Horror Author Katrina Monroe Interview
Katrina Monroe Interview
1. Congratulations on your upcoming release They Drown Our Daughters! Without giving away any spoilers, could you please tell us a little about this book?
Thank you! I’m so excited for July!
On the surface, They Drown Our Daughters is about a curse that follows a line of women along several generations, which lures them into the murky water that surrounds their small town of Cape Disappointment. But at its core, the book is about the complex nature of mother/daughter relationships. It’s about how hard it is to be a mother, how frustrating it is to be a daughter, and the harm that can manifest when we think we’re protecting each other.
2. What inspired this story?
It all started with a setting. I went to visit my brother when he was still living in Seattle, and I asked him to show me the west coast. Growing up in Florida, I’d had this preconceived notion that all beaches are sunshine, white sand, and palm trees. But then we visited a beach in northern Washington, and it was just… gray. Gray sand, gray water… the place was practically deserted, and scattered along the shore were dozens of dead, dismembered crabs. It felt haunted. And then I thought, well, what if it was?
3. How would you describe your writing/brand as an author?
My CP and I have this joke that my work, in the beginning, is “all vibes, no plot.” I’m an atmospheric writer. I love to center the reader in a sense of place, to really ground them in the story while I pull them along. As a brand, though, I would describe it as feminist horror. There’s something particular about female fear. It’s subtle. It lingers. It unsettles. It lends nicely to my writing style.
4. For writers trying to break into publishing, could you please explain how you went about getting your agent?
Like most writers I know, I was plucked from the slush pile. At the time, I thought that was the biggest hurdle crossed (spoiler: it wasn’t). I’d been querying for several years, and the manuscript my agent signed me with wasn’t the first (or the second or third) manuscript I’d sent out. It’s a daunting process but, as cliché as it sounds, it only takes one “yes.” As an aside, They Drown Our Daughters wasn’t the book my agent signed. It was the second manuscript I delivered to her, and then it was initially rejected by the editor who ended up signing it almost a year to the day after. This business is likely to give you whiplash if you let it.
5. How long does it take you to write a book?
After the first couple of false starts (heartbreaking and imperative to my process, as my CP likes to remind me), I usually complete a first draft within 4-5 months. The dreaming stage before writing can last days or weeks. After the first draft, I let it sit for at least a couple of weeks before diving in for edits. When all is said and done, I think it’s a 9 month gestation for a book baby.
6. When did you first decide you wanted to be an author?
Author Katrina Monroe
I’ve been writing stories since I was probably seven or eight. I remember a babysitter teaching me how to use quotation marks for dialogue when I showed her a story I’d written about a little girl and a leprechaun. I don’t think I ever decided to be an author. It just kind of… happened. My first full-length manuscript was a disaster, written just for the sake of writing it, but I’m a perfectionist so I sought out writing groups to help me bash it into shape. The rest, as they say, is history.
7. What is your favorite horror trope?
There’s something wrong with the house.
I adore a good haunting, especially when there’s intricate back-story involved. Give me bleeding walls and whispering pipes or give me death.
8. Thank you for joining me! Could you please tell readers where they can find you online?
Thank you! I’m on Twitter and on Instagram at @authorkatm. My website is www.katrinamonroe.com.
HellCat Press Co-Founder Lindsay Moore Interview
Lindsay Moore 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 little about your work?
Dark Lady Returns cover art by Jen Tracy (Cover art for HellCat Press Anthology)
LM: I love horror comics, so I co-founded Hellcat Press in 2014. I really wanted to put together an anthology of horror comics written and illustrated by women. I initially pitched this idea to the Boston Comics Roundtable; I had been a member for about seven years at that point, and they had put out anthologies before. I figured that they would be interested and that they’d help me out. They were not interested in the project at all. They didn’t want to be part of a female-led project or an all-female project. It was really disheartening, and when I complained about it, I was told that I could just leave. So I did. It was sort of a “fine, I’ll take my ball and go home” moment for me. I decided that I would just put out the anthology myself. I kind of figured, “people self-publish all the time, how hard can it be?” Well, putting together the first anthology was hard…but not impossible, and I had a lot of fun and met some really cool people. So I decided to do it again. It’s one of those things that gets easier each time you do it. We’ve got five anthologies out so far, and I’m hoping to do more at some point.
