Elizabeth's Corner Archives

You'll notice that it is a lot quieter in the Eneit Press offices this morning. That's not because we've all slept in and are late for work, but because I've managed to convince Sharyn Lilley, owner of Eneit Press, to take Wreckless Eric's Big Smash off the stereo and join me on the couch to answer a few questions for Women In Horror Month.

 Good morning, Sharyn. I know you've got a lot on at the moment, so thanks for sitting down with me for a few minutes. Since I can see your Irish coffee getting cold there, I'll dive right into the questions.

 What is it you love about the genre of horror and how did it inspire you
to start Eneit Press?

My childhood love of mythology is the most likely culprit for my interest in
tales of dark deeds and creatures. The Norse, Greek and Celtic gods were not
exactly cheerful reading, but I found them utterly fascinating.

But this was not the reason for beginning Eneit Press. First there was an
anthology; In Bad Dreams Volume One ~ Where Real Life Awaits. This anthology
consumed my former business partner and I. I tried once to count up how many
hours we'd put into it. I couldn't even get close. Eventually someone pointed
out that if we believed in it so much, we should publish it ourselves. Eneit
Press came from that.

 In April, Eneit Press is due to release Baggage, an anthology of original
speculative fiction edited by Dr Gillian Polack. It focuses on Australian
cultural baggage, a subject which--at first glance--doesn't lend itself
immediately to horror. What prompted you to propose such a project?

Baggage is the end result of many years obsession in cultural baggage by Dr
Gillian Polack, and a conversation between us about why you couldn't believably
set a novel like Twillight in Australia. Even though we share a similar native
peoples/European/immigrant history as the U.S. certain cultural paranormal
beliefs simply did not transplant well out here, and we have some very unique
paranormal activity.

Being the type of people we are, we wanted to read stories that explored this
concept. I knew the quality of Gillian's abilities, so I told her to find me
the stories we wanted to read. I think she's done a magnificent job.

 As well as juggling the enormous task of running Eneit Press, you've been
the author of several horror stories, most notably a chilling four-part work
published in In Bad Dreams ~ Where Real Life Awaits. Are there any stories
you are currently working on?

Thank you, I was very happy with reviewer and reader responses to the Solstice
and Equinox stories in IBD1. Currently I have several science fiction novel
manuscripts in varying stages of progress, some short stories written and put
aside for later polishing, and researching a swords and sorcery anti hero.

 Finally, are there any female horror writers or characters that
particularly inspire you?

The character of Annie Wilkes in Stephen King's Misery - so perfectly portrayed
by Kathy Bates in the movie adaption. I'm not a big fan of slasher/splatter
horror, but humanity's inhumanity scares the hell out of me. The most inspiring
female horror author, and one I've been lucky enough to work with, is Kaaron
Warren. Her work sends chills through my soul.

 I can see it is time for a new cup of Irish Coffee, so I'll let you head off. Thanks again for stopping by, Sharyn. You can put the stereo back on now.

You'll notice that Kaaron Warren's name keeps cropping up here in Elizabeth's Corner. Well, I've decided not to break the trend. Kaaron will be stopping by here tomorrow as the next guest for Women In Horror Month. Feel free to stop by for a cup of tea and to listen as I ask her a few questions.

It's a gloomy morning outside the Eneit Press office windows--the perfect atmosphere for hosting today's guest, horror writer Kaaron Warren. Kaaron is an award winning author who has just had her second novel Walking the Tree published by Angry Robot, a new imprint of Harper Collins. She's a fascinating lady with a streak of curiosity that's a mile wide, and I'm very excited to have her here this morning.

Good morning, Kaaron. Thank you so much for stopping by at Elizabeth's Corner. I'm a well known tea addict and loved your line in "Hive of Glass" about tea being instinctive. So, the most important question first: do you prefer tea or coffee?

I like coffee in the morning, tea in the evening. I also rather like warm milk with malt and honey!

Ooo... that does sound good. I wonder if I can get Sharyn to buy some malt for the kitchen...

Leaving beverage preferences aside for the moment, what about preferences in horror? You've said previously that the human form of dark fiction is your favourite. What is it about this that fascinates you?

