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 Grace R. Reynolds!
Grace R. Reynolds is a native of the great state of New Jersey, where she was first introduced to the eerie and strange thanks to local urban legends of a devil creeping through the Pine Barrens. Since then, her curiosity with things that go bump in the night bloomed into creative expression as a dark poet, horror, and thriller fiction writer. Her short fiction and poetry has been published by various presses. She is the author of two poetry collections from Curious Corvid Publishing, Lady of The House (2022) and The Lies We Weave (2023).
Connect with her on Instagram, Threads, and X @spillinggrace, or on her website at http://www.spillinggrace.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?
I don’t think there was ever an “aha” moment for me. I’ve always felt a calling to write and tell stories, but it wasn’t until I was a teenager that I became more serious about writing. I wasn’t brave enough to share my work until a few years ago.
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?
My strengths lie in dialogue, atmosphere, and lyricism in my work, particularly when I focus on telling a story in an area of the world that is often “othered” in the literary sphere. There’s magic to be found when researching another culture’s customs and musical tastes, as well as darker histories that can set up a scene.
When I feel like I need to improve a particular skill, I read. Craft books, the works of my peers, and other authors I admire and respect in the industry. Longer fiction is more challenging for me, so I’ve recently gone back to the basics (Save The Cat) to make sure I’m hitting story beats where they need to be. It’s also important to talk to your friends and trusted readers when looking for feedback. I’m very thankful for the friends I have, the pointers they’ve given me, and the shared opportunity to read and offer constructive feedback on their works.
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?
There’s an overwhelming amount of information online for independent authors regarding what path they should take in the book industry. What feels like the right fit for them? Are they willing to work with a small press? Do they have the time management and aptitude to embark on the path of a self-published author, or do they want to follow a more traditional route with an agent? Opportunists are waiting to take advantage of newer authors in the industry and often do. For the most part, Indie Horror is a supportive community. We must address unprofessional and voyeuristic behaviors by bad actors or bad business practices when we see them. Equally important, we should extend grace and understanding to new authors who, like all of us, are bound to make mistakes. We’ve all been there, and it’s part of the journey of learning how to be a professional in this industry. Together, we can continue to grow in our respective crafts, knowing that we’re not alone in this.
Tell us about your work. What story are you most proud of?
Of the recent short stories I’ve written, I’m very proud of “Torbalan’s Gift,” a Bulgarian sapphic folk horror featured in Scissor Sisters (Brigids Gate Press) edited by Rae Knowles and April Yates, and “Ribbons of Light,” a Ukrainian paranormal folk dance tale featured in the Croatian speculative fiction magazine Morina Kutija Volume 6 (Morina Kutija) edited by Antonija Mežnarić, Vesna Kurilić, and Igor Rendić.
In my poetic works, I tend to focus on more mundane horrors and twist them into dark fantasies that speak to relevant issues, like women’s rights or ecological horrors. Much of my current work-in-progress features the horrors of war and environmental destruction.
What are your upcoming works and plans for the future?
My next release, Midnight Blue, will appear through Curious Corvid Publishing in September of this year. This limited-release explores my relationship with chronic illness and expresses a journey of healing through Texas landscapes and building community with the Texas horror authors I’ve met. I am also writing my next full-length dark poetry collection, Maybe You’re The Murderer, which focuses on the relationship between life, death, and the world around us. Aside from poetry, I have two horror novellas; one is drafted and is seeking a home for publication, and the other is currently on track to submit in late summer or early fall.
KANDISHA PRESS 
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