First of all… thank you so much for joining! I’m so excited to have you here 💕

The Reading Nook is basically our little digital book club where we can read together, talk about books, and build our own little corner of the bookish internet.

Here’s what you can expect each month:

• A newsletter introducing our vibe/theme of the month

• A book pick that matches the theme

• Annotation tips + reading ideas

• Book (and maybe anime 👀) recommendations that fit the vibe

• A cozy virtual reading hangout!

For our reading hangouts, think cozy reading night vibes: music playing, reading sprints, chatting, and just hanging out with fellow book lovers.

We’ll talk about what we’ve been reading, discuss whatever bookish chaos is happening (because there is ALWAYS something 😂), plan future themes, and of course… actually sit down and read together!

You can read the monthly book theme pick or choose your own book that fits the vibe. The goal isn’t to force everyone to read the same thing, it’s to create a fun space where we’re actually excited to pick up a book.

You’ll also get access to a free digital book planner/tracker!

👉🏾 Link to Book Tracker/Planner

You can upload it to iPad-friendly apps like Notability, GoodNotes, or any PDF annotation app you use to track your reading journey.

Again, thank you for being here. I’m really excited to build this little bookish community together.

Welcome to The Reading Nook 📚✨

If you’d like a signed and personalised copy of DREAMING THE EAGLE sent by Manda Scott herself, comment below!

Hello Friends,

Here are some updates for you:

Quarterly Book Mail (those you filled out the form in March) will mail next week! I am late!)

Forms for paid subscribers to sign up for the next quarterly mail will post here next week! Make sure you open your mail.

WHAT FEEDS BELOW ARCS for paid subscribers have gone out! If you want to make sure you receive an arc for CRACKS, you might want to upgrade now. You need to be a paid member for at least 3 months to qualify. (You will also get to see Cracks cover early! (within the next 2 weeks! It's a BANGER!)

Book Club

Women in Horror

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Discord Channels are up including discussion for the TV show)

Good Day To Read Indigenous

Calling For A Blanket Dance by Oscar Hokeah

Discord Channels are up.

Book Club - I have struggled this year with bookclub. Participation is low and I have not been able to read the books by the end of the month. I am considering moving to a Yearly Recommended Reads list, shared in January, and posting the channels for all of the books for the year at once. What are your thoughts on this?

https://www.pangobooks.com/bookstore/jackofallnays

All of my Pango books are 20% off. They must all sell by next Tuesday or they will be meeting a free little library.

I just got hit with unexpected cat surgery (teeth extraction) and the price range is $1783-$3338. (LOL). Ordering books from my Pango, at my links here on Bindery by clicking any book below (I get a small percentage on ANY book you buy once you click through using my link, or upgrading your subscription will help with this crazy cost. If you follow me on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fromthemixedupdesk

buying anything in my shop helps!

I love my pet and he needs the treatment. This pricing is BONKERS.

BOOK THREE as you know, I'm now on the search for the 3rd book for our imprint. I think I found the one! (Paid members have heard the details of this book, which is much different than anything I've published so far!) I will keep ya'll posted. I am crossing my fingers and toes to get this book (But, if not, I'll try to survive. I do have more manuscripts to read!)

I will be back to my regular posting schedule next week! I am also looking to earnestly try to grow my Youtube.

If you aren't already following me on Youtube, you can do so here:

https://www.youtube.com/@fromthemixedupdesk

Oh, and if you haven't already heard:

We have hit 650 preorders for What Feeds Below and so everyone who preorders gets GOODIES! Including the PEN!

We've done it. We've made it to the halfway mark of the year! I can't believe it's half over already. 2026 has been a banner year for me with reading and coming out on top reading some incredible books I never thought I would get the chance to read.

I've had so many opportunities and changes and experiences in the last 6 months I almost feel like a different person sitting here typing this up. I've read ARCs, connected with authors, joined a writing cohort, taken on a job doing developmental edits, started a podcast, started an interview series...

All because I just like to talk about my weird and wonderful books.

So, halfway through 2026, let's talk about those wonderful books and what's been a 5-star read for me this year.

