Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I love everything dark and Gothic. I’m a big fan of fantasy and horror; my favorite movie is Pan’s Labyrinth and my favorite writer is H.P. Lovecraft. I have worked as both a social media coordinator and editor. Now, as a grad student, I edit and design a newsletter for my university’s English Department while studying professional writing. I am also one of the co-editors for a literary magazine, Exhume. I have completed five novels, though only one, Dove Keeper, is currently published.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is a Gothic horror novel, Dove Keeper. When I was young, I was told my distant relatives were executioners, but I didn’t think much of it. However, like many writers who were also students, I had a situation in my sophomore undergrad year where it was two in the morning and I had the horrific thought: “Oh no, the poetry workshop is tomorrow, and I haven’t written anything!” I rattled my brain for something to write about, and eventually, I decided to do research on my executioner relatives.
I discovered not only what was available, but also what was missing, especially when it came to information about the women in executioner families. I wondered how they dealt with the stigma and isolation they endured, so I decided to write a book with a mother-daughter focus, something I find to be rare in horror and fiction in general. I also focused a great deal on the themes of grief and trauma, which was a very cathartic experience. I enjoyed creating three (originally two) very deeply flawed female characters, as well as combining the executioner story idea, stemming from that poem I wrote for class, with a much older idea I’d never been able to lift off the ground. It is my hope that the story’s focus on grief, trauma, and mental illness will resonate with others like me and help them feel less alone.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure how unusual this is, but I almost always need some sort of show, video, or music (metal!) playing in the background while I write.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
When it comes to influences, I am very much into 19th and 20th-century horror, especially Gothic and Weird horror. I am a fan of Mary Shelley, Angela, Carter, Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson, Clive Barker, Sarah Waters, Joe Hill, and H.P. Lovecraft. It would be impossible to list all the books that have influenced me, but I have been especially affected by Let the Right One In, The Millenium Trilogy, Carmilla, and The Picture of Dorian Gray.
What are you working on now?
The better question would be what am I NOT working on? I have a spreadsheet with almost sixty story ideas I eventually want to write before I die–a different sort of bucket list! My most pressing project is rewriting and revising a horror novel, Rabbit Heart, which is about a girl adopted by two cannibalistic serial killers. I’m excited to say the first chapter will be published as a short story in TL;DR Press!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have an Instagram and Twitter for my book, @dovekeeperbook. I’m not sure how successful they are, but they’re the best in terms of amusing myself with memes about my Actually Very Serious book. When it comes to promotion, I’ve found that word of mouth and speaking to bloggers I know who love my specific genre have helped.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Know your strengths, weaknesses, and limitations–and respect them. Don’t try to force yourself into a certain routine because another writer you admire or know does it. If you can only write 100 words a day, you’re still a writer, and there’s plenty of time to figure out what works for you. You are more than just how productive you are or how many words you crank out in a certain timeframe.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
While I think you should always take other writers’ advice with a grain of salt, since it all tends to be very personal, the most helpful writing advice I’ve heard has come from Lisa Cron, and I would recommend her books on writing. She advises that writers should figure out their story first before writing, and not doing so will only make writing and rewriting far more difficult, and you’ll have to cut out and add way more. Determine the story, which is what your character wants and what gets in their way from achieving that want; this tends to include your character’s wrong beliefs about what they need (and who they are) or shortcomings that keep them from reaching their full potential.
What are you reading now?
I am currently reading Paul Tremblay’s A Head Full of Ghosts, and I’m loving it. My next read (or re-read, rather) will be Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Once I receive the proofreader’s edits for the sequel of Dove Keeper, Birds in a Cage, I’m going to work toward publishing it in 2019. With any luck, Rabbit Heart will be available in late 2019, and another one of my novels will be published in early 2020.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Complete Collection of H.P. Lovecraft, Dracula, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, and The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories
Author Websites and Profiles
Emily Deibler Website
Emily Deibler Amazon Profile
Emily Deibler Author Profile on Smashwords
Emily Deibler’s Social Media Links
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