Say the words “horror writer,” and bestselling authors like Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Clive Barker will generally pop into people’s minds. It takes mentioning vampires to get a nod to the legacy of Anne Rice. Fair or not, women have not made as powerful a mark on the collective conscious as men when it comes to tales of horror. It’s time for the ladies to get the blood flowing.
For those who doubt that a woman can dwell in the darkest recesses of the psyche, compose twisted tales, and generally scare and disturb her readers — you’ve met your match. Amy Grech is a prolific author in the horror genre. She’s sold over 100 stories. Her second book, Blanket of White, was recently published by Damnation Books. It’s a collection of short stories that are as chilling as the snowy landscape of the title tale.
The 37 year-old grew on up Long Island in the quaint little town of Northport and now makes her home in Park Slope Brooklyn. She was drawn to writing at an early age and pursued her passion academically. She graduated from Ithaca College with a major in English and minor in creative writing. There she made the most of courses such as The Literature of Horror, Popular Fiction, Writing Science Fiction, Fiction Writing I and II, and Writing Children’s Literature.
The hard study and longtime passion for language are clear in her writing. Her stories are woven with deft grace. The imagery is vivid. Her characters are emotionally complex and realistic. Enjoy learning more about this talented writer as Amy Grech graciously opens about her craft. Then go seek out her work. She is indeed the real deal.
Writing
Please share a little about your collection Blanket of White and its inspiration.
Blanket of White is a collection of 14 short stories, mainly horror, though there are a few sci-fi/horror hybrids as well. The title story is quiet horror story, as are “Perishables,” “Rampart,” “Prevention,” Raven’s Revenge,” and “Damp Wind and Leaves.” Two sci-fi/horror hybrids are “Perishables” and “EV 2000.” The more extreme stories would be “Cone and Gone,” “Cold Comfort,” “Initiation Day,” “Crosshairs,” “Russian Roulette,” and “Apple of My Eye.”
The title story actually evolved ten years ago, when I saw a real life story on the news about a little girl who had a terminal illness and the compassionate way her father chose to end her suffering. The little girl in my story, Suzy is very remarkable despite her illness. “Blanket of White” has a profound affect on readers who are also parents.
When did you realize you had to write?
An Aunt introduced me to Stephen King’s novels when I was 12. I started with Cujo and have been hooked ever since! When I realized there weren’t a lot of female horror authors, I knew that was my calling!
One question I face a lot of is “Why Horror?” You showcase a lot of dark issues in your writing. What does focusing on those offer you as a storyteller?
Focusing on Horror enables me to work out my fears on paper and get paid for it. The dark side of humanity offers limitless story material. I have a notebook full of ideas, based on people I’ve seen on the street or subway and various overhead conversations.
Why is a female perspective important to add to the world of horror, and has anyone tried to steer you away from writing it?
Women tend to be more emotional than men, so being a woman allows me to covey my characters’ emotions, no matter how good or bad. My parents weren’t exactly pleased with my choice of horror. To appease them, I wrote and sold several children’s stories, but that’s not where my heart was. My mother reads my work, but my father flat out refuses to; maybe one day he’ll come around…
Please share a little about your writing process. Do you do a lot of research? Are there any writing exercises you use to flesh out characters and their back story? Do you outline?
I’ll use the Internet for research if I need to look up certain locations or medical information; doing so really enhances the story. Most of the time, I’ll learn something new in the process, so I’d say research is fun! Sometimes I’ll dream up a really great title, like “Perishables” and I’ll write a story based on that. Other times, I’ll start with the protagonist or antagonist and the story unravels from there. Whenever I’m stumped, I use stream of consciousness to get inside my characters’ heads. I despise outlines!
What are the top moments in your writing career so far?
Definitely meeting Harlan Ellison at the annual HWA Meeting in New York in 1996 and having him say, “I know you!” Other highlights include being invited to I-Con a convention held on Long Island and speaking on panels and doing readings; selling over 100 short stories to various anthologies and genre magazines.
What is your advice for aspiring writers trying to get their work noticed?
Write every day and carry a little notebook with you—there’s no telling when inspiration will strike. Join a writers’ organization like the Horror Writers Association. I’ve been an Active HWA member for over 15 years; I’ve made a lot of quality contacts as a result.
What is your favorite indulgence after completion of a story or novel?
I’ll treat myself to an expensive Sushi dinner, once my story has found a home!
Media
You spend a lot of time on social media such as Twitter. What has this meant for your writing?
Using LiveJournal, Twitter, and message boards, like Shocklines means I can promote my writing for free quickly and easily. I love Twitter! When someone with 1,000+ followers re-tweets a post about an interview or a review for Blanket of White and then their followers re-tweet it, word spreads at breakneck speed, and that has been a tremendous help with regards to sales.
What are some of your favorite experiences you’ve had interacting with your readers?
I love it will readers approach me at conventions and gush about a particular story I’ve written—it’s the best feeling!
Personal
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was six, I wanted to be a Good Humor Woman—the woman driving a Good Humor Truck on my block fueled this fantasy. By the age of 12, I wanted to be a doctor. At 16 I knew I wanted to be a writer!
Who were your childhood heroes?
Mighty Mouse won the coveted spot of favorite superhero! I remember being glued to the TV, intrigued by a muscular flying mouse, who sang, “Here I come to save the day!” as he swooped down to save a damsel in distress or thwart evil-doers!
What one word would you use to describe yourself?
Passionate.
If you could try any profession, other than your own, what would you like to try?
I wouldn’t mind being an ER Doctor—they’re constantly riding on an adrenaline rush and they get to see tons of blood every day. They constantly need to think outside the box—their patients’ lives depend on it.
If you could live in any other time, when would that be?
Definitely the 1960s! I’m down with free love. Let’s start a revolution…
Connect, Enjoy, Buy!
You can connect with Amy Grech on Twitter. Her sites include a LiveJournal account and Amy Grech’s Official Web Fright.
Blanket of White is available for purchase at Amazon.com, Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble.com, Books on Board, CoolerBooks, Damnation Books, and Diesel eBooks.
Fantastic interview!
Enjoyed the questions and the answers.
Thank you Mom. Thank you Jeremy for the comments and for reading! I appreciate you both!
Glad you enjoyed the interview, Jeremy!
Yes, good interview–I want to read Amy’s work now! I think women have long been overlooked in the horror realm, which is a real shame given their contributions. Mary Shelley leaps to mind, of course, as does Shirley Jackson. There are interesting horror movies (the Ginger Snaps films, which are fantastic, IMHO) that featured strong female casts and female directors, to boot. I hope the entire field continues to open wider to let talent shine through, regardless of gender!