![\"Hannah](\"https:\/\/d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net\/authors\/1364155813p5\/6471102.jpg\")
\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Hannah Kate is a multi-talented woman. \u00a0Based in the UK, she is a poet, writer, and editor, and also runs a small press, Hic Dragones, which publishes “intelligent but weird” dark fiction, holds conferences and events related to dark and horror fiction, and markets a series of murder mystery games. She has authored the poetry collection\u00a0Variant Spelling<\/em>\u00a0(Hic Dragones 2012) and a number of short stories and edited the anthologies\u00a0Impossible Spaces<\/em>\u00a0(Hic Dragones 2013) and\u00a0Wolf-Girls: Dark Tales of Teeth, Claws, and Lycogeny\u00a0<\/em>(Hic Dragones 2012). As Dr. Hannah Priest, she is also a researcher at the University of Manchester, where she writes academic works and lectures on medieval romance, contemporary fiction, and monsters (especially werewolves). \u00a0Luckily for us, in addition to all this, Hannah also makes time to review books for Monster Librarian.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
1. Can you give our readers a brief introduction?<\/b><\/p>\n
I\u2019m a short story writer (and poet) from Manchester, UK. I\u2019ve been published in several anthologies and have a collection of poetry out. I\u2019m also currently seeking representation for two novels (an adult apocalyptic horror and a YA urban fantasy, inspired by a medieval poem). In my other life, I am an academic researcher specializing in medieval and contemporary popular culture (with monsters being a particular interest). Under the name Hannah Priest, I\u2019ve published a number of articles on fairies, werewolves, vampires and other horrible things.<\/p>\n
2. Why do you write horror?\u00a0What draws you to the genre?<\/b><\/p>\n
I guess I\u2019ve always liked my fiction dark. Even when I was a kid, I tended to prefer the darker, twisted worlds of fantasy and horror. Perhaps that says something about my imagination, I don\u2019t know\u2026 I know a lot of people look down on horror \u2013 dismissing it as \u2018formulaic\u2019 or \u2018low culture\u2019 \u2013 but I think there\u2019s something very intelligent about horror fiction, about the way in which it plays with your mind. For me, when you read a good horror novel, you experience it on a number of levels. You can appreciate it for the writer\u2019s craft, sure, but it\u2019s also a more unsettling, psychological experience. Plus, with the really good books, you have a physical reaction (the shiver down the spine, the sudden chill). It\u2019s a bit like a rollercoaster ride (which I also love, by the way), and I really admire writers who can create such a complex experience for their readers. If I can achieve that with my own writing, I\u2019ll be happy.<\/p>\n
3. Can you describe your writing style or the tone you prefer to set\u00a0for your stories?<\/b><\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know if my style is always conventionally \u2018horror\u2019, though I\u2019m sure the content is. Recently, I\u2019ve been playing around with contrasting a light-hearted tone with horrible scenarios. I often set stories in the most innocuous settings (for instance, my short story \u2018Great Rates, Central Location\u2019 is set in a bland budget hotel), and I like to include misleadingly safe and \u2018nice\u2019 scenarios (my story \u2018Platform 14\u2019 is about a day trip to the seaside). I think I\u2019m inspired by Tales of the Unexpected<\/i> and The Twilight Zone<\/i> in this. Saying that, I don\u2019t always shy away from gore\u2026 I have a story coming out soon called \u2018Home\u2019 (my take on a vampire vs. werewolf showdown) that\u2019s fairly gruesome.<\/p>\n
4. Who are some of your influences?\u00a0Are there any women authors who have particularly inspired you to write?<\/b><\/p>\n
