[WiHM] Interview with Horror Author, Nico Bell
Tell us a little bit about yourself! What is your role in the horror community?
I’m a horror writer, editor, and book reviewer. My first horror short story was published in 2017, and my first book Food Fright came out in 2020. I’ve edited and published a cold-weather themed horror anthology entitled Shiver, and I’m in the process of co-editing Diet Riot: A Fatterpunk Anthology with the fabulous Sonora Taylor. In addition, my latest book Beyond the Creek was released February 2022.
What was the first thing you encountered that made you fall in love with horror?
Vampires! When I was a kid, everything scared me. I watched Halloween when I was way too young and instantly became terrified of the horror genre; however, vampires were always the exception. They’re at the top of the food chain, so they’re not afraid of anything. That really appealed to me as a kid who always slept with the lights on. It was my gateway into horror and the idea that not all horror has to terrify me. Some of it can be rather empowering.
What does the horror community mean to you?
The horror community is my family! It’s a group of people with shared interests who don’t think I’m weird for claiming Midsommer as my favorite comfort movie. I’ve had the amazing opportunity to meet so many incredible individuals, join critique groups, work on writing projects with other spooky enthusiasts, and let myself truly be who I am without judgment. They’ve always been extremely welcoming, and I’ve seen a lot of wonderful growth and inclusion over the years. There’s always room for improvement, but the horror community has been a big part of my life and has made me feel very comfortable exploring my darker side in a safe environment.
What have been your favourite stories that you have written and why?
I like my latest book Beyond the Creek because it has a fun villain and a strong female protagonist. I enjoyed telling the story of a young pregnant woman, struggling to build a life for herself after escaping an abusive past, who finds herself in another dire situation where she must dig deep to survive. Stories of resilience and empowerment are always my favorite, and there’s elements of those values in most of my work.
Who are your favourite women in horror?
There are so many incredible women in horror! Tananarive Due, Ania Ahlborn, and Mariko Koike all write books that have left me scared and disturbed. In the indie book world, I have my eye on Eve Harms who put out Transmuted, an incredible queer-horror that has stuck with me for over a year. Outside of the book world, I love Books In The Freezer Podcast, which is a horror-centered podcast hosted by Stephanie, who also has a thriving TikTok account full of book recommendations. Karlee Patton does incredible horror art. She actually designed a bookmark based on one of my monsters in Food Fright. Plus, she does incredible horror tattoos!
If you could invite one woman from horror to dinner who would you invite and why?
Just One!?! Can it be someone who has died? If so, I want to have dinner with Shirley Jackson. The Haunting of Hill House is one of my favorite books! When I started my horror career, I devoured her work, and it would be so much fun to pick her brains and learn from such an enormous horror icon. She was a trailblazer in many ways, and as someone who tends to lean toward women-centered horror stories, I connect with her work a lot.
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?
Horror is still a very male dominated business, which is a shame because opening the door to allow more diversity benefits everyone. Women in Horror Month is a way to specifically set aside time to celebrate those in the community that might go unnoticed the other eleven months. It’s a great way to connect with new women authors and creators and encourage horror fans to explore women talent in the industry.
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)?
In books, Eve Harms is a must, but also Sarah Jane Huntington, Stephanie Rabig, R.J. Joseph, and Jessica Guess are incredible horror authors that are poised to make big waves in the genre. If you're on TikTok, check out @pennysportal, who does spooky cosplay and book reviews, as well as @elyssaarose, a scare actor who features very intense horror sfx makeup.
What do you have coming in 2022 that you can talk to us about?
My book Beyond the Creek was released February 2022, and Diet Riot: A Fatterpunk anthology will be released June 18, 2022. Thank you so much for having me!
