An accomplished and established genre author, R.H. Dixon has built a reputation for herself as one of the biggest names in the scene with her work carrying her interest in the fantastical realms of fiction for years. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in writing, the creation of several of her novels and upcoming projects.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general?
R.H. Dixon: Hey, thanks for having me! Honestly, I can’t really pinpoint a time when I got into horror, I just remember always being fascinated by ghost stories and monsters.
Me: Were you into genre films growing up? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
RHD: I remember watching The Haunting (the 1963 film adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House) over and over as a kid (like, probably around eight-ish). There was a film called The Changeling that I was obsessed with, too. It’s a ghost story about a murdered boy which I found utterly chilling. I’d say those two films paved the way for my love of horror movies.
As a teen, I’d watch any horror I could get my hands on. A Nightmare on Elm Street was a particular favourite.
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?
RHD: I didn’t live near a bookstore, but whenever I could go to one, I specifically remember buying books from the Point Horror range. I loved those stories!
James Herbert was the first adult fiction horror writer I discovered. I remember thinking that I wanted to be an author just like him one day.
From Herbert, I then discovered Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Anne Rice. Choice was limited for me back then, as I mentioned. As well as having no local bookstore, there was no internet, so I was at the mercy of whatever books the local library offered, which was always the obvious big names.
I remember asking for The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty for my fourteenth birthday, and my folks got me a copy. As you can imagine, I was absolutely thrilled!
The authors I feel most influenced by these days are Shirley Jackson and Ramsey Campbell.
Me: What was the starting point to become a writer? Were you always into writing growing up?
RHD: I’ve always written stories since I was little, but didn’t take it seriously till 2011 when I was made redundant (second time in two years). So I decided to take some time out to write, to see where it got me. Luckily, I have a hugely supportive husband.
Me: What is your writing process? How do you stay focused on writing?
RHD: First and foremost, I’m a planner. When starting on a new project, I familiarise myself with all the details: where, when, how, who and why? Then I map out each chapter as a summary. I don’t start writing till I’m at this stage and feel confident there’s a fully-fledged story.
I find it easy to stay focused, as long as there’s minimal background noise. That’s all I require: peace and quiet.
Me: How did you settle on the plot for your novel series 'The Reluctant Vampire?' Were you aware that the series would become a trilogy when you originally started?
RHD: When I wrote the first book, Slippery Souls, I didn’t know it would become a series. I enjoyed the characters so much, however, that when I finished, I decided I could definitely do more exploration. I didn’t want it to be an ongoing series though, so decided a trilogy would be about right.
As I wrote the second book, The Forgotten Ones, I didn’t know what would happen in the third, Tattooed Gods, and honestly, this stressed me out and I swore I’d never work on a series again!
Cue, several years later I wrote The Cundy and, in a moment of madness, put on the cover the sub-header: Book One.
Yikes, what have I done?!
Me: Was there any special significance to making the central action involve vampires and werewolves?
RHD: At that time, I was into films like Blade and Underworld. So I guess it was just relevant to my tastes back then. I still like vampires and werewolves, I’m just not quite as mad about them.
Me: Once it was finally written, what was the process to having it published?
RHD: I’d decided from the beginning to self-publish. I wanted to see the entire process through from beginning to end, book covers included.
I won’t lie, I made plenty of mistakes. And it’s fair to say I truly messed up with the first set of covers. But it was all a valuable learning curve, and I don’t regret any of it. The beauty of being an indie writer is that you can tinker with and alter things as and when you like. That said, there are plenty of cons about being an indie writer, too.
Me: How did moving from that multi-novel story to a straight novel in 'Emergence' challenge your writing skills?
RHD: By the time I’d finished The Reluctant Vampire Trilogy, I’d developed a hell of a lot as a writer. I’d grown as a person too and felt ready to jump into horror fiction; into darker, grittier projects.
The first thing I decided was that Emergence would be a standalone novel. And, I won’t lie, going into the project knowing this was pure bliss!
Emergence is possibly the novel I most enjoyed writing.
Me: Where did the storyline for the novel come from? What was the inspiration for the story?
RHD: Emergence is based in the village where I grew up. It felt somehow important that I include it in my work.
Two of my friends who are retired nurses who used to work at a local maternity hospital in the sixties and seventies, told me creepy stories about when they used to do the Ouija board during break times, etc. It used to be a hospital for infectious diseases, known locally as Fever Hospital, and they said the wards and corridors had eerie vibes. Their stories raised the question of: What kind of spirit would be drawn to a maternity hospital?
