MASTERS OF HORROR: KYLE ROLINATIS
I first met Kyle through the flash fiction contest and the rest is history. She is an amazing woman. Funny, fiercely loyal and an incredible author. Her book THE HARBINGER is a must read! So without further ado, let's get to know Kyle a little better.
1. What first drew you to horror—and was it something you experienced, feared, or imagined?
As a child I spent all my time reading books. I was at the library one day and picked up book three in the Bunnicula series - “The Celery Stalks at Midnight” and I was hooked!
Shortly after that I watched Salem’s Lot and there was no turning back. As a child with a lot of anxiety and fear- I found horror books and movies a safe and fun way to experience the things that I was fearful of.
2. How do you tap into real fear when writing—do you draw from your own nightmares, or do you create new ones?
I think we as writers live in our heads more than most and when I’m writing I really explore things I’m most fearful of. I spend a lot of time in my own twisted imagination and that is what I primarily draw from. I ask myself “what scares me? What would I want to read?” and that’s what I write.
3. Have you ever written something that disturbed even you—a moment where the story took a darker turn than expected?
When I start a story I really don’t know exactly how the story will go. I’m a pantser through and through. Oftentimes I am just as surprised as the reader by the trajectory of my story and the fate of my characters. Sometimes that has gone to a really dark place - unexpectedly.
4. If your stories had the power to summon something into the real world... what do you think you've already unleashed?
A raven with a curse on its wings! But only for those who have it coming.
5. How do you keep horror feeling fresh and terrifying when so many tropes are well-trodden?
I am such a horror fan and I have read so much- I just think “what do I want to read?” and I try to write that regardless of trope. For example, I have a werewolf short story which has certainly been done before, and done very well. I thought it over and knew I had never read one that took place in a cheesy retro diner and that sounded so cool to me. So I wrote it.
BONUS: Tell me about your latest project and where we can find it.
I love horror comedy so I wrote a short novel titled “Ope!” that released this past February. This book takes place in Ohio (Ohioans and all midwesterners know what Ope! means for sure!) I think it’s sort of a “New Girl meets Ash vs. The Evil Dead. It has been described as campy and having a B horror movie vibe and this is exactly what I was going for. You can find it everywhere books are sold and it’s also on audiobook. It was so much fun to write in this subgenre but now I’m back to the dark and hard stuff (which is also fun).
I’m currently working on a prequel to my gothic horror novella, The Harbinger. This one is called Blackwater Falls and it is going to be my darkest horror yet. Oh and it has a really terrifying serial killer!
As always, a big thank you to Kyle for indulging me and taking time out of her busy writing schedule and do this interview with me. I truly appreciate it!
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