WiHM Special - Brianna Malotke

Credit Kate Metzger Photography

An upcoming writer and a figurehead for her local Horror Writers Association chapter, Brianna Malotke has turned her passion for writing and creativity into a wide-reaching career not just with her latest poetry collection Fashion Trends, Deadly Ends being released but also her work with upcoming writers. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in writing, her latest collection, and her work with the Horror Writers Association.

Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?

Brianna Malotke: Probably elementary school age was when I was first exposed to the horror genre. I got to watch scary movies and read Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Movie wise though, The Others, The Ring, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula were the ones that got me further into horror. I loved the variety of monsters and ghost stories that people could tell.

Me: When did you first discover your passion for writing? Were you always interested in the creative arts growing up?

BM: Growing up I was heavily interested in art in general. I was always doodling, painting, writing little stories or poems, and just overall very into crafting. I always wrote for myself, whether it was poetry or jotting down story ideas. Writing has always been a cathartic activity for me and so I’ve continued to write.

I would say around high school is when I first discovered the passion I have for writing. I had a couple of supportive English and language teachers that helped me grow in and outside of the classroom. I sent poems to open calls, participated in a poetry (recitation) competition, applied to essay contests, and other scary situations. I applied myself to more things that I would have all due to their support and helpful feedback. I continued to pursue writing in some form ever since.

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?

BM: In school I studied ee cummings and was hooked. I loved the way he utilized creating visuals with his poetry, also the poems within poems using parentheses. His work influenced the way I look at and create my own poetry. I tend to handwrite my poetry and then when I type it up, I play around with the formatting and making my own visual piece of art with the words. I love the idea that there are no rules with poetry. Write your words, play around with them on the page, make patterns with syllables and lines, and just have fun writing.

Other than that, the series Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, was very pivotal for me an elementary school kid. It piqued my interest in short stories and telling horror tales in as few words as possible. That’s another reason I love horror poetry so much. It’s like a challenge to try and tell a whole scary story in under a page.

Along with these some of my favorite authors growing up were Shirley Jackson (We Have Always Lived in the Castle) and Charlaine Harris (Aurora Teagarden Series and the Lily Bard Shakespeare Series). From these women I took away that it was important to create your own voice as a writer. I’ve played around a lot over the years with my horror poetry and I think it’s just been the past few years that I’ve finally found my writing style.

Me: What is your writing process? How do you stay focused on writing?

BM: Typically, for any story or novella, I start with an idea and handle it the same way I would designing costumes for a show. I make character notes, outline the main ideas, and figure out what’s most important to include.

I write in multiple genres and so one way that helps me stay focused on writing and separating out my projects – is creating these small “worlds” for the projects. To me this includes music playlists, character sheets, and mood boards. I’m big on making mood boards for different projects. It’s just a very easy visual way to be able to immerse yourself back into your work when you’ve taken a break.

As far as staying focused on writing, it’s difficult for me sometimes. I’m a mood writer and so carving out time each day doesn’t work for me. I tend to move from project to project. Sometimes I go weeks without making a lot of progress. Other times I can writer thousands of words in one day. I’ve learned that I need to just roll with it and make progress when I can otherwise, I’ll just be disappointed in myself.

Me: Is there any specific type of genre you prefer writing? Is there any style or format you find easier to get into even without a preference?

BM: I prefer writing within the horror genre and more specifically horror poetry. For me it’s easier to tell stories using poetry as my format. I love the freedom that poetry provides as a writer. I like playing with the format and the way it looks on the page.

Me: Your latest poetry collection, Fashion Trends, Deadly Ends, was just released. What type of inspiration did you go through to collect the various pieces in the collection?

BM: My professional background is in Apparel & Costume Design and one of my favorite aspects of design is research and inspiration. I’ve also just loved reading about fashion over the years and when it came to trying to decide on a poetry collection idea, I figured why not try to blend two of my favorite things – body horror and historical fashion. When I was in full research mode, I was making lists of different trends I thought I could use and reading a lot of research-oriented books. Also, I still have a bunch of my notebooks from when I studied abroad at the London College of Fashion and used all my free time to explore their library and museums in London. I easily have a dozen notebooks full of historical fashion notes (designers, fabrics, dates for new dye colors, etc.) from my time there.

