Please introduce yourself.
Hello. My name is Janine Pipe and I am a British horror writer. I have several short stories that have been published in many different anthologies. I am also a reviewer for Scream Magazine, Horror DNA and Night Worms. I have a podcast (Cryptids, Crypts and Coffee) that I host with my buddy Lou Yardley and a Booktube channel. I am also the press officer/publicist for Kandisha Press, an all woman indie publishing house.
What is it that attracts you the horror genre for your chosen field of creative work?
I have also read horror and played about with writing for years before I took the plunge and submitted a story to a publisher. It takes courage to place your work into other people’s hands, to have it out there for public consumption. If people like it, great. If they don’t, well you need a really thick skin. I tend to write creature features and splatterpunk. The reason this is my go-to, is that it is my own favourite sub-genre to read. Write what you know and write what you would read yourself are two of the most important pieces of advice I have been given.
Who inspires you in your work and in life?
My husband and daughter are my biggest cheerleaders. Without their support, I wouldn’t be doing this. My biggest influences and people who inspire me in my actual writing, are two of my own favourite writers – Glenn Rolfe and Hunter Shea. I am lucky enough to call them both friends as well as mentors. Two other very good friends and strong women in my life, are Sadie Hartmann and Jill Girardi. Sadie is one of the most supportive people I have ever met and Jill is the owner of Knadisha and one of my very best friends. Her encouragement alone inspires me to carry on with my writing every day.
Women in horror have made great strides, but it’s clear that a lot of work is still needed to make it a most inclusive genre. To you, what is the importance of a movement like Women in Horror Month?
To get more women noticed and to the fore. There is a discrepancy in numbers of women in this genre but they are there, just waiting to be noticed. Flick through an anthology and it is likely there will be a woman involved. But things like WiHM MAKE people take notice and think huh, you know what, I should read more books by women/watch movies by and with women.
What would you tell an up-and-coming creative in the world of horror who sees that being a woman/identifying as a women as something that makes it so much more difficult at times?
I would say just go for it and screw the naysayers that women can’t write/create horror on par with me. ANY branch of horror you want to go into, you can and should do it. There is this fallacy which is thankfully becoming less prevalent, that women can’t write extreme stuff. That somehow we aren’t made of strong enough stuff to be able to write about extreme acts of violence, pornographic level sex acts and taboo subjects. Um excuse me? Yes we can and do. Women can do it all.
What are your favorite bits of helpful advice that you have received about your work or your field?
As mentioned, write what you know and write what you would read. Which makes so much sense. Yes, sometimes we want to challenge ourselves but if you want something to sound authentic, it is so much easier if you are writing from the heart. And if you are writing about something that doesn’t interest you, how the hell will you make it come across as worthwhile to your readers? I have more werewolf stories published than any other sub-genre. And they happen to be my favourite monster.
In honor of celebrating Women in Horror Month, who do you believe viewers should keep an eye on in terms of the creative ladies in horror?
Keep an eye on the women involved in Host. They are going places.
What do you have coming soon that you can talk to us about?
My latest story, Should Have Gone to Vegas, has just appeared in Volume 3 of Kandisha Press entitled The One That Got Away. I am currently working on a slasher novel set in the 80’s as well as behind the scenes stuff at Kandisha getting ready for Volume 4 which will be out in July.
Pop them links to follow your work here:
My Amazon page – https://amzn.to/3u4WjfL
My booktube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC32B_iUm0Kxy95mcsPfr-QQ
Twitter – @JaninePipe28
Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/Janines_ghost_stories?fan_landing=true