Interview with Author, Editor, and Founder of Black Spot Books Lindy Miller Ryan

Lindy Miller Ryan Interview

Thank you so much for joining me! For those who don’t know you, could you please introduce yourself?

Thank you so much for having me! In addition to my own work as an author, editor, and short film director, I am the founder of Black Spot Books, a small press with a mission to amplify voices of women-in-horror, which was acquired as an imprint of multimedia corporation Vesuvian Media Group in 2019. Currently, I serve on the Board of Directors for the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and am the co-chair of the inaugural Horror Writers Association Publishers Council. I was also a Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree in 2020.

Let’s talk a bit about Black Spot Books. What inspired you to start your own independent small press?

I’ve been in publishing for long time, but usually on the other side of the pen—as an editor and author of nonfiction and various fiction genres. In 2017, as I was wrapping up a nonfiction project, I started becoming interested in genre-blending projects and other forms of experimental writing that could translate from page to screen, as well as putting together collections (anthologies, poetry, showcases, etc.). I wanted to build a small, traditional press that was had the ability to support these “risky” projects with a focus on bringing fresh new voices to bookshelves, and thus Black Spot Books was born. We started out in broader speculative fiction, but quickly found our home in horror. Around the time we were acquired by Vesuvian, we discovered our passion for amplifying women’s voices in horror, and that has since become our primary mission.

What is something you wish someone had told you before you opened Black Spot Books?

Probably how much work it is being a publisher—but, honestly, I doubt I would have listened. What I have learned and taken to heart, though, is the importance of strategic partnerships, of an author-focused mindset, and of embracing community. These were lessons I learned quickly, which led to Black Spot’s explosive growth in such an incredibly short amount of time.

What is the most rewarding aspect of owning a small press?

Freedom—both to pursue your passions and to help others do the same in a place where we are all collaborating and energized to reach the same vision. As a small press, we have the benefit of being adaptive, creative, and allowed to take risks. As a small team, we’re able to work much more closely with our authors to give them the best publishing experience we can and to ensure everyone is involved, invested, and championing that process from acquisition to post-publication. Whether it’s a single-author project or one of our showcases with many, many contributors (Under Her Skin, for example, involved several dozen poets as well as artists, illustrators, and designers), being able to work as a community on projects we love is such an incredibly rewarding experience, and I’m grateful for every moment.

Let’s shift a bit and talk about writing. I noticed you have written several romance novels, which is exciting because I started out in romance as well! Can you tell us a bit about your journey as a romance writer and how you ended up in the horror genre?

I’ve been writing (and editing) for a long time—in fiction and non-fiction, in books and screenplays. I’ve dabbled quite a bit in romance—especially in book-to-film romance with several titles adapted for screen, and some screen-only—but my heart belongs to horror. The question of toggling between romance and horror is one I get often, but I always give the same answer: balance. There are moments when I need to dive headfirst into the darkness, and other times when I just want to write about finding love in a bakery. Sometimes, one project starts as one genre and becomes another, and those can be the most delightful surprises.

Do you have a favorite book or short story that you’ve written?

My favorite book I’ve written thus far is what my pal George C. Romero described as “Monsters, family, and down-home horror”—it’s part-gore, part-tender, and deeply, deeply personal, because it’s set in my hometown and inspired by the women in my family, most of which are no longer living, so writing them back to life was incredibly cathartic and celebratory. Unfortunately I can’t say too much more about that project just yet as it’s recently been acquired and announcements are pending, but I’m too excited NOT to talk about it either! In terms of short stories, I really haven’t written too many, but my favorite probably is a Bride of Frankenstein-inspired story called “Something Borrowed,” which is part of the upcoming CLASSIC MONSTERS UNLEASHED anthology. I am a huge Frankenstein fan, and writing this modern take—wherein Victor and his monster “shop” for parts for a bride via dating apps—gave me such a fun opportunity to consider how the story might reshape with today’s technology (and dependence on social media). Christopher Brooks—my co-author on the upcoming occult thriller Throw Me to the Wolves—and I are also hard at work on several new projects, so it’s a busy, exciting time for sure!

When you edit anthologies, what do you look for in writing submissions?

The specifics depend on the anthology, but I’m typically looking for stand-out voices, engaging storytelling, and unique ideas that blend well to fit the theme. Editing anthologies is an incredibly challenging task, because you’re looking for amazing individual pieces at the same time you’re building a complete whole, and sometimes this means you get many similar wonderful stories and you have to turn some down. There’s a careful balance to strike, and it often means tough choices.

What tips would you give writers just starting out?

I know it’s cliché to say “read a lot,” but, really, read a lot. Read not only books you’re drawn to, but authors you’ve never heard of. Read books on writing. Study craft. Ultimately, find your voice—and know that, just like anything else, it will grow and change over time.

What’s next for you? Any projects you can talk about?

Speaking of anthologies, we’re hard at work promoting Black Spot Book’s upcoming women-in-horror anthology Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga, which pays homage to (you guessed it) the Baba Yaga of Slavic folklore. There are twenty-three stories in this collection from women horror writers around the world, including many Bram Stoker Award® winning and nominated authors, New York Times bestsellers, and “freshly hatched” voices with I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E stories to tell. Some lean more into horror, some more into dark fantasy, but all are empowering, powerful tales that portray the wildness of the female spirit. There’s also a bloody brilliant poem by Stephanie M. Wytovich and an introduction by Christina Henry, so this truly is one helluva spectacular collection—releasing November 8, 2022.

Where can readers find you?

Black Spot Books is online @BlackSpotBooks and I’m at @LindyRyanWrites as well as www.LindyMillerRyan.com.