[WiHM] Interview with Horror Writer and Poet, Anna Cheung
Tell us a little bit about yourself! What is your role in the horror community?
I’m a writer based in Glasgow, Scotland. My debut poetry collection, Where Decay Sleeps, was published by Haunt Publishing. I’ve also been published in speculative magazines such as Dark Eclipse, Dreich Magazine, Dusk and Shiver, Koening and Zarf Poetry.
I like to explore different themes when writing including food, mythology, technology, the body and mental health and I find that these themes work particularly well when paired with the horror/gothic genre. Having said that, I can probably write about anything as long as it allows me to indulge my sinister side!
What was the first thing you encountered that made you fall in love with horror?
I think it all started when I was young when my older siblings fed me on a diet of horror movies such as Poltergeist, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Lost Boys, The Shining. I also watched Chinese horror films such as Rouge, Mr Vampire and A Chinese Ghost Story (that thousand-foot tongue has been stuck in my psyche forever!) As I got older, I started binging on horror literature, most notably books by Stephen King, Anne Rice, Edgar Allen Poe, Bram Stoker, Franz Kafka, Mary Shelley. My fascination with the paranormal was further fuelled culturally by my family’s superstitious belief in ghosts when growing up. To understand the possibility of something beyond our own reality was incredibly powerful and awe-inspiring.
What does the horror community mean to you?
I was a bit of a school outcast when I was younger and the horror community was a refuge for me to indulge in shared passions with like-minded individuals and to feel a much needed sense of belonging. In regards to my debut collection Where Decay Sleeps, a gothic horror book written in verse form, I’ve been absolutely thrilled by the amazing support from the horror community (by prose and poetry readers alike) and I cannot thank them enough!
What have been your favourite stories that you have written and why?
From a writer’s perspective, I felt that the form and content of the poem, Artificial Werewolf, synchronized well together to convey a complete story - like two halves of the same moon coming together. I remember coming up with the idea of the form much later after the poem was written, so when I finally edited the poem it felt as if everything fell into place. Le Chateau Viande allowed me to explore my fun and creative side without losing the horror element of the story. I think it’s important to not lose that sense of playfulness as a writer as it translates over to the reader. I like readers to be able to engage different emotions and senses when reading my work.
Who are your favourite women in horror?
Anne Rice for giving us the Vampire Chronicles which spawned two of my favourite horror movies, Interview with a Vampire and Queen of the Damned. Not only is her writing deliciously gothic but incredibly sensual, which I suppose, is the embodiment of vampire lore - stories which evoke a viscerality where fear and lust entangle as one.
There’s also the Hong Kong director, Ann Hui, who directed the horror movie, Visible Secret. I was fascinated by the way she’s able to convey a sense of helpless tragedy through horror and comedy. There was something very real and relatable about her characters too - just ordinary people from working class backgrounds figuring out their lives in the crowded cityscape of HK.
If you could invite one woman from horror to dinner who would you invite and why?
I would evoke Mary Shelley’s spirit to a candlelit dinner in a castle on a stormy night where I would interview her about the conception of Frankenstein - her inspirations (including the vivid dream she had which gave birth to her idea), the writing process behind the story and the challenges she faced as a female novelist in the 19th century. It would also be a great opportunity to ask her about some writing tips too!
Women in horror have been making progress, but it’s clear that a lot of work is still needed to ensure that representation is correct and widespread . What is the importance of Women in Horror Month?
It helps to promote the work of women creatives and show that women are still carving a space in this genre despite the difficulties they face in the literary industry. Hopefully by using the platform to raise awareness of these challenges, it would help to open up further opportunities for women. I also like to think that women interested in creating horror would be inspired to pursue their goals or to keep going with their journeys.
In honour of celebrating Women in Horror, who do you believe readers should keep an eye on in terms of women in horror (creatives, content creators, podcasts, movies, television shows)?
I’m reading a book called The Hole by the Korean writer Hye-Young Pyun. It’s a psychological horror/ thriller and it grabs your attention right from the beginning. I enjoy the author’s ability to build suspense and mystery and the nuanced way she explores emotions like helplessness and isolation throughout the novel. If you enjoyed reading Stephen King’s Misery, I highly recommend this book! For short story collections, there’s Asa Nonami’s, Body, which serves an hors d’oeuvres of body horror using various narratives. As for poetry, there’s a poem by Sally Wen Mao called Provenance: A Vivisection. Although she’s not exclusively a horror writer, her poem’s gothic sensibilities really struck me!
What do you have coming in 2022 that you can talk to us about?
I’ll be speaking in person at Cymera - Scotland’s Festival of Science-Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Writing in Edinburgh, on 5 June. Looking forward to reading some poems from the collection as well as answering a few questions from the audience!
I’ve also started writing some new poems and hope to gather enough into a collection by the end of the year so watch this space!
