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 talking to Jaidis Shaw.
What story did you write for Another Beautiful Nightmare?
My story is titled “A Mother’s Instinct.” I wrote about a character, Grace, in another story and I felt like she had more story to tell. When I was invited into this anthology, I knew that I wanted to let readers know more about her and that this would be a great opportunity to do so. Without giving away spoilers, Grace is a peculiar character. She can’t change who she is and hasn’t been raised like most children because of the precautions that her mother must take. “A Mother’s Instinct” is all about the struggles that her mother must face in order to keep her daughter safe, not only from other people but from herself.
Why is Women in Horror Month important?
When people think of authors that write horror, typically they think of male authors because the genre has a lot of recognizable male authors in it. Many women must use a male pen name just so readers will give their horror book a chance. I hate that we have to hide in the shadows so that we are given a fair chance. Since readers often fail to acknowledge female horror authors, I think it is important to have Women in Horror Month to celebrate horror authors who are women.
Who are your favourite women in Horror?
I think a lot of people are familiar women horror writers like Anne Rice, V.C. Andrews, Mary Shelley and even L.J. Smith but I enjoy a lot of indie horror authors. Tonia Brown is a fantastic horror writer and I never miss her new releases. They are raw and gritty and always keep me guessing. Mercedes M. Yardley is another one.
Apart from the anthology release are you doing anything to celebrate Women in Horror Month?
I want to take some time to read some new horror books by authors I haven’t read before. It is fascinating to read new work by someone that you are completely unfamiliar. Other than that, I want to work on some more horror stories myself.
Is horror the only genre you write in? If not what other genres do you write?
I always tend to come back to horror but I do stray a little into paranormal romance. I think it is great to have something light and pure like romance and mix it with paranormal elements and even horror.
What is your favourite book/story that you’ve written so far?
I obviously love my book, Destiny Awaits, but I the title of favorite goes to two stories: “The House on Juniper Lane” and “A Mother’s Instinct.”
Who is your favourite character that you created and why?
Grace is one of my favorites. She is from the stories above and has so much more to tell. I already have plans for her to make an appearance I a few of my upcoming works.
What do you do when you aren’t writing?
I’m a mom to three beautiful daughters that keep me busy. When I do find a free moment, I often stream on Twitch as I love playing video games.
What is the strangest or spookiest experience you’ve had in real life?
Oh goodness! I have no idea what to write here because I’ve had some really spooky experiences. I’ve had experiences with ghosts that I can’t explain and dreams that have felt so real and then when I wake up, I read a news article about a similar situation. I’ve also come across some people that make me fear for my safety and so I trusted my instincts and removed myself from that situation only to find out that they had been arrested for trying to kidnap a lady in the same area where I had been.
Give us a full list of the books you have published and links to where they can be found/purchased.
We want to follow you on social media. What are your links?
Her website, Juniper Grove, can be found at http://junipergrove.net/