1. Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to write in the horror genre.
My name is Samie Sands, I am 27 and I live in the UK with my husband and 1 year old daughter. I am new to writing, I have always worked within the media industry – design, photography and PR, but have always wanted to use my creativity in this way. My new years resolution last year was to follow this dream, and I have come such a long way since then! I have a novel being published (which will be released early next year) and now my story in Holiday Horrors.
I have a particular interest in horror as it is such a wide ranging genre. I love the fact that when faced by really horrific situations, characters find things out about themselves that they never knew. I enjoy writing this new depth.
2. What was your inspiration for your story in the Holiday Horrors Anthology?
My story that has been featured in Holiday Horrors is actually a mini spin off story from my novel, Lockdown, which is going to be released. It’s about the very beginning of what is to become a zombie apocalypse, and the main character, trying to wrap her head around a very strange occurrence!
3. Tell us one thing about you that most people don’t know.
I am a huge anime and manga geek. One of the best things to ever happen to me was to visit Japan and see the home of where it all comes from – I even got to visit a working animation studio.
4. Name three things on your desk.
My daughters scan photo, a Hello Kitty plush that was a gift from one of my closest friends and a long line of pens.
5. What are your favorite kinds of characters to write about?
It’s always fun to write the villain! Looking from an entirely different perspective is a challenge I love. Saying that, the hardest characters to write are the ones that are similar to yourself.
6. Do you plot your work or wing it?
I always have a strong plan, which never ever seems to work out! I have found the best ideas I actually come up with, are the ones that naturally appear as the story is developing.
7. Tell us your process for working through a novel as opposed to a short story. How do they differ in your mind?
With a novel, you can flesh out your story with character and plot development and details which explain what is happening better, so once I have got the basics down, I write around that to make it all more interesting.
With a short story, you have to get everything across quicker and in a much more precise way, every word is vital. I plan out longer stories beforehand, whereas I always just start short stories with a small idea.
8. What is one thing you would tell aspiring horror writers that has helped you in your writing career?
Start with what interests you. It sounds simple, but if you don’t like your story, it’s unlikely others will.
9. Do you listen to music when you write? What does your soundtrack look like?
I prefer to work without noise as I can focus better. However, that is impossible with a 1 year old so my soundtrack has become childrens songs – something she can sing along to whilst playing so I can have 5 minutes to myself!
10. What’s next in your writer horizon?
Lockdown will be released in spring, and the sequel wont be long behind! I am currently working my butt off at the moment to get it done.
Twitter: @SamieSands
Bio:
Samie Sands lives in a small seaside town in England with her husband and daughter. She has a degree in Media Studies and has spent her career working as a Graphic Designer. She enjoys reading books from all genres, particularly horror and spends far too much time with her head in a book. Her debut novel, Lockdown, is a Sci-Fi story that will be coming out soon.
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