We chat with author Saratoga Schaefer about Serial Killer Support Group, which is a biting queer feminist debut thriller where a woman infiltrates a support group for serial killers after her sister is murdered, perfect for fans of The Final Girl Support Group and My Sister, the Serial Killer.
Hi, Saratoga! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m Saratoga Schaefer (they/them), a NY-based author, and I’ve been writing since I was a kid. Besides being an author, I’ve also worked in PR, marketing, content creation, film, and art. I’m almost 6 years sober, and I act as an alcohol-free ambassador. When I’m not writing or working, you can find me climbing rocks, teaching yoga, or hiking mountains.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
My love of writing and stories came from my parents, who are both writers, and public school! My elementary school would do a yearly poetry magazine for all the students, and poetry became my first introduction to using words to create a story. Writing poetry has always been a constant for me, but I started writing short stories in elementary school too (stories that usually involved far darker themes than were probably appropriate). When I was in middle school, I wrote my first “novel” in a composition notebook. It was a fantasy about a dragon who murdered another dragon. Murder has apparently always been a common theme in my work.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: This is definitely not the first book I ever read, but it’s one of the ones that made an impression on me: Catwings by Ursula K. Le Guin.
- The one that made you want to become an author: I always wanted to be an author, but the first author who showed me the beauty of language was probably Toni Morrison. Reading Beloved made me hungry to write, to try to understand how anyone could create something so powerful.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman legitimately saved my life when I was a teenager. I have a tattoo of text from the book on my arm, and it will aways hold a special place in my heart.
Your debut novel, Serial Killer Support Group, is out March 18th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Literally, serial killer support group.
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect an unhinged and fast-paced ride of revenge and subterfuge. Cyra Griffin, desperate to find her sister’s murderer, pretends to be a serial killer in order to infiltrate a support group for them. But she quickly learns she might be out of her depth—and that being around psychopaths and sociopaths isn’t so great for her own humanity.
Where did the inspiration for Serial Killer Support Group come from?
A couple years ago I was reading something, and there was a throwaway line that noted that there was no such thing as a support group for killers. It stuck in my brain. I started thinking, “No, but what if there WAS one? What if there was a support group for serial killers, specifically?” Cyra and her story was born from there.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Cyra was a fascinating character to write because she’s very different from me. She’s pretty emotionally closed off and guarded, and from the beginning, I had absolutely no control over her. Cyra evaded me and held me off, and I loved that about her. Getting into her head, understanding who she was and what she wanted, was exciting. Because of that, Cyra’s interactions with the serial killers, and with Lamprey especially, were fascinating. The cat-and-mouse way they played off each other, toying with common tropes and turning them on their heads, was really fun.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
This is an inherently dark book that handles some intense topics. The idea of losing family members or facing serial murderers is hard! Not only that, but I wrote chapters for each of the serial killers, which involved getting into their minds and trying to create characters that were nuanced and frightening for very different reasons. Truthfully, I was going through a difficult time in my real life during writing, so diving deep into the darkness was cathartic in a way, and I ended up embracing it and going for it.
This is your debut! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
Long and difficult! Deep down, I always knew I would get published even though I had zero proof, but my journey involved several false starts, near misses, and heartbreaking losses. I had to say goodbye to manuscripts that weren’t quite ready; I had to battle in the querying trenches twice. I wrote six books before SERIAL KILLER SUPPORT GROUP. Publishing is a combination of luck, hard work, and great timing, and I finally hit all three with this novel.
Being a debut is terrifying and exciting and anxiety-producing and unbelievable. But I have a great team, and I’ve made some wonderful friends in the reading and writing communities. It’s mind-blowing to finally reach the next stage of my career—it’s literally my life’s dream come true. But hey, no pressure, right?
What’s next for you?
More stories, more reading, more writing! I’m just getting started. I’m working on two horror manuscripts right now, and I have several other speculative thrillers that I’m excited about. Plus, there are some very cool things on the horizon that I can’t talk about yet! People who want to learn more can follow me on social media @saratogaishere or visit my site, saratogaschaefer.com
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
Oh, so many. I’m excited for Restaurant Kid by Rachel Phan, We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry, The Traitor of Sherwood Forest by Amy S. Kaufman, Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang, Difficult Girls by Veronica Bane, Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones, The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, and many others!