The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon

My first five star read of the year. Candon built this incredible, lush, weird, amazing world I wanted to live in. Fever dream mech fantasy about a man trying to figure out how to be normal and escape a past that won't let him go. Sunai makes horrible choices, but all of them consistently lead him back to the one place he never really left. I loved how wild and bizarre this was. I was left wanting more and more of this world and I hope so hard that Candon continues this series.

Slewfoot by Brom

If you want me to rate your book five stars, make it about female rage and killing puritans. Brom outdid himself with this one. He wrote Abitha with such conviction there's no way his wife didn't advise him on it, I refuse to believe a man capable of capturing the frustration and rage about the female experience so accurately. I love the tapestry of witchcraft and small mindedness and the blindness of religion and the effects of patriarchy on us all. This was so delightful and 5 stars well earned.

The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman

Book so good I emailed the author. I've never emailed an author before. Finn was the first. This book is a retelling of a real 13-century fairytale that was the first example of fiction in medieval France. Longman turned it into a beautiful test of prose, writing styles, and an exploration in chronic illness, queer identity, and what it means for love to endure. This book was so full of yearning and so beautifully written I finished it in a day and I bullied several other people into reading it after.

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

I picked this up on a whim because the premise was bizarre. A man is slowly turning into a great white shark because of a genetic disorder? And someone said it wrecked them? Okay, bet. And bet I did. I walked away sobbing over this heart wrenching, existence examining piece on caretaking, loss, illness, and love. Shark Heart does not get enough love for what it did.

Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Muir is incapable of writing something that isn't five stars. Her use of prose and style, turning the writing itself into a character... nobody does it like Muir does. Every book in this series is different, it changes you. Nona was her solarpunk installation that gave me so many painful, beautiful moments of seeing characters I loved overcome and endure for each other. It also made me mad at Jod.

Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson

I am a Malazan bro because of this book. MoI was the culmination of two books - 1800 pages - worth of trust in a process I was unsure could be trusted. Erikson delivered on every single front. He gave readers something incredible in this book and really proved to me how multifaceted and gifted he is at world building and writing. This was an incredible installment.

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

I am a different person because of this book. Because of Sciona, unlikable heroine and dogged in her pursuit of knowledge. Because of Thomil who understands the cost of power and pushes to make Scion see it, too. I adored this book and how it addressed the importance of intersectionality and listening to marginalized voices. It was so beautiful and fearless and Wang knows exactly how to break your heart to teach you something important. This book should be required reading.

Headlights by C.J. Leede

This was the first ARC I have ever given five stars to. I was a mess. A disaster. If you had told me a book about an unretired FBI agent investigating wild killings where victims are skinned and the perpetrators have no memory would change me, I would never have believed you. I adored every second of this. It was about wildness and fear and loss and love and so, so much more than I can articulate in a single post. If I had my Bindery a few months sooner, I would have written pages upon pages about this. Leede's writing is poetry, her symbolism is subtle and unique, her approach to loss and grief is spellbinding.

The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes

Ennes will go down as one of the most stunning writers in the modern era. They have a grasp of language that I can only hope to have a fraction of. This book was weird and stunning and unforgiving. It made me forget I was reading about bugs because I was constantly engrossed in the characters and the world and the slow collapse of this bizarre government. It accosted my senses in incredible ways and showed the costs of power without question. I adored the characters and I will forever be rooting for Guy and his love of the theater. Ennes made politics, art, and theater inextricable from each other. One begets the others, every time. I am so, so impressed at this book.

The Soft Touch by Daniel Polansky

How did one man pack so much into a novella? Really. I finished this, stared at the cover, and bought everything Polansky has ever written. I loved this world. I loved how stubbornly optimistic Wren was and how he refused to let pessimism win in a town where pessimism already believed it had won. He was clever and sharp, the writing was witty and dry, and everything was so alive in such a short time. I didn't want it to end, this wild blend of steampunk magic. This novella made me realize the draw of urban fantasy.

