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 C.C. Winchester!
C.C. Winchester’s love of horror began at the tender age of five, when she started sneaking into the living room late at night to watch zombie movies with her parents. Her mother said that though her infiltration was discovered, and she was promptly removed, she would return in what she thought was stealth mode, only to be removed again. She currently writes in Dallas, Texas.
Twitter: @MultiverseCC
Website: multiversedream.com
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?
Like many authors, my desire to become a writer was fueled by my love of reading. I don’t think I had an, “Aha!” moment, but one day my seventh-grade homeroom teacher asked several of us what we wanted to be when we grew up, and I immediately answered writer. The Black Stallion series by Walter Farley inspired me early on, but later Stephen King was also a huge influence. I also was greatly influenced by Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward a few years ago. I hadn’t written for some time prior to reading her work and it inspired me to start writing again. I believe my first published work, “The Trial of Jehenne de Brigue” by Kandisha Press, wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t come across Jesmyn Ward’s book.
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?
I think I’m strongest at creating memorable characters and good dialogue. I’m weakest at description and I’ve found that reading well written works helps me improve on that.
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?
I find the book community of independent horror authors very welcoming, and I have made great friends among this group. Most people in the horror writing community are very supportive of their fellow authors. I think it is easier to get published as an independent author, but harder to make a living. But then again, I have friends that are published through small presses, and they don’t make a living at it either. I have one friend who says you must have seven books published before you can quit your day job.
Tell us about your work. What story are you most proud of?
I’ve written several short stories and four have been published so far. I don’t write a lot of gore, although there is a bit of that in some of my stories. I like to look at the human condition through the lens of horror. I’m most proud of “The Trial of Jehenne de Brigue”. Jehenne is my favourite character of the many I have created. I’ve written other stories that feature her.
What are your upcoming works and plans for the future?
I continually write and submit horror short stories to various small presses. I also have plans for a longer work starring Jehenne de Brigue.
KANDISHA PRESS 