Shawnna has known from an early age that she wanted to be a writer; some of her earliest memories are telling stories to her parents. Drawing inspiration from popular Chicago weekend horror movie host, Svengoolie, her stories always tended towards dark fiction.
Now Co-Chair of the Horror Writers Association Chicagoland Chapter and Co-Chair of the Chapter Program Manager Team, Shawnna’s short stories have been featured in several anthologies, including ABC’s of Terror, Volume IV, HorrorScope: A Zodiac Anthology: Volume 3, and The One that Got Away, Women of Horror Anthology Volume 3. She also volunteers in a few other capacities with the HWA and is a member of the Chicago Writers Association and Women’s Fiction Writers Association.
Take a look below for Shawnna’s thoughts on her career and teasers for what she has in the works!
Q: Who has been your biggest supporter(s) throughout your writing career?
A: My family, especially my sister and some close friends. I’ve been lucky to have some pretty amazing people that have my back.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from in your work?
A: I draw inspiration from a lot of things, but mainly two things. One is true crime. I love true crime books and podcasts. I can’t get enough. I’m the one who follows odd and weird true crime on social media from all over the world. I’ve gotten some really good story ideas from my collection of true crime stories. Two, my nightmares. I deal with depression and anxiety, which takes a toll on me and then manifests as nightmares.
Q: What does it mean to you to be an author?
A: It means that I get to tell my stories the way I want to. And the kinds of stories I would read.
Q: What is your writing process like? Do you listen to certain music, snack, make loads of phone notes when inspiration randomly strikes?
A: I’ve made my home office very cozy surrounding myself with tons of books that I’ve collected over my lifetime with lots of tchotchkes that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside so that helps with setting the scene to write. I tend to forget to eat when I’m writing. I love tea so I always have a cup of tea on my desk. I have a beautifully framed corkboard that I plaster with Post-its and scraps of paper with notes of ideas, descriptions of characters, and anything else I think of on it. More of the psychological horror I write, I’ll tend to listen to very calm music. But if I’m writing some dark, gory horror, I’ll listen to any metal music. It surprises a lot of people to know that I’m a metalhead, but that hard, heavy sound helps with writing darker fiction. Like letting some anger and emotions on the paper.
Q: Is there a genre or subgenre that you want to explore that you haven’t yet? Conversely, are there any that you’ll never write?
A: I’ve tried writing in a lot of horror subgenres because I love horror fiction, but I would love to write historical horror fiction. I’ve done research and some outlining toward writing a novel about the Romanov family and Rasputin with the Russian Revolution as the backdrop, but it’s just in the works right now. I would also love to write a nonfiction true crime book. I have a BA in journalism and would love to use that degree in some capacity.
Q: What has been the hardest part of your career as an author so far?
A: Marketing and self-promotion. I love being behind the scenes writing, but then I have to put myself and my “baby” out in the world. That is terrifying to think that someone might not like my work or me, but on the other hand, my writing might resonate with readers. I try to put the best writing out I can where I am at in mu writing career at that moment. I co-chair the Horror Writers Association Chicagoland Chapter, and it’s easy to promote other authors, but for myself, I need some more encouragement and nudging.
Q: What do you consider to be your greatest strength and weakness as an author?
A: Some of my characters are memorable. I’ve had readers ask if I would write another story with Henry from my short story “Pud-Wuk-Jie Crossing” in The Sirens Call eZine, Issue #62 and Ruby’s story “Together Forever” in January Ember Press’ HorrorScope, A Zodiac Anthology, Volume 3. I tend to write short stories because pacing is hard for me. I want to spill everything at the beginning instead of slowly building up suspense. Something I’m currently working on.
Q: Who is on your radar as someone you’d love to work with?
A: I would have loved to have worked with Shirley Jackson if she were alive. “The Lottery” is one of my favorite short stories of all time. I read it in a high school English class and then had to read everything I could find that she wrote. I love how she intertwines gothic horror with psychological suspense in her writings. She writes of something ordinary, however, below the surface is a presence of evil and chaos.
And I would love to collaborate with award winning author, Cynthia Pelayo, who is alive and well living in Chicago. Her short story “red Dress” is another one of my forst favorite short stories. I love the infusion of folklore and fairy tales in her writing with Chicago not only as a backdrop for her writing, but also used as a character.
Q: At some point in our lives, we’ve all heard the negative comments: “You’re not good enough.” “You’ll never make it.” “This is the worst thing I’ve ever seen.” “You don’t belong.” How do you move forward when faced with negativity?
A: It’s not easy moving forward after getting a rejection or worse, someone telling me I’m not good enough. I’ve had to dig deep down inside to pull myself back up after a rough patch of “not good enough” that’s hit me. I tend to hibernate for a while just to regroup and remind myself I am good enough and I am a writer.
Q: What advice would you give women who are wanting to write, especially if it’s something others might perceive as “outside of the norm”?
A: Absolutely write it! The world needs to hear your voice. Be authentically you and your story will find a home and readers who will love it!
Coming soon at the end of May is Final Passenger, a speculative horror anthology by Above the Rain Collective that Shawnna has a story in called “Final Ride.” Shawnna will also be releasing a short story called “Lovely Rita” in PsychoToxin Press’ Beatles Anthology later this year. This anthology is based on the Beatles’ album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Shawnna’s favourite read of the year so far is We’re Not Ourselves Today by Jill Girardi and Lydia Prime (published by woman owned and operated publishing company, Kandisha Press), which she describes as “twisted, gruesomely delicious short stories by the queens of the macabre.” If you want to see more recommendations like this, and keep up to date with Shawnna’s writing news, visit her website and follow her on X and Instagram!
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