Women in Horror Interviews Part I

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For the month of March, in order to celebrate Women in Horror, I’ll be highlighting interviews with some of the authors that appear in Hush, Don’t Wake the Monster – Stories Inspired by Stephen King Women in Horror Anthology.

L.E. Daniels author of “Silk”

Which Stephen King novel/short story inspired your short story?

First published in Cavalier magazine in 1972, “The Mangler” was later included in Stephen King’s 1978 Night Shift collection. An industrial laundry press is exposed to magical elements of nightshade, a bat, and virgin’s blood, summoning a demon that possesses the machine and attacks the workers. Also peering into the dark side of industrialization, my story “Silk” explores the conditions of the child workforce in the early twentieth-century New England mills. My grandmother, a child of Italian immigrants, survived polio and worked in such a mill. At five, her first job was pulling dead silk moth caterpillars from their boiled cocoons.

Who’s your favorite modern female author?

Lately, I’ve been reading short story anthologies like Sara Tantlinger’s Chromophobia, James Aquilone’s Classic Monsters Unleashed, and Other Terrors edited by Rena Mason and Vince A. Liaguno and the rising tide of female voices within from these pages is exquisite. If I had to pick a favorite, I’d go with Geneve Flynn. She fearlessly tackles edgy themes within narratives loaded with the residue of intergenerational trauma and deeply-informed cultural nuance. She’s a total badass.

Which song would be the soundtrack to your story?

Since the story spans the 1920s, recording of “America the Beautiful” performed by Louise Homer in 1924 would cast a shadow over images of children working the aisles of the New England mills.

For a sensation of being completely out of control for the big finish, the 1929 recording of “You Were Meant for Me” by Nat Shilkret with Dick Robertson on vocals might also leave us breathless.

What are some of your current writing projects?

This week, I’m currently braiding a few true ghost stories together into one narrative for Kristi Petersen Schoonover’s 34 Orchard literary journal.

Rebecca Rowland author of “The Clawset”

Which Stephen King novel/short story inspired your short story?

“The Clawset” is a feminist reimagining of King’s “The Boogeyman” from his Night Shift (1978) collection. My father was a huge King fan, so his paperbacks filled our bookcase when I was growing up, and I remember reading Night Shift when I was pretty young. I loved a number of the stories in that collection, but “The Boogeyman” flat out terrified me and the imagery stayed with me. Even as a freshman in college, I could not sleep with the closet door ajar.

For the culmination of my graduate degree in English literature, I analyzed King’s female characters in (what was at the time) his more recent releases: Dolores Claiborne, Gerald’s Game, Insomnia, Rose Madder, and Needful Things. So many of his twentieth-century stories portray women as either the victims of men or the monsters who destroy them. I reread “The Boogeyman” recently, and his portrayal of the one woman who appears (tangentially) in it is very telling of the time in which King penned it nearly fifty years ago. I wanted “The Clawset” to be a 2020s version of his tale with an all-female cast, and I named the characters very purposefully. It’s my love letter to Stephen King and the influence his stories had—and continue to have—on my writing.

Who’s your favorite modern female author?

There are so many to choose from, it’s difficult to name one as a favorite. I adore Gwendolyn Kiste’s writing: it’s feminist with a whip smart wit I adore, and I’ll read anything she puts her hand to. As a fan of short fiction in particular, I love seeing the names of women writers whose work I’m familiar with in thematic anthologies and reading their interpretations of those themes, women like KC Grifant, EV Knight, Kenzie Jennings, Ruthann Jagge, Candace Nola, Holly Rae Garcia, Bridgett Nelson, Stephanie Ellis, Hailey Piper, C.O. Davidson, Elin Olausson, and of course, three of the kick ass women I share space with in this anthology: Amy Grech, L.E. Daniels, and Kristi Petersen-Schoonover. The stuff all of these women are crafting is simply genius: it’s horrific and original and more than anything, smart as hell.

What are some of your current writing projects?

My seventh curated anthology, American Cannibal, drops just a few days after this anthology, and it’s a true juggernaut with twenty stories from some of the biggest names writing horror today: I can’t wait for readers to take a bite out of it. My own stories will be appearing in anthologies here and there throughout 2023, including in Sinister Smile Press’ Just a Girl women in horror collection later this month (March 2023). My next novelette, Rock of Ages, debuts in a horror anthology that benefits a Texas-area food bank in June, and my next short fiction collection, White Trash & Recycled Nightmares, drops from Stygian Sky Media in late summer. I maintain a (likely obnoxious) website, RowlandBooks.com, and a (definitely silly) Instagram, @Rebecca_Rowland_books. I hope readers will give them a look.

