Please introduce yourself.
Well, I’m a writer, 44 years young, with a wicked imagination and a lot of time on her hands. I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English with a Concentration in Creative Writing from Cardinal Stritch University. I work from home on my writing and my art. I’m also a photographer, a mixed media artist, a guerilla chalk artist, a watercolorist, and a rock painter. I also am a submissions reader for JournalStone, Trepidatio Publishing, and Nightscape Press.
What is it that attracts you to the horror genre for your chosen field of creative work?
The horror genre is just one of the genres I write in. I originally was published as a modern poet and that was my first major in graduate school, but I quickly realized I wanted to tell people stories taking them on a cathartic journey they might not otherwise get to take.
Who inspires you in your work and in life?
I draw inspiration from a variety of places, family, friends, mentors, every book I get my greedy hands on, art, world mythology, the news, people watching, and nature.
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?
It’s a celebration of women as fully rounded human beings. For decades, we have fought a strict definition of womanhood. Horror is a sandbox we can get messy in and explore our shadow selves. Hopefully, we emerge intact and with something important to tell the world or a lesson about ourselves on our journey as heroines.
What would you tell an up-and-coming creative in the world of horror who sees that being a woman/identifying as a woman as something that makes it so much more difficult at times?
Speak your truth. Don’t be afraid to write about what haunts you or makes you cry. Embrace your anger. Anger is a powerful emotion and often in society when women blatantly show their anger, we are labelled as “overemotional.” Emotion is good, if you can harness it into your work. It will make your characters believable and they will have depth and soul. No one cares about a character they can’t identify with at all. Don’t be afraid to draw from your own unhappy experiences in your work. Harness those memories and ride them. Don’t let them ride you. But most of all, there are no mistakes. In art of any kind, there are no mistakes. That’s the beauty of it. It’s self expression.
What are your favorite bits of helpful advice that you have received about your work or your field?
I went through a period of long illness where I hadn’t published in over five years. A friend and a great female author now passed, Billie Sue Mosiman, shared with me that she hadn’t worked at one point in about ten years. One day she started writing again and she never looked back. We all work at different paces. Success in art isn’t quantified by productivity or how much you are paid. You define what success means to you. Don’t compare yourself to others. Your only competition is yourself. Also, always be courteous. People will remember a kind heart and they are more likely to offer advice and encouragement. And read, read, read. Immerse yourself in what brings you passion and it will spark your own flame.
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?
For this question, I turned to the Horror Writers Association and I have quite a list of wonderfully talented women for anyone to draw from, some with links to more lists:
P.L. McMillan, Michelle Renee Lane, Teri Clarke (Zin Rocklyn), Candace Nola, Tonia Ransom, Nicole Givens Kurtz (Rachel Brune), CM Harris, 160 Best WOMEN IN HORROR: BOOKS BY FEMALE AUTHORS. ideas in 2021 | books, horror, horror books (pinterest.co.uk), (1784) Pinterest, Black Women in Horror | Sumiko Saulson, LaShaunte Wade, Diverse Works incl. The Seers’ Table Archives – Horror Writers Association BlogHorror Writers Association Blog, Tracy A. Cross, K.P. Kulski, black female horror writers | Girl Meets Monster (michellerlane.com), Linda D. Addison, Paula Ashe, Alexis Henderson, Helen Oyeyemi, Susie Basso McCauley, Saba Razvi, Donyae Coles, Kaaron Warren, Horror Writers Association – Member Directory (wildapricot.org), (21) @MLMorgenstern/W/Enby/Trans- in Horror / Twitter, Cheryl Low, Tracy A. Cross, Loura Lawrence, and Brooklyn Ann.
What do you have coming soon that you can talk to us about?
I am currently working on a science fiction piece out this spring. I have a collection of weird fiction looking for a home at the moment too. And I recently published Dirt and Iron, a short story about a Hodag on The Wicked Library Podcast. It’s a great podcast featuring myself and five other women for WIHM 2021. WIHM 2021: Wicked Women in Horror Special – Six Sinister Stories – The Wicked Library There has been some interest by my listeners to develop my story into a novel, so I have that on my plate too.
Pop them links to follow your work here:
WIHM 2021: Wicked Women in Horror Special – Six Sinister Stories – The Wicked Library
You can find all my previously published poetry and short stories on my blog link. There are also some great guest posts and interviews. : The Demon Stole My Pencil: Nora’s Writing (norabpeevy.blogspot.com)
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