Did you have any specific books, television shows, or movies (horror, queer or otherwise) that were early influences on your writing?
My biggest influences are the things I grew up watching, movies like Beetlejuice and Gremlins. I’ve always loved the combination of horror and comedy, especially when it’s a little campy. I also love exploring nostalgia for that time period and sometimes set my work in the 80s and 90s.
What was it about the horror genre that drew you to it?
As a kid I was expected to be very well behaved and always walked on eggshells due to growing up in a home with an abusive alcoholic. So, horror offered an escape that helped me manage my anxiety and fear by controlling it. I was definitely one of those kids who read scary stories under the covers late into the night as an act of rebellion.
Do you make a conscious effort to include LGBTQ material in your writing?
I often include characters who are bi women, partly because I didn’t fully acknowledge that aspect of my own identity until recently. I was never ‘out’ when I was single. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy with my soul mate, who happens to be a man. But I like to write women who exist as bisexuals, and not just in their romantic relationships. Bi people have historically been portrayed as sexually greedy and attracted to everyone, so I also make an effort to give my bi characters meaningful platonic friendships.
What has writing horror taught you about the world and yourself?
Horror has taught me that facing scary things is not only healthy, it can be fun! Horror helps me regulate my emotions and allows me to practice fighting monsters, all while having a darn good time. Horror has also taught me I’m not alone. There are so many people in the horror community that are facing the same fears I am and that like the same creepy stuff I do, and I’m so thankful we all have each other.
How do you feel the LGBTQ+ community has been represented thus far in the genre, and what hopes do you have for representation in the genre going forward?
I think representation has gotten much better in recent years, and I hope that continues! I want to see LGBTQ identities and relationships normalized and just as common as straight ones, and I particularly hope bisexual representation continues to grow. Sadly, bi erasure is still an issue today within the LGBTQ community, and I think inclusivity in fiction can spread to the community as a whole. I’d also love to see more asexual characters, which feels like an underrepresented identity to me, in the genre.
Who are some LGBTQ+ horror authors you recommend our audience check out?
Some of my favorite LGBTQ authors are Gwendolyn Kiste, Chuck Tingle, Sara Tantlinger, Sofia Ajram, and J.A.W. McCarthy. Each one of them tell stories using their unique perspectives and styles, and they are all such a pleasure to read! Everything they write is fabulous, but my favorites by each of them are The Haunting of Velkwood, Bury Your Gays, Cyanide Constellations, Coup de Grâce, and Sleep Alone.
And to the LGBTQ+ writers out there who are just getting started, what advice would you give them?
Tell the stories that are authentic to you. Don’t censor yourself for others or the market, we need the stories only you can tell. It has been extremely meaningful to me to see myself represented in fiction, and I bet there are readers that will feel that way about your stories too.
Angela Sylvaine is a Bram Stoker Award nominated author and self-proclaimed cheerful goth who writes speculative fiction and poetry. Her ‘90s horror-comedy novels, Frost Bite and Cold Snap, and her retro ‘80s YA mall slasher novella, Chopping Spree, embody her cheerful side. Her short story collection, The Dead Spot: Stories of Lost Girls, is fully goth and heartbreaking. Angela’s short fiction and poetry have appeared in over sixty anthologies, magazines, and podcasts, including Southwest Review, Apex, and PseudoPod. She lives in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains with her sweetheart and creepy cats. You can find her online at angelasylvaine.com.
