Feral Ink Interview with Jude Lucas: The Watching Moor

Feral Ink: Jude, welcome back! The Watching Moor just dropped, and it's a chilling follow-up to Psycho Cage—readers are calling it "a relentless chase with an eerie bite." What sparked this dark, misty novella?

Jude Lucas: Good to be back—glad the moor's getting under people's skin. This one hit me hard in 2024, after a trip to Glossop, right on the edge of the Dark Peak. I'd just wrapped Psycho Cage, and Ethan's chaos was still buzzing in my skull, but I wanted something colder, more ancient. I was hiking near Kinder Scout, where the fog rolls in thick and the ground feels alive—bogs whispering, stones watching. That night, I couldn't sleep; I kept seeing a lad running, a brick of coke in his jacket, hunted by a killer who never misses—until the moor starts playing its own game. I wrote the first draft in a month, mostly at night when the world gets quiet and the barriers between reality and imagination thin out. It's raw, jagged—like Psycho Cage, but with an eerie edge that creeps up slow.

Feral Ink: Simpatico Publishing, you're back with Jude for his second book. Psycho Cage made waves—why take on The Watching Moor?

Simpatico Publishing (Rep): We're thrilled to continue our partnership with Jude. While his writing certainly pushes boundaries, it resonates with readers seeking authentic, unfiltered storytelling. The Watching Moor presented a compelling evolution from Psycho Cage—maintaining the intensity readers connected with while exploring new territory. We were particularly impressed with how the manuscript balanced a fast-paced thriller structure with deeper themes about history, regret, and the weight of the past. Our goal at Simpatico has always been to identify distinctive voices in independent publishing, and Jude's work exemplifies that mission.

Feral Ink: The Dark Peak moor feels alive in this book—foggy groughs, whispering bogs, an ancient presence. How did your visit to Glossop shape that setting?

Jude Lucas: That trip to Glossop was everything. I'd read about the Dark Peak, but standing there, feeling the damp air, hearing the wind howl through the heather—it hit me hard. The moor's not just a place; it's a force. You feel small, watched, like the land's got eyes in every bog and stone. I stayed in a little pub, The Black Moor Inn—same spot where Callum starts his run in the book. The locals told stories that gave me chills—hikers vanishing in sudden fog, old mine collapses that claimed dozens, whispers of a woman in white seen before storms. One old guy described getting lost up there for a night—said he heard voices calling his name the whole time.

The moor got to me in a way few places have since that night in Nevada back in '17, when I walked ten miles through the desert after my car broke down—stars blazing overhead, coyotes calling, feeling like the land was sizing me up. Different landscape, same sensation of being judged by something ancient. The moor decides who stays, who goes, and I wanted readers to feel that weight, same as I did.

Feral Ink: The chase between Callum and Riggs drives the tension—two men, one hunt, no escape. What were you exploring through their dynamic?

Jude Lucas: It's a clash of desperation and precision. Callum's a Burnley lad, a small-time hustler who bites off more than he can chew—steals a brick of coke thinking he'll be king, but he's all bravado, running on fumes. Riggs is the opposite—ex-military, a hunter who's killed across warzones, cold as ice. I wanted to see who'd break first: the kid with everything to lose, or the killer who thinks he's untouchable. It's not just about the chase—it's about what haunts you when there's nowhere left to hide. The hardest part was finding the humanity in both of them—even Riggs, who's done terrible things. Had to dig deep for that, find the broken pieces that make them who they are. Their collision on the moor felt inevitable, like something the land itself orchestrated.

Feral Ink: There's a haunting layer to this story—an ancient presence stirring in the mist. How did you balance that with the gritty crime thriller core?

Jude Lucas: I wanted the eerie stuff to creep in slow, like fog over the moors—you don't see it 'til it's too late. The crime thriller's the spine—Callum's theft, Riggs' hunt, high stakes from the jump. But the moor's got its own rules, its own history. I dug into local folklore—tales of lost miners, spectral figures—and let that seep into Callum's run, mixing with his own demons. Took me a few drafts to get that balance right—had nights where I'd torn it all apart, thinking I'd lost the thread.

Actually, the fourth draft got scrapped entirely after a strange experience—I was walking home late one night and could've sworn someone was following me. Turned around, nobody there, but that sensation of being watched stuck with me. Went home and rewrote the final chapters, pushed deeper into that feeling of being hunted by something you can't see. It's not in-your-face horror; it's dread, the kind that builds in your gut 'til you can't look away. The thriller keeps you hooked, but the moor's presence makes you feel it in your bones.

Feral Ink: Simpatico, what's next for The Watching Moor? Any big plans after Psycho Cage's audiobook success?

Simpatico Publishing (Rep): We're focused on bringing The Watching Moor to readers through multiple channels. The ebook is available now on Amazon, with an audiobook currently in production through Findaway Voices that will distribute to major platforms including Spotify, Apple Books, and Kobo. We've also included the title in Kindle Unlimited for an initial 90-day period to maximize its reach among thriller and horror enthusiasts. Our data from Psycho Cage showed particularly strong engagement in this program.

What's particularly exciting about this release is how it showcases Jude's versatility as a writer while maintaining the visceral quality that readers connected with in his debut. The early response has been extremely positive, especially regarding the atmospheric elements and dual character perspectives.

Feral Ink: Jude, last word—what do you hope readers take from The Watching Moor?

Jude Lucas: I want them to feel the moor's eyes on them—that ancient, patient weight that doesn't let go. This isn't a tidy story with heroes and happy endings—it's a descent into desperation, where the past hunts you as hard as any killer. I hope readers feel that chill, question what haunts us when we run, and maybe check the shadows after. If Psycho Cage threw you into a killer's mind, The Watching Moor traps you in a place that never forgets, a place that's watching, waiting, deciding.

Sometimes I still dream about that moor—wake up feeling the fog on my skin, hearing those whispers just below understanding. That's what I want for readers—for the story to follow them home, linger in the quiet moments. Step onto the moor if you dare—just don't expect to leave it all behind when you finish the last page.

The Watching Moor by Jude Lucas is available now on Amazon in ebook format, with an audiobook coming soon.