Curse of the Mandrake by Alex James
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One dying man. One cursed town. A truth that won’t stay quiet.
An aging man in Musky, Mississippi, carries a story no one wants to remember. As his time runs short, he finally speaks of the town’s buried sins, of the curses whispered in the dark, and of what really happened when good and evil traded places in the Deep South. Set in the Depression-era South, this haunting tale pulls you into a world where faith wrestles with fear, and silence costs more than the truth.
Negative Gravity: The Mannheim Effect by Alex James
What would you do if the world flipped upside down? If the ground became the sky and the sky became a molten threat above your head? For thirteen-year-old Alex, survival isn’t a question—it’s a race against time.
When the earth’s magnetic field reverses for twenty-four hours, gravity betrays everything. Streets crumble, fires roar from below, and magma threatens to consume everything in its path. Alex’s mission is terrifyingly clear: reach the pharmacy and secure his ten-year-old sister’s insulin for her diabetes before it’s too late. Every second counts, every step could be their last, and the city itself has become a deadly obstacle course.
As chaos tears the world apart, Alex discovers courage, ingenuity, and the lengths one will go for family. This action-packed, heart-pounding adventure will leave readers holding their breath, turning pages, and asking themselves how they would survive when the world no longer makes sense.
Action & Adventure Fiction | 282 pages
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| Soignée Lifestyle Magazine: Intimate Conversation with Alex James |
| Alex James has spent forty years confined to his bed, but limitation has never defined him. What others might see as impossible, he’s turned into art. After publishing his first novel Negative Gravity: The Mannheim Effect, James returned with Curse of the Mandrake, a chilling descent into the haunted corners of American history. His voice—sharp, imaginative, and unflinching—proves that the boundaries of creativity lie nowhere near the body. “My goal in writing Curse of the Mandrake,” says Alex James, “and in creating the audio preview on YouTube, is to shine a light on Black and disabled writers in science fiction and horror. I want to encourage writers with disabilities to chase their ambitions despite limitations and setbacks. We deserve to be seen, to inspire, and to remind the world that imagination has no restraints.” What follows is a candid conversation with a man who has faced extraordinary odds and continues to create from a place of power and persistence. SLM: How did you begin your writing career? When were you first published? Alex James: After my motorcycle accident at 19, I lost the use of my hands. The only power I had left was my voice, so I began recording stories on a cheap tape recorder. I used my isolation to strengthen my imagination. As technology advanced, I started using dictation software to bring my stories to life. I published my first book Negative Gravity: The Mannheim Effect on Amazon Marketplace in July 2019, and Curse of the Mandrake followed that November. SLM: How did your upbringing or personal experiences influence your storytelling style? Alex James: Growing up in the vibrant era of 1960s Los Angeles with the sea before me and the mountains behind would fire the imagination of any young man. Summers at the beach had me dreaming of pirates and buried treasure. In the fall, I attended camp in the Sequoia Mountains, where the sunlight darting through the trees turned the forest into a playground of shadows. Those experiences shaped my sense of mystery and wonder. SLM: What does writing in your genre give you that nothing else does? Alex James: Science fiction and horror have always been forbidden pleasures for the public. The genres challenge me to surpass the greats who came before me. It brings me satisfaction knowing my work could be mentioned alongside writers like Mary Shelley or Clive Barker. SLM: Introduce your latest book and the main characters. Why did this story need to be told now? Alex James: Curse of the Mandrake is a historical fiction horror story that follows Mr. Perkins, an elderly Black man haunted by his past in the segregated, Depression-era town of Musky, Mississippi. In his old age, he’s still tormented by what he and his childhood friends, Jonah and Kevin, experienced. There’s also Ms. Hazel, a young widow whose four husbands all died under mysterious circumstances. Mr. Pickman, a charming schoolteacher from the North, hides a dark malevolence beneath his perfect exterior. Pastor Jackson is a man of faith and strength, a protector of the Black community against the sinister presence of the Conjure Woman—a shadowy figure who sells potions and spells that curse those desperate enough to buy them. SLM: Which character tested your patience the most, and what did they teach you in the process? Alex James: Silas, the town drunk. He’s a sellout, an embarrassment to his abused wife, Bessie Mae, who’s Jonah’s mother. He’s despised by everyone in town. Writing him reminded me that I’ve met plenty of people with shades of Silas in them, to one degree or another. SLM: Did any characters say or do something that surprised you, even though you created them? Alex James: Silas surprised me the most. I saw parts of him in others and in myself. It made me wonder if there’s a bit of Silas in all of us. SLM: Curse of the Mandrake is described as steeped in Lovecraftian dread. What drew you to that particular style of horror, and how did you make it your own rather than an imitation? Alex James: I grew up watching Roger Corman movies in the 50s and 60s. They borrowed from Edgar Allan Poe and Lovecraft, and that made me curious about Lovecraft’s work. Schools often teach Poe, but where Poe goes into the cemetery, Lovecraft goes into the crypt and blows out the candles. I was fascinated by his mythos and the creatures that haunt his imagination. SLM: Horror writers often talk about writing as a way to confront fear. When you were creating Curse of the Mandrake, were there any moments where the story unsettled even you? Alex James: The cemetery scene between young Perkins and Kevin shook me. They follow Mr. Pickman to the potter’s field and witness him resurrect something that should never have walked the earth. What rose from that field should have walked on four legs, yet it stood on two and chased them all the way to the church doors. SLM: Writing is often romanticized. What’s a reality about this life that most people don’t see? Alex James: Being a bed-bound quadriplegic for many years, I’ve learned that people express their joys and disappointments in different ways, and that makes the human story richer. What most people don’t see is how much grit and patience it takes to write. It’s not wishful thinking that gets you there; it’s work. SLM: Do you believe writers have a responsibility to represent their communities or cultures? Why or why not? Alex James: Absolutely. Writers help others see worlds they might never encounter. The joys and struggles of different cultures add depth to our understanding of humanity. SLM: Have you ever considered walking away from writing? What made you stay? Alex James: My disability sometimes made me doubt myself, and I’d think about giving up. But my family always believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. That kind of love keeps you going. SLM: What’s the best decision you’ve made as a published author? Alex James: After struggling to get publicity and trying to handle everything myself, I realized hiring a publicist was the best decision I could make. It’s been an eye-opener. Having someone who understands the business side lets me focus on the creative side. I learned that you have to invest in yourself if you want real results. SLM: How can readers connect with you, and what’s the best way for them to support your work beyond buying a book? Alex James: Readers can support me through my YouTube channel or by listening to my podcast and joining the conversations in the comments. My next project is a live stream where I’ll show the storyboard drawings from Negative Gravity: The Mannheim Effect and take questions about the art and story. Explore Books by Alex James www.amazon.com/Curse-Mandrake-Alex-James/dp/1703709233 www.amazon.com/Negative-Gravity-Mannheim-Alex-James/dp/1096111527 Connect with Alex James X/Twitter: @AlexJames1976 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex.jamesauthor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexjames1976 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@alexjames9335 RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/curse-of-the-mandrake |