Interview with Horror Author Madeleine Swann
Madeleine Swann Interview
1. Thank you so much for joining me! For those who don’t know you, could you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your writing?
I’m Madeleine Swann and I write weird and strange things. Sometimes they’re funny and sometimes they’re a bit nauseating. Nicholas Day described my stuff as malicious whimsy and I think that’s the best description I’ve ever heard.
2. How would you define bizzarro horror?
It’s almost impossible to define, in my opinion, so I prefer to say I write weird. It’s not exactly “weird fiction,” it’s just weird. I’m reclaiming weird.
3. Let’s talk a bit about your short story collection The Sharp End of the Rainbow. What inspired this work?
It’s a collection of short stories, some previously published and some new. All of my fears, worries and things I find funny are in here, and I like how it shows a progression in my writing. I feel like I’m starting to get the hang of letting a story unfold in its own time, particularly the nightmarish Victorian stories.
4. Do you have a favorite story from the collection?
That’s a really hard question, because some are on the creepy side and some are just daft, but I’ll always have a soft spot for How to make a Live Kitten Necklace
5. I had a blast playing your Choose Your Own Adventure game “Return of the Egg.” I’m guessing you were a fan of the book series when you were younger. Am I right? Where you a book lover as a child or did your passion for reading and writing come later in life?
Reading was one of my main pleasures as a child. I used to hide in the attic for hours reading and my family just left me to it ha! I’m sure it was nice for them to be able to get on with their day and know that I was quite safe.
Author Madeleine Swann
I did go through a big Choose Your Own Adventure phase but I used to cheat and wouldn’t let go of the old page before checking out the new. We made sure that was impossible with this one, which might have turned people off! I’m really glad you enjoyed it, it really fried my brain. It’s a lot of work and planning, much more than I expected.
6. Who are some of your favorite authors?
I’ve been inspired a lot by Thomas Ligotti. Although he’s not someone I read for the joy of it often, his stuff always has a way of creeping in when I think of things. I also love Leonora Carrington and Dorothy Parker. I sometimes joke to my husband Bill that I’m a cross between the two although, to be honest, I’m not much like either.
7. What’s next for you? Any projects coming up that you’re able to talk about?
I’m putting everything into the book I’m currently working on. I don’t know if it’ll get anywhere, or if people will like it, but I feel like I’ll have told the story deep within me and be happy with it.
8. Where can readers find you?
I hang out a lot on twitter https://twitter.com/MadeleineSwann
And also there’s my YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6wDXC7R4gDR9ZGDX5De3Ew
And website http://madeleineswann.com
Micro-Interviews for Shiver Horror Authors Stephanie Rabig
Interview with Stephanie Rabig
1. What was the inspiration for your story? (No spoilers!)
A nightmare. Yaaaaay, 2020 dreams!
2. Have you ever had a chilling experience in the cold?
Honestly, a monster could've snuck up on me at any point and when it's cold out, I wouldn't know. As soon as the temperature dips below forty I turn into a pillbug whenever I have to be outside.
3. Would you rather spend Christmas in Antarctica with RJ MacReady (The Thing) or spend the winter with Jack Torrance at the Overlook Hotel (The Shinning) and why?
MacReady, no question. I would die horribly either way, but at least in The Thing I'd have a chance to steal MacReady's glorious hat, and wouldn't that make it worth it?
4. Where can people find you online?
I'm on Twitter and my website is stephanierabig.weebly.com. ((I'm also on Pinterest, Instagram, and Tiktok, but those two are the constant))
Interview with Red Lagoe
1. What was the inspiration for your story? (No spoilers!)
Sometimes I know exactly where I get my ideas from, and sometimes, when I’m writing for a submission call like this, I just let my brain wander through different scenarios until I find a problem and the right character to face it. So there was no specific inspiration for this particular story, other than a trek through my own head.