The Butcher of Nazareth by David Scott Hay

I have a whole post about this book and I can never stop saying wonderful things about it. Hay created a masterwork here, just an absolute class in how to leverage the physicality of writing to meet the story and create something beautiful and tragic. II was so sad and so hurt for the Butcher, but I was in his grief with him in ways I didn't think I could be in a book. I am deeply impressed by this story and how David crafted it. Everyone should read it, especially if you love religious horror.

So this has been my year in favorites so far. I've read 100 books on the nose so far and this is the sliver of those who really changed something about me. Every five star I give out changes a piece of me - my perspective, my sense of self, my understanding of a genre, something. I walked away from each of these books with something new in my bones that wasn't there before. I love all our popular series just as much as the next person, but my heart will always be with books that dig deep and demand things of me nothing else does.

So the absolutely wonderful creative team at Bindery wants to create a logo for the fictional band from our second book CREATIVE DIFFERENCES by Annabel Paulsen & Lydia Wang (peep that pre-order link!!) and I want to know which logo is your favorite!

SWANBOAT is a sapphic indie rock band born out of Boston, and the name of the band is one of the reasons I fell in love with the book. When I met one of the authors, Lydia, for the first time, we bonded over both being from the Boston area! In the Boston Public Garden there are swan boat tours on the lake there, which have been operating since 1877, and there's a scene in the book I can't wait for you to read that takes place there!

I imagine the vibe of Swanboat is very boygenius/MUNA (we love a trio!) -- imagine these logo options on a drumkit or on a t-shirt! Which of the below do you think we should move forward with?

Let's discuss 7 Moons Hotel:

1. Many of the novel's biggest revelations happen early or are foreshadowed heavily. How did that affect the tension for you? Would the story have been more impactful if certain plot twists had been revealed later, or did the early reveals serve another purpose?

2. The protagonist experiences significant events in a relatively short span of time. Did you feel you truly understood their motivations, fears, and growth by the end of the novel? What moments, if any, would you have expanded to create a stronger emotional connection?

3. Several supporting characters play important roles in moving the plot forward. Which character did you most want to know more about? What additional backstory, relationships, or scenes would have made them feel more fully realized?

4. The novel balances mystery, fantasy, and emotional themes, but often prioritizes moving the story forward. Do you think the fast pacing came at the expense of character development? If you could add one chapter anywhere in the book, where would you place it and what would it explore?

5. Looking back at the novel as a whole, which emotional moments felt earned, and which felt rushed because the characters or relationships hadn't been developed enough? How might deeper characterization have changed your reaction to the ending?

Our July-August 2026 Book Club Pick is These Eternal Bones by Maggie Fern!

I have A LOT going on this month (updates soon!) which will undoubtedly impede upon my usual reading schedule, so I've decided to give myself 2 months to read this book instead of just one. That means there will not be a book club poll for August, and we'll resume doing that in September.

You'd be surprised how difficult it was to find gothic fantasy penned by indie authors! After scouring TikTok, I'm glad I was able to find a few. Fair warning about this pick: it is labeled as a dark vampire romance, so if you're not into that, this may not be the book for you.

P.S. It's available on Kindle Unlimited 😊 Reading updates and discussion questions to come soon!

Ok besties,

Writing this means spilling the beans on some upcoming content, but at the risk of my idea getting out there, I had to tell y'all about my most recent audiobook experience.

First, let me set the scene. I just finished The Calamity Club and was in my feels. Upon reflection, I realized it made me nostalgic for another book, perhaps an even better one. Memory casts a golden glow over past positive reading experiences, giving them a shine that might not be as accurate as one might hope.

Well, I thought long and hard about it and ultimately decided that I had to know if The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood was as good as I remembered. For years, I told everyone this book was my favorite novel. I read this book in my youth (prob late teens) and felt it deeply in my old soul. But would it be as good as I remembered?

So, I checked out the audiobook on Libby and dove into the familiar world of the famous Ya-Yas of Thornton, Louisiana. I knew almost instantly that the choice to listen was the CORRECT choice. Narrator Judith Ivey was PERFECT for this role. Her Southern drawl and perfectly accented French drew you right into Vivi's mind and heart. Before long, I couldn't put it down, making up chores that must get done this instant.

