Interview with Author Christina Ferko
J.S.- What inspired the book, and have you always been a fan or at least appreciated spooky books?
C.F.- Aside from sneaking a Goosebumps book once in a while as a kid, I didn’t grow up reading scary books. I didn’t really start to appreciate the horror genre until I was an adult and life hadthrown real scares at me (like it tends to do for everyone). Some of the inspiration for THEDARKNESS GREETED HER comes from a few of my own experiences like that in life, whileother inspiration was me just wanting to write more unreliable narrators and a story that showshow sometimes the woods can feel full of unknown things.
J.S.- What is the most challenging aspect of writing a book?
C.F.- Motivation and focus. Getting myself to actually sit down and start working instead of getting distracted by the million other things I need to do in a day or by scrolling social media is thehardest part for me. Once I’m sitting and focusing on work, I can get things done, but that initialmotivation and focus needed to get myself sitting at my desk can be hard when I always feel likethere’s at least ten things I should be doing at once.
J.S.- What is next for you? Will you be doing a book tour at all? Would you like to see the book become a film?
C.F.- Right now, I have a second book with Sourcebooks Fire for another young adult horror. There aren’t any details announced for it yet, but I can’t wait to share more about it soon!
For now, I have an author event with my local indie bookstore, Park Books in Severna Park,Maryland (Feb. 4th) where I’ll be in-conversation with author Roselyn Clarke and also signingcopies of THE DARKNESS GREETED HER. There might be some more events down the linetoo though!
I’m a huge fan of Mike Flanagan’s horror works, so yes, it would be a dream of mine to see thebook become a film or a limited series, especially if it were directed by Mike Flanagan! Kirkus,among others, have said that THE DARKNESS GREETED HER reads like a horror film so Ithink this story would lend well to that form of media too!
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J.S.- Did the characters come via any personal inspiration? If you do not want to answer, please don’t. I have been through a lot in life, and when you read about powerful, strongcharacters it gives you extra hope.
C.F.- Yes, I won’t dive too much into it, but Harper’s character and the trauma she experiences fromdoing CPR on someone who doesn’t survive comes from my own personal experience (thoughit’s not written the exact same way). With Harper, I wrote through some of my own trauma andfeelings of that experience. Emma’s story of facing a home intruder was sparked by mom andsisters having faced a home intruder also. And Kylie’s experience of dealing with a parent whohad cancer came from my own cancer diagnosis, going through treatments, and the worry I hadof being a mom to two toddlers during that time also.
J.S.- Who are some of your favorite writers/Authors?
C.F.- I’m obsessed with Jamison Shea’s books. They write YA horror also and are an instant buy forme! Other YA horror authors I love are Trang Thanh Tran, Kelly Andrew, Taylor Grothe, andErin A. Craig. I’m alsoveryexcited for a fellow YA horror debut author, Keala Kendall, and toread her book, THAT WHICH FEEDS US.
J.S.- I am so in love with the cover. Is it a real place?
C.F.- It’s not a real place. The book is based on a northern Appalachia setting, but the camp with thelake surrounded by birch trees is made up. And I love the cover too! All credit for that has to goto my cover design team and artist!
J.S.- How did the idea manifest? What was the process like for you?
C.F.- For me, with any book I write, I usually start with a vague idea that will usually have somethingto do with the conflict of the story and any paranormal aspects I might put in. And then I’m verymuch a “plotter” author. Once I have a general story idea, I develop it more through writing up astructure outline, so if it’s a three-act structure, I’ll outline all the main plot points in each act anddevelop backstory. After that, I write a chapter-by-chapter outline (though they’re not usuallyvery detailed and I tend to go off script from while drafting the middle) and then from there it’sdrafting and revising. I followed this with THE DARKNESS GREETED HER except withTDGH, I wrote more than half the book before deciding that it didn’t feel right and basicallystarted the process all over again for it—which wasn’t fun but was the right decision for thisstory.
J.S.- Do you have any words of wisdom for fellow writers?
C. F.- Keep writing. If you’re writing with the hope of becoming published, then keep writing and reading. Read widely for enjoyment but also to learn the craft. And I think half of writing forpublication is just tenacity and not giving up. I wrote six other books before my offer withSourcebooks. Some days and rejections werehard, so take breaks when needed, but keep goingand keep growing your craft if it’s something you also can’t give up on like me.
J.S.- Thank you so much for taking the time to do an interview for Horrornews.net.