We chat with author Kalynn Bayron about Make Me A Monster, which is a hauntingly beautiful exploration of body horror, family secrets, grief and loss and love.
Hi, Kalynn! Welcome back! How has the past year been since we last spoke?
I’ve been keeping busy! Things have been going well! I’ve been working on lots of different projects and just trying to keep busy.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve had a deep love of storytelling since I was little. I was always reading, always trying to be creative in some way or another. I think storytelling can be done through lots of different mediums including song writing which I did a lot of when I was younger. I loved looking at the lyrics that used to come inside the little booklet in cassette tape and CD cases. My first attempt at a novel was probably around 19. It wasn’t good but it was something I came back to again and again.
Your latest novel, Make Me a Monster, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Scary. Heartbreaking. Suspenseful. Gruesome. Poignant.
What can readers expect?
I think they can expect to be entertained, first and foremost. This story is full of twists and turns and I hope that readers will fall in love with Meka, Noah and the entire cast of characters. (Maybe don’t get too attached to anyone though!)
Where did the inspiration for Make Me a Monster come from?
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was such a cornerstone of my love for gothic fiction. I’d been looking for an opportunity to tie it to a new story in a way that felt fun and also leaned into the themes of the original story; Who is really the monster in this situation? Are there limits to how far you’d go to feed your own ambition? How do we, ourselves, become monsters? I wanted to get into all of that but in a gothic-inspired contemporary setting. But this story is also a romance! A horror-romance and that means I got to lean into the staples of that genre that I absolutely adore. Meka and Noah have these tender moments that act as a buffer between them and the horror they’re experiencing all around them. Their love is at the heart of this story.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I had way too much fun writing the scenes between Meka, Noah, Caleb, and Cipriana. Their group dynamic is so fun and they all have such distinct personalities. I also really enjoyed writing about Meka and the dynamic between her and her parents. They all live and work in this funeral home and in my mind they’re my version of the Addams Family, which we see a huge nod to in later chapters.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Make Me a Monster deals with the very real and very complicated feeling around death. Researching took me to some places that were difficult. I was reading about funerary practices and mortuary supplies. I was researching the processes of getting someone to the funeral home and prepared for burial and I have to say, I have seen some things that cannot be unseen! But I wanted to show as much respect as possible. Meka’s family has the utmost respect for the dead and the people they leave behind so I hope I’ve done a good job of conveying my care and concern for all of us who have experienced losses.
Your debut novel published five years ago. What are some of the key lessons you’ve learned as a writer since then?
Five years seems like a million years ago and somehow also no time at all. I have learned that I have to measure my success on my own terms, I have to tell the kinds of stories that mean something to me, and I have to make sure I’m still having a good time with what I’m doing.
What’s next for you?
I have a middle-grade detective novel coming out in April of 2026. It’s called Olive Oakes and the Haunted Carousel and in a Nancy Drew inspired story for younger readers. I’m also working on my adult debut which is really exciting!
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
I have really enjoyed The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno Garcia, Katabasis by RF Kuang, Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, and The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. I’m super excited to get Liza Minnelli’s memoir that comes out next year.