My influences are fairly broad. As I say, I think Roald Dahl\u2019s short stories (for adults) have been a big influence, as have the novels of Ramsey Campbell and Stephen King. However, my first introduction to the \u2018creepy tale\u2019 (which I guess is the genre I like to write in) was via women writers. I was around thirteen when I read Daphne du Maurier\u2019s Rebecca<\/i>, followed quickly by Susan Hill\u2019s The Woman in Black<\/i>. These books have a very special place in my heart, and pretty much determined that I would never write \u2018sweet\u2019 fiction. When I was a little older, I started reading Barbara Vine (aka Ruth Rendell)\u2019s novels, and I fell in love with the stifling, slow-burning sense of dread that Vine consistently creates. As far as contemporary authors go, I feel like I\u2019m a bit spoiled for choice! I really admire Lisa Tuttle and Sarah Pinborough\u2019s work, to give two examples. I\u2019m also pleased to have known Rosie Garland (whose novel The Palace of Curiosities <\/i>was published by HarperCollins last year) for a number of years, and she has ALWAYS inspires me to write.<\/p>\n
5. What authors do you like to read? Any recommendations?<\/b><\/p>\n
How long is a piece of string? I know everyone always says this\u2026 but my tastes are really eclectic. I\u2019m quite into weird fiction at the moment, particularly China Mieville. Anyone who can do a good turn in werewolf tales will also find a place on my reading list (current favourites are Catherine Lundoff, Naomi Clark and, of course, Carrie Vaughn). But I also read a lot of detective fiction \u2013 I adore Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, but also Peter May\u2019s Hebrides novels. (And if you like your crime fiction darker and grittier, I would definitely recommend Adam Creed\u2019s Staffe novels.)<\/p>\n
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But as well as novels, I read a lot of medieval poetry and prose. So, given that this post is for Women in Horror Month, I think I\u2019ll give the biggest recommendation to my favourite medieval writer \u2013 Marie de France. A twelfth-century Anglo-Norman poet, Marie wrote a series of lais<\/i> (short narrative poems) full of otherworldly encounters, overbearing husbands and violent retributions. My favourites are \u2018Bisclavret\u2019 (a werewolf tale) and \u2018Yonec\u2019 (a fairy story) \u2013 and I encourage everyone to give them a try.<\/p>\n
6. Where can readers find your work?<\/b><\/p>\n
At the moment, my work is mostly found in anthologies. You can find a list of my publications on my website: http:\/\/hannahkate.net<\/a> or catch me on Twitter (@_Hannah_Kate_). I have several new stories coming out this year, so I\u2019ll be updating my site as these come out.<\/p>\n 7. Is there anything else you’d like to share with librarians and readers?<\/b><\/p>\n As well as working on my own writing, I also run a small press (Hic Dragones), specializing in dark and weird fiction. There is a long tradition of women working with small and independent presses \u2013 both running them and being published by them. And I\u2019m pleased to be part of that tradition. I know the history of women and independent publishing \u2013 which goes back to the early modern period \u2013 and there\u2019s a persistent idea that small presses are \u2018better\u2019 for women. I\u2019m not sure about that; I think small presses can be \u2018better\u2019 for writers of all genders, and I\u2019m pleased to have been able to publish novels and short stories by writers of different genders, nationalities and backgrounds. Ultimately, I\u2019d like to see us get to the point where the advice for women writers is the same as for men: choose the press that\u2019s right for you! Obviously, there will always be challenges in getting your work noticed when you choose a small press with a tiny marketing budget, but social media and other online platforms have levelled the playing field (a little). I\u2019ve been lucky enough to work with a number of wonderfully proactive women writers, and their confidence in their work (and our press) is really inspiring.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Interested in learning more? Visit Hannah Kate’s Amazon page, check out her website and blog<\/a>, catch her on Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>visit the website for Hic Dragones<\/a>, or academic alter ego Hannah Priest’s blog, She-Wolf<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0\u00a0Hannah Kate is a multi-talented woman. \u00a0Based in the UK, she is a poet, writer, and editor, and also runs a small press, Hic Dragones, which publishes “intelligent but weird” dark fiction, holds conferences and events related to dark and horror fiction, and markets a series of murder mystery games. She has authored the<\/p>\n