Elvis Presley’s Death Inspired a Gruesome Horror Book
Elvis Presley‘s death has inspired lots of interest and speculation. A famous author decided to take these true events and turn them into a horror tale that’s not for the squeamish. During an interview, the author explained the inspiration behind his story about the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Elvis Presley’s death inspired a horror author who shies away from that label
Billy Martin is a novelist primarily known for horror stories and LGBTQ stories. During a 1996 interview with The Portable Infinite, Martin distanced himself from the label of being a “horror writer.” “I’m not a fan of any labels of any kind,” he said. “I think that they put off more readers than they attract. Simon & Schuster is not publishing my latest book as a horror novel. It certainly could be called ‘a horror novel’ but there’s no supernatural elements in it.
“I think that there are youth audiences or those that read gay writing or literary writing, who will have to find out about me on their own,” he said. “I think that most of those readers would like my books better than most typical horror readers do. People who read horror already probably know about me. I am always interested in reaching a wider audience.”
Martin wrote a gruesome story about Elvis’ death called “Are You Loathsome Tonight?” which appeared in the short story collection of the same title. The story’s name is a play on Elvis’ ballad “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” In the book, Martin explains his inspiration for the title. “Intrigued by Caitlín R. Kiernan’s deliberate use of words to create painterly mood rather than straight narrative in ‘A Story for Edward Gorey’ (Wetbones #2), I tried it with extremely different results,” he revealed.
Why Elvis Presley fans might not be able to enjoy ‘Are You Loathsome Tonight?’
“Are You Loathsome Tonight?” is a bit of a conundrum for Elvis fans. Clearly, it was written by someone with a lot of knowledge of the “All Shook Up” singer. It probably does a better job capturing the mindset the rocker had later in life than most films and documentaries about him. While it’s only a few pages long, the tale leaves readers with a visceral reaction.
Despite this, it’s patently disgusting. There’s a reason Martin is associated with the extreme horror subgenre known as “splatterpunk.” Elvis fans might find the story entertaining or insightful — if they are able to stomach it.
‘Are You Loathsome Tonight?’ is 1 of many works of art about the singer’s death
“Are You Loathsome Tonight?” is one of many examples of popular culture that portrays Elvis’ death. The end of his life has inspired everything from books to documentaries to ridiculous conspiracy theories. Most of them are simply trying to explain what happened to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
On the other hand, “Are You Loathsome Tonight?” tries to use the circumstances of Elvis’ death as the springboard for a horror story. Some readers might find that creative. For others, it might be a step over the line.
Elvis’ death continues to fascinate people — and Martin took that fascination to a whole new level.