I've never really been able to answer this question. My fascination is almost instinctive, it really is. I prefer a bad ending in a story to a happy one, perhaps because there is more surprise that way.

I've spoken before about a story which resonated with me when I was a child, about a young man murdering his sister. I can still remember the way it was described; her skull cracked open. These are the stories I remember and want to write about.

Celia Fremlin, Daphne du Maurier, Lisa Tuttle and Gemma Files are four favourite writers. Fremlin and du Maurier were greatly influential early in my career, when I was finding my voice. It was wonderful to read the horrifying novels they wrote, based in reality, about the depths of human nature and also the possiblities beyond the normal.

 Well, thank you for coming by, Kaaron. I know things are busy and I really appreciate you taking the time to stop by here. Sharyn's got your coffee ready in the kitchen. Don't mind the 70s Australian rock.

Continuing with Women In Horror Month, we have the lovely Amanda Pillar in to tell us a little about her work editing horror anthologies. Feel free to stop by for a listen. I might have some of that warm milk and malt ready to try.

I was so amused to hear Sharyn put Horror Movie by the Skyhooks on the stereo yesterday that I asked her to put it on again today for our next Women In Horror Month interview. This morning Amanda Pillar, editor extraordinaire, has stopped by to answer a few questions. Amanda has co-edited a number of anthologies, including Voices, Grant's Pass and, most recently, The Phantom Queen Awakens.

 Welcome Amanda! Thank you for joining me this morning. I'd just like to start with one vital question I ask all my guests: do you prefer tea or coffee?

I like tea... I am addicted to Pepsi Max, though.

Well, it's perhaps a little early in the morning for Pepsi Max, so I hope you don't mind tea for the time being. While we're waiting for it to brew, can you tell me what is it you love about the genre of horror and how it inspires your writing and editing?

I found my passion for horror fiction after branching out from urban fantasy. With horror fiction, it’s not just the scary aspect that intrigues me; it’s the questions it raises about the nature of humanity that captures my interest.

How would someone react when faced with a certain scenario? Could a human do something horrible and live with it? What happens when the so-called ‘horrific’ characters act more humane than the humans do?

Horror isn’t gore and blood. Grants Pass, a post apocalyptic collection I edited with Jennifer Brozek, actually branches into the horror genre through its discussion of humanity and human interaction.

 A woman after my own heart! I confess I adore the Black Jewels trilogy too.

Well, thank you again for taking some time out to chat, Amanda. Best of luck with the thesis and the new anthology.

 Tomorrow's guest for Women In Horror Month is author Stephanie Gunn. Feel free to stop by and listen as she talks about juggling writing and motherhood. I promise there'll be fresh tea.

It may be a weekend, but there's no rest for the wicked here at the Eneit Press offices. Today I'm in the company of a strong cup of tea and author Stephanie Gunn. Stephanie has published a number of short stories, some poetry and is also a keen reviewer. She has managed to sneak some time away from being a new mum to join me here this morning.

Hi Stephanie. Welcome to Elizabeth's Corner. Now before we get started, there is one vital question I ask all my guests: do you prefer tea or coffee (or do you prefer something else entirely...)?

I'm definitely a coffee girl, though I'm a fan of caffeine in general
(especially chocolate).

I've been really lucky to have served on the judging panel for the Australian Shadows Awards last year, and previously on the horror panel of the Aurealis Awards, so I've gotten to read a good amount of horror and dark fiction published in those years.  One thing that needs to be said is that the quality of dark fiction published in Australia has improved vastly over the years.  It's been particularly
amazing reading for the Australian Shadows Awards, since there was an incredible amount of good work published last year.

I've been a huge fan of Kaaron Warren's work for a while and was completely taken with "Slights", and I've recently been extremely impressed with Felicity Dowker's short fiction, as well as Gillian Polack's novel "Life Through Cellophane" and Deborah Biancotti's "Book of Endings".

While perhaps not strictly horror, Tansy Raynor Roberts' "Siren Beat" was also incredible.

I'd better let you head off now, Stephanie. Motherhood sounds like it's keeping you exceptionally busy. Thankyou again for taking the time to stop by.

It's great to hear Stephanie mention Gillian Polack in the list of authors that have recently impressed her because Gillian is our final guest for Women In Horror Month. Please stop by and have a listen as I ask her about her most recent novel, Life Through Cellophane.

