Biography
Award-winning horror-film writer, ex-cop and historian, Paul writes short stories, novels and scripts. Currently developing CAPE WRATH for Dean O'Toole and developing his novella THE STAIN into a full-length novel and feature film.
Paul read History at Goldsmiths and then embarked upon a career in the police, working the tough streets of Salford, inner Manchester. During this time, he experienced a wide range of assignments, from traffic and accident-investigation duty to anti-vandal patrol and riot control, not to mention numerous plain clothes attachments … Drugs Squad, Robbery Squad, Street Thefts, plus basic CID and 'Scenes of Crime' postings. Paul enjoyed the police and logged a large number of arrests, but after several years and various hair-raising experiences, he decided enough was enough, and moved, in 'gamekeeper to poacher fashion', into professional journalism, where he spent the next decade, concentrating mainly on crime.
Both jobs provided him with plenty of research material, and he has now sold numerous TV scripts (including three episodes of The Bill), four movie scripts, seven books and nearly 300 short stories, mostly crime, horror and fantasy, many of which have been listed in various 'Best Horror' collections for their appropriate year.
His novel 'Cape Wrath', published in 2002, made the final ballot of the prestigious Bram Stoker Awards, while several collections of his short stories have been published, including 'After Shocks', which won the British Fantasy Award for 2001. Paul's most recent book, DARKER AGES, published in 2004, has also been nominated for the British Fantasy Award.
Paul is married with two young children, and is now employed as a full-time writer.
Full Credits:
Television:
2004
THE BILL
Episode 219: Thames TV
2002
NORA AND THE MAGIC TREE
50 X 6 ½ minute episodes of an animated TV series for children for Hogg's Back Films
2001
THE BILL
1 Episode: APPROPRIATE ACTION: Thames TV
2000
THE BILL
1 Episode: PROTECT AND SURVIVE: Thames TV
1999
MAISIEMAC: MAISIE IN THE RAINFOREST
1 Episode: Siriol Productions
1998
LITTLE HIPPO: HIPPOS AHOY
1 Episode: Siriol Productions
FIX AND FOXI: A KNIGHT TO REMEMBER
1 Episode: Siriol Productions
URBAN GOTHIC
2 Treatments
Feature Film Scripts:
THE FREEZE
Feature optioned by Artists' Studio
LORE OF THE JUNGLE
Feature commissioned by Nimbus Pictures
CAPE WRATH
Based on his novel: script optioned by Dean O'Toole
DARK GROUND
Horror: Rewrite for Wild Films Ltd and UniTal UK
VODYANOI
Full-length horror feature film: commissioned by Archangel Films
SPIRIT TRAP
Horror: Rewrite for Archangel Films
THE BELFRIES
Horror: Based on own short story
THE GOLEM
Full-length horror feature film: commissioned by Talisman
HEART AND MIND
Crime: Screenplay
Published Books:
AFTER SHOCKS
CAPE WRATH
THE EXTREMIST
DARKER AGES
BY THE GAS FLAME FLICKERING
THE DARK SATANIC
THE SHADOWS BENEATH
Also numerous appearances in short story anthologies, including many award-winners.
"Consistently inventive. Consistently excellent. Paul Finch writes distinctive dialogue-driven horror that truly grips. Satisfying stories, tautly written with a real sense of authority.": Simon Clark: author of THE FALL and VAMPYRRHIC'
"Paul Finch is an exciting new voice in the realms of macabre fiction. He sketches out a disturbing landscape, filled with deep shadows and uneasy emotions where stories both traditional and modern are played out to chilling effect. Highly recommended.": Mark Chadbourn: author of WORLD'S END and SCISSORMAN
"Finch places considerable stock in atmosphere, and builds fear and unease well with a judicious balance between what is seen, unseen and merely hinted at.": Brian Hodge: author of PROTOTYPE and THE CONVULSION FACTORY
"Paul Finch's supernatural stories combine a poetic imagination with a sharp eye for the complexities of human evil. Within precisely realised settings, both past and present, he evokes supernatural terrors which are never wholly 'unknown'; rather, they represent the darker aspects of human experience recast in mythic form. This sense of historical and moral conflict gives the stories their grim resonance. Trapped in neglected places and blighted times, Finch's characters struggle not only to survive, but to hold onto their humanity. We share with them a fear that goes deeper than the fear of death.": Joel Lane: author of THE EARTH WIRE
"Proclaiming an individual as 'the future of horror' is a chancy business at best. However, unless I'm very much mistaken, the future of horror is bound to be much brighter due to the presence of Paul Finch.": John Pelan: US editor of the best-selling DARKSIDE series
"Paul Finch is unique. He creates modern thriller and crime stories with supernatural overtones one minute, and sparkling traditional horror stories the next. One of the most exciting story writers in the business today.": MASTERS OF TERROR: International horror website
"A cold hand in the dark, Paul Finch knows where you're most vulnerable.": CEMETERY DANCE: Mass-market US horror magazine
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