2. Have you ever had a chilling experience in the cold?
I grew up in upstate NY, where lake-effect snow and bone-chilling winters are the norm. While I don’t have any spooky, cold weather occurrences that I can recall, I have about a dozen scary winter-driving stories. One time, I had to sleep in my car, overnight during a blizzard. Honestly, we could have died if we didn’t have blankets and provisions, but my boyfriend (now-husband) and I bundled up, turned on the engine from time to time, and kept warm until morning when we could shovel the car out.
3. The Abominable Snowman is hunting you. How do you defeat it?
I almost went into the deepest depths of internet research on Yeti folklore to find weaknesses, but instead, I’ll just wing it... I think fire would likely play a role for a quick blazing end. But if I need to get craftier, I’d figure out what it eats, and start feeding him that (hopefully not people. Look out, trekking team). Over time, I’d tame the beast and we would hunt the snowy wilderness together, chasing down violators of the earth and devouring their remains. If the beast is far too abominable to tame, and it continues its attempt to hunt me, then I shall put it down while it sleeps. I’m not a monster, after all. Then, I’d live off its carcass, wear its hide, thus becoming the new Abominable Snowman.
4. Where can people find you online?
I’m on Twitter, Facebook, and Insta. I also dabble a little with Goodreads and have a website. www.redlagoe.com
Horror Author Jan Stinchcomb #Interview
Jan Stinchcomb Interview
Congratulations on the release of your book The Kelping! I absolutely loved it! Could you please tell readers a little about the story?
The Kelping is a part of the Rewind or Die novella series. It is a story of transformation and body horror, centering on a beautiful and wealthy family in Southern California. You can read the whole thing in one good bathtub soak.
2.If The Kelping were made into a movie, who would play the leads?
Jon Hamm would be perfect for Craig but I don’t think he would agree to the project. I’d like to use Samantha Robinson in the role of Penelope, but she’ll have to wear blue contact lenses. Keanu Reeves is my Dude Pelikan. And Patricia Clarkson would be Mrs. Delmar, of course.
3. Do you consider yourself a feminist writer? If so, what does that phrase mean to you?
First of all, I have been a feminist my entire life, which means I am accustomed to being unpopular. I don’t see how my writing could be anything but feminist. The simplest definition of feminism is something like “working for the social, economic and political equality of women,” and we can expand “women” to mean people living in a female body or identifying as such. In my lifetime this modest goal of equality has been ridiculed and reviled, often by women themselves, as recently as the day of a certain election. In my writing I often describe the experience of living in a female body in an unfriendly world. I tend to have more than my fair share of monster women and troubled mother/child relationships. A feminist writer is someone who challenges gender assumptions and imagines justice.
4. How much of your work is autobiographical?
All of the monster stuff is true! But seriously: when I was younger I thought there was a strict line between fiction and autobiography, but now I see it’s beginning to blur in my own work. Most writers tend to draw from all their life experiences. That said, it’s vexing when readers/critics assume a woman writing in first-person is unable to fictionalize.
5. How would you like to see the horror writing industry evolve in the next ten years?
I want more genre blurring and more underrepresented voices. I want to hear more women talking about their work. I love the way short form is valued in horror writing and hope that will continue. The number of good novellas in horror is a delight.
6. When did your love of writing begin?
I made the fatal choice in seventh grade. My teacher predicted I would become a writer, and I believe she laid a curse on me.
7. Let’s have a little fun. Would you rather spend a summer at Camp Crystal Lake from Friday the 13th, or the cabin from Cabin in the Woods?
I’m a true Gen-X alumna of Camp Crystal Lake.
8. What’s next for you? Any projects you can discuss?
I have three more stories coming out this year, and one of them is in The Horror is Us (Mason Jar Press). I’m finishing a short novel and shopping around a story collection.
9. Where can people find you online?
My website or on Twitter & I’m on GoodReads where I mostly share what I’m reading and try to support indies.
