Matthew Kresal was born and raised in North Alabama though never developed a Southern accent weirdly enough. Since 2010 he has been the write of the Sci-Fi Review column in the North Alabama arts & entertainment magazine The Valley Planet (his review of Gareth Roberts’ novelization of Douglas Adams’ famously largely unfilmed Doctor Who adventure Shada for that magazine is quoted in its US paperback edition). He had also contributed to online Doctor Who fanzines The Terrible Zodin and Whotopia and has been a longtime contributor to the Doctor Who Ratings Guide site. His essays have been featured in books including Outside In, Celebrate Regenerate, and various volumes in the You And Who series. Since 2014 he’s been a regular contributor to Warped Factor covering topics ranging from Doctor Who to Star Trek, cult TV and everything in between. He hosts the Stories From The Vortex podcast which focuses on the audio dramas based of Doctor Who and is a reoccurring co-host on the 20mb Doctor Who Podcast. Shadows Of The Past is his first piece of published fiction.
Matthew Kresal was born and raised in North Alabama though never developed a Southern accent weirdly enough. Since 2010 he has been the write of the Sci-Fi Review column in the North Alabama arts & entertainment magazine The Valley Planet (his review of Gareth Roberts’ novelization of Douglas Adams’ famously largely unfilmed Doctor Who adventure Shada for that magazine is quoted in its US paperback edition). He had also contributed to online Doctor Who fanzines The Terrible Zodin and Whotopia and has been a longtime contributor to the Doctor Who Ratings Guide site. His essays have been featured in books including Outside In, Celebrate Regenerate, and various volumes in the You And Who series. Since 2014 he’s been a regular contributor to Warped Factor covering topics ranging from Doctor Who to Star Trek, cult TV and everything in between. He hosts the Stories From The Vortex podcast which focuses on the audio dramas based of Doctor Who and is a reoccurring co-host on the 20mb Doctor Who Podcast. Shadows Of The Past is his first piece of published fiction.
What’s your Zodiac sign?
Scorpio.
What’s your favorite thing from the 1970s and why?
Well as someone who wasn’t born until well after the decade had ended, I come to the 1970s with a certain detachment. As a result, I have to say that it has to be the films. It was an incredible decade that spawned everything from horror films like The Omen and Dawn Of The Dead to thrillers like Three Days Of The Condor or films like The Godfather, Apocalypse Now and even Star Wars or the first Christopher Reeve Superman movie. It was a remarkable decade for film to say the least.
What is your favorite 1970s horror movie? What do you like about it?
The Omen. Besides having an excellent cast including Gregory Peck, David Warner and former Doctor Who Patrick Troughton, it’s one of the rare supernatural thrillers that appears to be firmly set itself in the real world. It’s also rare because it actually doesn’t have to be read as supernatural events so much as an unlikely but deadly set of events taking place that drives Peck’s character over the edge. Hopefully that’s something that influenced my own story.
What is your favorite 1970s song?
Don’t Fear The Reaper by The Blue Oyster Cult.
Choose one: Rock, Power Pop, Disco, or Punk. Explain your decision!
That’s a tough one as I’m not sure I’m a ‘fan’ of any of them. I’ve got songs from each I like but I’ll say rock given we’ve got Don’t Fear The Reaper and Another Girl, Another Planet coming out of the same decade.
What do you dread most about the 1970s?
I suppose the sense of dread that came with the decade. The sense of things breaking down be it trust in government or the energy crisis, everything which inspired the sense that the end might well be nigh. It’s a mood that subsides a bit in our culture but it’ll never go away I think.
Choose one: Plaid, polyester, denim or satin. Explain your choice!
Plaid. It’s the geek in me!
What upcoming projects are you working on?
I’m in-between projects at the moment. I’m waiting to hear back about a number of short stories I’ve got out at the moment including an entry into UK company Big Finish Productions’ Doctor Who short story contest. I’ve also got a couple of first draft novels I need to reprise at some point as well.
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