Totally transportive with bright, vivid characters, this book is perfect for fans of Kristy Woodson Harvey, Elin Hilderbrand, Mary Kay Andrews, or Kathryn Stockett. The book follows 40 y/o Siddalee Walker as she sets out on a quest to unearth enough old hurts to better understand why she had such cold feet about marrying her beau, Connor. Her complicated relationship with her melodramatic mother, Vivi Abbott Walker, might have something to do with it. To better understand herself, she must first learn more about her mother's colorful history, rich with both bright and dark tones. So, she asks her mother to part with the one thing that might help: The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, otherwise known as her scrapbook.

Sidda soon discovers the images and scraps of information in the scrapbook aren't enough to fill in all the blanks. Luckily, her mother's lifelong girlfriends show up with champagne, pecan treats, and endless stories. What Sidda learns about her mother, and eventually herself, is life-changing.

As expected, this book thoroughly entertained me. I laughed, I cried, I got lost in memory, and I felt all the feelings. And unlike The Calamity Club, I got the MOST satisfaction from the ending. Full of nuggets of wisdom and Southernisms, The Divine Secrets is the type of book that reflects images of yourself and the women in your life. Mothers and daughters are the main focus, but woven throughout is a love story unlike any other: the story of four best friends madly in love with each other. No, not that kind of love. A purer type of love exists in the pages of this book.

While my own mother wasn't as wealthy as Vivi, she lived out loud, just like her friends and many of my friends' mothers. Southern Women are unlike any other breed. We are charming, fun, and funny, but we are also deep wells of strength, perseverance, and persistence. And the women in this book are perfect illustrations of that dichotomy.

Published in 1996 and set between 1993 and the 1930-60's, this book was an absolute time machine. Not only did it make me nostalgic for the 90s, but I also found myself reminiscing about my grandmother's stories about life in Louisiana in the early-to-mid century. In particular, there's a scene in which a very young Vivi recalls going to Atlanta to see the premiere of Gone With the Wind. It was not unlike the account my grandmother shared with me about seeing the film in theaters and the joy it brought her and her friends.

Speaking of the Gone with the Wind scenes, I can't lie and say that the book is without its problems, chiefly depictions of Black characters and race relations in general. There is definitely a romanticization of the Southern (white) way of life in the early 20th century. I recognize that and know that it could be problematic for modern readers. As I hope you already know, I feel strongly about amplifying Black voices and stories, so reading some of these scenes was hard for me. There are, at least, some redeeming sentiments in the rest of the book, reflecting on the unfair power dynamics and poor treatment of Black women. Sadly, I do think it is an accurate portrayal of a certain type of Southern sentiments at the time in which the book is set.

While no longer my go-to genre (Southern women's fiction), I recognize how formative this book was in my passion for historical fiction and strong female main characters. I loved this re-read and relished the time I spent listening to the wild tales of Vivi, Teensey, Caro, and Necie. Told with SO much heart, love, and respect for these characters, Wells created something magical in this book (and series). She tapped into the secrets of womanhood, motherhood, and sisterhood that give shape to our lives and the world's we create.

It's magic, I tell ya. Très magique, chère. ♥️

Let me know if you enjoy this type of content. It's a little too personal for the blog and a little too long for social media. Bindery felt like the perfect place to share this review. But I want to know what you think!

Coming soon...

Stay tuned for a super secret project that I can't wait to reveal! I have about 200 pages left, but I'm blowing through them. 😜

xoxo

c

If your next mystery pick is Last Night Was Killer by Mary Pauline Lowry, you're in for a wild ride and we've created everything you need to make your reading experience even more memorable.

Whether you're hosting a full book club, reading with a friend, or diving into the mystery on your own, The Page Ladies Book Club has you covered with four guides designed to help you laugh, theorize, and uncover every twist along the way.

📚 Book Club Kit & Individual Book Club Member Reader Guide

Planning a book club meeting? Our Book Club Kit includes discussion questions, themed activities, a host guide, a themed menu with recipes, games, decorations, door prize ideas, and more!

Download the Book Club Kit & Individual Reader Guide here

👯 Buddy Reader Kit

Reading with a friend? Our Buddy Reader Kit guides you through the novel with scheduled check-ins, spoiler-conscious discussion questions, fun activities, prediction prompts, and collaborative detective challenges that make every twist even more enjoyable.

Download the Buddy Reader Kit here

🔎 Deep Dive Solo Reader Kit

Prefer to read at your own pace? Our Solo Reader Kit transforms your reading experience into an interactive mystery investigation with guided journaling, clue tracking, character analysis, theme exploration, reflection pages, creative prompts, and more.

Download the Solo Reader Kit here

Which Kit Is Right for You?

📖 Book Club Kit – Perfect for hosting your next book club meeting.

👯 Buddy Reader Kit – Ideal for reading with a friend, partner, or family member.

📚 Solo Reader Kit – Designed for readers who love annotating, reflecting, and fully immersing themselves in every chapter.

Or download all three and choose the reading experience that fits you best!

Thank you for reading with The Page Ladies Book Club. We hope these resources help you enjoy Last Night Was Killer even more and inspire some unforgettable discussions.

Happy reading and happy sleuthing! 🔎📚

Some books make you laugh. Some keep you guessing. And then there are books like Last Night Was Killer by Mary Pauline Lowry, which somehow manages to balance murder, motherhood, grief, romance, political intrigue, and pole dancing into one wildly entertaining mystery.

Our book club couldn't stop talking about this one.

📖 Book Club Deep Dive

At first glance, Last Night Was Killer feels like the perfect cozy mystery setup. A woman wakes up after a night she can't remember only to discover there's a dead body in her trunk. Naturally, she's the prime suspect.

But this story quickly becomes much more than a whodunit.

Tilly Turner is far from your typical amateur sleuth. She's a struggling stand-up comedian, a grieving daughter, a single mother raising twin girls, and someone whose life seems to unravel a little more with every chapter. Instead of making her frustrating, those flaws make her incredibly relatable. She's messy, overwhelmed, sarcastic, funny, and constantly trying to hold everything together while life keeps throwing new disasters her way.

That emotional realism became one of the biggest talking points in our discussion.

Rather than making Tilly a flawless heroine, Mary Pauline Lowry allows her to make mistakes, question herself, and keep moving forward anyway. Beneath the humor is an honest story about starting over after loss, rebuilding confidence, and learning that asking for help isn't a weakness.

🕵️ The Mystery

One of our favorite parts was how unpredictable the investigation became.

Just when we thought we had the killer figured out, another clue completely shifted our theories. Every member of our group had a different suspect at some point, which made for one of our most animated discussions in months.

The mystery layers together missing memories, political corruption, criminal enterprises, unexpected betrayals, and plenty of red herrings without becoming confusing. It rewards readers who enjoy piecing together clues while still delivering satisfying surprises.

😂 Humor That Never Feels Forced

What truly separates Last Night Was Killer from many mysteries is its sense of humor.

The pole-dancing classes could have easily become a gimmick, but instead they add confidence, friendship, and some of the novel's funniest scenes. Combined with Tilly's sharp inner dialogue and awkward encounters, the comedy provides a perfect balance against the darker elements of murder and grief.

Several of us laughed out loud more than once.

❤️ Themes Worth Discussing

Our conversation naturally moved beyond the mystery itself.

Some of the biggest discussion topics included:

• How grief affects every decision we make.

• The impossible expectations placed on single parents.

• Female friendships that grow in unexpected places.

• Reinventing yourself after failure.

• Finding humor even during life's hardest moments.

• Whether Tilly made the right choices or simply the only choices she felt she had.

These emotional layers gave our discussion far more depth than we expected from a comedic mystery.

📚 Book Club Rating

⭐ Mystery: 4.5/5

😂 Humor: 5/5

❤️ Emotional Depth: 4.5/5

🕵️ Twists & Suspense: 4.5/5

💬 Discussion Potential: 5/5

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

If you're looking for a mystery that's equal parts funny, heartfelt, suspenseful, and completely unpredictable, Last Night Was Killer is an excellent book club pick. It offers plenty of laughs while still delivering meaningful conversations about grief, motherhood, friendship, and second chances.

Thank you to William Morrow, NetGalley, and Mary Pauline Lowry for the opportunity to read and review this book.