It’s certainly easier being a woman in horror today than it was thirty, twenty, or even ten years ago, but it still isn’t a piece of cake: there will always be INCELs and boys’ club naysayers lurking about, trolling social media and slapping blind, one-star reviews on anything they see is penned by a woman. I’m endlessly appreciative of small presses, reviewers, and influencers that take the time to spotlight the women who write horror. We may still be in the minority, but make no mistake: we are a force to be reckoned with.

Read L.E. Daniels & Rebecca Rowland’s stories in Hush, Don’t Wake the Monster along with other amazing authors!

Purchase book here!

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Out Now: Hush, Don’t Wake the Monster – Stories Inspired by Stephen King

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I’m so proud to announce that the fourth book (can’t believe we’re at four!) of Women in Horror Anthology series, Hush, Don’t Wake the Monster – Stories Inspired by Stephen King is FINALLY OUT!

A collection of new and exclusive short stories inspired by and in tribute to, Stephen King.

Stephen King is a seminal writer of horror, whose influence transcends the literary sphere, having also taken the cinematic world by storm – and ultimately delivering nightmares to generations for almost five decades.

This fourth anthology of the Women in Horror series edited by Azzurra Nox brings together a diverse group of female writers who contribute their personal twist to the works of Stephen King.

Featured authors include: Andrea Teare, Rachel Bolton, Marnie Azzarelli, Lauri Christopher, Kay Hanifen, Hannah Brown, Kristi Petersen Schoonover, L. E. Daniels, Sealey Andrews, Christabel Simpson, Alisha Galvan, Rebecca Rowland, Cheryl Zaidan, Amy Grech, Jane Nightshade, Trisha Ridinger McKee, and Azzurra Nox.

If you’re a fan of Stephen King, you’re going to LOVE this book!

PURCHASE BOOK HERE

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Spotlight: The Wonders by Elena Medel

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Maria moved to the city in 1969, leaving her daughter with her family but hoping to save enough to take care of her one day. She worked as a housekeeper, then a caregiver, and later a cleaner, and somehow she was always taking care of someone else. Two generations later, in 2018, Alicia was working at the snack shop in Madrid’s Atocha train station when it overflowed with protestors and strikers. All women—and so many of them—protesting what? Alicia wasn’t entirely sure. She couldn’t have known that Maria was among them. Alicia didn’t have time for marches; she was just trying to hang on until the end of her shift, when she might meet someone to take her away for a few hours, to make her forget. 

Readers will fall in love with Maria and Alicia, whose stories finally converge in the chaos of the protests, the weight of the years of silence hanging thickly in the air between them. The Wonders brings half a century of the feminist movement to life, and launches an inimitable new voice in fiction. Medel’s lyrical sensibility reveals her roots as a poet, but her fast-paced and expansive storytelling show she’s a novelist ahead of her time.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE

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Review: Drunk Elephant – Protini Powerpeptide Resurf Serum

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What It Is: Ultra-concentrated blend of 11 peptides Serum.

What It Does: Hydrates, soothes, and resurfaces skin.

Active Ingredients: Snow Mushroom Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, and 11 peptides.

Verdict: This serum helps hydrate and restore glow to your skin. If you have enlarged pores (as I do because of oily skin), it helps minimize them, along with fine lines, and sun damage. This serum is a miracle worker and really leaves your skin feeling well-hydrated and fully restored. I used it for a week and already saw results. I use it right after toner, on my face and neck area, and I’ve noticed quite a difference! I’ve always been a fan of Drunk Elephant skincare items but hadn’t had a chance to try this out, till it was in one of my Ipsy Glam Bag X items. Your skin will no longer be uneven or dull, and since I hate wearing foundation, this serum really helps with having your skin look glowy without makeup. I also loved the packaging, because it has a twist top that really helps with not having bacteria get into your product nor do you have to worry about product spillage if you’re traveling!

Price: $82

Where To Buy It: https://www.drunkelephant.com/

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Spotlight: It’s One of Us by J.T. Ellison

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PURCHASE BOOK HERE

Everybody lies. Even the ones you think you know best of all . . .
 
Olivia Bender designs exquisite home interiors that satisfy the most demanding clients. But her own deepest desire can’t be fulfilled by marble counters or the perfect rug. She desperately wants to be a mother. Fertility treatments and IVF keep failing. And just when she feels she’s at her lowest point, the police deliver shocking news to Olivia and her husband, Park.
 
DNA results show that the prime suspect in a murder investigation is Park’s son. Olivia is relieved, knowing this is a mistake. Despite their desire, the Benders don’t have any children. Then comes the confession. Many years ago, Park donated sperm to a clinic. He has no idea how many times it was sold—or how many children he has sired.
 
