We chat with author Justin Arnold about Wicked Little Things, a campy teen horror novel that follows Dane as he returns to his hometown of Jasper Hollow intent on solving his cousin’s grisly murder with the help of a coven of mean girls intent on making him over.
Hi, Justin! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m an author and playwright from the bluegrass region of Kentucky, where urban legends and ghost stories fuel my inspiration. My stage adaptations of children’s classics are available through Heuer Publishing, and my first novel, The Prince and the Puppet Thief, is available through Midnight Tide Publishing.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
For the bulk of my childhood, I wanted to be a film director. I didn’t realize for a long time that my favorite part of that was coming up with the plot. Storytelling has been an obsession for me since I can remember, be it through one medium or another, and I loved entertaining people (whether they wanted me to or not). By the time 7th grade rolled around, I became a lot more self-conscious. I had a difficult time continuing to connect with classmates, so I spent that time with books. Somewhere in that time frame, it occurred to me that I just needed paper to make stories exist. I still have an interest in film and theatre, but I’m only wholly content when I’m writing.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
Charlotte’s Web by EB White, A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, and The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
Your latest novel, Wicked Little Things, is out November 15th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Campy. Bloody. Fun. Witchy. Smooshy.
What can readers expect?
Expect some scares, found family, and a whole lot of witchcraft. There’s also a healthy dose of romance, and a lot of humor. A few early readers have referred to the book as a “ride” rather than a read. I love that way of putting it, because there are a lot of gears moving throughout. So, I think readers can expect a fun, spooky ride.
Where did the inspiration for Wicked Little Things come from?
Witches were always my go-to. I wished hardcore for magic powers when I was a kid, and I think the appeal was because I grew up gay at a time when I didn’t feel safe to say that. When you feel powerless and alone, witches are so empowering and relatable. So of course, I had to write a book about a gay witch.
As for the world of the story and where this gay witch fits inside of it, I think I was heavily influenced by American Horror Story and Buffy The Vampire Slayer, which were the two shows that first got me binge-watching and into the campy horror genre. I wanted my protagonist to be in a world full of horrific, macabre things, but still have time for romance. And of course, for him to have the ability to kick butt at both.
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
For about four or five years, I kept getting in my own way. I would change plot points and characters based on arbitrary “writer rules” and what was “popular”. This led to a whole of lot nothing.
In July of 2019, I was house-sitting without any other commitments and decided that I should use that time to write. But I wouldn’t let myself look over any old notes or outlines. I ended up writing the first three chapters that day. I wrote about 20k thousand words in this way, but found it challenging to find time to continue. In July of 2020, I, like many people, ended up with a lot of free time, so I got it to 40k words, and then got stuck. I hadn’t figured out the second half of the book.
In the fall of 2020, I moved to a new home. The pandemic was still at its height, and I found myself alone, a bit scared, and with a lot of time on my hands. I sat down and figured out the rest of the story, and added the remaining 70k to the draft in about 3 weeks during NaNoWriMo. I’m sure I did other things that month, but when I look back, I only picture scenes from the book. I think, because I lived alone during a pandemic, I finally felt ‘unwatched’ and was able to finally get out of my own way.
That first draft was a sprawling mess and was over 500 pages long. But having all of that sand in the proverbial sandbox made it a lot easier to sculpt out the finished product that readers will receive.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I had a blast with all of the characters, but I think my favorite to write was Hannah, Dane’s surviving cousin. She’s so off-the-cuff and deadpan. I also really love Robyn, Dane’s mother. She came with a hefty backstory that we don’t get to fully see in this book, but coming up with it drew me close to her. And a sequence set around a fall-themed carnival has always been my favorite part of the book to work on.
What’s next for you?
I have a few projects in different stages and don’t want to tease anything that isn’t sold. I think that would be bad luck. But— I can say that all of them involve spooky happenings and, of course, queer teens.
Lastly, what have been some of your favourite 2022 reads? Any 2023 releases our readers should look out for?
Every Word You Never Said by Jordan Greene and A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy both live rent-free in my heart right now. The Hex Next Door by Lou Wilham was fantastic. I also thoroughly enjoyed My Name Is Magic by Xan Van Rooyen.
For 2023, I’m really looking forward to Monstersona by Chloe Spencer, and Against The Stars by Christopher Hartland. These are both Tiny Ghost Press titles, so I can’t wait to cheer on my publishing house siblings.