Some of the books that really helped me were Fashion Victims by Alison Matthews David, The Corset by Valerie Steele, and lastly, Fashion: A History from the 18th to the 20th Century: The Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute.

Along with these research books I spent a lot of time sifting through illustrations, fashion plates, and newspaper comics from those years. I love seeing what was trendy and what the average people were poking fun at in the fashion world. From these I figured out the trends I wanted to focus on and then worked on my poems for the collection.

Me: As a co-chair for the Horror Writers Association in Seattle, what are your duties within the organization?

BM: Last year I revived the chapter. Outside of an inactive Facebook group, there was no structure or anything from the previous group. I started fresh, worked with the Horror Writers Association (HWA) to get a logo for our chapter and started from scratch. I recruited a co-chair and a secretary (without them I wouldn’t have been able to form the chapter). I made the website and the Instagram account and worked with my team to start the chapter up.

Currently I run meetings, plan & organize events for the chapter, as well as handle the website, blog, and Instagram account. We did just appoint a Program Coordinator so all events are getting handed over to them.

Outside of being co-chair, I’m also on the social media for the HWA. I started out helping schedule posts to various platforms but I sort of found my little niche and as the team has expanded, I have become the person behind the HWA’s TikTok. I make and schedule the TikTok videos. I will also create new graphics and content for the other platforms as needed.

Me: Working heavily with young writers within the community, what do you enjoy the most about working with these emerging talents?

BM: I love being able to connect people with each other. I’ve always been happy to let someone know about an opportunity if it’s a good fit for them (even if it meant competition for myself). I want everyone to be able to tell their stories and have all the best resources possible at their fingertips.

Me: What has been the most memorable experience that you've had based on your time in the position?

BM: We’ve only been an active chapter since last year, with about 5 meetings or so under us, but my most memorable experience is our open mic night with Artisans Books & Coffee in Everett, WA. It was fun to be the emcee and to hear other members read their horror stories. It was a blast chatting with the audience afterwards about horror and books.

We have what feels like a million things planned this year so I’m sure this time next year my answer will change.

Me: How do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?

BM: I consume a wide variety of art. I’ve always enjoyed watching fashion runway shows and music videos. I find them to be huge sources of inspiration for myself as designer and a writer.

I also try to go to museums or art galleries. I love paintings and while I don’t like every style, I do think it’s important to contemplate art that you’re not a fan of and to figure out why you don’t like it. When I was growing up my grandmother would take me to plays and art museums and we would always talk about what we saw. What did we like? What do we wish was different and why? How did it make us feel? Answering these questions and really thinking about it helps keep me on my toes creativity wise.

Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?

BM: A few things! My next horror poetry collection, Lost Cherry, will be published this fall with January Ember Press. It was created during my Writer’s Residency at the Chateau d’Orquevaux this past October. It’s all about mortals falling in love with “evil” beings (such as demons). It’s a creepy blend of horror and romance, and I cannot wait for it to be out.

I’m also working with the Hallow Ian Horror Hour TV show on their second season. I’m running a segment that features HWA Seattle Chapter members with flash fiction pieces set in the Pacific Northwest.

Outside of this, if you’re interested in checking out my romance work, I write a novella series under the pen name “Tori Fields.” Sugar & Steam had book 3 come out in February 2024 and I’ll be attending Smut Lovers Conference in September as an Attending Author.

Me: Lastly, being that this is our Women in Horror Movement, 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!

BM: Don’t hesitate to reach out to others in the community! It doesn’t matter what stage in your writing career you’re in, everyone is friendly and supportive. You never know who you’ll meet. Maybe you’ll find a writing buddy, your next cover artist, or a new writing group. Dive in and join the other horror people.

Also, just take risks. Submit work even if you don’t think you have enough clout in the publishing world. You got this!

Thanks for having me!

This interview ran as part of our 2024 Women in Horror Movement celebrations! Click the banner below to check out our complete coverage: