WiHM Special - CM Lajewski

An accomplished writer, retired alternative high school teacher, haunt actor, and a teacher/naturalist, CM Lajewski has crafted a strong legacy for herself with her work in various genres or style. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in writing, her process in creating new stories, and her 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?

CM: Lajewski: I loved Halloween as a child, and it’s still my favorite holiday today. It always felt that we were roaming far from home when we went trick-or-treating (we weren’t) and that anything scary could happen (It never did).

I also remember seeing movies like Jason and the Argonauts in the theatre as a child. The monsters, the fighting skeletons, were all thrilling and just scary enough. Later, I remember enjoying the Universal Studios classic monster movies on Friday night TV.

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?

CML: I read The Haunting of Hill House when I was twelve. Shirley Jackson has remained a favorite. I also read Poe, of course, and stories by Richard Matheson. And of course, Illustrated Classics (Frankenstein, for example) were favorites.

Me: What was the starting point of becoming a writer? Were you always into writing growing up?

CML: I always did some form of writing, often poetry. My first “book” was actually a comic strip called “Sunny and Moonie.” The sun kicked the moon’s ass in story after story. However, writing things for publication came late in life. My first novel and short stories were published when I turned 60.

Me: Is there any specific genre you prefer to write? Is there a style or format that you find easier to get into, even if you don't have a preference?

CML: My first novel, JHATOR, was a spiritual fantasy. It opened the floodgates to put fantastic things on paper. After that first novel, I went with horror and pretty much stayed there.

Me: Having contributed to various anthologies early in your career, what tools and skills did you acquire working on those that transferred to future projects?

CML: Getting to the point quickly in a story, developing characters, and doing it all succinctly are good skills to learn.

Me: What is the general process for getting involved in these projects?

CML: I don’t have one. I may write the story first, then look for a market. I might respond to a call for submissions on a particular theme.

Me: How did you settle on the plots for your writing? With your work involving both standalone and a compilation of short stories published, what type of prep-work goes into making sure everything contains your own personal touch?

CML: I’m sorry, but this question is kind of meaningless. My style is my style. There is no prep work. It just is. The ideas pop into my head, then I puzzle out how to plot the story, staying true to the characters.

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

CML: I’ve always been fairly disciplined. I try to set time early in the day. I hope to meet a minimum number of words. However, there have been times when I have been unable to meet those goals. In that case, I will write the story in my head, rehearsing it (including dialogue) several times until I can actually sit down and write. My first novel was almost entirely “written” while commuting to and from my full-time teaching job.

Me: Was there anything about the characters that you were surprised by in telling their stories?

CML: The process of writing things in my head often led to the characters themselves kind of balking if I was trying to force them in a direction they did not wish to go. I’ve even dreamt of my characters telling me what they want to do.

Me: Once it was finally written, what was the process for having it published?

CML: Long, arduous, frustrating, and heartbreaking. It took nearly two years to find a publisher for my first novel. It involved exploring every resource out there for writers. Once I started publishing more short stories, however, I did have editors sometimes ask me to contribute, or if they rejected a particular story, make it clear they wanted to see future endeavors. That was how “Mercy Brown and Me” got published in The Misbehaving Dead.

Me: Outside of writing, you’re also a worker in several local haunts. What led to your involvement in this part of the industry?

CML: My love of Halloween. It’s not always easy dealing with members of the public who think it’s fun to get drunk and get abusive with actors (I’m looking at you, URI students!). But knowing you can get grown men to fall on their asses is an amazing thing.

Me: What typically goes through a day preparing for a showing? Do you dread any part of this experience?

CML: Like any type of acting, one gets into character while donning a costume and makeup. Feedback from fellow haunters helps one know what works and what doesn’t. Any dread comes later, when actors get a heads-up about assholes waiting in line. (Often they’re removed from the attraction for their behavior before they get too far.)

Me: What has been the most memorable haunt you’ve been a part of?

CML: My favorite was a place called Trails to Terror in Wakefield, RI. It was an outdoor haunt at a farm that has since been sold. Being in the woods itself with fog, animals moving around, real bats and owls overhead, and even an October meteor shower is an incomparable experience. Half the actors’ work was already done for them.

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

CML: I’m now retired, so everything is now part of a creative process. I do draw a lot of inspiration from the natural world. I’ve been leaning more into what hides under logs or flies overhead, as well as folk horror and dark fairy tale vibes.

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

CML: I’ve expanded a story, Child of Reason, that was published in the Wicked Women anthology from New England Horror Writers. That has become a novel I’m shopping around. I’m currently working on short stories and a sequel to Child of Reason called Fallow. Two of my stories were picked up by the No Sleep Podcast. “Heart In Her Throat” was recently dramatized. I’m also excited to be part of the Encounters With Cryptids anthology that just came out.

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!

CML: I think women writers, filmmakers, and artists are already doing away with tired tropes and creating horror that is our own. (If I had the time, I’d probably expand into the world of makeup and creature effects.) For any women out there, I think they should find like-minded creators. Join writers, actors, or artist groups. Give haunt acting a try. You’d be surprised who you might meet.

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