The Roots Run Deep by CM Forest

 Happy Release Day to CM Forest!

"Brace yourself for an unrelenting journey through a world where evil knows no bounds, and darkness consumes all."

The Roots Run Deep is a collection of 15 short stories from the author of Infested and We All Fall Before the Harvest. Not only is CM Forest a talented and imaginative author, with a 4-star+ average rating on Goodreads, but he's the coolest of people. I've had the privilege of chatting with him quite a few times, and you'll never meet a more laidback, funny guy. He's definitely one to watch in the indie horror circle. I foresee big things on the horizon! 

Forest was kind enough to answer a few questions about his newest release for me. 

Q: Let's start with the most obvious question! Why a collection? You have Infested, your novel, and We All Fall Before the Harvest, your novella, but you've also been a part of quite a few collections and anthologies. What about writing a collection appeals to you?

A: Short answer: I'm still in the middle of my next novel but wanted a new book out.

Long answer: I’ve always been drawn to short fiction. When I first started writing, I tackled a novel, and, although I finished it, I realized it was…let’s say, rough (it is forever locked away on my computer). Taking a step back, I decided to try my hand at shorter stories to better hone my craft. I managed a dozen or so of these smaller offerings, enough to put together my fist book, The Space Between Houses. But that was a long time ago. In the years since, I continued to write short stories, but did so while juggling longer works. The idea for a new collection came last year. I contacted Eerie River Publishing and asked if they would be interested in a short story collection. Thankfully, they were onboard, so here we are.

 Q: You actually had a release party for this collection! Tell me about that. What made you decide to have an event surrounding The Roots Run Deep? Do you see yourself doing more events like this in the future?

A: When my last two books came out (Infested and We All Fall Before the Harvest) the world was just emerging from COVID. In-person events just weren’t happening yet. So, with those books I did a virtual launch, which was fine, but I wanted a crowd. With The Roots Run Deep, I had the opportunity to have the launch I always wanted.

It was a full house at Biblioasis Bookstore, and a great atmosphere. I was fortunate enough to convince my friend Ainslie Hogarth (author of Motherthing) to participate in the launch. She is such an awesome person, and an incredible writer. Having her there made the event that much more comfortable for me.

I love doing events. Book signings, readings, panels, whatever! It’s weird, because I’m a pretty quiet, introverted guy, but something about meeting other book lovers energizes me.

Q: If you could describe the overall theme of The Roots Run Deep, what words or phrases would you use?

A: The stories themselves are quite varied. This book has a taste of many different flavours of horror. Sci-fi, folk, cosmic, grief, and comedic. If I had to pick an overall theme, it would be existential terror. That feeling of being small, insignificant before the unwavering gaze of the unknown.

I love a collection that gives me a little bit of everything. Whether it's different takes on the same theme from a variety of authors in an anthology or a collection from a single author with tidbits from different subgenres, there's something satisfying about a read that scratches every itch. If you're a fan of CM Forest's work and want to get that little bit of everything from him, or if you're a first-time reader who wants to get a feel for what he offers, go ahead and purchase The Roots Run Deep now! You can get it here. You can also follow his author page on Facebook here!