I don't know if there's a way to make it official or not, but I have no doubts everyone will agree that Sarah Jane is the beaming ray of positivity in our fantastic horror community. She finds the silver linings in everything, and has the most heart-warming stories to share on Twitter. Her other stories, however, will blow your mind in an entirely different way! Her most recent, Bleeding Into New Worlds, is a fantastic trip that everyone should take. Brutal, vicious, and creative, it's a strangely satisfying revenge story that will leave you reeling and contemplating all sorts of deep existential questions you'd never considered before.
1. When did you first start to discover your enjoyment of horror?
I’ve loved horror for as long as I can recall. One specific, early memory I have is of my grandad finally relenting and letting me watch Dracula ( 1958) after a Twilight Zone marathon we had. I think I was around 12 at the time and since that day, I was hooked. I tend to prefer quiet horror, or psychological horror to all out gore nowadays too. I stole a book from my meanest oldest sister, Stephen King’s IT, and I would read pages while she was out and sneak it back on her shelf. That was the first horror book I ever read.
2. What made you take the leap into writing horror?
I had a huge life upheaval in 2018 and it was after my situation calmed down that I decided to do things I’d always wanted to do. That included submitting short stories and self publishing a collection. I’ve been writing since I was 15 or 16, but I hid manuscripts away and showed no one. It began as me trying to assert that I could do what I want, follow a lifelong dream if I chose, and that I had something of real value to say. Now I’ve almost lost my hearing, writing is the only way I can communicate with the world. I have too much to say and I want to be heard.
3. What is your favorite writing snack and/or drink?
Tea! I love cups of tea and definitely chocolate biscuits to go with it. I hate coffee, it’s vile to me.
4. Do you enjoy horror in other mediums as well, or just primarily books/writing?
Yes! I love horror films as much as horror books. I have particular favourites that I watch for comfort, IT (1990) and Chainsaw Massacre (original) are two of them. I usually watch a horror movie every night and it doesn’t bother me if I’ve seen them all before.
5. Do you believe in aliens? Why or why not?
I am a huge believer in aliens. Although I lean towards the interdimensional theory these days. At times in life, I have become nearly obsessed with the concept. Twenty plus years ago, I was a member of a UFO group run by a local Ufologist/ local Author. We all went to a place called Bonsall in Derbyshire, because it was said to be a hotspot. We spent the day on a high hill armed with flasks of tea, binoculars and a telescope. We saw nothing! I wasn’t in that group for long, it was all a bit weird and strange.
I always went to the UFO/ Fortean themed conventions in London though and I still read everything I can on all theories. I just like to learn and wonder more than anything. The arrogance of humanity, to think we know all there is to know astounds me. In truth, I believe we know very little and understand nothing.
I did see odd lights myself while I was hiking in the peak district once, in 2014, I think. There was a set of three white lights that hovered over a woodland for quite some time. I still have no explanation for that sighting. I just watched in awe. I wasn’t worried, whatever it was paid me no attention so I set up my tent and watched the stars all night.
6. What would you consider your zombie apocalypse plan?
Bug in for sure :) I would never leave my dog or cats and currently, due to illness, leaving would be a very bad decision. I have enough supplies that I could manage for a while and realistically, zombies would rot relatively quickly, I hope.
7. If you had to choose (and right now you do lol), what would you say is one of the best lessons you’ve learned since you’ve started writing?
That the more you write, the more you find your own way and style. From the first collection I ever published, to now, my writing has completely changed and hopefully, for the better. Forget how others write, just be yourself and be proud. Just to add one more thing, it’s not a good idea to ass kiss your way to the top. I’ve seen people try to do that and it’s so obvious it makes me cringe. Other authors are not competition either.
8. Do you find people scarier, or supernatural monsters?
Without a doubt, people. Human beings are capable of the most vile things known and the tricky part is, they hide behind kind smiles and flesh masks. You can know a person your entire life and still not know what absolute darkness they’re capable of. I never trust the living.
With supernatural monsters, you know exactly what you’re in for and the majority don’t hide what they are.
9. If you were to give a creepy makeover to another holiday – let’s say… Easter – what sorts of changes would you make?
Zombie easter bunnies might be good? Or chocolate eggs that explode gore everywhere if they're not eaten in a certain amount of time. It would be a race to eat chocolate and I’m sure I’d do well with that.
10. What animal would you want to be, if you had the ability to shapeshift?
An owl, I love them. There is something truly magical about them.
Sarah Jane's socials:
Twitter: @SarahJaneHunti1
Instagram: huntingtonsarahjane
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