GREETINGS, BOOKWORMS! I’m Aisha Kandisha, Head Librarian at Kandisha Press. Join me in the dusty stacks of the library I will never leave again as I chat with some of my favorite Women in Horror. Today we feature author Kayla Frederick!
Kayla Frederick is the new pen name for established author, Kayla Krantz. A little neurotic and a huge lover of Halloween, she enjoys creepy stories.
What made you want to become an author? Did you have an “Aha!” moment when you knew you were born to write? Or perhaps a beloved book inspired you?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be an author. When I was a kid, I loved to write little stories about my cats going on adventures. In middle school, I made a habit of writing my own endings to books that I enjoyed. From there, I started to get my own ideas for books and sat down to write my first novel when I was in high school. Since then, I’ve written over ten novels and nearly thirty short stories. I love everything about it!
What do you believe are your strengths in writing? And when you feel you need to improve on a particular writing skill, how do you go about it?
When it comes to my stories, I think I’m very good at conveying emotions, especially when it comes to things such as sorrow and loss. I like to explore territory that I don’t see in a lot of other stories such as mental health issues and the struggles that come with certain disorders.
When it comes to areas where I need to improve, I read my favorite books and take note of how they do it. For example, I struggle with showing transitions in time so I read books that I enjoy and pay attention to how the issues are tackled in them.
What are your thoughts on the book industry today, or more importantly, about the book community? Do you feel it is getting harder or easier to make it as an independent author these days?
The book community is a wonderful thing to be part of. The authors that I’ve met in the indie horror community are some of the nicest people I’ve had the privilege of meeting. I think for someone who’s good at socializing and supporting others, it can be entirely possible to make it as an independent author.
Tell us about your work. What story are you most proud of?
The stories I write don’t usually stick to one genre. They sort of fluctuate between fantasy, horror, and drama so I usually classify it as dark fiction. Out of all the books I’ve written, I think the one I’m most proud of is my debut novel Dead by Morning because it was the first time I actually completed a book and showed myself that I could do it.
What are your upcoming works and plans for the future?
My major plan for this year is to overhaul my backlist and set the foundation for future works with my new pen name. Before the year is over, I also aim to launch a new short story collection along with a full-length novel, (possibly two if I’m lucky.)
KANDISHA PRESS 