2. If you had to describe Hellcat Press with only three adjectives, what would those words be?
LM: Creative, fun, and spiteful (but only a little bit).
3. Do you have a favorite horror comic?
I am really into The Nice House on the Lake by James Tynion IV, Álvaro Martínez Bueno, and Jordie Bellaire at the moment. I also love Locke and Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez. Emily Carroll has some really great stuff out there too. I still hold out a little hope that Afterlife With Archie will come back from its hiatus.
4. What sparked your love of the horror genre?
LM: I’ve always been into weird stuff. Even as a little kid, I was drawn to the things that scared my peers. I think what really turned it into a passion for me was reading R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books. I loved those. I especially loved his Night of the Living Dummy trilogy. I was obsessed with those. Slappy is such a little bastard. He’s a lot of fun to hate. My dad’s always been into older horror films, the stuff from Universal mostly. He’s the kind of guy who will go out of his way to find something that you like so that he can talk about it with you. Like, when my cousin was obsessed with Twilight, he read the first book so they could talk about it. So my dad saw how obsessed I was with Slappy and probably thought, “she’s obsessed with an evil ventriloquist dummy, I’m pretty sure I saw a movie about one of those.” So, long story short, he showed me Magic, which is a horror/thriller about a schizophrenic ventriloquist. I was eleven. Probably not the most appropriate film to show an eleven-year-old, but it’s what got the ball rolling.
5. Running a small publishing press must come with challenges. What is something you wish you had known before opening Hellcat Press?
LM: To paraphrase Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park, “Life, uh, finds a way of interfering with everything you have planned.” I worked in textbook publishing before starting Hellcat Press, so I had a little bit of experience. When it comes to publishing, your schedule is everything. The best advice I can give to anyone who wants to self-publish or put together a multi-contributor anthology: add in a two-week space cushion when you set your deadline. Set a “soft” deadline, then set your “hard” deadline for two weeks later. This prevents last-minute scrambling. The other piece of advice I’ll give – and I wish someone had told me this one – if you’re self-publishing, you don’t have a PR team. You are the PR team. That means reaching out and telling everyone who’ll listen about your book. You have to be proactive about it. You’re your own biggest cheerleader.
6. What do you love the most about working with authors?
LM: I love seeing how creative other people are. When you’re working alone, you’re in your own head. That’s not so bad, but it doesn’t expose you to new ideas. Working with others does. I had an especially great time working on Tales From the Public Domain and Screams Heard ’Round the World. Those were two anthologies that Hellcat put out. For Tales From the Public Domain, we asked creators to take a horror story from the public domain and adapt it. We got some really wonderful twists on old classics. I especially loved the queer retelling of Ligeia, the sci-fi spin on The Beast With Five Fingers, and the modern take of Viy. Those are concepts I never would’ve thought of, but I’m so glad that someone else did – and I’m so glad they shared it with me. For Screams Heard ’Round the World, we asked creators to take a myth, legend, or monster from another country and tell a story about it. It was a fantastic way to learn about other cultures and mythologies. It’s also fascinating to see how much overlap there is in mythology.
7. What is coming up next with Hellcat Press?
LM: Hellcat Press is on a bit of a hiatus right now. I had a baby in 2019, right after our fifth anthology came out. And then the pandemic happened. I’m currently juggling work with grad school and caring for a rambunctious toddler, but I would really love to put out more anthologies. I’d very much like to make an announcement this coming winter and put a book out in autumn of 2023. I can’t make any promises, though. I have to see how it all goes.
8. Where can people find you online?
LM: The best place to find me is probably on Twitter . I’m also on Instagram, if you want to see my knitting and cross stitch. And there’s my website, www.hellcatpress.com.
Interview: Horror Author Briana Morgan
Briana Morgan Interview
1. Congratulations on the upcoming release of your latest book The Reyes Incident! Without giving away any spoilers, could you tell us a bit about the premise?
Thank you! Here’s the back-cover summary:
A local legend gone haywire.
A small-town cop.
An impossible eyewitness testimony.
Which is easier to believe—that killer mermaids exist, or that one person is worth risking everything for?
For fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Into the Drowning Deep comes a chilling horror story steeped in urban rumor.
