Another Beautiful Nightmare is a Vamptasy anthology, following on from the success of Beautiful Nightmares. The book is due for release on Feb 1, 2019. I asked some of the authors a few questions about their contribution to the anthology, their thoughts on Women in Horror Month, and their other published work.
Today I am speaking with Kathy-Lynn Cross.
Kathy, where are you from?
Las Vegas, Nevada (Where my reapers play. lol)
What story did you write for Another Beautiful Nightmare?
Maryanna’s Mirror.
I have always been intrigued by the lore behind Bloody Mary. Since the background on its origins is vague and the game altered throughout the years, I decided to smash it into a medieval Cinderella universe with a twisted outcome.
It’s my altered take on how the game Bloody Mary started. The story takes place between the present and sixteenth century southern England. Maryanna is a product of privilege and wealth. After her father’s death, her uncle offers his home and to host her twentieth birthday. Unfortunately, certain family relations are strained and her uncle shares some cryptic information about their family’s history which leaves more questions than answers. Maryanna’s older cousin, Lady Jane, is engaged to a Duke and the man is both a mystery and sinfully gorgeous. Jealousy and greed open up a dark path that drags her into certain events which unlock an evil both her father and uncle have tried to conceal.
“Devouring someone’s cake and licking the icing in front of them, may come at a cost.”
Why is Women in Horror Month important?
We add some spice to the realm of horror. Not just slash and splash, but an altered level of emotion to the genre. (But honestly, some cold slash and splash is needed at times.)
Who are your favourite women in Horror?
I have always been a big fan of The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. Also, Mercedes M. Yardley’s whimsical horror is refreshing.
What genres, other than horror, do you write?
I write YA paranormal, urban fantasy and light romance. N/A paranormal, paranormal romance, thriller, and horror.
What is your favourite book/story that you’ve written so far?
So Shall I Reap - Book One The Unseen Series
Who is your favourite character that you created and why?
Tevin is the main protagonist in the Unseen Series. His character is complex considering his daemonic nature and task. He is a Grim Reaper and the head of his Ashen clan. In my storyline they are not allowed to feel positive emotions, so I have to not only slide my thinking to a male’s POV but also hold back on certain emotions. It is a challenge, but I enjoy it.
What do you do when you aren’t writing?
Read, bake, play with my fur kids (cats) and drink vanilla coffee. I also love hanging out with my husband and kids. We play video games and watch a lot of YouTube and movies together. My son and husband make swords and daggers. My daughter and I work on her new comic characters and she is getting ready to launch her new YouTube channel soon. I’ll keep you posted on that.
What is the strangest or spookiest experience you’ve had in real life?
This story took place in 2003. My husband and I were driving home on Christmas Morning about Twelve-thirty AM, from my aunt’s house. Our son was five and our daughter was about a month and a half. Because of weather we had to take the backway to go around the mountains. Pine trees and boulders were eventually replaced with Joshua trees and cactus the closer we got to the highway. The moon was behind several storm clouds which made our surroundings seem ominous. We had been driving for about ten minutes on the highway, when my husband noticed a light following us. He never saw anyone turn onto the highway, not that they could, there was a chain-link fence on both sides of the road. I knew no one was following us before we took the on ramp.
My husband stopped talking to me and became quiet. I waited, a few seconds, for him to answer me when he said, “Did you see that?”
Of course, I’m facing forward in the car, so I turn around and ask, “See what?”
“There was one light following us.”
I snorted. “It was probably a bike.”
“But there are two lights now.”
“Yeah, and maybe a car passed the motorcycle.”
He shook his head from side to side slowly. “No, the second one just appeared next to it and they look closer now.”
“So, they’re speeding. No big; they can pass us on the left.” I sat back thinking he was trying to scare me, and then laughed it off.
Face scrunched, he kept staring into the rearview mirror.
“So, you think we’re being followed?” Still laughing, I rolled my eyes and shifted in my seat to check on the kids. I watched the lights get closer for a second before I looked away to fix my daughter’s blanket. But when I looked through the back window again the lights were gone. Didn’t pull off the road or take an exit. Besides, there wasn’t one to take. They were just gone.
I sat forward, no longer laughing and said, “Did you see that?”
The lights never reappeared.
A full bibliography of Kathy-Lynn Cross’ work and where you can buy them -
Releasing soon: A short novella, Crestfallen.
Anthologies
Links to follow Kathy-Lynn Cross on social media.
And her website.