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 Catherine Kuo!
Catherine Kuo (she/her) is an Asian American writer who currently resides in Arlington, Virginia. Her short stories can be found in the “Bloodless” anthology, published by Sliced Up Press; the “Monstrous Futures” anthology, published by Dark Matter Ink; and the charity anthology “Dark Corners of the Old Dominion,” published by Death Knell Press. Her debut novelette, “The Space Person,” is available through Timber Ghost Press. She can be found on www.catherinekuo531.wordpress.com and on Bluesky @catherinekuo531.
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 my biggest strength in writing is I’m motivated to do it outside of the element of fun; for me there’s a desperation to get all the stories out of my head before I die, which could happen any time, so my writing habits are fairly consistent. There is certainly no end to what I need to improve on, but I’m lucky that my close friend and beta reader isn’t afraid to tell me exactly what needs improving. It’s extremely helpful to have peers who can give you objective, productive criticism. Other than that, it’s super important to read. I have sadly lost the ability to read for fun, but reading to study the craft of writing is invaluable.
What are your thoughts on the book industry today, or more importantly, about the book community?
Any industry has its ups and downs, its good apples and its bad apples. I’ve seen a fair share of ugliness in the space, but I’ve also seen a lot of beautiful, uplifting work being done. Like in any community, your experience will be defined by the people you interact with and keep close to you. But if I’m to take a hard stance on anything, it’s to say no to generative AI!
Do you feel it is getting harder or easier to make it as an independent author these days?
I haven’t been in the game long enough to even try and make a confident statement about the topic, but I assume with the self-publishing options available now, it’s probably easier to get your work out there. Whether it’s easier or harder to make a living off of it, however, I think that’s always going to be difficult no matter what. Hang in there, writers!
Tell us about your work. What story are you most proud of?
All of my stories are based on personal experiences, with the exception of “The Bride of Dream Lake,” featured in Death Knell Press’s “Dark Corners of the Old Dominion” anthology. Most of them are set in Japan, which is where I lived and worked for several years. One of the reasons I started writing horror stories was because I was always searching for a horror movie or story that reflected not only what I was scared of, but also included the cultural context of those horrors. Very few scratched that itch, so I thought to myself, “Well, I guess I’ll just have to write the stories I want to read.” The story I’m most proud of is still in the editing dungeon, where it’s being flayed and beaten until it resembles a coherent narrative, but of my published stories, I think “The Space Person” is my favorite child at the moment.
What are your upcoming works and plans for the future?
I’ve got several stories in the submission pipeline, just need to find the right home for them, hopefully soon! The plan for the future is the same as the plan now: keep writing, keep submitting. Like a bad case of food poisoning, there’s still a lot that needs to come out, so I won’t stop until I’m emptied of all the stories still swirling around in there.
KANDISHA PRESS 
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