Having included Reyna in last years' celebrations, it's an honor and privilege to include her again for a catch-up interview here for Women in Horror Month. A writer/director/author/TV hostess and much more, this time around I talk with her about the status of shelved projects mentioned in the past, her new book collaboration A Scream in the Night and other upcoming projects!
Me: Hello, and thanks again for agreeing to this. What have you been working on since last we spoke?
Reyna Young: Hello and thank you for having me. Since we last spoke I have been working on books to movies to my syndicated television show Movie Massacre. I have a book series out called Monsters through Black Bed Sheet Books, a book series that’s in the vein of Goosebumps. I have released an anthology book called A Scream in the Night that includes 12 other talented female writers and a children’s book called The Pumpkin Man of Hallow Falls. I am also going into season 8 of my show Movie Massacre. My fifth feature film is in post as well.
Me: Since the events surrounding the world at large affected your studio’s output, you shifted to working on hosting with Miss Misery’s Movie Massacre. How did filming change from previous episodes of the show?
RY: Great question, I have now found myself entering the next season by myself. I film in my home and since I will not be having my co-host or guests on this next season, I find myself hosting the show all on my own and changing thing’s up a bit since I won’t have my usual boo crew with me. It’s not bad but I do miss everyone and hope I will see them again- soon, until then I’ll hold the fort down.
Me: Do you have any plans to resurrect any stalled genre productions or prepare new films?
RY: I have decided to stop any other productions for now; I was in pre-production for my next film but have decided what’s best, for now, is to wait. Trust me, I am dying to get back on set, it does get a little hard not being able to do what I do best but it’s okay, I have decided to take this time to focus on my writing and getting some scripts I had on the back burner, finished.
Me: Since you turned to writing for the most part, how did you get onboard the dark poetry anthology collection “Deathly Sorrow?”
RY: I go way back with Tony Newton; I have contributed to some of his past projects, making some short films and trailers for his DVD’s. When the opportunity arose to be a part of the poetry book I had to jump on board, I love writing dark poetry and am grateful for being a part of such an awesome anthology collection. It’s a great book!!
Me: As well, you also wrote the children’s story “The Pumpkin Man of Hallow Falls.” What can you tell us about this story? Where did the inspiration for that come from?
RY: It was a poem I had written a few years back and I kept tweaking it and tweaking it and then finally once I finished I knew it had to be a children’s book. I sat on it for quite a while, coming up with the images in my head for it and what I wanted it to look like before contacting my friend Jason Dube of Scattered Comics. I wanted him to illustrate it. This last year during quarantine I finally began working on it with him. I am so proud of this book, I had wanted to do a children’s book for a long time and I’m extremely happy with the outcome of it.
Me: However, your most impressive release is the new anthology effort “A Scream in the Night.” How did this come to fruition?
RY: Well, I had submitted a short story to an anthology book and it was accepted but then the editor changed my story, completely changed the whole story. I then declined to have my story in their book and was pretty pissed off about it. But that night while sipping on some hot chocolate and listening to the rain outside my window I pondered the thought of doing my own anthology book to include my story and contact some amazing women to be involved in it as well. I contacted Nicholas Grabowsky, my publisher from Black Bed Sheet Books, he was both excited and onboard right away. From there everything came together perfectly. I receive good feedback on the book all the time.
Me: Considering the names involved, how did you bring these voices together for the project?
RY: I contacted them, I ended up getting an email from our Editor, Suzie Wargo Lockhart that she wanted to be part of it, and she’s amazing. After she joined, she knew of some women who would love to be involved and I had contacted some of my friends and from there they all responded with enthusiasm. I couldn’t have asked for anything more, all these women are so talented and it’s nice to get that word out that they have some dark tales to tell. Between Maureen Whelan, Debra Lamb, Anna Ace and so many more, all of their stories are amazing. I can’t wait to do another one.
Me: Was there any sort of professional envy to raise your skills to meet the submitted stories from the other writers?
RY: No. Everyone’s stories are so good, but I didn’t find myself being jealous or thinking I need to do better than another writer or anything like that. Everyone’s talented in their own way; everyone brings to the table their own unique individual talent that brings the book alive. When it comes to being involved in projects with others I always support and keep in mind that we all have talent in our own way to bring a project together.
Me: How important is it to you to release this with other female writers and amplify their voices?
RY: Very important, I do what I can to help promote women and help get their work out there, I feel like with the anthology book it was the perfect opportunity for me to shine some light on those who have not published a story yet or who writes for fun and didn’t know how to get it out there or who has been writing for a long time but hasn’t published in a while. I love to promote other women and will always do my best to do so.
Me: What else are you working on that you’d like to let our readers know about?
RY: Right now I am working on a novel, I can’t say too much about it. Only that it will be a killer of a read. Beginning Pre-Production of Movie Massacre season 8 and almost finished with post on my next feature film, I am also working on my next few Monsters books.
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!
RY: I say, just do it!! You want to write a screenplay or direct a film or do makeup on set, do it! Don’t let anyone or yourself tell you, you can’t. Because you can!!
Thank you so much for having me.
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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