Angel Van Atta is a true hidden gem. I first discovered her on Facebook. She was featured on a few of my favourite horror pages and I was swept up in all the hype surrounding her latest book, IN THE TALL TREES. One friend posted about it, then another, and another, until finally I gave in. I had to know if this book could possibly live up to the hype.
Spoiler Alert: IT DID
IN THE TALL TREES is a novel like no other. Told from the perspective of a small child the writer skillfully captures the innocence and vulnerability and endless love a child can show toward a parent. Even when that parent doesn’t deserve it.
My heart ached for little Mella Moo, and I felt myself get freaked out a little when Angel ramped up the danger and put the little girl directly into harms way. Angel talks about pouring herself into her work and to me, that’s the hallmark of a true artist. Anyone can write a story. Anyone. There’s a beginning, a middle and an end. It’s the true artist that can make that story truly memorable. A true artist can evoke emotions for characters we know are fiction.
This book moved me, shook me, and proved yet again that there are hidden gems in the indie horror world just waiting to be discovered.
Come with me now to meet the latest Master of Horror: Angel Van Atta.
Tell me something about yourself.
I was kind of a forced nomad as a kid. My dad drug me around alot from place to place after my mom died. He would leave me with friends and family when he got tired of the responsibility and pick me up again when he needed the welfare check or hotel vouchers. So when I was finally old enough to be out on my own, I was happy and relieved. I was barely 18 when I met my husband and we were instant best friends. He was the first man to show me what love meant and it was honestly love at first sight. We've been together ever since and have nestled into our own place between Modesto California, the birthplace of George Lucas and Jeremy Renner, and Yosemite, birthplace of Half-Dome! I'm a chaotic-good housewife who loves gaming and I help run our tiny paydirt business.
Why write horror?
For me horror has always been comforting. The idea that you can watch or read about these people who are going through so much worse than you as they navigate their situations and ultimately triumph over evil always gave me so much hope as a kid. It brought me through the harder times and allowed me to see that the scared little girl could also be victorious. The Final Girl was my idol, growing up.
What’s the scariest book you’ve ever read?
The They Are All Monsters series, by Justin Boote. I know how much research went into these books. How much real life horror took place in order for Mr. Boote to come up with all of those terrifying words, and to me the real life stuff is far worse than the made up stuff people use to scare and entertain. The horror both written and in the spaces in between the words in these books scare me to my core. I recommend reading them with all of my heart, just make sure you leave a light on in the hall when you do.
What are you working on now?
Right now I'm working on two short stories for two separate anthologies as well as the follow up of In The Tall Trees. It's kind of like Children of the Corn meets V.C. Andrews, but also nothing at all like that. It's still very early on in the process though, and I don't control the words. They do what they want. I just hold the pen.
Describe as best you can the first or most significant success you’ve had in your writing career.
I try to put myself into my writing. My experiences or things I've witnessed or horrors I've read about that have touched me in some way. I try to give voice to those situations that society has demanded we sweep under the rug for too long. But my latest book, In The Tall Trees, has a lot more of me in it than most. Growing up, my father was abusive. Physically, mentally, emotionally and other ways. I remember the blood splatter on the walls after he and my step mom had argued. I remember him passing out in weird places and a time of him explaining in detail to my step mom about how she was to trick a man into a specific place so that he could rob him with a crowbar as my step siblings and I waited in the car. I also remember the pizza place we went to after. This book has a lot of little pieces of that mixed in, and the things that stand out to me the most about this, that makes me feel the proudest, are in some of the reviews. The ones from people who could see themselves in Mella and who found comfort in her bravery. The idea that anything I have written could offer someone comfort in that way fills my heart. And to me, that's all the measure of success I'll ever need.
A special MASTERS OF HORROR thanks goes to Angel for taking the time to answer my questions and allowing us to get to know her just a little bit better.
If you haven’t already read IN THE TALL TREES here’s a quick sample of what the reviewers are saying…
“I have read most of the authors books, Angel is a truly gifted storyteller; so much so I read her horror stories and I don’t read that genre in general anymore 🤗 but this thriller/heartwrencher that is told through the eyes of ‘Mella, the main character, who is a young girl, I was completely in the story from page one. I was Mella, figuring out this world she lives in, amidst a truly terrifying nightmare situation, she is still seeking joy in those ways that only children can, feeling her feel what love is, and know what evil is too.. I was terrified and so so invested in the lives of Mella, her little brother Petey and oh of course her warrior momma.. highly HIGHLY RECOMMEND, also may induce tears and needs to get a cuddle from your favorite cuddle..er.”
“This book is so incredibly sad and beautifully told.
As a survivor of abuse, this was difficult to read, but I think it's important to read, too. Victims need voices, especially the tiny ones.
This story is told in the POV of little Mella. She lives with her momma, baby brother, Petey, and sometimes Daddy comes to stay with them.
They live in the middle of a forest with momma chained so they can't leave.
Momma tries to protect Petey and Mella from the Bad Man but can only do so much.”
Need I say more? Grab your copy of IN THE TALL TREES today!
If you are a horror writer who would like to be featured on MASTERS OF HORROR for some free publicity just click the link below, answer the 5 Questions as fully and completely as possible and soon, you too, will be a MASTER OF HORROR!