As the murder investigation goes deeper, more terrible truths come to light. With every revelation, Olivia must face the unthinkable. The man she married has fathered a killer. But can she hold that against him when she keeps such dark secrets of her own?

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Film Review: The Outwaters

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I’m usually NOT a fan of found footage horror movies, but I was curious to check this one out when I discovered that it was made on a $15,000 budget and needed to see how writer-director Robbie Banfitch managed to pull this off. Also, the movie takes place in the Mojave Desert, which quite frankly, as much as I find it a very alluring place, it can also emote creepiness as so many people go missing there every year. In fact, it was the premise of one of my short stories, Comets Tear the Skies.

The simple plot is that a group of friends go to the desert to record a music video, and it doesn’t take long before things get really crazy and deadly. For the majority of the film, the viewer is as disorientated and terrified as Robbie wanders the desert in both total darkness and glaring sunlight. What we do see is a gory bloodfest and strange, tremors-like worms crawling around (are they aliens?). We’re never sure what exactly is going on, but what we do know is that our protagonist is in danger, and there’s no escaping the violent onslaught.

This is a strange, bloody cosmic horror in which there’s no moment of levity or respite for any of the people involved. In fact, the horror only continues to progress to the bloody finale that will finally show us what happened to Robbie’s friends, and ultimately what happens to him. Check this out if you love found footage, as this movie really does wonders with its limited budget and the writer/director’s experience, but still manages to create a very chilling movie.

*Thank you so much to Emma Griffiths & Cinedigm for an early screening of the movie.

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Book Review: Maeve Fly by CJ Leede

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The thing that has been growing inside me that is not rage and is not spite and is not fear or pain.

PLOT SUMMARY

By day, Maeve Fly works at the happiest place in the world as every child’s favorite ice princess.

By the neon night glow of the Sunset Strip, Maeve haunts the dive bars with a drink in one hand and a book in the other, imitating her misanthropic literary heroes.

But when Gideon Green – her best friend’s brother – moves to town, he awakens something dangerous within her, and the world she knows suddenly shifts beneath her feet.

Untethered, Maeve ditches her discontented act and tries on a new persona. A bolder, bloodier one, inspired by the pages of American Psycho. Step aside Patrick Bateman, it’s Maeve’s turn with the knife.

GRADE: A

REVIEW:

This book aches to be a female lead American Psycho type of novel, with protagonist Maeve Fly at the wheel. Maeve is obsessed with Halloween music, doxxing terrible people online, and her job at DisneyLand where she impersonates Elsa from Frozen. Maeve is indifferent to most people except for her best friend Kate and dying grandmother, a former Hollywood silent movie star, Tallulah Fly. I enjoyed Maeve’s journey although sometimes Maeve’s obsessions and edginess seemed forced. Most of the brutal scenes weren’t described in detail – we were only hinted at what would happen and it’d cut to black. For a book promising an edgy, dark character it kind of annoyed me (but I’m probably in the minority here) that we didn’t get to see more gore.

I read Story of the Eye in my early 20’s and have recced this book to many people (is this why they think I’m twisted?), and Maeve is obsessed with this book too. I must say, that I was supremely HAPPY that a certain scene came to fruition after the promise of the book’s cover. I would’ve been annoyed otherwise.

However, I did LOVE this book – so don’t take my little gripes at heart. I just love girl villains so want people to push the envelope when it comes to that. The final line of this novel though is PURE PERFECTION and I absolutely love it. In other words, I will definitely look forward to this author’s next novel!

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3 Horror Novels I Can’t Wait to Read in 2023

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Being someone who receives many ARCs (advanced reader’s copies) for review purposes for this blog, I read many of the 2023 releases last year. So, these are three books that I didn’t receive ARCs for, but still want to read all the same.

SHE IS A HAUNTING BY TRANG THANH TRAN

When Jade Nguyen arrives in Vietnam for a visit with her estranged father, she has one goal: survive five weeks pretending to be a happy family in the French colonial house Ba is restoring. She’s always lied to fit in, so if she’s straight enough, Vietnamese enough, American enough, she can get out with the college money he promised.

But the house has other plans. Night after night, Jade wakes up paralyzed. The walls exude a thrumming sound while bugs leave their legs and feelers in places they don’t belong. She finds curious traces of her ancestors in the gardens they once tended. And at night Jade can’t ignore the ghost of the beautiful bride who leaves cryptic warnings: Don’t eat.

Neither Ba nor her sweet sister Lily believe that there is anything strange happening. With help from a delinquent girl, Jade will prove this house–the home they have always wanted–will not rest until it destroys them. Maybe, this time, she can keep her family together. As she roots out the house’s rot, she must also face the truth of who she is and who she must become to save them all.

