The Hungertakes on the historical tragedy of the Donner Party.
They seemingly cannot escape tragedy or the feeling that someone (or something) is stalking them.
It actually made me sleep with the hall light on.
Credit: Michael Lionstar
It was so well done dark and creepy and terrifying in the best possible way.
ALMA KATSU: Well, thank you!
Im always ridiculously pleased when someone tells me I was able to terrify them with my writing.
Its like having a superpower.
MCMAHON:Isnt it wonderful to know youve scared someone?
What inspired you to take on the Donner party in such a unique way?
Was there one particular spark that started it for you?
These are all families, so its mothers and fathers forced to watch their children die of starvation.
you could absolutely understand why someone would contemplate cannibalism.
The more I learned, the more it seemed that the party was doomed from the start.
Characters who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of others.
Your descriptions of the landscape and the difficulty of the journey itself were striking.
I want to hear about the research.
I know you must have done a tremendous amount.
I was also hoping you could talk about how you balanced and blended the real historical facts with fiction.
I thought, I already know this stuff.
This will be a shoo-in.
A lot of what I learned from television turned out to be incorrect.
Did you know that pioneers didnt travel inside their wagons but walked alongside to spare the oxen?
MCMAHON:I totally agree.
I think theres an art to it, though.
I know Im guilty of it and its something I have to watch for when Im revising.
There are so many different layers of tension building throughout the story!
KATSU:The Hungeris the first novel Ive written thats about a famous real-life incident.
In my previous books, while there was history, the fantasy element took center stage.
I kept on the lookout for opportunities in the actual history that could be repurposed into something spooky.
You have some interesting history secreted in your books, too!
What a brilliant idea for a story!
And the whole novel turns on it like a ballerina on pointe.
MCMAHON:Heres a question: Do you think about genre when youre writing?
I dont thinkThe Hungerfits neatly into a box either but has elements of several genres.
KATSU:I cringe, too.
My earlier books, The Taker Trilogy, are very hard to describe.
They definitely didnt fit into any box.
I keep thinking (hoping!)
that it will be easier withThe Hungerbecause its only two genres, historical fiction and horror.
MCMAHON:I so agree about the most satisfying reads being cross-genre!
I think for a book to be successful, we have to reach a wider audience.
And sometimes, they even ask me to recommend other scary books they might like, which is wonderful.
KATSU:I find horror to be a funny, tricky thing with readers.
It makes it hard for books to find their audiences.
I keep thinking that those people would like to read horror novels, too.
Where do they think the ideas for those movies come from (some of them, at least)?
MCMAHON:Horror as a genre is tricky and Im not sure whats up with that.
Yet, as you say, horror movies and TV are huge!
I think maybe people have misconceptions about what horror is and can be.
KATSU:Horror seems to be a bit of a boys club too, which Ive found discouraging.
When all the marquee writers are men, its hard to break through.
Readers seem to have a hard time accepting a woman writing horror.
But women writing in the genre produce some wonderful stuff, more suspenseful, more delicate, less gore.
Meaning, there are more women writing horror than there are Women Horror Writers.
I do see this changing thanks to books like yours!
and hopefully, it will continue to do so!
Personally, Im always drawn to the creepy in both my reading and my writing.
Im not big on explicit gore and much prefer a slow, atmospheric build-up of horror.
Thats one of the things I so loved aboutThe Hunger!
I think what you dont show is almost more important than what you do show.
KATSU:Those are all delicious ideas.
But I have brought someone back from the dead inThe Reckoningand played around with theUnderworldinThe Descent.
I totally agree on the enjoyability of horror.
No one was really afraid of the Creature from the Black Lagoon, were they?
We want to be scared but we want to be in control, too.
Suspense is harder than it seems, dont you think?
Though I love when its well done in fiction.
Sarah Waters The Little Stranger is one of my favorites here.
MCMAHON:Oh, I lovedThe Little Stranger!
Sarah Waters is such a wonderful writer.
See: It really does take a village to write a book?
Or at least some books.
Just one of the many reasons I lovedThe Hungerso very much!
One more confession and a question: The thing is, Im a big scaredy cat.
Im drawn to reading and writing scary stuff, but Im so not brave.
The truth is, I even scare myself when Im writing.
Ill be writing a creepy scene and Im sure I can feel someone (or something!)
watching me from the darkest corner of the room.
Do you ever scare yourself with your own writing?
KATSU:This is going to sound obnoxious, but no, I do not scare easily.
It made me a ruthless pragmatist.
Unfortunately, its also taken all the fun out of Halloween and visiting spooky old houses.
But they tell me I can write kick-ass villains.
