We chat with author Maureen Kilmer about Nightmare of a Trip, which is a horror-tinged National Lampoon’s Vacation and it’s one family getaway they’ll never forget.
Hi, Maureen! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and live in the Chicago suburbs with my husband, three kids, and various ill-behaved pets. My horror comedy debut, Suburban Hell, was released in 2022. When I’m not writing or reading, all of my free time is spent driving one of my kids to practice.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve wanted to be a writer since before I can remember. I always had a stack of library books next to my bed, and still do! My greatest joy came from trips to the bookstore, where my mom would buy me the latest installment of the Baby-Sitters Club or Sweet Valley High books. I started writing my own stories in grade school, although none of them ever made it past the first chapter and spent far too much time on describing the characters’ outfits.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Kristy’s Great Idea by Ann M. Martin, book one of the Baby-Sitters Club
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene–I was obsessed with Nancy Drew.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Come Closer by Sara Gran. That book gave me nightmares!
Your latest novel, Nightmare of a Trip, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Haunted family road trip
What can readers expect?
Leigh Somerset and her family decide to spend their summer vacation road tripping from their home in suburban Milwaukee down to Florida to visit the theme park MagicLand. While in Indiana, they come across an abandoned farmhouse and inadvertently unleash the attention of some spirits who follow them along the way. In addition to questionable motel rooms and frightening rest stop bathrooms, Leigh and her family encounter a haunted Cracker Barrel, a creepy indoor water park, and increasingly threatening messages from the spirits. Stay tuned to find out if the great American road trip becomes the highway to hell…
Where did the inspiration for Nightmare of a Trip come from?
A few years ago, my husband and I decided to take our kids on an 18 hour road trip in the name of family bonding. After a few hours in the car together, the only thing that bonded us was our desire to fly next time. There were a lot of laughs, but it wasn’t something we all wanted to experience again.
The idea for Nightmare of a Trip came to me during those long hours on the road, imagining how we would handle actual horrors instead of tire problems and endless requests for snacks. The book is a love letter to 80’s vacation comedies like National Lampoon’s Vacation with a little Poltergeist sprinkled in.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
The haunted Cracker Barrel scene was my favorite to write! Growing up, stopping at a Cracker Barrel was always the pinnacle of any road trip so it was loads of fun to add some mischievous ghosts and let them loose in the gift shop. No vengeful spirits could keep me from an Old Timer’s Breakfast, though.
With this being your third published novel, what are some of the key lessons you’ve learned since your debut in 2022?
Hearing from readers who have enjoyed my books is the greatest joy in a career that can be fraught with challenges. A bad review or negative comment sometimes does overshadow all of the nice words, but it gets easier to tune them out the longer you stay in this business. No book is going to be a hit for all readers, so that makes it even more special when someone connects with your work. So I like to think that I’m slightly better at focusing on who I’m writing for, and why, and ignoring the rest. This career isn’t for the faint of heart!
What’s next for you?
I hope to keep writing more horror comedies that highlight the ridiculousness of suburban life. I love to take things that might already be scary–PTA moms, making school lunches, vacationing with kids–and then add in the supernatural. I have a few ideas for what I can tackle next, as I see horror potential all around me, every day.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
Some of my favorites this year have been:
- Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan (which I was thrilled to blurb!)
- The Devil and Mrs. Davenport by Paulette Kennedy
- Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
- The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon
I can’t wait to read So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison, who is a master at feminist horror. I also had the chance to read an early copy of The Greatest Lie of All by Jillian Cantor, which is phenomenal.
