8
Easy Questions for Author Kelli A. Wilkins (Part 2)
1.
Greetings Kelli, and thank you for coming back to answer the last four
questions from the Easy 8. Part One of this interview focused on your romance
novels, and for Part Two we’d like to talk about your horror and mystery
stories. Have you always been a horror fan? Who (or what) were your early
influences?
I’ve always been a fan of the strange, unusual,
surreal, and spooky. It’s just in my nature, and I’m drawn to things most
people find weird or creepy. I started reading short horror fiction when I was
in grade school, and it was about that time when I realized I wanted to be the
one writing stories to scare people.
My main literary influence at the time was Stephen
King. I read Night Shift when I was nine or ten and I got hooked on short
stories. I also was watching The Twilight
Zone, Tales from the Darkside, and other shows that told a spooky story in
a half hour. I wasn’t scared by the shows, I was actually studying the way the
story was told, how the tension built, and how the author crafted a powerful
ending. I drew on all these influences when I started writing my horror
stories. Maybe this is why my short stories are more psychological/spooky than
gory.
2.
And it seems you’ve achieved your goal of writing horror fiction to scare
people. According to the Horror, Mystery & More section
of your site, your short fiction has been included in several anthologies, and
yet you’ve self-published a few short horror/mysteries. Why is that?
When I started writing
horror, I submitted my short stories to print and online markets because
self-publishing didn’t exist yet. I still submit stories to e-zines,
anthologies, and print mags when the story matches up with what the market is
looking for. However, when my stories are too long or nobody likes the subject
matter, I self-publish. That happened with my novella Nightmare in the North. (https://www.kelliwilkins.com/nightmare-in-the-north)
It’s a great story, but because of the length and topic (my husband called it
“disturbing”) it couldn’t find a home. So I self-published it. I also
self-published Extraterrestrial Encounters, a collection of 18 sci-fi stories.
(https://www.kelliwilkins.com/extraterrestrial-encounters)
3.
You have recently published two very different horror/mystery ebooks. One is The Route 9 Killer, a novella about a
serial killer in New Jersey, and Surreal
Escapes, a collection of short stories. Can you tell readers about the
origins of each of those?
Sure! The Route 9 Killer is a police procedural with a hint of the paranormal thrown in. Here’s the summary and link:
The Route 9 Killer
Detective Jim Rourke suspects a serial killer is
hunting women in Central New Jersey. The victims are held captive, brutalized,
then murdered and dumped along deserted stretches of Route 9.
There’s no physical evidence, no witnesses, and the
killer is smart enough to leave no clues.
Rourke is alone on a manhunt, and time is running out.
Eight victims have already fallen prey to this madman.
Can Rourke catch the killer and rescue the next victim
before it’s too late?
Order
your copy & read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/the-route-9-killer
I can’t give away any spoilers, but I was very careful
in how I portrayed each character. Some people aren’t exactly who they seem to
be. Initially Detective Rourke is looking for a missing woman, but then he
stumbles across a serial killer. The book got several excellent reviews and I
loved creating all the twists and turns in the story.
My 2024 release, Surreal Escapes, is a collection of seven spooky stories. Five of these short stories have been previously published and two are new. Here’s the summary and link:
Surreal
Escapes
7 Speculative Stories
Are you ready to take a journey into
the unexpected?
In these 7 speculative stories, ordinary people start
off having an average, normal day… until they encounter the world of the
surreal. They quickly realize they’re in another realm where anything can—and
does—happen.
Some of these unusual tales include:
“Holiday Havoc” – The night shift in a retail store
hosts the ultimate Halloween vs. Christmas showdown
“Little Boy Lost” – After several strange incidents,
Beverly suspects her son’s imaginary friend isn’t so imaginary
“The Man in Apt. 3-A” – What do you do when you
discover your neighbor is a vampire?
“Whispers from the Past”
– Not all ghosts are scary… or strangers
This collection of short fiction will unnerve you,
spark your imagination, and make you wonder what else is possible in the world
of the surreal.
Order
your copy and read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/horror/surreal-escapes
I love writing short
stories and each of these tales is unique. A few take place around Halloween
(my favorite holiday) and feature ghosts, a vampire, and lots of other strange
goings-on. At the end of each story I share a bit about why I wrote it, and
talk about the plot or characters. It was fun to revisit (and revise) the
stories I wrote ages ago. I hope readers enjoy them!
4.
So what’s next for you? More romances? Another horror novella? More short
stories?
As most people know, I write in multiple genres:
horror, romance, mystery, sci-fi… I go where the stories and ideas take me, and
I’ve built a rather impressive (and eclectic) title list over the last 25+
years.
Recently, I started reflecting on my writing career.
I’ve decided that at this stage of my life, I’m going back to my first love:
writing horror/mystery/suspense stories. I have folders filled with ideas for spooky
short stories and an outline for a novella that’s a follow-up (of sorts) to The
Route 9 Killer.
I love creating characters and settings,
world-building, and inventing troubles for my characters to get into (and out
of), and I love all the books I’ve written. But spending weeks/months editing,
revising, and proofreading a full-length romance novel is just not appealing to
me anymore. So, For Love’s Sake was my last (and 24th) romance.
As for the future… Who knows where my writings will
show up? I may have a horror tale chosen for an anthology. My suspense story
might be included in an e-zine, or I could self-publish my own short stories.
And I just finished writing the first draft of a new short
story. It’s a blend of horror and fantasy. We’ll see where that leads later in
2025.
Good
luck with your new stories! I’m sure readers will enjoy whatever you write. Any
last words before we sign off?
Thanks for letting me share my thoughts and talk about
my writings. I welcome comments and questions from readers and other authors.
Be sure to follow my blog https://www.kelliwilkins.com/blog
for the latest updates and visit my site for a full title list and links to my
social media.
Until next time,
Kelli
A. Wilkins
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Kelli
A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short
stories, 24 romance novels, and 8 mystery/horror ebooks. Her romances span many
genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror and mystery
stories.
Her twenty-fourth
romance, For Love’s Sake, an epic historical/fantasy romantic adventure,
was published in January 2025.
In August 2024, she released Surreal
Escapes, a collection of 7 speculative/spooky stories. Anything can—and
does—happen in this anthology.
Kelli also released her fourth gay romance, A Thousand Summer Secrets,
in 2024. This tender contemporary romance takes place over a summer weekend,
where two friends reconnect while seeking love and acceptance.
She published The Route 9 Killer, a
mystery/thriller set in Central NJ, in 2023.
Follow
Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins
and visit her website www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and social media links.
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