10. Last chance! Anything else you’d like to say?
Trust your instincts always, always
Interview with Sonora Taylor
Horror Author Sonora Taylor #Interview
Congratulations on your new book Seeing Things! Please tell us a little about it.
Thank you! Seeing Things is my third novel and follows a teenager named Abby who discovers she can see the dead. Unfortunately, none of them want to talk to her. She leaves for an annual summer visit to her uncle’s house with tons of questions, and it’s during that visit she gets answers -- but she may not like what she finds out. It’s a contemporary Gothic story and definitely turns some dark corners as Abby figures out just what the hell is going on.
What was the inspiration behind Seeing Things?
I used to see this elderly man walking through my old neighborhood every so often. He never had anyone with him, and no one else ever acknowledged his presence. I used to pretend that only I could see him. From there, I thought, wouldn’t it be funny if someone could see the dead, but none of them wanted to talk to her?
The idea started as a short story prompt, and was originally more about grief and letting go. I wrote some notes and several passages, but felt stuck; so I set it aside. I revisited it in summer 2019, when Little Paranoias: Stories was out for edits, because I was struck with an idea: what if instead about grief, it was about dark secrets? I also thought up Abby’s family, and from there, it expanded into a novel.
Have you ever seen a ghost?
Never seen one, but I’ve heard them. Usually it’s something rustling or a bit of static. I’ve also seen ghost lights and flickers of paranormal activity.
This is your sixth novel. What is one tip you learned along your writing and publication journey that you wish you knew ahead of time?
First, to clarify, it’s my third novel -- my other three books are short story collections. It’s definitely been quite the journey writing and releasing all of them. It’s a journey that was very nerve-wracking, and as such, I was afraid to promote myself in the beginning. I didn’t want to seem like a show-off, like someone needing attention, etc. But other writers I met online made it a point to say that marketing is part of the job. You wrote this thing -- you should be proud, and you should tell people about it! So, I’ve tried to promote myself more, even if it means saying some version of “Hey folks, me here, I hope you’ll buy the book I wrote. Link is below.” I wish I’d known that earlier, because now, I need to do retrograde marketing for the earlier books! But that’s the beauty of books: they’re out there as long as they’re being published, so they always have a chance to be found and read.
You are the co-founder of www.frightgirlsummer.com, which is an inclusive platform to boost the signal for women in publishing. Please share a little about this. How did this idea come about? What do you hope Fright Girl Summer accomplishes?
The idea originated with V. Castro, author of Maria the Wanted and the Legacy of the Keepers and, most recently, Hairspray and Switchblades. She wanted to create a festival to celebrate authors on the margins and have it be for the summer. I believe she said “Something like Hot Girl Summer but for books,” so I suggested, “How about Fright Girl Summer?” So she chose that name, and then I contacted her and volunteered to help with the website as well as curating reading lists and putting out calls for fiction, nonfiction, art, etc.
I hope it encourages people to read beyond what they’re used to, and to keep doing it throughout the year. As our list shows, there are TONS of books to choose from that aren’t written by cis white authors. Expand your TBR. Add more Black voices. Add more queer voices. Add more.
How can individuals participate in Fright Girl Summer?
If you’re an author, essayist, blogger, or artist, you can submit to us! We want to read your work. Check out our guidelines on the front page: frightgirlsummer.com
For readers and authors alike, you can participate by writing reviews, filming yourself doing readings, and most of all, reading books! We’re challenging participants to choose three books from our list to read this summer. Check out our page for more: https://www.frightgirlsummer.com/reading-list
How can people find you online?
My website is the most efficient way to learn more about me and my books: sonorawrites.com
I’m also active on Twitter. In addition to tweets about my books, I talk a lot about hockey (when it’s on), movies, and beer.
I’m also on Instagram and post a lot of the food I cook. I aspire to be like Ina Garten.
I’m also on Facebook and Goodreads.
Finally, you can find my books for sale at the links below:
Is there anything else you wish to add? Closing thoughts?
Nope! Thanks so much for interviewing me.