You may remember that at the beginning of the week there was a certain significant pile of papers on the ottoman here. Well,  those papers have now disappeared and this morning have been replaced by the feet of Dr Gillian Polack. Don't worry--although this is Women In Horror Month, the rest of her remains attached and alive. She has kindly joined us this morning for the last of the interviews in this series. Dr Polack is the author of two novels, numerous short stories and is also the editor for Eneit Press's forthcoming anthology, Baggage.

Good morning, Gillian. Thank you for coming by today, although I know you're not really a morning person. Perhaps a hot beverage would help? Do you prefer tea or coffee?

I love both.  I cannot, however, stand instant coffee:  it makes my mouth feel as if it’s been soaped.

Well, since I already have a pot made I hope you don't mind tea. It's extra strong this morning.

 Now, I know you’ve had a long career in feminist activism and have worked as part of several councils, but have since come to concentrate on writing fiction. What prompted such a change? Do you think that there are issues you can better grapple with (or prompt other people to grapple with) through fiction?

Oddly, I didn’t shift.  I’ve always written and writing has always come first.  The change has been in my willingness to share my writing.  Also, now, I’m willing to accept some advice I was given by a very wise woman in 1986.

I had a conversation in a bar in London in 1986.  Lyn McDonald  - who was then a leftish-wing Canadian politician – was revisiting her student days and I was nearing the end of mine (I don’t know what happened to her after that – my life went pearshaped and I lost track, as it does from time to time).  We talked about stuff we both cared about, mostly to do with the need for better human rights and for social justice.  She had been elected against all odds and was able to finally achieve some of her dreams.  I felt powerless.  I told her about my fiction.  She told me to keep it up and to keep writing, because there are many ways of changing the world.  She pointed out that helping people doesn’t have to be done with regulations or in-your-face activism.  I listened to her, but I didn’t have the courage for a long while, to share my writing. 

Inside my fiction there are the ideas I used to workshop with women’s’ groups and the concepts I wrote policy papers on.  They’re not at the front, being shoved down peoples’ throats, because really, that’s not what I enjoy in fiction, so I don’t see why my readers should have to tolerate it.   
And that’s a really lousy answer.  It’s a very big question and hard to give a proper reply without shouting my world theories at everyone and making it look as if I want the world to be like me.  Wanting other people to think like me and be like me is really not something I’m looking for, so I try not to be preachy about my politics.

I'd call it a fascinating answer, rather than a lousy one.

Life Through Cellophane is your latest novel and features a middle-aged, unemployed, female protagonist who fears that she’ll turn out to be the sort of person who people see through, like cellophane. Do you feel that this is the ultimate horror?

Not at all.  I’ve been seen through and walked over and ignored and survived.  The ultimate horror is where one ceases to have had any importance. It eradicates the past and the inner self and all futures.  Lack of visibility is pretty bad, though.

 You have been very productive in recent times and are in the final stages of editing the anthology Baggage for Eneit Press. It focuses on Australian cultural baggage and features a number of strong female writers. What sort of baggage have you had to contend with as a woman writing dark fiction in Australia?

The biggest piece of baggage right now is dealing with the idea that it’s dark fiction.  In my mind I am a very funny person…

My favourite horror story of all time is one we told by the campfire in Girl Guides.  It starts “In a dark, dark forest there was a dark, dark house. “  It has no plot, no characters, and completely fails when it’s not whispered by the campfire at night.  This, too, is baggage.

 Speaking of favourite horror stories, are there any female horror writers or characters you particularly admire?

Mrs Radcliffe!!  In fact, most of the original Gothic horror writers.  They changed the borders of our worlds, made them more interesting in so many ways.  The vast majority of them were very pedestrian writers, but they pushed boundaries and made walls porous.

It's time for another cup of tea, so we'll leave it there for now. Thank you very much for coming by Gillian. It was a pleasure chatting with you.

With February just about over, that's our last interview for Women In Horror Month. It's certainly not the last from me, however. As the launch of Baggage draws closer, you can expect to hear a lot more from me about the anthology. That is, if Sharyn doesn't have her stereo turned up too loud.