Michael Slade
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Michael Slade (born 1947, in Lethbridge, Alberta) is the pen name of Canadian novelist Jay Clarke, a lawyer who has participated in more than 100 criminal cases and who specializes in criminal insanity.
Background
[edit]Before Clarke entered law school, his undergraduate studies focused on history.[1] Clarke's writing stems from his experience as a practicing lawyer and historian, as well as his extensive world travel. He works closely with police officers to ensure that his novels incorporate state-of-the-art police techniques.[2]
Career
[edit]Writing as a team with a handful of other authors, Clarke has published a series of police procedurals about the fictional Special External Section (Special X) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. His novels describe Special X protagonists as they track down fugitives, typically deranged murderers. Four other authors have contributed under the name Michael Slade: John Banks, Jay Clarke, Rebecca Clarke, and Richard Covell. Despite the collaborative nature of the books, Jay Clarke is the predominant voice in their writing[citation needed]. Currently, Jay and his daughter Rebecca write under the Slade name.
Slade's novel Ghoul is on the Horror Writers Association's recommended reading list.[3] His work is published by Penguin.
Fans of the series are referred to as Sladists, a play on the word sadist.[4]
Film adaptations
[edit]According to a 2008 report[5] on horror movie website Arrow in the Head, Headhunter was optioned for a movie by Brightlight Pictures, set to be written by Wil Zmak and directed by Patrick Lussier. The project appears to have died; as of August 2016, no further details have been released and no information is available from Brightlight's website.
Writing style
[edit]Slade writes novels on three concentric levels. At the center of each story is a whodunit or howdunit. Around that is psychological horror, through which Slade ventures into the supernatural without leaving the real world. Police procedure is the outer level.[1]
Special X series
[edit]As of 2010, Slade has written fourteen novels in the Special X series.
- Headhunter (1984)
- Ghoul (1987)
- Cutthroat (1992)
- Ripper (1994)
- Zombie (aka. Evil Eye) (1996)
- Shrink (aka. Primal Scream) (1998)
- Burnt Bones (1999)
- Hangman (2000)
- Death's Door (2001)
- Bed of Nails (2003)
- Swastika (2005)
- Kamikaze (2006)
- Crucified (2008)
- Red Snow (2010)
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Through the Past...Darkly". (October 2005). Rue Morgue #51.
- ^ Vincent, Bev. "Mountie Noir". (2002). Cemetery Dance #39.
- ^ Thomas Deja and Nicholas Kauffman. "HWA's Horror Reading List". Horror Writers Association. Archived from the original on 2015-11-04. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
- ^ Newton, Steve. "Vancouver nightmare-maker "Michael Slade" offers free tips on the horror trade". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
- ^ "Headhunter a go!". Arrow in the Head. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
External links
[edit]- SpecialX.net: The Michael Slade website
- Interview with Jay and Rebecca Clarke, online at CBC Words at Large (audio)
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