We chat with author Katie Collom about The Terrarium, which sees a true-crime fanatic uncovers a nefarious secret when she takes a peculiar cat-sitting assignment in this chilling suspense novel.
Hi, Katie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m a thriller writer currently based in York, England. My debut, Peter Miles Has to Die, came out last year and my second novel just released! I was born in the USA but grew up in Mexico and, except for a brief stint in the States while attending the University of Texas at Austin (Hook ‘em horns!), have spent the majority of my life outside my birth country. When I’m not writing, I love to travel, learn new languages, embark on long-distance cycle rides, and hang out with my husband and three literary cats, Poe, Hugo, and Hemingway.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I can’t remember a time where I wasn’t reading or writing. One of my earliest memories is standing by the bookshelf while reading a book—my logic was that as soon as I finished, I’d have another within arm’s reach, ha. I also started a zine with my siblings at one point (subscriber list two: our parents) and wrote little ‘books’ that I’d gift to people. But I never really saw myself as a writer until much later. Writers were a super exclusive and special group who created amazing worlds I could get immersed in, not regular people like me!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
- The one that made you want to become an author: A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Most recently, East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Your latest novel, The Terrarium, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Remember, always trust your gut!
What can readers expect?
Chaotic and unreliable characters, a true crime angle, unhealthy obsessions, and twists that will surprise you. I created a fictional true-crime podcast, Cuppa Crime, for the book and readers can expect some fun interjections from its hosts, Gail and Gary. And, of course, there are a few cats in there too!
Where did the inspiration for The Terrarium come from?
I actually worked as a cat sitter for a while in London! It was an amazing job and I loved spending my time with cats. The first spark of inspiration for The Terrarium came from one of my clients. Even though I worked for her for a few years, this client allowed me access to her flat (and cat) without ever showing any desire to meet me. As you can imagine, my writer brain went into overdrive with theories about who my mysterious client could be and what she did for a living. That became the core idea for The Terrarium, though obviously the crazier things in my book didn’t happen in real life (and I was always completely professional in my cat sitting gigs, unlike my main character, Annie!).
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really enjoyed exploring how far I could take Annie’s obsessions. As someone who is very much a rule follower, stepping into the mindset of a character with no boundaries and very ambiguous morals was so interesting to me. And I’ll always have a soft spot for Annie’s coffee shop bestie, Dom. He was so fun to write and a great palate cleanser when Annie’s antics get just a little too much.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Each book comes with its own unique set of challenges. For The Terrarium, my biggest challenge was dialing it back and figuring out where I wanted the focus to be. In early drafts, I had so much going on and it was quite chaotic (not in a good way). Luckily, I had the best editor and he helped me dig through the unnecessary stuff to find the real heart of the story.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on my third book and hopefully there’ll be more news about that in 2027! I’d love to be able to write novels for as long as possible.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up soon? Any you’ve got your eye on that are releasing in 2027?
Like every other bookworm out there, I have a TBR that is truly out of control. A few I’m looking forward to are Saratoga Schaefer’s latest, A Thousand Monstrous Forms, Max Porter’s Burn and Rave, and Remy Fink’s debut Thespians (among so many others!).
