The Author Who Haunts Me: Why You Should Read Gemma Files

Gemma Files needs no introduction, but if you have never heard of her we need to fix that.

Gemma Files is a Canadian horror author and film critic. She has several short story collections to her name, but only a handful of novels. I won’t go into this novel here, but if you prefer novels over short story collections, go to the store and buy yourself a copy of Experimental Film right now. This is going to be a recurring trend in this write-up, but Gemma Files is one of the few authors who has the ability to get under my skin and scare the shit out of me. That novel does a great job and is what I would consider a must-read for any horror fan. However, we have some reading related trauma to get to.

“each thing i show you is a piece of my death”

This is the story that did it for me. This story hit all the right buttons and shook me to my core. This is a short story that Files co-wrote with her husband. It’s an epistolary horror about a strange phenomenon, known as the “Background Man.” Essentially, it doesn’t matter what movie you watch. Somehow, this man finds his way onto movies while they’re playing and just stands in the background, naked, pale as a corpse, and nobody can do anything about it. The story plays out over a series of emails and some journals and police reports as two people try to find out what caused this strange happening. There is one moment in this short story that is one of the most harrowing things I’ve ever read, and really solidifies that once we die, we’re meat beneath the skin.

A theme of this story that I feel stands out to me is the idea of opening Pandoras Box. This mystery, this Background Man consumes our main characters. Their obsession destroys their lives. This continued obsession and journey down the rabbit hole has dangerous consequences for all involved and people who aren’t even involved. What these two are doing will have a greater impact on the world around them and they have no idea what their research will lead to.

You can read this story online at Apex Magazine

“Venio”

You know what a fun night is? Game night. Unless you’re part of the Shut Door Session. These friends are getting together to play this Bloody Marty type game/ritual. The story follows them as they play a game they believe will help their writing and be a good exercise. But it eventually turns into something horrific when they seem to summon an entity. This story is a masterpiece. Which is hard to say because many of Files stories are. Just like the other story mentioned, this one really messed with me. One point caused me to verbally yell. What part? Well, I’m sure you’ll know when you read. This is a story best experienced with as little information beforehand as possible.

A few things I will say, the character dynamics in this story are pitch perfect. I guarantee you will know a few of these characters in real life. We see their friendship, their bonds, their jealousy and little cruelties. We don’t spend long with these characters but we feel like we’ve known them forever. Some wonderful character work.

This story is approaching a few themes; Files loves playing with that Pandora’s Box theme. This story I feel has a lot to say about creativity, writing groups, as well as groups of friends. Files does a great job building these characters up only for us to watch them all fall. It feels like a story Shirley Jackson would have written if she used less ambiguity. The entity they summoned is real, and he’s coming, and you don’t know when he will strike!

You can read or listen to the story on PsuedoPod.

Seriously, take some time this month and check out Gemma Files. You won’t regret it!

By Richard Gerlach
Twitter: @intostaring
Instagram: rudy53088