a trade paperback copy of the book in the mail and a note from Ann that she’d spotted it in Richard’s private library and thought she’d send me a copy. That’s the kind of woman she is and a tiny example of why the tight knit horror community loves her and Kelly so much. That copy of SAVAGE is one of my prized possessions in my own library and I’d never sell it, not for any price.

It’s hard to sum up what Richard Laymon meant to me as a writer. His influence on me was enormous but I don’t think the book is closed yet on his accomplishments. For decades to come young writers will look to Richard for inspiration and for entertainment and whenever I’m asked I’ll be happy to share my fond thoughts about him and his work. Rest in Peace, Dick. You deserve it. You truly were one of the all time greats. Thank you for sharing your incredible imagination with me. I needed it back then, and I still need it now. Cheers!

-- Gord Rollo, March 29th, 2011, Great White North.


Gord Rollo was the reason I felt compelled to start reviewing horror fiction. In fact the first review to ever grace the pages of Grade Z Horror was a Gord Rollo novel! He is one insanely talented writer who just so happens to be the author of some of my favorite new horror fiction. His novels Valley of the Scarecrow and The Jigsaw Man showcase Gord's uncanny ability to create some of the most frightening images ever committed to print. Please do yourself a favor and head over to his site and check out his work.

The Jigsaw Man by Gord Rollo

Gord Rollo is one of the most talented writers working within the genre today. His ability to paint vivid images in the mind of a reader is truly second-to-none. I really took a reverse route when exploring the world of Rollo. I started with his latest offering, Valley of the Scarecrow, and have been working my way backward. The most recent reading was The Jigsaw Man. Wow!

The Jigsaw Man follows the horrific journey of Michael Fox. To say that Michael is down on his luck would be the understatement of the year. Michael has lost every single thing that was once important to him and he is now prepared to take his own life. All of that changes when a mysterious man stops Michael and makes him a simple offer. Michael will become very rich if he is willing to sacrifice his right arm. Yep…. pretty cut and dry (pun intended) until the terms of the deal begin to spiral out of control. From there the story twists and turns through some fast paced action with heavy doses of gore. Also included are some of the most intense and disturbing images I've ever read.

What makes this such a powerful piece is Rollo’s masterful use of descriptive language. When you couple this talent with the gutsy decision to tell the story of Michael Fox in the first person, you get a truly special experience. The reader isn’t just along for the ride; they participate in every excruciating second.


Pick up The Jigsaw Man here and check out Gord here.

Valley of the Scarecrow by Gord Rollo

Gord Rollo’s latest offering is quite the sordid affair. In Valley of the Scarecrow, Rollo masterfully weaves a vivid tale of horror and revenge that centers on a crazed preacher turned demonic scarecrow named Joshua Miller. Almost seventy-five years ago the village of Oak Valley turned on their once beloved Reverend when he made a devilish deal with “The Dark One”. The villagers strung Miller up to a cross and left him for dead. Unfortunately he didn’t stay that way…..

The story reads like a well told campfire tale. You know the type that will keep you up for a few nights and will be retold again and again. The type of story that really isn’t too concerned with the characters, but instead slithers its way into your subconscious with vivid imagery and unnatural violence. Rollo describes the abandoned village and its long dead (or so we thought) inhabitants with an eerie beauty. I felt like I smelled the sweet ears as I walked through the massive cornfields and could feel the musty claustrophobia of the long deserted church. Rollo has a rare talent for this type of graphic description which elevates his work above his peers.

The real centerpiece of the book is the villain. Reverend Joshua Miller is given the perfect “bad guy” treatment. He is the walking, stalking embodiment of evil. The reader has a front row seat as we witness the good reverend go from heretic, to unnatural being and finally his final form – The Scarecrow. Rollo describes this horrific transformation through flashbacks, glimpses into Miller’s mind and, of course, vivid imagery. As far as crazed and frightening killers go, I would rank Joshua Miller with Michael Myers, Pennywise the Clown and Jason Voorhees.

The book was fun and depraved while moving at an unrelenting pace. It truly is everything a genre fan could want. Valley of the Scarecrow shows the work of a very mature and talented writer. Rollo has the knack for creating images in your mind that tend to linger and haunt you for quite some time. If there is any justice in this world, Gord Rollo will be a mainstay in the genre for quite some time.


Pick it up here and check out Gord here.