SILVER NITRATE BY SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA

Montserrat has always been overlooked. She’s a talented sound editor, but she’s left out of the boys’ club running the film industry in ’90s Mexico City. And she’s all but invisible to her best friend, Tristán, a charming if faded soap opera star, though she’s been in love with him since childhood.

Then Tristán discovers his new neighbor is the cult horror director Abel Urueta, and the legendary auteur claims he can change their lives—even if his tale of a Nazi occultist imbuing magic into highly volatile silver nitrate stock sounds like sheer fantasy. The magic film was never finished, which is why, Urueta swears, his career vanished overnight. He is cursed.

Now the director wants Montserrat and Tristán to help him shoot the missing scene and lift the curse . . . but Montserrat soon notices a dark presence following her, and Tristán begins seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend.

As they work together to unravel the mystery of the film and the obscure occultist who once roamed their city, Montserrat and Tristán may find that sorcerers and magic are not only the stuff of movies.

LOOKING GLASS SOUND BY CATRIONA WARD

In a cottage overlooking the windswept Maine coast, Wilder Harlow begins the last book he will ever write. It is the story of a sun-drenched summer of his youth and of the killer that stalked the small New England town. Of the terrible tragedy that forever bonded him with his friends Nat and Harper in unknowable ways. Of a horror that has followed them over the years.

Wilder has returned to the town decades later in an attempt to recount that summer’s events in his memoirs. But as he writes, Wilder begins to fear his grip on the truth is fading, and events in the manuscript start to chime eerily with the present. He’s even started seeing a dark-haired woman down in the icy waters below the cottage, but nobody else can.

No longer able to trust his own eyes, Wilder begins to fear that this will not only be his last book, but the last thing he ever does…

What are some of the reads you’re looking forward to this year?

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Book Review: The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

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Houses remember….

PLOT SUMMARY:

As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. But by their 30s, their bond has been strained by the demands of their adult lives. So when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend.

Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home now, but in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato, and rented for the summer by a notorious rock star, Noel Gordon. In an attempt to reignite his creative spark, Noel invites up-and-coming musician, Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce’s girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. But he also sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Mari writing one of the greatest horror novels of all time, Lara composing a platinum album––and ends in Pierce’s brutal murder.

As Emily digs into the villa’s complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. That perhaps Pierce’s murder wasn’t just a tale of sex, drugs, and rock & roll gone wrong, but that something more sinister might have occurred––and that there might be clues hidden in the now-iconic works that Mari and Lara left behind.

Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge––and it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.

Inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle––the birthplace of Frankenstein––The Villa welcomes you into its deadly legacy.

GRADE: B-

REVIEW:

I did enjoy this book however, the “mystery & thriller” part never quite showed up. The book is told in two timelines, the present where two best friends stay at a villa in Orvieto, Italy, each friend using their time there to pen their new books. The second timeline takes place in 1974 when four Brits stay at the villa during one summer and a murder occurs.

Now the thing about the 1974 time that kind of annoyed me is that it was an absolute rip-off of Mary Shelley’s life, as Mari stood for Mary, Pierce Sheldon for Percy Bysshe Shelley, the rock star Neil Gordon was obviously Lord Byron, and Mari’s stepsister Lara was ripped off from Mary’s stepsister Claire Clairmont. The author used details about Mary Shelley’s life to stand in for Mari’s life (how her father married a next-door neighbor, how her family disowned her when she ran away with the married Percy and even used the death of Mary’s child in Mari’s backstory too). This wasn’t just a little too on the nose, it was a complete sledgehammer. However, if you’re a writer, you might enjoy these tidbits of information.

The present timeline wasn’t as fascinating as the one in 1974, because I really couldn’t stand Em, the cozy-mystery writer who’s too hung up on her best friend Chess’s recent success as a motivational writer. In fact, I don’t even know why these two are friends when they seem to dislike one another.

This book was interesting, I won’t deny that, but at the same time, it didn’t deliver on the thriller aspect that was promised in the beginning. But since I did read the book in about two days, I will say that the author has a way of having you want to stay up to read until you’ve reached the end, so I’ll give her props for that.

All in all, this book is good if you’re looking for a cozy mystery – because it’s in no way a thriller or true mystery. The location is gorgeous and the 1974 timeline of groupies and rockstars was fascinating, despite the blatant rip-off of Shelley’s life.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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Short Film: Mother

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Recently, I lent my poem, “This Is War” to the short film Mother by Brad Case. This is an arthouse film in support of women’s rights – and the poem describes the fallout of Roe Vs. Wade this summer.

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