2. What was the inspiration behind this book?
It’s always hard for me to pin down a single source of inspiration, but this article about an abandoned nuclear aircraft lab in Dawsonville, GA, was major. Also, this video, which I think everyone who loves spooky places should check out.
I’ve also wanted to write a killer mermaid book for a while. Those resources just provided the perfect setting for it.
3. As someone with experience in the self-publishing world, what is one tip about self-publishing you wish someone had passed on to you before you embark on that journey?
Don’t pay too much attention to what everyone else is doing. Focus on making your writing better and improving your craft with each release. The rest is just noise.
4. Do you have any marketing tips you can pass on to readers?
Make sure your profile pictures and names are the same across all your social media platforms! It makes it so much easier for readers and fans to find you.
5. In addition to writing books, you’re a part of the gaming community. What’s your favorite video game?
I want to say the entire BioShock trilogy, but if we’re going with one, the first BioShock game. I even have a tattoo inspired by it.
6. If you could turn one of your characters/stories into a video game, which would you pick and why?
Horror Author Briana Morgan
I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought of this! Unboxed would make a great first-person horror game. Since it’s a script, it would be fairly easy to convert, and I think there would be some solid jumpscares in the gameplay.
7. What’s the scariest horror book you’ve ever read?
Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica. It’s also the most extreme. I don’t recommend it for the faint of heart or squeamish.
8. If you could collaborate with any author, living or dead, who would you pick?
This is so tough! Probably one of my horror friends, like Todd Keisling, Cat Scully, or Gemma Amor. I’m biased, but they’re awesome.
9. Thank you so much for chatting! Where can readers find more information about you and your work?
I am all over the Internet. For almost everything, including information about my books, check out my author website. I also have a Patreon if you’d like to support me and my writing. Otherwise, you can find me on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Thank you so, so much.
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
Horror Author Nicole Henneman #Interview
Nicole Henneman Interview
1. Congratulations on you forthcoming Witch of Whidbey series! Can you tell us a little about these books?
Whidbey Island has always been a special place for me. My step-father was in the military and I grew up there. The concept for the books came to me while I was sitting in a 9th grade history class learning about one of the island’s first white settlers, Isaac Ebey. He was decapitated by a group of Native Americans as retaliation for a military attack, but I always wondered how the narrative would change if it had been someone else who killed him. While Ebey’s Landing is a fictionalized account of those events, it is rooted in island history. The first book follows Ebey’s life up to his eventual death, while the second book is set in modern day.
2. If Witch of Whidbey were made into a movie, who would you want to play the heroine, Andrea?
The Witch of Whidbey series has two quietly determined female protagonists facing very different circumstances. In Ebey’s Landing, Olivia practices folk magic and is wronged in the process. I could see her being played by Morfydd Clark or Maggie Rhee. Andrea is newly single, lives in San Francisco and knows nothing about magic. Andrea not only struggles with catastrophic events but also the aftermath of her own naiveté. Her character would be a good vehicle for Florence Pugh or maybe Laia Costa.
3. On your website, you mention you write paranormal fiction among other genres (mysteries, children’s imaginative fantasy, YA adventure). Have you ever experienced anything paranormal?
When I was younger, I encountered lots of shadow people but never the infamous Hat Man. As I got older, the experiences became less frequent but one time I was home alone and heard a man call my name from another room. My most recent experience was in 2013 when we videotaped an orb floating through our living room. Generally, they have been fairly benign experiences. Strangely, later I did have a dream of the Hat Man. In my dream I was screaming and I woke up standing straight up on the floor-still screaming.
4. Do you ever research real events, legends, or myths to get ideas?
The Witch of Whidbey was borne out of my love of lore. In elementary school I read Greek mythology books and the Legends of King Arthur repeatedly. I still spend time researching myths of various countries and people. While those stories have not inspired any books yet, I am definitely influenced by their tone and structure.
5. When did you first realize you wanted to be an author?
I have always loved stories but did not realize I could create my own until I won a writing award in second grade. However, I was not one of those writers blessed with the perseverance to write a novel early on or forge my way into the industry. I am an introvert who experiences anxiety and intense writer’s block. The Witch of Whidbey series has been a decades long project in the making, so the fact that I am still working on manuscripts stands as an inner testament to the craft.
