Katya de Becerra and Narrelle M. Harris chat about This Fresh Hell, a new anthology of horror short stories they have co-edited where old horror tropes are reimagined.
Katya: I’ve always wanted to edit an anthology! I find multi-author themed collections very effective because they offer something for everyone. As a horror writer and reader, I also appreciate clever takes on horror that challenge the status quo. All of these things have aligned in October 2021 when I came up with the idea for an anthology that reimagines old horror tropes in new and unexpected ways. I pitched this project to Lindy Cameron, the publisher at Clan Destine Press, but I remember telling Lindy that I’d only do it if I got to do it with you, Narrelle! I had stories included in two of the anthologies you’ve edited for Clan Destine and I’ve admired your writing as well as your editorial insights ever since. What was your first reaction when I invited you to co-edit This Fresh Hell with me? (And tell us how you came up with our anthology’s awesome title!)
Narrelle: I was very flattered to be asked, as I felt it spoke well of your experiences with me as an editor when you wrote for The Only One in the World and Clamour and Mischief. I also hoped that I would be able to share some of my thoughts, experience and advice with you and that I’d have things to learn in return – which I definitely did!
I loved the pitch, but I thought a sassier title might help it get attention. Since the idea was all about fresh takes on old horror tropes, the Dorothy Parker quote of ‘what fresh hell is this?’ sprang immediately to mind. The title is the answer to grumpy ol’ Dot – it’s THIS fresh hell, Ms Parker. Deal with it. 😀
Katya: I love our title – and the beautiful cover art Claire L. Smith (who also has a story in the anthology!) has created for the book! This Fresh Hell was my first ever experience of putting an anthology together, but for you – it’s your third (and you have another co-edited project on the way!). How different was the experience of co-editing This Fresh Hell compared to your previous – solo edited – anthologies?
Narrelle: Co-editing is a very different experience, because we had different writing backgrounds, different tastes in some areas, and different approaches in others. Instead of taking half the time, it took about twice the time! But it was great to collaborate and share ideas and ways of approaching challenges, so that we had a shared vision to work towards. I think your idea for the anthology was so good that we had a pretty close joint idea of it right from the start, but I enjoyed the process of refining that.
Katya: I enjoyed this process as well! I learned a lot while working with you – some things I expected and was ready for, others not so much. I loved putting together a list of tropes and then working out which authors we were going to invite. Receiving the finished stories and getting that first feel for how each author approached the task of reinventing their chosen trope was also great… but the editing process was very labour-intensive. As a first-time editor, I felt very nervous about sending editorial notes to our authors! And while we had such a positive experience with our authors, I imagine it’s not always the case – do you have any tips on how to manage the editorial process effectively, especially when authors and editors don’t agree on the vision for the story?
Narrelle: It can be a delicate situation and both tact and sympathy are required. But it remains that, as an editor, the stories accepted have to meet your editorial vision, and from time to time a story you like in general may not work when it comes down to it. Some submissions are great, but not the story you need for that anthology. Some stories are not quite there but with a little collaboration can bridge the gap. And sometimes that gap can’t be closed to both your and the writer’s satisfaction. That doesn’t make the story bad or anyone wrong – it just means it’s not the fit either of you hoped it would be.
In the end, if you think structural changes are needed to better meet the brief/theme/your vision, or to bring out the potential you see in the story, all you can do is make the editorial suggestions. The author doesn’t have to agree with them, or maybe they can’t find an alternative way to address the issues. Discussion should always be open and welcome. But if you can’t find a resolution, it might mean that this time you don’t work together. That’s okay. The writer doesn’t have to make changes, but if as an editor you think it doesn’t meet your needs, then it’s also okay to decide that story is not for you. No shame or blame on either side. Sometimes things just don’t quite work out, and there’s always the next anthology!
Katya: wise words! …Horror is currently enjoying a much-deserved revival, and we’re seeing a lot of new takes on the old tropes, with stories interrogating the problematic aspects of horror and centering characters and perspectives that were previously marginalised. In This Fresh Hell we have stories from such a diverse group of authors, with a variety of identities represented, and this diversity is definitely reflected in the stories. What are the highlights of This Fresh Hell for you?
