Excerpt:
The sound of the waves crashing down below, the impending fog rolling in, the wind sending curses past my cheeks, streaked with salt water—all of it seemed to have been put into slow motion as I stood there, full of rage and powerless against this demon as she held my daughter’s life in her tainted, dead hands. Eight words were all I was afforded in the two seconds that followed. “You were the one who let me in.”
And then it all happened at once. There was a "uttering of feathers, the sensation of a stick being forced into my hand, and the sound of my own screams as my daughter’s body fell; but then I just as quickly lunged forward, standing on air and pointing my bit of willow down at her body just before it was about to make contact with the jagged rocks below.
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The Book Junkie Reads . . . Interview with . . . Mariah Stillbrook . . .
How would you describe you style of writing to someone that has never read your work?
I write urban fantasy and horror in both adult and young adult. However, I write my young adult books so adults may enjoy them also. I’ve been told that I have a literary style. Most of my characters will have a bit of an edge to them—I’m a libra, and I’m their god, so . . . Some of my favorite authors are Chuck Palahniuk, Charlotte Bronte, Robert McCammon, and Neil Gaiman. I would say there’s proof of this in my prose.
Do you feel that writing is an ingrained process or just something that flows naturally for you?
It flows naturally to me. Sure, there are days, weeks, months, and sometimes even years where creativity seems to flitter away, but I think that’s fairly normal. I’ve been writing for most of my life; it’s just that over the years it has become more of an intense practice and . . . obsession.
Do you take your character prep to heart? Do you nurture the growth of each character all the way through to the page? Do you people watch to help with development? Or do you build upon your character during story creation?
Psychology of the human mind is something I cling to; therefore, character development is my favorite. It’s the characters who usually find me first—their world (or worlds) follow soon after. As soon as I begin bringing them to life and hear their voices, they sort of just build themselves. I do people watch (I think most authors probably do), and I’ve had a string of odd jobs that have allowed me to see a wide variety of humans. I’ve also been a body worker, and that sort of work lends itself towards the energy of several different personalities. I believe it has all aided in my colorful creativity.
Can you share your next creative project(s)? If yes, can you give a few details?
I’ve been working on a new horror called Betsy. It’s about a closeted lesbian girl named Roxy. It takes place in small town America during the mid-nineties, and the antagonist is a possessed mannequin named Betsy who lives in an antique shop called Perfectly Vintage.
If you could have dinner/dinner party with 7 fictional character, who would they be?
Snape (Harry Potter)
Jane Eyre (Jane Eyre)
Kvothe (The Name of the Wind)
Kaladin (The Way of Kings)
Andy the Squirrel (Funny Farm)
The Creature (Frankenstein)
The Narrator from Fight Club
Thank you Mariah Stillbrook for joining and giving a little insight to you and your process. Your work is appreciated.
Website: https://www.mariahstillbrook.com/
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22508599.Mariah_Stillbrook
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