6. In your opinion, what one stereotype about horror writers is absolutely wrong?
That we base characters on people in real life just so we can kill them off. Wait, no, we do that. Okay, maybe that we only wear black. I definitely own a few grey shirts. So that stereotype is completely wrong.
7. Let’s have a little fun. Would you rather spend a weekend in the house from The House on Haunted Hill or The Overlook Hotel with Jack?
That is a hard one. While each location has its merits and challenges lurking amongst the walls, I think ending Jack would ultimately prove easier.
8. What’s next for you? Any projects you can discuss?
I will be publishing a YA book (The Mack Morgan Mysteries) and working on a new paranormal story (Catfish).
9. Where can people find you online?
My website
10. Last chance! Anything else you’d like to say?
Thank you for this great opportunity! Please check out my books and continue supporting the work of horror writers.
Nicole Henneman
Horror Author Eve Harms #Interview
Eve Harms Interview
Congratulations on the release of your successful series The Demonic Diaries! Can you tell us a little about these books?
Thank you! The books are a mix of occult horror and suspense, with humor thrown in, told in blog format. With the blog format, there is a lot of emphasis on the character's voice, in this case a twenty-something horror writer named Kendra Temples. The first book was actually posted online as a blog and written under the pen name of the main character, but I've since transitioned to writing under my real name. Probably a good thing, since Kendra tends to be a polarizing character!
Without giving away spoilers, do you have a favorite out of the three books?
Definitely the third book, Shadow Puppet. It's more conceptual than the first two, and has more twists and turns. I let myself run a little wild with it, but I think it still nestles into genre fiction and doesn't get too literary. But you have to read the first two to get the most out of it!
On your website, you describe yourself as writing “freaky fun horror fiction.” What inspired this brand?
It encapsulates my writing style. Whatever I write ends up being some ratio of weird, dark, and goofy. Practically, my brand has sort of morphed into being about the occult, which is a passion of mine, but I don't want to be pegged into any specific subject matter.
How much of your work is autobiographical?
There will be snippets of my actual experiences throughout my life inserted into some of the books, but the characters are never meant to be me or anyone I know. For example, in Shadow Puppet, Kendra goes to an experimental, noise music show. Readers who aren't familiar with those kind of shows might think I made all of those weird details up, but at one point in my life, I would often go to shows almost exactly like that.
But the most autobiographical aspect of my work is theme. Book 2, Hellcrafter, is all about loss and trauma, and my experience of the sudden loss of my brother drove the thematic aspect of that work. Shadow Puppet has a theme of losing and striving to regain bodily autonomy. There aren't any trans characters in the book, but retrospectively, it's a narrative highly informed by my experiences transitioning, as well as my history with chronic illness and pain.
How would you like to see the horror writing industry evolve in the next ten years?
More diverse voices!
Please tell us a little about The Cornfield Creeps and Other Stories, which is the free book given to those who sign up for your newsletter.
The Cornfield Creeps is a Kendra Temples novelette that is her sort of origin story, and explains how she got exiled from her hometown and ended up in Los Angeles. I included additional short stories so readers can get a taste for my non-Kendra work.
I send out a newsletter twice a month, one is an original article on an occult or esoteric topic of my choosing, and the other is highlights of esoterica around the web and book recommendations. If you don't mind me dropping my sign up link, here it is: http://eveharms.com/free-book/ :)
What is the most fascinating piece of information you’ve learned from your occult studies?
Right now, I've been diving deep into Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism. It is the most fascinating, and spiritually nourishing aspect of my studies so far. I love it so much, and want to share it with others, but I have no idea how to distill it into a single tweet and/or article.
When it comes to folklore, one of my favorite figures is Aicha Kandicha. She's a half-jinn from Moroccan folklore, who appears as a woman with camel hooves, and lures men into the desert to kill them. Theories of her origin range from a Phoenician Fertility deity, to a real noblewoman, or even an anti-colonial resistance fighter. I consider her a part of a club of misunderstood female "demons", along with Lilith and Medusa, that I have a special affinity for.
What’s next for you? Any projects you can discuss?
My next series is going to be based on the Kabbalah! It's going to be a sort of metaphysical dark fantasy series with aspects of neo-noir, and will take place in the spheres of the Qliphoth, the demonic shadow realms of the tree of life. It may take awhile, because I'm researching heavily, and I have no idea how many books it will be. I'm still in early stages. I may release some standalone books and short stories in the meantime.