Narrelle: I loved getting stories from so many different cultural perspectives, and by asking for twists in the trope, we also go some wonderfully unexpected stories from the white western perspective as well. Occasionally that meant having to learn a lot, as an editor, to see unfamiliar folkloric traditions in a story and discover how best to bring out that background to readers who might be likewise unfamiliar. Gillian Polack’s ‘Ignore the Dead Bodies, Please’ is one I cite a lot as a learning experience, as I didn’t know much about Jewish folklore, but as editors we were able to collaborate closely with Gillian to get a really clear idea, and that terrific story really shines.
So, we have stories drawing on all kinds of tropes and different cultural inspirations that provide a set of textured stories. We have a Slavic take on vampire and werewolf legends; spooky swamp creatures from the Louisiana Bayou; rascals from Africa, and Australian takes on highway ghosts, haunted ships and the dangers of the Tasmanian bush! Cults, human sacrifice, gothic houses, hubris, curses, coming-of-age witches and legal contracts with the devil!
I think my favourite part of the anthology is how the twist changes the tropes for each story. Some themes are very dark yet that little twist often brings a notion of hope each time. That darkness can sometimes be embraced; that we have more choices than we sometimes think; that shadows come from light (and that light, of course, throws shadows). In short, life is complex and fundamentally unfair but that we don’t have to be powerless in its teeth.
Katya: Beautifully said! We have our own stories included in This Fresh Hell. I chose the haunted house trope because I wanted to tackle it from a fresh, new perspective by giving the narrative voice to the house itself. In most haunted house stories, we typically get a sinister backstory to the house but the moment that story is fully introduced we pretty much know how the rest will unfold. I decided not to focus on the house’s backstory so much but rather give perspective of how the house comes to the decisions whether to terrorise its new residents or not. But at its heart, my story – ‘House, Meet Your Match’ – is about love, family and belonging. You also chose a house-themed trope for your story, but it couldn’t be more different from my interpretation. How did you arrive at the trope for your story and how did you approach the task of re/interpreting it?
Narrelle: I used to follow an account on the now defunct Twitter, called Girls Running from Houses. They’d post little gothic ideas about the girls and gothic houses trope. It made me laugh, some of the things they’d post. When it came to my own story, I just got this notion stuck in my head – The girl is running from the house. The house is chasing her. So, I drew it out from there, throwing in the ‘rule of three’ trope of fairytales, and then, because I like it when girls fight back, had the three running girls meet and decide what to do next.
Katya: that’s such a clever interpretation! I love your story! …Horror is a very diverse genre, with some stories truly terrifying and bleak, and others hopeful and uplifting. I feel like This Fresh Hell gives our readers a great breadth of topics and emotional themes, and I think this is a perfect anthology for both established horror fans as well as those who are new to the genre. In my story I wanted readers to see the world from the point of view of a haunted house and, while I ended up with a quirky voice for my protagonist, there are still plenty of spooky moments and visuals. But in the end, I wanted to leave readers hopeful (this is unusual for me as I’ve been known for controversial endings of my books!) How did you want readers to feel after reading your story?
Narrelle: Amused, alarmed, surprised, disturbed, refreshed! I feel like an anthology is like a box of assorted chocolates – lots of texture and variety, and maybe you’ll like some more than others, but the flow and juxtaposition of stories and ideas will, I hope, bring each reader some new ideas and at least once or twice a sense of delight! You and I took a lot of time to choose the story order to provide that textured experience for the reader, so I hope they like it!
Katya: I really enjoyed the process of brainstorming the order of stories with you! So much went into this decision: the length and general style of stories, their themes and even settings! I’m very proud of this book of ours.
…But okay, let’s do a couple of random questions J So, I’m pretty boring in my writing habits – everything distracts me so I need silence and I need a space where I can close the door and just stare at the screen while I type very, very fast. What about you? Do you have any odd writing habits/quirks?
Narrelle: I… have been known to talk to myself, quite a bit, in trying out dialogue and whether big things might be better whispered or shouted. And I have occasionally been fuelled by far too many Tim Tams – the sugar rush has helped push out fast-paced action scenes more than once!
Because I, like most writers, also have a day job (I’m a self-employed commercial writer and editor) I don’t always have time to write an idea when it comes to me, as I have bills to pay and have to do that work first! So, my email inbox is full of little emails and voicemails I’ve sent to myself with ideas for current WiPs or new stories, so I can save them for my fiction writing time and not forget them!
