Celebrated authors with a litany of accomplished work under their belt, Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl have turned their love and fascination with horror and true crime into a range of collaborative works between them. Now, in honor of their latest project "The Science of Agatha Christie," I talk with them about their early focus on writing, the examinations into the project, 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? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
Kelly Florence/Meg Hafdahl: We both had influential parents who loved the horror genre and let us watch horror content when we were young including The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Shining, and The Night of the Living Dead movies by George Romero. We were drawn to scary stories, creepy legends, and anything gothic and dark.
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?
KF/MH: Stephen King was definitely an influence in both our lives, and we aspire to emulate Shirley Jackson, Ann Rule, the Bronte sisters, and Mary Shelley in our writing.
Me: What was the starting point of becoming a writer? Were you always into writing growing up?
KF/MH: Each of us wrote stories as soon as we could. Whether it was about a birthday party turned bad (being locked in your own bedroom during your own party and witnessing it from the window!) or a dark story about a bear, we wanted to write.
Me: What is your writing process? How do you stay focused on writing?
KF/MH: When we write non-fiction together, we each take a portion and come together to edit. When we write fiction, we make sure we’re in the same space at the same time to vibe with each other and work through plot points. When we write fiction alone, we think it’s important to have a quiet space and set aside time to explore the story and not be disturbed.
Me: How did you settle on the plot for your upcoming project “The Science of Agatha Christie?” How did the concept of the book come together?
KF/MH: As non-fiction writers for this book, it was important to uncover and examine Agatha Christie’s past, her biography, and ponder what was happening in the world at the time she wrote her stories. We also researched the science behind her plot points and revealed how accurate her storytelling was.
Me: Were you big fans of Christie beforehand? What brought about selecting her work and diving into the science of her mysteries?
KF/MH: We both grew up reading Agatha Christie and watching movie and television adaptations of her work. We also watched a lot of Murder She Wrote, Columbo, and Unsolved Mysteries so this seemed like a natural book for us to write.
Me: What did of research went into setting up the various experiments from her writing?
KF/MH: We were able to interview a chemist, filmmakers, and experts in crime investigation for this book and learned so much. Agatha Christie truly knew what she was writing about and made sure the things she revealed in her plots were accurate.
Me: How did the collaboration between you two and the various guests you participated with work out?
KF/MH: We’ve been thrilled with every interview we’ve been able to conduct! We’re thankful for the time and expertise authors and professionals have shared with us and look forward to further collaborations.
Me: What were some of the more surprising findings and revelations that were uncovered during the research?
KF/MH: We were thrilled to uncover how much of Christie’s own life was used for inspiration and research. This not only gave us an insight into her own life and writing but encouraged us to use actual examples that inspire us when creating.
Me: Beyond this, what else are you working on that you’d like to share with our readers?
KF/MH: Next up, we have two books coming out this year including Travels of Terror and The Science of Alfred Hitchcock. Stay tuned for more fun projects that we’re working on separately and together!
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!
KF/MH: Write what you’re passionate about! If it’s interesting to you, it’s most likely interesting to someone else. Ghouls Rule!
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