Where can people find you online?
My website as well as twitter and instagram.
Last chance! Anything else you’d like to say?
Thank you so much for the interview!
Horror Author E.V. Knight #Interview
E.V. Knight Interview
1. Congratulations on your 2020 debut novel The Forth Whore! Could you please tell us a little behind the inspiration for this book?
Horror Author E.V. Knight
When I began writing this novel in the summer of 2016, Lilith (the villainess) was not a part of the book. In fact, it was a different story entirely. But then, after the November 2016 Presidential election, I attended the Women’s March in January 2017 and met so many amazing people who’ve lived through so much. It was then that I heard Lilith’s name brought up time and again. When I studied her history, I realized that she’d been vilified and degraded all for simply asking to be equal. That’s when I knew I wanted to say something about the horrors that come with being a woman (or identifying as one). I also lived through some of my own personal traumas while writing the novel. It became experimental therapy for me. I wanted to see what would happen if I let the women in this novel act on their anger and frustration. I wanted a horror novel with well-rounded women characters who were just as bad ass, just as crazy, just as blood thirsty as their more mainstream male counterparts.
2. If The Forth Whore was made into a movie, who would play the lead?
I am so glad you asked this question! There has never been a doubt in my mind that Kenzi Brooks would be played by Natasha Lyonne. I love the characters she plays—so strong willed and sassy but with the weak, fragile core. She’s perfect for Kenzi. Plus, I modeled Kenzi’s look after Natasha’s.
3. Are you a plotter or a pansters?
I want to be a pantser so bad, but I plot. I plot an overview outline and character studies. Then as I go, I plot the next scene. I do this over and over as my characters sometimes revolt and do their own thing. But I am always planning ahead.
4. I love your creative and unique podcast Brain Squalls! Can you please tell readers a little about it?
Brain Squalls is a podcast where we (my husband and cohost) challenge each other with a writing prompt and then work together to tell a story in real time over an hour. Basically, exposing the creative story telling process and hoping our audience would play along and maybe make up their own story too. I found my writing voice and style by using prompts to write little short stories once a day for a year. So, we hope it will help spark creativity in our listeners. We changed Brain Storm to Brain Squall because it’s just a short little burst of creativity once a week.
5. If you could co-author a book with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and why?
This is the toughest question because I know so many amazing writers that I would be thrilled to co-author with. So, I’ll go with my celebrity fantasy co-author and say Neil Gaiman. First of all, I love his voice and versatility. I am enamored with the worlds and characters he creates and the way he paints a scene. But also, he seems like a genuinely nice person. A good human being. If I am co-writing with someone, I need to like and respect them too.
6. If you weren’t a writer, what job would you have?
In my other life right now, I work in medicine but in a fantasy world where I could rewind and do anything else, I think an historian specializing in either colonial American history or English Tudor history, I’m fascinated by both. Plus, I’m a nerd and I love research.
7. What book(s) are you reading right now?
I just finished Ania Ahlborn’s Brother which I enjoyed very much and am turning my attention to those on the preliminary list for the Stoker Award. I try to read as much from the list as I can before the awards. Luckily, this year, I’ve already read many of those on the list so I should be able to get through them all. It’s going to be a tough competition this year, especially in the First Novel category. A lot of great work there.
8. What is next for you? Anything in the works?
I’ve just completed the draft of my next novel which will be the first in a trilogy. This book series is about a disregarded deity, a vanished hippie commune and an ambiguously haunted house. It’s a little softer than The Fourth Whore with much less gore and more creep-factor. I’m really excited about the project and am working hard with the hopes of release sometime next year.
9. Where can people find you online?
I am on Twitter and Facebook and my website and you can hear my real voice once a week on the Brain Squalls podcast which you can find on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, Stitcher, Google, and anywhere you find podcasts. You can also find us on youtube where we sometimes share a video as well as the audio.
10. Thank you so much! This is your chance to say anything that wasn’t asked. Closing thoughts? Thank you so much for inviting me on your blog and asking fun and insightful questions. I really hope lovers of horror will give The Fourth Whore a read. I’m quite proud of it.
A little about The Fourth Whore:
Kenzi Brooks watched The Scribble Man collect her brother’s soul after a hit and run when she was seven. He gave her a present that day—a lucky rabbit’s foot. Sixteen years later, she no longer believes in The Scribble Man, she believes in survival and does what she has to in the slums of Detroit. When thugs kill her mother and beat Kenzi to near death, she accidentally releases Lilith from her prison within the time-worn keychain.
And Hell hath no fury…
Lilith is out for revenge. Revenge against God, Sariel (Angel of Death and Kenzi’s Scribble Man), and all of mankind for relegating her to nothing more than a demoness for refusing to submit to her husband. She’s put together an apocalyptic plan to destroy everyone who has forsaken her. Forget the Four Horsemen, Lilith is assembling the Four Whores.
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Horror Author Azzurra Nox #Interview
Azzurra Nox Interview
1. Congratulations on your success as a multi-published author! Let’s talk a little about your books. Cut Here is about a sixteen-year old named Lena Martin whose mom dies in a hit and run. What inspired this book?
Horror Author Azzurra Nox
The concept of CUT HERE, all began with a dream I had in the summer of 2008. It wasn’t really a dream, but more of a nightmare. It was Christmas time in Catania, Sicily and a girl sees a book on display at a bookstore kiosk entitled CUT HERE. The book’s cover had a bloody line across a faceless person’s neck, bleeding the title. Shortly after, sounds of sirens invade the dream, and as the girl rushes to the sounds, she sees a trail of blood on the asphalt and a mink coat on the ground. Everything is red. Flash forward to me seeing the same girl again, but this time she’s in a bookstore, holding a copy of the book, CUT HERE, waiting for it to be autographed by a Japanese author. But the girl is in danger, and so she runs away. I soon wake up with a sense of dread. I usually don’t often write down my dreams, but that time I did cause it left me with a haunting feeling. At the time I didn’t know if I’d ever use that dream for a short story, poem, or novel. It sat there gathering virtual dust on my computer for three years before I decided to re-read that dream, one night in January of 2011. Soon, that dream would become Lena Martin’s tortured past.
2. Your book Doll Parts is a collection of three short stories. Which is your favorite and why?
My favourite short story from that collection is, “Scared of Girls,” it's one I wrote while I was in college. It explores homophobia and gender identity and poses the question, Do we fall in love with a person or a gender and what happens when your soulmate doesn't conform to a specific gender identity? Even after all these years, the social topics that the short story explores are very timely. Plus, that short story is set in Catania, Sicily where I was born so that's another reason why that story in particular has a special place in my heart. Plus the two protagonists, Marzio and Viola are just characters that I really cared about a lot. They ultimately were very passionate and kind.
3. Bleed Like Me is a book of poetry “for the broken”. How autobiographical is this piece?
They say that there's a piece of the author in every book they write, and to some extent it's true. However, Bleed Like Me is the most autobiographical one of the bunch. 96% of the poems in the collection were written between the ages of 13-20. That age bracket is when you react most emotionally to life. A broken heart as a teen is the end of the world. As you grow older, one begins to see things with more hindsight and realize that many of the people you put up on pedestals and adored at that age, were only bringing out toxic elements in yourself.
4. I consider myself a feminist horror author, but that term has different meanings to various people. Do you consider yourself a feminist horror author, and if so why?
I do consider myself a feminist horror author, even if I have dabbled in other genres throughout the years. But if I am writing horror, I rather have the female be strong than simply be the victim. And sometimes, women are also the villains in my stories, cause to make women appear as only the hapless victim or final girl is kind of saying women can only fit in those two spots. That's why I really love books like Audition, where in the novel it's the woman who is far more twisted than the men who peg her as sweet and docile, could ever imagine her to be.
5. Where did your love of horror come from?
It started at a very young age. Probably around two years old. I think my dad noticed that I had a flair for watching horror movies and so would always have me watch them (he always told me I shouldn't be afraid as it was all “Hollywood” so I never had nightmares over the movies I viewed). So horror has pretty much been a part of my life since I can remember. Which the earliest memory I have of watching horror is seeing Elvira presenting the horror movie of the week.
6. When you’re not writing horror, what are you up to?
Writing DOES take up a lot of my time, because when I'm not writing fiction, I'm writing blog posts for my lifestyle blog that I update twice a week. But, when I'm not doing that, I pretty much live at the theatre where I'll check out any new horror, thriller, or drama films, plus I love to dance, read, and I'll admit that I have a skincare and cosmetic obsession so I'm always looking for new products to try out.