Some of my favourite work is writing case studies, articles and other material for universities, especially for their science departments. I have, for brief periods, had a reasonable lay-person’s understanding of elements of astrophysics, new battery technologies, cryptocurrency, experimental economics and the interplay between architecture and social spaces. But then I move onto the next writing project and the details fade. I like to think of it all as random research that may one day be used in stories, though! So, Katya, I want to know: What was your weirdest gig?
Katya: Many years ago, I was a research assistant to a professor, and one of my first tasks was to go through this hundreds-of-pages long phone bill and call EACH NUMBER to check who it was. The professor said it was for tax purposes or something. But I think he was messing with me!… But tell me what’s your favourite non-writing/reading interest or a hobby?
Narrelle: Katya, I’m very sorry, but that professor was messing with you. He should at least have let you check everything off against his contacts list first!
Favourite hobby? I go to the theatre a lot, and love it. I dabbled in acting when I was younger, too. Now – an extension of some of my writing has been to write songs – I currently have nine songs (which largely come from some of my books which have musicians as characters) available under the band name ‘Duo Ex Machina’, professionally produced by Melbourne’s Golden Hour Studios.
I also started crafting during lockdowns in the last few years, so I make jewellery, crochet and cross stitch now as well. It’s lovely to have a hobby that’s creative without being word-related, and I can do crafts while listening to podcasts and audiobooks!
Katya: You have so many different talents – and you know I love your jewellery! Okay, one last question, do you outline your books or not?
Narrelle: Ah, the old Plotter Vs Pantser question! I used to just start writing without doing an outline, and that worked for a few books. But then it stopped working. So now I come up with the idea and high-level notes about where it’s heading. Then I write a bit to get a feel for the characters and tone before taking that back to a more detailed outline. As I write, I might go back and refine that outline more as the characters become more fully fleshed and I have a better idea how they will respond to different situations and the other characters. It’s very much a blended approach. What do YOU do?
Katya: this is exactly my process these days too! Just like you, I started off by being a total pantser but over time, and as deadline-driven contractual obligations became a THING in my life, I have no choice but to outline my books! I found that outlining is great for my anxiety – I like seeing a book’s entire structure more or less laid out before me, and I then I get to work and start drafting, which is the FUN part!
Aaand that’s a wrap!
About This Fresh Hell
A driver picks up a hitchhiker from the side of a road; a family moves in to a house that may be haunted; a visit to the cabin in the woods goes terribly wrong…
We all know how those stories end – or do we? In This Fresh Hell, every story begins with a well-known horror trope but ends with a twist, bringing new life and unexpected resolutions to old ideas. Our fears are interrogated, ghosts re-examined, and monsters reconfigured. Emerging and established authors from around the world reignite and subvert horror tropes in 19 wholly original, genre-bending stories.
Among these unexpected tales, a Slender Man is sent to offer help to a boy in trouble; a restorer develops an unusual bond with a cursed doll; a heartbroken influencer has her mettle tested aboard a luxurious cruise from hell; a haunted house hesitates to terrify its new residents… Ranging from the chilling to the quirky, these stories will appeal to dedicated horror fans as well as those dipping their toes into the genre for the first time.
Curated by Katya de Becerra and Narrelle M. Harris,
This Fresh Hell presents stories by: A.J. Vrana, Annie McCann, C. Vonzale Lewis, Candace Robinson, Chuck McKenzie, Claire L. Smith, Claire Low, Clare E. Rhoden, Elle Beaumont, Eugen Bacon, Gillian Polack, Greg Herren, Jason Franks, Katya de Becerra, L.J.M. Owen, Narrelle M. Harris, Raymond Gates, Sarah Glenn Marsh, Sarah Robinson-Hatch, Tansy Rayner Roberts.
Get your copy from the publisher This Fresh Hell or from your favourite bookshop!
Katya de Becerra writes atmospheric horror about complicated families in enigmatic places; including a host of short stories; and the novels What the Woods Keep and Oasis. Her forthcoming third novel, When Ghosts Call Us Home, earned a starred review from Kirkus, which called it “haunting, intense, and eerily spooky.” She has a PhD in Cultural Anthropology and teaches and researches at a Melbourne university.
Narrelle M. Harris is an award-winning writer of 11 novels; including The Opposite of Life, Ravenfall, Kitty and Cadaver, land the upcoming The She-Wolf of Baker Street. She is one of Clan Destine’s star anthology editors, responsible for the Sherlock Holmes anthology, The Only One in the World; the feast of corvids that is Clamour and Mischief, and the forthcoming Sherlock is a Girl’s Name.
