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 Rebecca Karas!
Rebecca Karas lives in the midwest with her husband and two cats. When she’s not baking or frequenting the library, she’s reading Gothic Literature to the cute & eldritch wildlife around her home. Her work has been published in Witch House Magazine, soon to be published in Dark Speculations later this year, and Graveside Press Tiny Terrors in 2026. She’s currently writing her first novel. You can find her rambling thoughts @rebeccakaras.bsky.social
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 are the emotion and relatability I bring to my writing. I love to write things that are not only scary, but sad/grief-filled/yearnful/heartbreaking, because in my mind these emotions often go hand in hand.
I’m very much a fake it til you make it person. I tend to do something over and over until I’m happy with it. Lately I’ve been focusing on flash fiction and strengthening my writing in that realm—which has been a huge undertaking as someone who loves to ramble. I was always the person to write too much in school, and I was unpleasantly surprised when this translated to my creative writing pursuits as well. I’ve definitely made improvements though.
What are your thoughts on the book industry today, or more importantly, about the bookcommunity?
The book industry seems like a leviathan of a world I’d like to be a part of someday. I’ve only just skimmed the surface on what the book community is like, but the horror community has been so incredibly welcoming. I was not prepared for how down to earth and willing to help the authors & editors are in this community.
Do you feel it is getting harder or easier to make it as an independent author these days?
I wish I had more reference, but I’d imagine it’s more difficult. From what I understand, people aren’t reading as much as they did even ten years ago, and writers salaries (along with most salaries) have decreased over time.
Tell us about your work. What story are you most proud of?
I’m still incredibly proud of the first short story I’ve ever had published: The Ravine Sentinel via Witch House Magazine. This was the first story I ever submitted anywhere, and I didn’t think anyone would pick it up. It’s a story based on my own youth, living next to a ravine owned by a neglectful farmer. There’s a lot of myself in that story.
Although, I think the work I’m most proud of hasn’t been published yet (keep your eyes out for news in 2026!)
What are your upcoming works and plans for the future?
I’ll have a short story released in Volume 2 of Dark Speculations out sometime in October of 2025 and another story in Graveside Press via their Tiny Terrors line sometime in 2026. These are two of my favorite stories I’ve ever written, and I can’t wait to share them.
KANDISHA PRESS 
Leave a comment