An up-and-coming name in the genre scene, author Elaine Pascale has worked her way up to having released her first novel The Blood Lights as well as contributions to various anthologies and short story collections. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her start in the industry, the novel itself and her future plans as an author.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general?
Elaine Pascale: I have always loved horror. As a young girl, I loved the fairy tales with witches and monsters. When I was about eight, my grandmother read “The Raven” and “Tell-Tale Heart” to me and I found them thrilling. My parents felt that reading was a good activity for young minds, and they did not censor my reading requests. They would take me to the library to check out Stephen King's books and my mother was always hunting for horror novels at yard sales for me.
Me: Were you into genre films growing up? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
EP: I have always loved Creature Features. Again, they were something I watched from a very young age. Old Godzilla films were easy to access on TV as were films with giant spiders and other man-vs.-nature movies. At a very young age, I became obsessed with vampire films. Vampires were my favorite monster and I continue to seek out rare and unique takes on the vampire. I was never a rom-com girl and I hate dramas. When watching movies, I either want to be scared or I want to laugh. Basically, I want to escape and release some emotions.
Me: Who were some of your favorite writers growing up? Do you try to take influences from their style with your own voice in your work?
EP: As a very young reader, I loved fairy tales and Maurice Sendak. Where the Wild Things Are continues to be my favorite book. It is an amazing story and only ten sentences long! Later I got into Poe and Stephen King. My high school reading centered around Clive Barker; college was a lot of Flannery O’Connor. I am sure if there is a trajectory to my voice that follows the path of writers that were influencing me at the time. I am hoping that I have developed a voice that is a bit unique.
Me: What was the starting point to become a writer? Were you always into writing growing up?
EP: I was always writing growing up. I would beg my parents to teach me letters so I could write down the stories in my head. I could not wait to get to Kindergarten and start learning to read and write so that I could open a book whenever I wanted and know what was in it, or that I could write down anything I wanted.
Me: What is your writing process? How do you stay focused on writing?
EP: It is very hard to stay focused and to commit to writing. We all lead busy lives. Since this is Women in Horror Month, I have to mention that women have a hard time carving out time to write. I know this has been said to death, but unfortunately, it never changes so it bears mentioning again, women have a hard time prioritizing not only their work but their “hobbies.” Family always comes first and even though it is 2021, most of the women I know remain in charge of domestic life. It is a real challenge to turn off the guilt and ignore the dishes (or needs of others) and sit down and write.
My process is a “seat of the pants” one. I usually start with a weird sentence that is living rent-free in my brain or an image I saw in a dream or something I overheard someone talking about. The story grows from there. I don’t outline or anything as the ending is often a surprise even to me.
Me: Having contributed to various anthologies early in your career, what tools and skills do you acquire working on those that transferred to future projects?
EP: Reading the other great stories in an anthology is always a good inspiration to raise the bar with my writing. Working with editors is invaluable. Even though I work as an editor myself, “a second set of eyes” will point out things I had never considered, and I will then apply that new knowledge to future writing.
Me: What is the general process for getting involved in these projects?
EP: I have a backward build approach. I write stories and then if the perfect “home” becomes available (through a call for stories) I send it out. I would probably be more successful and prolific if I wrote the story to the call/expectation.
Me: How did you settle on the plot for your novel The Blood Lights?
EP: The main theme came from a night sitting on the beach with my husband and my cousin. We saw something glowing over the water and could not figure out what it was. It hovered for the longest time. It was not an airplane or a reflection; we still have no idea what it was. The Blood Lights was my filling in the gap (and hopefully the real light was nowhere near as harmful as the one I wrote about).
Me: Was there any part of your real sense injected into the characters?
EP: I never thought I included myself or my life in my stories. Then, a friend of mine was reading The Blood Lights and she said, “Oh, I knew where that came from because I know you.” And she pointed out some parts that were loosely connected to my own life. I guess it is all very Freudian, lol.
Me: Once it was finally written, what was the process to having it published?
EP: The Blood Lights and my collection of short stories (If Nothing Else, Eve, We’ve Enjoyed the Fruit) were very easy processes. I submitted it to publishers, they liked the product, we edited together (basic line-level editing) and that was it. I recently sold a book that will not be available until 2022 and the process for that one is a bit different. The publisher is asking more global questions of the text (wonderful, thoughtful questions) that are causing me to rethink some parts of the story. It is both exciting and frustrating, but the final product will be much more satisfying than the state it is currently in.
Me: How did moving from short story to full-length novel challenge your writing skills?
EP: Novels are much, much trickier for me. I have a WIP that I have been chipping away at for years and years. It is very difficult for me to manage something of that length in terms of getting the organization to be what I want it to be and tying together the loose ends of the plot. I find short stories much easier and I tend to be more successful with them.
Me: As well, you’re also involved in the female-centered anthology collection “Wicked Women.” How did that collaboration come together?
EP: I am a member of the New England Horror Writers (even though I moved from New England to Florida two years ago—they keep forgetting to kick me out). I had reviewed most, if not all, of the Wicked series for Hellnotes.com and was impressed with the quality of writing. I also saw how popular the books are at conventions and cons. It was on my bucket list to be included in one and my story was accepted for this particular book. Because of the pandemic, it has not been marketed as widely as the other compilations, but we have been doing virtual events to try to drum up interest.
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
EP: As I said, I do have a book coming out in another year. I would give you the title so you could be on the lookout, but both the publisher and I hate the original title and are still grappling to come up with one that fits. If anyone is a fan of flash fiction, I contribute to the wonderful Ladies of Horror Flash Project that contains new stories every month (hosted by the incomparable Nina D’Arcangela) https://spreadingthewritersword.com/2020/12/29/ladies-of-horror-flash-project-horror-author-bailey-hunter-darkrecesses-darc_nina-loh-fiction-3/ And please check in with my blog as I am always up to something during Women in Horror Month: https://www.elainepascale.com
Me: Lastly, being that this is Women in Horror Month, what special message do you have for any women out there looking to join in the industry in any capacity as you are one yourself? Thank you again for your time!
EP: It sounds corny but don’t give up! If you truly want to contribute to a creative field, you have to keep trying. Remember that it is entirely subjective. You will have people who are not fans of your work and people who are. The important thing is that you are enjoying the act of creating, that you are taking risks and that you remember to be a fan of you.
This interview ran as part of our Women in Horror Month celebrations. Click the banner below to check out all of our reviews and interviews about the occasion:
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