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 P. Mattern aka Mama Fang.
Tell me about both the stories you wrote for Another Beautiful Nightmare?
I wrote ’Kitchen Window’, inspired by realizing that as I washed dishes I could see over the backyard fence and have a clear view of my neighbors. I think all good stories start with a ‘what if’, and as I stood washing up dishes one evening and realized I could see my neighbors eating dinner across the way I wondered what I would do if I witnessed a murder played out silently. That became my inspiration.
I also collaborated with L.Gauthier on ‘Hotel Key’, also included in this awesome anthology, about a playboy gambler who wins a bet in a high stakes card game…and comes to regret it. Lynne Ligocki Gauthier and I wanted to do something set in the 1960’s that involved a card shark who makes a good living at it, and bring the supernatural into play with a lot of twists and turns.
Were you also part of Beautiful Nightmares?
Yes! I was very excited and honored to be part of the first Beautiful Nightmares with my story ‘Card Trick”! All the stories were first rate and I was proud to be included.
Do you have a favourite story in the anthology?
YES! Although I am happy with ‘Kitchen Window’ I am more excited about “Hotel Key’ by Lynne Ligocki Gauthier and myself. I have a key fetish by the way. Carmilla Voiez’ story is gripping from the get go also-she is one of my all time favorite horror writers! I also love S J Davis and Rue Volley stories!
Why is Women in Horror Month important?
Because women are marginalized in Horror, as they tend to be in other endeavors. Most horror anthologies either don’t include women at all (e.g. Stephen King’s newest), or Gee, WOW, they feature 12 male authors and two female authors. Always.
In my experience women write better psychological horror, which is my personal favorite. I am thrilled for opportunities for women Horror Authors to shine and be showcased!
Who are your favourite women in Horror?
Too many to name, really. Anne Rice, Carmilla Voiez, Christy Sloat, Scarlet Darkwood, KC Harper, Brandy Yassa, Emery LeeAnn, Sheri Williams, L.Gauthier, SJ Davis, Christina Bergling, Selena MacLeod, L.Ashby, L.Bachman, Mary Shelley and Daphne DuMaurier of course… love all of them
Apart from the anthology release are you doing anything to celebrate Women in Horror Month?
Writing Horror and (*drumroll) gifting copies of HORROR BY WOMEN including Another Beautiful Nightmare!
Is horror the only genre you write in? If not what other genres do you write?
Horror is by far my favorite (I’ll Make You Sceam, Over My Grave, Strident House) but I have written Paranormal (Full Moon Series, Vampire Princess and Vampire Queen, Forest of Bleeding Trees, Vampire Orphanage) Zombies (Crimson) Scifi Thriller (Riveted) straight up Thriller (Fan Girl) Dark Fairytale Retellings (Cinderelevant, Pearl and Ruby with Sheri Williams) and straight up Reverse Harem. Like most authors I write what comes through-I am just the willing scribe for these tales!
What is your favourite book/story that you’ve written so far?
It’s a 3 way tie between A HOUSE IN VERMONT and I’ll Make You Scream (both with L.Gauthier ) and VAMPIRE ORPHANAGE because they ALL both tight and twisted and I’ll Make You Scream is a tale within a tale that will have a sequel!
Who is your favourite character that you created and why?
Delaney Jones in I’ll Make You Scream because he is a self centered newbie celebrity that has dodged responsibility all his life that finds himself pursued by the ghost of his former girlfriend.
The tag is - ”People say ghosts can’t hurt you…but they’re wrong”
What do you do when you aren’t writing?
Working at a speciality meat and Deli shop, painting, cooking, watching streaming horror shows.
What is the strangest or spookiest experience you’ve had in real life?
I was doing research for ‘Strident House’ and I was invited to accompany a paranormal investigative team, Indiana Network of Paranormal Studies to a 150 year old home in Anderson Indiana. Cameras were set up that captured orbs and a figure walking back and forth in the garage. There was a small graveyard on the property. There was one room they dubbed the ‘spiderweb room’ because if you entered it you would feel like you had walked into a spider’s web. Being a chicken I just stuck my bare arm inside the door and immediately felt like it was covered with spiderwebs.
I ran down to show my psychic friend Ravenwolfe Teu who heads INOPS-she said, ”Show me which arm” and when she turned it over I had a huge dark bruise on my wrist, the same shape as a man’s thumbprint. She took pictures of it.
We also smelled cherry pipe smoke and witnessed other odd things!
She can be found haunting Facebook at
Her website is at https://pmatternbooks.wixsite.com/pmatternbooks