This week, the excellent Legion of Leia website (which aims to “raise awareness of the fact that women love sci-fi”) asked me a few questions about the topic of horror and being a woman writer in genre literature. I highly recommend checking out this blog and podcast if you haven’t already–it covers a wide breadth of topics related to geekdom, some near and dear to my heart, such as the upcoming X-men movie and season of Stranger Things.
For this interview, fellow horror writer Dr. Billy San Juan interviewed me on the topic of horror, how I got into writing and my story in the upcoming anthology California Screamin’, (featuring 14 horror stories that take place in Southern California, the book is available for preorder now). Here’s a brief excerpt of the Q&A:
Legion of Leia: Fear is generally considered a negative emotion, and yet the horror genre is incredibly popular. Why are readers so drawn to the things that scare us?
K.C. Grifant: Horror is usually considered a catharsis. You get to experience something horrific and frightening but come out in one piece… even if the character doesn’t. It might tap into the same adrenaline that gives people a rush when they’re on a roller coaster or skydiving, an I survived sort of high. Interestingly, different types of horror don’t have the same effect on everyone. For example, some people revel in reading or watching real-life horror such as true crime, but can’t handle paranormal horror. I’m the reverse; the more creative and unusual the monster, the more satisfying it is for me to watch. But realistic hostage or serial killer stories freak me out. I think it comes down to everyone’s stress valves and what gives you a sense of escape and relief. The appeal of horror seems especially prominent right now, probably due to two factors: People needing a break from our current environment of unrelenting, distressing news and often negative hive-mind social media chatter, and a resurgence of high-quality shows and books to provide that release.
Read the full interview at Legion of Leia: Interview: K.C. Grifant on California Screamin’ and the Horror Genre
KC Grifant 