We chat with author Chelsea Conradt about The Farmhouse, which follows Emily and what was supposed to be a fresh start for her and her husband, but takes a dark turn as the isolated farm they’ve moved to begins to reveal horrifying secrets…
Hi, Chelsea! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Absolutely! Hi, Nerd Daily friends! I’m Chelsea Conradt and I write speculative thrillers and horror including my eerie haunted farm book The Farmhouse. The book is set in Nebraska, where I grew up. These days I live in the Dallas, Texas area.
When not writing I do a lot of gluten-free baking and watching crime shows and do all the mom things.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I have loved writing for as long as I can remember. My first career was as a music and pop culture journalist. So writing every day has been a staple in my life for a long time.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Middle-school Chelsea devoured every yellow-backed Nancy Drew Mystery available.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Dark Places by Gillian Flynn made me fall in love with dark thrillers
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The God in the Woods by Liz Moore
Your debut novel, The Farmhouse, is out June 17th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Missing girls, ghosts, and gaslighting.
What can readers expect?
Atmospheric and psychological thriller. If you love books where you don’t know if it’s real or in her read, but you also find the main character relatable, The Farmhouse is going to be your jam.
Where did the inspiration for The Farmhouse come from?
A deep dive discussion on the cultural significance and need for Baba Yaga stories with a group of writers. (Writer brains are interesting to say the least.) I’d experienced the sensation of landmarks moving in fields before—that sense that the silo or barn on the side of the road wasn’t staying in the same point as you drove along. That’s how Baba Yaga’s house with chicken feet became a barn that chased the woman who’d just moved into the farmhouse while she was out on her daily run.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing Emily’s story. She wants to do right by others, wants to get justice for women who weren’t heard, and I loved journeying with her as she tries to overcome her internal self-gaslighting that what she saw wasn’t real or that she shouldn’t tell her husband yet. Also, my group chats can attest I know a person or two who also loves coffee and Love Island binges. So I’d 100% be her friend.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Balancing the beauty and isolation of farm life was important to me in writing The Farmhouse. Emily and her husband move there because of the fresh air, the freedom, and a lower cost of living compared to San Francisco. There are moments of peace and gorgeous views in this book—Emily is training for a marathon with sunrise runs along the fields—but the lack of others nearby makes every threat bigger. Are you prepared to solve it yourself? Can you? How long can you wait for help to arrive?
Holding on to the through thread of the investigation into what happened to the women who lived on the farm before Emily, allowed this story element to breathe. I hope readers can see why this felt like such a perfect change for Emily.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
It’s been a wild ride. Being involved in a process that brings your story to a physical thing is pretty magical. Seeing cover ideas and getting the vibe just right. My publisher commissioned artwork for the inside of the book, and the next thing I know I’m seeing an image from my head rendered perfectly on the first page of the finished copies. I’m so excited to see The Farmhouse in readers’ hands.
What’s next for you?
I’m hitting as many book conventions and stores as I can to meet readers and working hard on the next book.
The Secret Attic comes out June 2026 and centers on a woman cleaning out her late mother-in-law’s home and unveiling secrets that upend everything.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
I’ve read so many great books recently! I read all genres. I loved Liz Moore’s The God in the Woods, Ande Pliego’s You Are Fatally Invited, Ali Hazelwood’s Deep End, and Molly Harper’s A Proposal to Die For.
I’m super excited for Rachel Harrison’s Play Nice.
