Tag: Vampire

Author Interview

Author interview with ROAMING

Mandy Webster

With a voice that drifts between myth and memory, ROAMING’s work feels like stepping into a dream where beauty and terror walk hand in hand. Their narrative poem J’ai Besoin De La Morte, featured in Bad Moon on the Rise: An Anthology of the Unsettling, captures that delicate balance perfectly. In this interview, ROAMING discusses the influence of authors like Holly Black and Angela Slatter, the intertwining of art and myth in their creative process, and how they’ve learned to embrace the chaos of storytelling as both a mirror and a calling.

ROAMING’s work appears in the recently released Bad Moon on the Rise: An Anthology of the Unsettling.

Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: Holly Black. She’s the Queen of Faerie. I first read The Spiderwick Chronicles when I was eight or nine, then got into her Modern Faerie Tale series, and have absorbed everything she’s put out since. Her writing was what taught me that things can be beautiful and terrifying, which is something I’ve carried forth into my own writing.

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Bad Moon on the Rise: An Anthology of the Unsettling is Here!

Mandy Webster

The wait is over! Bad Moon on the Rise: An Anthology of the Unsettling is officially released and ready to haunt your bookshelves. This collection brings together an extraordinary group of writers, artists, and creators who explore life under a dark sky—whether literal or metaphorical. From chilling short fiction to thought-provoking essays and striking black-and-white art, this anthology dives into the unsettling, the eerie, and the uncanny.

We are thrilled to showcase the work of our incredible contributors:

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Kindle pre-orders now open for Bad Moon on the Rise: An Anthology of the Unsettling

Mandy Webster

The moon has turned dark, and something is stirring—Bad Moon on the Rise: An Anthology of the Unsettling is now available for Kindle pre-order!

What stirs when the moon turns dark? A secret long buried, a shadow at the edge of vision, a reckoning that cannot be avoided.

This collection gathers stories, essays, poetry, and art that explore the uncanny corners of life. Within these pages, you’ll encounter merpeople and vampires, terrifying nights in the wilderness, the quiet horror of domestic violence, poisonous plants, the extremes of human appetite, and all the small and large ways life can unsettle us.

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Book Reviews, Find Your Next Read

Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk sinks its fangs into grief, motherhood, and the hunger we can’t outrun

Mandy Webster

In this haunting Argentine gothic, the vampire isn’t a glamorous predator but a creature driven by instinct—feral, tragic, and devastatingly human. Marina Yuszczuk’s Thirst, translated by Heather Cleary, breathes new (undead) life into the vampire novel, weaving a queer, feminist narrative that shifts between 19th-century Buenos Aires and its modern-day counterpart. The result is an eerie and lyrical meditation on desire, decay, and the violent inheritance of womanhood.

Get your copy of Thirst from my independent online bookstore today!

The novel opens with the vampire as a child, taken by her mother and given over to the man who will eventually transform her. From the beginning, Thirst is deeply concerned with the bond between mothers and daughters—and the ways that bond can be both protective and damning. In the present day, the unnamed narrator grapples with her own mother’s slow death while caring for her young son. Grief unmoors her, and she finds herself wandering the cemetery where she first encounters the vampire. What begins as curiosity blooms into obsession, desire, and something even darker.

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Author Interview

Author interview with romantasy writer Rebecca Parcha

Mandy Webster

From retelling Little Red Riding Hood in a childhood writing class to crafting fierce, magic-wielding heroines who defy the patriarchy, romantasy author Rebecca Parcha has always known the power of a good story. Inspired by literary icons like Virginia Woolf and modern romantasy trailblazers like Sarah J. Maas, Rebecca blends old-world symbolism with bold, emotionally rich narratives that champion strong female leads and challenge societal norms. In this interview, she opens up about her writing rituals, literary influences, and what it means to create work that not only entertains, but empowers.

In Fangs of Fate, Tate Aaralyn walks a dangerous line between predator and prey—an executioner of justice in the human realm and a conflicted vampire in the Glenn, where her hunger feels like a curse. When a disciplinary hearing forces her into service with the guara, Tate must confront dark truths, a mysterious bond with a powerful vampire named Aether, and her own evolving power. Meanwhile, Chance Dale, the president’s son and her former lover, uncovers a sinister threat rising within the vampire world. As their paths cross again, both must decide whether love is their salvation—or their undoing.

Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: I love Virginia Woolf. I’m a huge fan of A Room of One’s Own. Her short stories are also amazing. To me, getting to study her and her life in college was one of my favorite parts of various literature classes. Beyond her, I’d say Hemingway, Poe, and George Lillo would also be up there as far as influential favorites within cherished prose and plays. There’s also the Brothers Grimm and Anne Saxton who I also have a great appreciation for.

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Spooktober Book Review: So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison

Mandy Webster

Rachel Harrison’s vampire novel So Thirsty is by far my most favorite horror(ish) read this #Spooktober! It is a thrilling exploration of female empowerment, friendship, and the darker sides of human nature, wrapped in a vampire tale that is both bloody and thought-provoking. The story centers around Sloane Parker, a woman dissatisfied with her life, including her failing marriage and stagnant sense of self. When a birthday getaway with her impulsive best friend Naomi takes a wild turn, the two women are transformed—literally and metaphorically—into vampires. This transformation forces them to confront their dissatisfaction with life, their friendship, and their buried desires.

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison is so far my favorite #Spooktober read of 2024!
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