Sharon Bolton

“Splendidly crafted, deeply disturbing.” The Times

For thousands of years our world has scared us. For thousands of years, we have dealt with our fears by experiencing them vicariously in our culture. When we sat around camp-fires the stories we told were of random acts of destruction, of human evil and its consequences, and of the nameless terrors that haunt our dreams. Today, through books, films and dramas we look our demons in the face and, to the extent that it is possible, come to terms with them.

I’ve spent decades trying to face up to my own demons. When life is at its best, I’m compelled to imagine how it can go wrong; when the night is still, I find myself listening for the beating of black wings. Now I put my fears into my stories, I share them with others, and find myself happier and less afraid than I’ve ever been.

If you are one of those readers who keep me company in my darkest hours, who hold my hand as I descend the cellar steps, thank you. I’m more grateful than you’ll ever know.