Author Profile: Joe Hill, author of HORNS

Not only is Joe Hill super stylin' on a motorcycle, but he's also the one we have to think for the film Horns, world-premiering at this year's Festival in the Vanguard Programme. You know, because he wrote the novel on which the film is based.

Maybe you haven't yet heard of Joe Hill, but we might have to shake you--hard--if you haven't heard of Hill's father, Stephen King. Yes, that Stephen King. Wanting to strike out on his own without the fame of his father's name attached to his career, Joe Hillstrom King started using the pen-name Joe Hill and only confirmed his identity in 2007, after establishing himself.

Hill's first published work, 20th Century Ghosts, is a collection of short stories that won several awards, like the Bram Stoker Award for Best Fiction Collection. The stories ranged in topic from one about a boy who wakes up one morning as a giant bug ("You Will Hear The Locust Sing") to a father teaching his son about the existence of vampires ("Abraham's Boys"). Less than 2,000 copies of 20th Century Ghosts was ever printed, so consider yourself one of the lucky ones if you have a copy.

Heart-Shaped Box was Hill's debut horror novel was met with great reviews and made it to the #8 slot on the New York Times bestseller list. Hill followed up Heart-Shaped Box with Horns in 2010. The New York Times said that Hill "[was] able to combine intrigue, editorializing, impassioned romance and even fiery theological debate in one well-told story", so it's no wonder that it was announced in June of 2012 that a feature film based on the book was in production.

Fans of Hill's work have not only had the film adaption of Horns to look forward to, but also his third novel, N0S4A2, which was released this past April. If you're wondering how to say it, imagine it's a licence plate. Need a hint? Here: "Nosferatu". (Yeah, we were always bad at the licence plate game too, don't worry.) N0S4A2 is not only a heart-racing supernatural suspense novel, but also contains the most Stephen King easter-eggs you'll ever find, ever. Ever. Hill was quoted as saying, "N0S4A2 has a lot of Where's Waldo? tricks with Stephen King. It was very intentional. I thought, Instead of running from the Stephen King stuff, I'm gonna run at it.” The novel has so far been Hill's best selling to date, which is only getting us more excited for his next.

So, kids, it looks like you've got to cram in a bit of reading during TIFF. We expect to see you all at the Horns screenings with at least--AT LEAST--one of these books in tow.

HORNS Screening Times:

• Friday, Sept 6th, 6:00 PM THE BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA
• Sunday, Sept 8th, 1:00 PM SCOTIABANK 4