Today I have a special post, an interview with Jennifer Killick, Queen of MG horror and author of the DREAD WOOD and CRATER LAKE series – two series I have devoured. They have a great blend of horror and humour. I was so excited when I got the opportunity to ask her some questions about writing horror for kids and monsters…
What draws you to writing Middle Grade horror? Why do you think it’s important to have scary books for kids?
The most important reason to write horror for children is because so many of them want to read it. I truly believe that scary books can engage children who haven’t enjoyed reading other genres. It’s a genre that I think has been under-represented and it’s brilliant to see more creepy series emerging now. I also write it because it’s just loads of fun. Horror and humour is definitely a sweet spot for me in my writing, and I’ve had the best time creating the DREAD WOOD series.
The thing that engages me the most in MG horror is the blend of humour and creepiness. How do you go about creating that balance?
I didn’t set out to mix horror and comedy… When I started writing CRATER LAKE (my first creepy book), I intended for it to be dark and serious, but as I was writing, the humour naturally came out. I think many of us deal with frightening situations by making jokes and trying to see the funny side, so it felt right to take that direction. I’d also previously written comedy adventures so I think it fits my style and voice to have humour in my stories.
With the DREAD WOOD series, you have nursery rhymes at the heart of the villains’ plans. Why did you choose this device?
So many nursery rhymes have dark and sinister origins, and I love the idea of taking things
associated with childhood – songs, games, toys – and turning them into something horrible. I was originally going to use the nursery rhyme in the first book only, but then loved the idea of using a different rhyme for each monster.
Which one is your favourite monster from the DREAD WOOD series and which would you least like to face?
I think the most likeable monster in the series is Karen the kraken – partly because there’s only one of her, and partly because she’s just trying to protect her (incredibly horrible cannibal) babies. I did feel sad that she had to be blendered. I would be terrified to face the giant spiders, but I have a special fascination with parasites – they absolutely horrify me – so being infected by a brain biter would be my worst nightmare. The thing that scares me most in DREAD WOOD, though, is Mrs Latchitt.
How different is it writing full length novels, like DREAD WOOD, to short stories, like CREEPY CREATIONS? In shorter forms, how do you compensate for being unable to build tension over multiple chapters? Are there advantages to short forms when it comes to packing in a scare?
To be honest, I tried to write CREEPY CREATIONS in the same way I write the full-length DREAD WOOD books. Creepy Creations came in at about 21,000 words, so is almost half as long as the other novels. I planned it in the same way, ensuring that I kept the story simple enough that I could build in tension and pack in the jump scares. The hardest part was making it part of the DREAD WOOD world without weighing it down with exposition for those who haven’t read the other stories. And also making it fit into the series without altering the plot and flow of the existing books.
Has editing an anthology like READ SCREAM REPEAT changed your perspective on the genre and/or the craft of horror?
Editing READ SCREAM REPEAT was a fascinating experience. I loved seeing how different each author’s writing process was and how they all took on the genre in such varying ways. It was a brilliant exploration of the many ways of being scary.
Do you have any favourite MG horrors you’d like to recommend for readers who love your books?
I love the AVELINE JONES and SHADOWHALL ACADEMY series by Phil Hickes – they’re brilliantly
atmospheric and so creepy. Also, Dan Smith has written a great series for Barrington Stoke, starting with THE INVASION OF THE CROOKED OAK. They’re fantastic, accessible reads.
Thank you, Jennifer!
Read my reviews of books by Jennifer Killick:
Dread Wood (this series):
- DREAD WOOD (#1)
- FEAR GROUND (#2)
- FLOCK HORROR (#3)
- DEADLY DEEP (#4)
- FRIGHT BITE (#5)
- CREEPY CREATIONS (#5.5)
Crater Lake:
- CRATER LAKE (#1)
- CRATER LAKE EVOLUTION (#2)
Sifa Elizabeth Reads 