💬 Book Club Question

If you woke up with no memory of the night before and discovered a dead body in your trunk, would you investigate on your own to clear your name or call the police immediately?

📚 Want to keep the discussion going? Tap the link to download our FREE Mini Book Club Reader Kit for Last Night Was Killer, complete with discussion questions and bonus activities. 

Looking for the full experience? Join The First Editions to unlock our complete Book Club Kit, featuring an extended discussion guide, themed activities, printable worksheets, hosting ideas, and exclusive extras designed to make your next book club unforgettable.

#BookClubBooks #LastNightWasKiller #MysteryBooks #CozyMystery #BookClubDiscussion

Are you feeling the heat? I know that where I live, Summer is here in full swing. I'm melting and wishing that fall weather was here already.

While we're all withering under the sun's rays, I've put together a list of five different horror subgenres with some book recs in each that are perfect to read this time of year.

So stay inside, pour yourself an ice-cold drink, and gulp down these books!

Folk Horror

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Folk horror is perfect for almost any time of the year! With rituals and folklore a plenty, these books will suck you into their pages.

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss-- A family reenacts the Iron Age deep in the wilderness where the past begins to bleed into the present.

Monumental by Adam L.G. Nevill-- A group of kayakers enter forbidden land and stumble upon an ancient sacrificial ritual.

Withered Hill by David Barnett-- A woman wakes up in s small village with no memory of how she got there and finds out quickly that she can't leave.

Double Walker by Michael W. Conrad--A couple vacationing in Scotland experience a tragedy while on a hike in this chilling graphic novel.

The Residents Of Honeysuckle Cottage by Elizabeth Davidson--A couples fresh start to a remote cottage just outside a small village slowly turns into a nightmare.

Slasher

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Is it truly summer if there isn't a slasher movie playing? Did you know that slasher horror books are so IN right now?

My Heart Is A Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones--A teenage girl obsessed with slashers believes one is starting up in her small town.

Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley--A wellness retreat turns into a deadly slasher.

Under The Blade by Matt Serafini--A woman who survived a summer camp massacre finally returns home after two decades on the anniversary of the slaying, awakening true evil once more.

Heads Will Roll by Josh Winning-- A canceled sitcom star goes to an adult summer camp and gets trapped in the middle of a slasher.

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron--A scare camp where guests pay to be scared turns into a real life horror movie.

Ocean

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The ocean will cool you down as the summer sun beats on. Just don't let it devour you like these novels...

Into The Drowning Deep by Mira Grant--A research crew investigating the last location of a ship discovers deadly sirens.

The Deep by Nick Cutter--A man travels to the bottom of the Marianas Trench to a research facility to check on the scientists investigating the possible cure of a worldwide disease.

Whalefall by Daniel Kraus--A man dives into the ocean to search for his father's bones and gets swallowed by a whale.

The Sea Hides It's Dead by Megan Bontrager-- A group of academics in an ancient sea cult get trapped in an underwater cave.

Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield-- A woman comes back changed after being trapped deep underwater in a submarine for months.

Theme Park

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Take a trip to an amusement park this summer and have a chilling time.

Hide by Kiersten White--A completion for a sum of money playing the game of hide and seek turns deadly if found.

FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven--A theme park gets hit by a hurricane and the employees trapped in the park quickly turn on one another.

Shock Waves by Matt Kurtz--An explosion near a theme park releases monsters upon the park.

Ride or Die by Delilah S. Dawson--A girl trying to impress a popular group of girls winds up in the abandoned part of an amusement park where she might ride to her death.

A Cold Night For Alligators by Viggy Parr Hampton--A determined CDC epidemiologist goes rogue to tackle a mysterious outbreak in Savannah, only to find himself entangled with a pair of urban explorers.

Survival

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Fight for your life on your trip/vacation.

The Ruins by Scott Smith--A group of friends get trapped on ancient ruins and must fight for their lives.

This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer-- A woman and her team discover an untouched cliff face and make it their mission to be the first to climb it.

The Anomaly by Michael Rutger-- A tv show that focuses on hidden mysteries try to find a hidden cavern only to find it and get trapped within it.

