We chat with author Carrie Lee South about In the Woods They Wait, which is an enthralling page-turner, one that asks how far you would go for a sense of closure—and what would you be willing to face to get it.
Hi, Carrie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m a horror enthusiast from Little Rock, AR. Other than reading and writing, you can find me birdwatching or digging for crystals.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Before I could read, my mom kept a bucket of picture books in the house. I would toddle in there and sit with them for hours, making up my own words to go with the pictures.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: I can’t remember ever NOT reading, but the picture book I used to ask for the most was Greedy Zebra by Mwenye Hadithi and Adrienne Kennaway, about how all the animals got their furs and spots and horns.
- The one that made you want to become an author: It’s a trilogy, but I was profoundly affected by Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials in middle school.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Road by Cormac McCarthy. It’s one of the few books I continue to return to, and I always read it in a single sitting. I love the stark language and the religious symbolism. I don’t think I’ve ever made it through without crying,
Your debut novel, In the Woods They Wait, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Unsettling, claustrophobic, heartbreaking, bloody, hopeful
What can readers expect?
The novel’s dual timelines follow Audrey Figg, a park ranger dealing with grief and guilt. It’s an emotional thriller with a third act that kicks the horror up a notch with a big reveal. Hard to tell you what to expect without spoilers, but you can expect to be scared!
Where did the inspiration for In the Woods They Wait come from?
Audrey’s relationship with her little brother Benny is inspired by my relationship with my own little brother. But also, I’m always wondering what might be in the woods…
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Porter is my favorite character. He’s a new ranger that Audrey’s training. She’s jaded and cynical, but he’s just the most earnest person in the world. I didn’t intend for him to play such a major role, but his enthusiasm was infectious and his character just kept growing.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was working full time and attending night school full time while drafting in my “free” time. But sometimes, a story just has to come out of you. When that’s the case, you make the time.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
I’ve always loved the idea of a book becoming a link between an author and a reader across space and time. One day, maybe years after I’m gone, my book will be on a shelf somewhere and a stranger will pick it up and my words will mean something to them. To get there, I stubbornly kept writing my thoughts over and over again until someone finally said it was working.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a new novel that I’m very excited about. I can’t say much more than that, but you can rest assured that it will be frightening.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I can’t wait to read Stephen Graham Jones’s new book Off the Reservation this October. My favorite book I read this year was Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton. I devoured the whole thing in a day, and I will never shut up about it. There have been some awesome new horror releases this year I’ve loved as well, like Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker and Wolf Worm by T Kingfisher.