7. What is one tip you wish you knew about writing and the publishing world before you got started?
The biggest tip I can give aspiring writers is to read, read, read, and read some more, especially read the genre that you're planning to write about! My reading background is very classical, meaning I grew up reading a lot of Shakespeare and Dickens, which is awesome, but as a teen when I was writing short stories rereading them now, I know they have more of a Victorian feeling to them, which wouldn't have been terrible if the stories were taking place in Victorian England and NOT in contemporary time! As far as the publishing world goes, I think it would've been helpful to have known how important marketing yourself was going to be. Many novice writers have this idea that writing the book and having it appear in bookstores or online stores is enough. That it's going to sell itself or that your publisher will roll out tons of money to promote you and send you off on a book tour around the nation. And all of those things are wrong, cause sure, authors like Stephen King will get that sort of support because he's popular, but for a newbie you have to do a lot of the legwork to get noticed.
8. What is next for you? Anything in the works?
My newest anthology that I edited, Strange Girls: Women in Horror Anthology will be out on February 18 during Women in Horror Month. It's a collection of short stories featuring many talented women authors that explore the meaning of what it means to be a strange girl. So the collection features stories about vampires, selkies, succubus, mermaids, and creepy dolls just to get an idea of what you may find.
9. Where can people find you online?
Twitter, Instagram, Website, Blog, Goodreads
CHECK OUT STRANGE GIRLS: WOMEN IN HORROR ANTHOLOGY HERE
PURCHASE CUT HERE NOW
Horror Author Yolanda Sfetsos #Interview
Yolanda Sfetsos Interview
Horror Author Yolanda Sfetsos
1. Congratulations on your 2019 release of Breaking the Habit! Can you tell us a little about the plot? Thank you! Breaking the Habit is about a woman with many dark and violent secrets that catch up with her on her wedding night, and turn her honeymoon into a very bloody ordeal.
2. If Breaking the Habit were made into a movie, who would you like to play the leads? This is a great question. I think Marie Avgeropoulos would be great as Isla, Diego Boneta would be a perfect Cisco, and Joe Manganiello might make a good Teo.
3. What is something about the publishing world you wish you knew before you started writing? That there's a lot of nervous waiting involved. Definitely enough for neurotic writers to get anxious and double guess themselves about everything. Including whether or not emails are received, so you end up refreshing the page for a reply every couple of seconds.
4. Where did your love of horror come from? I've loved horror since I was very young. I'm a kid of the 80s, so video shops and video nights were very popular during my teenage years and I watched as many horror movies as I could!
5. As an estimate, how many books would you say you read in a year? I give myself the annual goal of reading 100 books. That includes short stories, anthologies, novellas, novels, comic books and even picture books. Though last year I managed to read 150.
6. Do you have a favorite author? My favourite authors have always been Clive Barker and Stephen King. I've picked up others through the years, but these are my two forever faves.
7. When you’re not writing, what are you up to? I'm probably hanging out with my hubby watching Seinfeld because we never get sick of the show about nothing. Or thrifting for books and games. Maybe I'm out for one of my two daily walks. If not that, then I'm reading or sorting through my many piles of books, stationery and toys.
8. What is next for you? Anything in the works? I’m always working on something. It's the beginning of the year so I'm at the planning stages. I started a horror short story in December that I’ve been itching to finish, and I know I'd like to write at least two novel first drafts and one novella this year. Not to mention revision. I have WAY too many first drafts that need to become finished novels.
9. Where can people find you online? They can check out my website, where I post about my writing projects, progress, releases and post reviews. Or they can find me on Twitter , where I pop in all the time. And if you want to know what I'm reading, check out my Goodreads page
10. Thank you so much! This is you chance to say anything that wasn’t asked. Closing thoughts? I just wanted to mention that I have a story in the recently-released UNDER HER BLACK WINGS: 2020 Women of Horror Anthology. I’m so excited about being part of this anthology featuring so many great horror authors! Also, thank you for the very cool interview.
BUY UNDER THE BLACK WINGS: 2020 WOMEN OF HORROR ANTHOLOGY HERE
BUY BREAKING THE HABIT HERE