The Hunger by Alma Katsu-- A retelling of the fateful Donner Party.

The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn--A group of friends get trapped in a cabin by both a snow storm and deadly creatures.

Two down, one to go! Can't all be science fiction, but I certainly miss it when it's gone...Waiting on yours Michael, hope it's as good as the other 2 on my list!

Alright, y'all, we have another interview on our hands and this time with the inimitable Taylor Grothe! Taylor is a nonbinary author of both YA and adult horror, so I thought it would be great to chat with them about their upcoming release Lethal Kiss, which you should DEFINITELY BE READING when it releases October 20! Grab a Snickers and strap in!

• What was the biggest inspiration for writing Lethal Kiss, which features perhaps the hottest revenant to ever exist in the history of literature? I might be biased, though.

Hahaha thank you so much! I am very partial to Marcella myself!

The seed of Lethal Kiss came from my experience at university and in academia generally. I am who I am (i.e. a glutton for punishment and an overachiever) I decided to design my own major and focus on fairytales and folklore—and ended up focusing on the intersection between Nordic saga tradition and continental Arthurian romance. I went to Duke University, a school with a very fine Medieval Renaissance department, and spent a lot of time in the Rare Book Room researching old texts and holding medieval manuscripts in my hands. 

And yet, even though I really loved the work I was doing, I often felt roundly dismissed by the white cis male academic establishment. There was a sense that what I was doing was “girly” or unserious in scope. I had a particularly bad experience with a professor who ended up as the MedRen department dean. So you could say that this book comes from both a place of passion in medieval studies as well as absolute spite. I wanted to critique academic culture through a queer, hyper-femme lens.

• Cassie from Hollow was working through her autism diagnosis and how to be a person with it. Lacie seems to have a far better management system as an assistant professor. I know you've mentioned your own ASD before. When it comes to writing your characters, how do you determine how much of yourself you want to share in them?

It’s so important to me to have my characters be neurodivergent in general and autistic in particular. I don’t know, really, if I could write my characters as neurotypical. But, to your question: characters often come to me fully realized, so it’s not really a conscious choice. Their ASD is absolutely nonnegotiable in edits—all my editors are on notice from the outset! And while I like to think my characters all have parts of me in them, they really are just themselves. We’re all in a Venn diagram with ASD at the center.

• Did you model Marcella on any specific inspiration? I saw her as a perfect mashup of several of my favorite "mentor" characters, so I’m curious!

Let me be so real with you: I was like, what is the hottest I can make a character and get away with it, without making her feel like a pastiche? Lethal Kiss is satirical and campy, but I wanted Marcella to feel like she was the strongest, most aggressive, zero bullshit character I could—at least on the surface. I was really keeping my eye on Jennifer’s Body though; I love Megan Fox’s unhinged portrayal of Jennifer. 

• So your official debut was Hollow, a YA horror novel featuring autistic rep as well as LGBTQIA+ rep!
Which did you actually write first, Lethal Kiss or Hollow? If Hollow came first, did you know you wanted to break into the adult genre with horror as well?

I wrote Hollow first! But it had long been my goal to have a career both in YA and adult books, and the markets are very different, especially in horror. 

• If you could distill Lethal Kiss down to one song, what would it be?

An impossible question! I would say I Am Not a Woman, I’m a God by Halsey.

• Monstrous Beautiful Things is coming up next for you from Peachtree Teen and I know The Mage and the Liar Knight is coming out next summer. Are there any other novels in the works that you'd like to mention?

There are but I can only hint at one: my next Nightfire book! Think a grief horror in a haunted house plus mushrooms. It’s also a horror romance, but more literary.

LITERARY HAUNTED HOUSE HORROR PLUS MUSHROOMS???? SIGN ME THE FUCK UP. Anyway, I sincerely hope you'll pick up all of Taylor book's because they are all amazing. I devoured Hollow in one sitting! Plus the rep in their books is incredible, and ahem that scene in Lethal Kiss...so good! I'm reading their next book Monstrous Beautiful Things on my Kindle now and y'all aren't ready!

Till next time!

Ryn