Women in Horror: Interview with Candice Nola
Candace Nola is a Pittsburgh author with 3 published novels currently on Amazon. Breach was her debut novel, published in November 2019, followed by Beyond the Breach, published December 22, 2020. Her third novel, Hank Flynn, was published in July of 2021. She also had a short story published in the Secondhand Creeps anthology in May of 2021, that she co-authored with Sam Hill of the U.K. She is a new member of the Horror Authors Guild and recently joined The House of Stitched magazine as an editor and writer.
She began her horror website in January of 2020 to use as an author website and to help promote other indie authors in the industry. Her interview series, The Dark Dozen, was well-received in the fall of 2020 and she began to do more book reviews, author interviews, and new release features on her website. Original content was added along with a newsletter and Uncomfortably Dark Horror has morphed into the “go-to place” for the newest in horror book news.
Her novel, Beyond the Breach, won the “Novel of the Year” award for 2021 from the Horror Author Guild, and her Debut Novel, Breach, placed 2nd for “Debut Novel of the Year”, also for the 2021 Horror Author Guild awards.
She most recently published her first anthology under her brand, Uncomfortably Dark Horror, with 12 other talented indie authors. The anthology is titled The Baker’s Dozen and is available on Amazon now with a limited-edition hardcover only available on her website. The Baker’s Dozen is currently a 2021 Splatterpunk Nominee for Best Anthology of the year.
She is working on her fourth novel, Bishop, which is set for release in March of 2022.
You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook as well as her website, UncomfortablyDark.com.
What inspired you to start writing?
Writing was the only thing that I ever wanted to do. I read everything I could get my hands on as a child, from the encyclopedia to the phone book and everything in between. It was the only real dream that stayed consistent as I grew. I wrote a lot of poetry in my teen years, then moved into short stories, but after high school, I gave up on the dream of a ‘real job.’ I thought it was something that would never happen for me until a friend kept pushing me to try again in early 2019, and I’m glad she did.
What was it about the horror genre that drew you to it?
I have always been drawn to horror. My father watched a lot of horror movies and sci-fi at home and with one tv in the house, we watched what he watched. I grew up watching the old silent films, Hitchcock, The Twilight Zone, and Star Trek. Later, my parents became ghost hunters and we just naturally fell in step with that as well our later shows included all the paranormal shows. We were raised to keep an open mind about things like ghosts, aliens, and Bigfoot. Horror was never ‘horror’ in our house, it just was part of the norm.
Do you make a conscious effort to include female characters and themes in your writing and if so, what do you want to portray?
I write whatever the story dictates. In all my writing, I try to portray strong characters with a willingness to at least try and fight back, regardless of what they may be fighting. I want all people to feel empowered and seen, no matter how they identify. I do not only write female characters, nor do I only write African American characters. I write stories and allow my characters to speak through me.
What has writing horror taught you about the world and yourself?
Writing has taught me that I am capable of so much more than I thought I was, ironically, it’s helped me get over my biggest fear, which was being seen. I have spent much of my life trying to be invisible and unnoticed. As far as the world, horror changes over time and from culture to culture to reflect the society issues as they stand for those people. Asian horror tackles different themes than Korean horror, or American horror, while the broader themes often remain the same.
Death, assault, grief, loss, trauma, pain; the whole spectrum of the human experience is often put on the page, and it illustrates how things can so quickly escalate from a joyful moment to a crushing loss. It allows people to process their own fears, and trauma, maybe feel like they are not alone in how they feel. I often feel like horror carries a bad name, even though it is the most realistic depiction of the full human experience that exists, both on the pages and in film.
How have you seen the horror genre change over the years? And how do you think it will continue to evolve?
Horror continues to evolve to reflect the current societal norms and will continue to do so, as long as humanity exists. As long as we are here to write it, and to evolve with it and with each other, horror will remain the truest representation of humanity, with all of its beauty and flaws.
How do you feel women have been represented thus far in the genre and what hopes do you have for representation in the genre going forward?
Just a few years ago, women were most often portrayed as the victim, helpless or dumb, the damsel in distress or only good for being nude in the shot. Now, with the ongoing female empowerment movement, horror has exploded to include and embrace strong female leads and characters, more female authors, directors, and producers than ever before. I hope this trend continues to evolve and include more and more diverse groups, regardless of gender, race, or background.
Who are some of your favorite female characters in horror?
My first answer would have to be Tippi Hendren for her role as Melanie Daniels in The Birds. I love that movie and typically watch it several times a year. Jamie Lee Curtis as Lori Strode is another classic icon. Amanda Young from the Saw franchise, Shawnee Smith did an excellent job with her role. Finally, Lorraine Warren from The Conjuring franchise; I really enjoy those movies in spite of their flaws, and I feel like she gave a compelling performance in each film.
Who are some women who write horror you recommend our audience check out?
I could go on for days with this answer, but I would suggest many of my indie colleagues such as Rayne Havok, Summer Feaker, Ruthann Jagge, Regina Watts, L. Marie Wood, Tonia Ransom, Jean Nicole Rivers, Kenzie Jennings, and Lucy Leitner.
What is one piece of advice you would give horror authors today?
Just write, write from your heart and your soul, write what scares you, what makes you cry, what hurts you. Put it all on the page, bleed on the page, weep on the page. Let it out, let us bear it with you, fear for you, bleed with you. Almost anyone can write a story, but it takes someone great to make you FEEL a story.
And to the women who write horror out there who are just getting started, what advice would you give them?
Same as above, but also, just do it. Start now. Face your fear and start now. Reach out to other women writers, find a mentor, ask your questions, be heard, and be seen. The world needs our voices, now more than ever.