And that was the first spark of the idea behind Emergence.
Incidentally, I was born in that maternity hospital - where my friends once worked and dabbled with the dead.
Me: The next novel, A Storytelling of Ravens, focused on characters involved in the movie industry trapped in a horror scenario. What did this aspect of the story do for your storytelling in the novel?
RHD: I think Ravens was, perhaps, a little more fast-paced than Emergence, owing to the characters. There’s a lot of mistrust in the setting (four people who have been kidnapped and left in a claustrophobic cabin in the middle of the woods), and because some characters are actors, this made it all the more fun, because actors are obviously good at acting. Therefore, no one knows who they can trust in the group.
Me: Your follow-up, 'Cribbins,' offered a slightly different take on a supernatural haunting. How did you approach this part of the story?
RHD: The story is about Sophie, who’s been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). She believes she’s being haunted by her old neighbour, Ronnie Cribbins.
While wrapping up Ravens, I’d been diagnosed with MS myself. During my second relapse, I was given IV steroids and went to stay with my folks for a week because my husband was working away. My relapse meant I couldn’t feel my hands and feet, and was in a lot of pain, so I needed help with day-to-day stuff. I couldn’t even pick up the kettle to make a cuppa!
After the last round of steroids, I felt totally wired. I lay in my old bed, unable to sleep. With my feet resting against the wall (which is how I used to sleep as a kid), I suddenly noticed a thumping at my feet (probably my pulse). But I got to thinking that what if the wall had a heartbeat? And what if it belonged to the old man who used to live next door?
Since nobody can say for sure what causes MS, I then got to thinking, what if an external source could prompt the immune system to attack the body’s nerves?
So there I had a new book idea! My next protagonist would have MS, caused by the ghost of her old neighbour.
As a side note, I found it extremely cathartic writing this novel, even though it’s pretty grim in places. It gave me the opportunity to deal with my own experiences with the disease and helped me to make peace with it.
Me: As well, 'The Cundy' worked in Norse mythology into its coming-of-age storyline. Was this a cohesive mix when you initially began planning the story?
RHD: Again, I based this story in the village where I grew up. The place has bags of history, and the fact a Viking warlord had ruled it in the 900s really stuck in my head. I love Norse mythology, and that I might weave it into my work, and my old hometown seemed exciting.
The cundy itself is a tunnel in the woods. I used to play there as a kid, and it’s still every bit as creepy now as it used to be. It’s so dark inside!
As well as exploring a thirteen-year-old kid’s hardships, I wanted to develop the idea of land spirits and ancient lore. This is why I marked The Cundy as Book One, because I’m not yet done. The Cundy can totally be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel, but there’s scope for so much more. And I have exciting things planned.
Me: Your most recent novel, 'The Shadow of a Shadow,' focused on a character study of a person conflicted with grief. Was this an intentional aspect of the story?
RHD: Yes, I was going through a recent bereavement myself, and wanted to explore how grief can affect people. I suppose my writing is often cathartic to me. I have a tendency to write about issues that are closely affecting me.
I was also keen to explore how things are passed down from generation to generation. Nature versus nurture, if you like. Because of Catherine’s ailing mental health, The Shadow of a Shadow is ambiguous in nature, but was very much intended to be this way.
I set out to write an ode to Bram Stoker’s Dracula too, basing the story in Whitby where part of Dracula is based. I found an obscure figure from North Yorkshire folklore, who was similar, in my mind, to Dracula, so I included him in the story.
I absolutely loved working on this piece. It’s one of my favourites of my books.
Me: How do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?
RHD: Ideas are always cropping up in life and dreams, so I have a vast catalogue of notes for future projects. If I ever stop having ‘What if?’ moments, I think I’ll be in trouble.
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
RHD: I’m working on the follow-up to The Cundy. The Weeper has plenty of ghosts and something more profound and scarier which lurks in the woods and harks back to Norse mythology.
Last year I completed a novella called The Muse, which I hope to release later in the year. It’s about a troubled couple who go to stay in a remote cottage in the Highlands in an attempt to save their marriage. Unbeknownst to them, however, the cottage’s owner, a reclusive artist, is living in a cabin at the end of the garden.
I have an anthology of short stories and a novella about a package holiday from hell in the works too. And two recent emergency major operations and subsequent long stints in hospital mean I have a notebook absolutely brimming with the beginnings of a new novel.
The trick, for me, is to always have ideas forming in the background.
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!
RHD: Go for it. Make it happen. Your voice is important.
To follow more of her work, check out her official site:
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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