I don’t like Ramsey Campbell.

There, I’ve said it.

How do I know him? Well - that goes back a long way. Back to the mid-to-late 1980’s when I first met Ramsey and horror fiction seemed to be in some kind of ascendant. Well, it was selling very well (apparently). Until it didn’t (Nineties and onwards). But it did again, eventually. If you weren’t there, both honest and prejudiced professional insiders will - if you’re a horror fan – give you a view.

There were lots of views.

Here’s my view about that Ramsey Campbell.

I’d been writing horror fiction (in all forms) since I was a boy. I hunted out the ‘stuff’ that excited me and was inspired in all kinds of ways that I’m not going to list here – but I must give a heads up to Richard Matheson and Nigel Kneale.

Like so many of my ‘kind’ I consumed all kinds of horror fiction, novels, novellas and short story collections. And amidst that lot, a certain name kept appearing: That Campbell bloke. Even then, his work seemed to stand out in a unique way.

In 1985, my first novel – GHOST TRAIN – was published. After decades of writing struggle, I was unprepared for its success. Its sequel, SPECTRE was equally popular. And suddenly, my publisher was sending me all over the UK on signing sessions and book ‘events’, including the British Fantasy Society – where I first met Ramsey and his wife, Jen.

My own journey as a horror writer has been a difficult but wonderful thing. For all of my early life, I never knew anyone who was as passionate as I was about ‘horror’. Indeed, my own parents struggled to understand - until they turned up at my first book signing and saw the queue round the block.

I thought I was ‘alone’ in that endeavour.

When I met Ramsey and Jen for the first time at the BFS convention for the first time (perhaps a World Con back in late 80’s?), they embraced me, and I felt validated. At the same event, Kim Newman went out of his way to introduce me to Stephen Gallagher – because he thought we might have something in common. The result? Stephen Gallagher is my dear friend and Godfather to my son Jon. So many ‘horror genre’ people have become so very dear friends.

So – that Campbell bloke? Who I still don’t like.

He and I (and Jen and Mel, my wife) have had many adventures over the decades – with particular adventures at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films. Here are photos of Ramsey and I over the decades. You will notice that our hair colour has somewhat changed over the years. In one – where he and I performed a horror double act at a convention in Bournemouth, the kind people there had made us a horror cake. You can see what use Ramsey put the cake knife to in one of those photos.

Ramsey LOVES horror in all its forms: ‘intent’, ‘inner exploration’ and I think, a bit of confrontation on what we expect from him. He embraces it all and deserves all the accolades he’s deservedly won.

I still don’t like him.

His book THE PRETENCE is dedicated to my wife Melanie and I – and here’s something he said about me. It comes from the cover of my novel FEROCITY: ‘Stephen Laws is the authentic article – a writer whose love of good horror is as profound as his skill with it. He’s one of the true contemporary treasures of the field.’

That book dedication and quote are two of the kindest things I’ve ever experienced in the ‘world of horror’. And this from the man who stands apart in the horror field as – in the words of Stephen King –  ‘the best of us all’. Not only does Ramsey excel in his own fiction but he loves horror in all its expressions; both in literature and film. He also loves the work of those who try to excel in their field and has given true encouragement to those who were and are starting out in their career. I’ve seen his support and encouragement at first hand – because I was one such young writer (albeit not so young anymore). Whenever we meet, it’s always with joy – and a glass or two of wine.

So you see, I don’t like Ramsey Campbell.

I love the man.

Stephen Laws is a full-time novelist, born in Newcastle upon Tyne, where he continues to live and work. The author of 11 novels, numerous short stories, columnist, reviewer, film-festival interviewer, pianist and recipient of a number of awards.