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 Sally Darling! Sally’s story “Mantra” is featured in PRETEND YOU DON’T SEE HER: THE INVISIBLE WOMAN (Kandisha Press 2025 Women of Horror Anthology.)
SALLY DARLING—pen name of Sally Bartolotta—is a writer and aspiring author within the horror and weird fiction genres. She resides in Florida and is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association – Southwest Florida Chapter. Sally is a vocalist and bassist best known for her work with Team Cybergeist, PsyKill and Crossbreed. As a certified yoga teacher, she enjoys teasing the boundaries of her duality, combining chaos and calm. A lover of animals and an eater of plants, Sally is also Vice President of a non-profit Foundation, and co-owner of The Rock Box Music School & Stage. She is currently working on a collection of short stories she hopes will shock and offend the masses.
How did you come up with the character of Amelia? Would you say she’s inherently evil, or just a being following her true nature? And did you laugh with delight when you wrote that most excellent ending?
So, after first hearing about the concept of the newest Women of Horror anthology, I decided to use my husband as a guinea pig (sorry, not sorry), by casually asking him what the most terrifying entity and/or scenario involving a woman would possibly be. Without hesitation, he just blurted out *(Amelia’s true form in the story… I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet)*. No explanation, just the one-word response. It was honestly somewhat comical. But, if you’ve read Mantra, I’m sure it comes as no surprise as to why a creature such as Amelia would be terrifying to men. And that got me positively salivating. (After all, who doesn’t want to scare the living shit out of men?!)
As I started to picture who Amelia was, I kept thinking back to Felissa Rose’s awesome portrayal of Angela from the original Sleepaway Camp. Though the two characters are extremely different in pretty much every possible way, there’s an unsettling vibe they each share, that I felt fit Amelia to a tee.
As for whether or not I think she’s evil, I don’t. Amelia is someone searching for her happily ever after. She is a “person” who has flaws just like the rest of us. Threaded throughout the story, Amelia does her best (through her trusted mantra) to control and in some ways even rally against her true nature. Even in the moments when she allows herself to enjoy the fruits of her labor (dessert, anyone?) she still chastises herself the same way the majority of us do when we give into our own temptations. And besides, girls gotta eat! In all seriousness though, there is a specific scene I felt was important to tell, as it shows a direct parallel between Amelia and her lover, Will. And that was the scene at the restaurant when they are eating. I wanted to highlight that either all of us are monsters, or none of us are. As for the ending, I honestly had such a wonderful time writing it, and I don’t know whether I should feel proud or perhaps a little concerned. Maybe both? We’ll go with both!
What does Amelia’s story say about the plight of women in the real world? How can the ordinary, “invisible” woman relate to her?
I think Amelia’s obstacles mirror those of a lot of women in the real world. So many of us feel overlooked, whether on a small scale or a grander one. We’re often taken for granted, taken advantage of, or just flat out underestimated. It’s not always men who overlook us either. I thought it was important to show how even awesome, well-intentioned women (such as her friend and workmate, Cassandra) may underestimate or even “mansplain” at times. Then there’s her interactions with Russell. Who among us hasn’t had a Russell in our lives? It’s quite exhausting! As for Amelia herself, she struggles with self-acceptance. She struggles with guilt. She struggles with self-image (even going so far as to use another woman’s picture on her dating profile). She feels ashamed of herself and her body most of the time, and she goes through desperate measures to hide her eating habits from the guy she likes. I can recall as a young teen, being mortified for anyone to know I ate actual food. And I know I’m not alone here… I remember feeling like I was going to die, when a date heard my stomach growl for the first time. I remember I froze, praying he wouldn’t say anything, and when he did (the dummy), I felt like I could literally kill us both in that moment.
What does your creative process look like when you’re writing? Do you have any special rituals or routines?
My creative process is a bit chaotic at times. I am usually someone who tries to plot things out, but I’m absolutely a pantser. (And just like Amelia, I’m stubborn when it comes to embracing my true nature.) With this story, I was given a single idea of who/what Amelia was and based on the amazing prompt for the book (who doesn’t have an inner female entity deep within them who has been overlooked, desperate to reveal herself on the page?!) I felt I had plenty to draw from.
The opening scene, where Amelia is enjoying a lovely dessert, came to me right away and I knew I wanted to showcase that. But after that, I had no idea where to go from there. I started mapping out who Amelia was as a “person”, and allowed myself to let go of the reins, and instead follow her, having her go through all sorts of scenarios, to see what she might do and how she might react in various situations. Many of her escapades did not make it into the story. And once she met Will, it was all over. I guess she and I are both suckers for a good love story. I know it sounds a bit silly, but I had no idea (and possibly no control) over their fates. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but every emotion Amelia felt, I felt right along with her.
As far as rituals or routines go, coincidentally, I actually do use mantras on a regular basis, and I love to utilize a small amount of yoga and meditation before I write, specifically working with both the sacral and throat chakras (as they are amazing to work with when unlocking creativity.) I also enjoy a little pick-me-up before writing, either with a freshly blended fruit and veggie smoothie, or some sinfully delicious chocolate on the days when the “diet starts tomorrow” (which, who are we kidding, is most days).
What else are you working on? Any projects you’re especially excited about?
Yes! I have been toggling back and forth between a novella I wrote over the past few years, and a collection of short stories. For years now, the novella was something I wasn’t quite sure how to present. It’s not a conventional horror story, but the more I’ve been receiving feedback from my beta readers, the more confident I am that those who the story is intended for will absolutely get it. So, my goal is to get this novella out before the end of the year. Can it be done? We shall see!
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