I love disappearing off into the countryside exploring creepy, haunted and 'strange' locations.
Being a writer of supernatural and horror stories, I'll visit the places where some of my scenes are set, to see what they 'feel' like and I often take photographs so I can refer to them again when I'm writing.
The novel I'm writing at the moment is a ghost story set in East Anglia, and I thought I probably knew every alleged haunted house and mysterious place in the area... not so, it seems.

I was talking to a friend of mine about the book I'm currently reading - A Cold Season, by Alison Littlewood, and how atmospheric the opening chapter was. I also mentioned that it features a scene where a car seems to roll backwards up a hill. My friend told me that there was in fact a road like that close by - but couldn't remember where it was. Now, I live in the Fens - we don't have a vast amount of hills here!
After a bit of research I discovered the place in question was the so called 'Spooky Hill', nr Warboys. I've read about 'magnetic' hills and optical illusions caused by the surrounding landscape which make a downward slope look like an upward slope. So I set off yesterday to see for myself - and I really expected to see that it was an optical illusion....

But, no... it is a small hill - sloping gently on one side and steeper on the other - it is, in fact, a small bridge. We drove over the hill and stopped at the end of the white lines - turned off the engine, took the car out of gear and took off the handbrake. And... nothing...for about 2 seconds - then the car started rolling backwards UP the hill. And it got faster as we approached the top. We finally stopped when the car reached the level bridge on the crest of the hill. It was the most peculiar feeling - probably more so as we were travelling backwards. We did it twice (just to check) and I also got out of the car to walk beside it as it went up the hill (I wasn't 'driving' by the way)..and also to see if it felt like I was walking UP hill (it did). Based on what I saw and experienced we were rolling up a hill. Now, I'm pretty sure there's a rational explanation - I'd love to know what it is, though!

Today, it is my pleasure to have Etopia Press author, Catherine Cavendish, back on my website to talk about her latest horror release - The Demons of Cambian Street...

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Sometimes evil wears a beautiful face...

After her illness, the quiet backwater of Priory St Michael seemed the ideal place for Stella to recuperate. But in the peaceful little town, something evil is slumbering, waiting for its chance to possess what it desires. When Stella and her husband move into the long-empty apartment, they're unaware of what exists in the cupboard upstairs, the entrance to an evil that will threaten both their lives

_ Julia: The Demons of Cambian Street is your third release with Etopia Press. How have you found the experience of being published so far?
Cat: Certainly different to what I expected. It seems like eons ago now but I used to be naïve enough to think that a writer just wrote (and then rewrote and rewrote of course) but I was blissfully unaware of how much time and effort is required of an author to market their work. You can’t just leave it up to the publisher these days – well, not until you are a household name anyway. Etopia Press are great though. I have a first class editor, their cover art has quality stamped right the way through it and I am really pleased to be in their stable. I’ve learned a lot. In fact, at times, it seems the learning curve is actually vertical!

Julia: What inspired you to write The Demons of Cambian Street?
Cat: We live in a flat at the top of a 250 year old building which has undergone various metamorphoses during its history. Our apartment is on two floors and on the top floor, under the eaves, there is an old wooden door, leading down a step to a creepy, rambling, unlit cupboard – more like an inner room really. To the right is an open doorway, through which is a very large abandoned Christmas tree. You cannot see beyond it. To the left, the cupboard rambles off into the distance. Scary, believe me. Goodness knows what’s at the back of  there. If you read the story, you’ll recognize it.

Julia: Who is your favourite character in ‘Demons?
Cat: That’s quite a tough one. I like Rhiannon. She reminds me a little of an old friend of mine who is a lovely lady I don’t see nearly enough of these days. Rhiannon is a white witch, with a heart of gold and a lot of guts. I also like Stella, my main character. She’s tougher than she at first appears.

Julia: Have you ever visited any haunted houses?
Cat: Oh yes. I live in one for a start! Our flat appears to be haunted by a lady who once lived there. My husband has actually spoken to her. She moves things around sometimes – I think to let us know she’s there. When you talk to her, she doesn’t do it for a while. Sometimes I hear someone moving around and I think it’s my husband. I go to investigate but there’s no one there. Nothing sinister though. Elsewhere in the building is a social club and in the snooker room, there is a very different spirit. Some of the bar staff refuse to go on there alone and something was caught on CCTV once. No one could explain it.

Julia: What are you working on at the moment?
Cat: I recently signed a contract with Etopia Press for another paranormal horror novella called ‘The Devil Inside Her’. This will be coming out in May. My latest work in progress is called ‘Miss Abigail’s Room’. It’s set in Victorian times and has a definite Gothic feel about it. Scary and creepy though. I had goose-bumps writing it so I think that’s a good sign. I hope so anyway!

The Demons of Cambian Street is available now from:
AMAZON UK
AMAZON US
BARNES & NOBLE
You can find out more about Catherine Cavendish on her blog