Interviews



An Interview with Meg Hafdahl, author of Twisted Reveries, collection of short stories and coauthor of the The Science of book series (with Kelly Florence



By D.W. Jones



Meg Hafdahl is a woman who loves the genre of horror and loves to write. Not only is she the author of the Twisted Reveries collections of short stories and The Science of (along with Kelly Florence) series of books, she has written three novels (The Willoughy Chornicles). In between all of that writing, she head a podcast. We talk to Meg about how she got started and all about her writings!



D.W. Jones: How did you get started in writing? Did you always want to write?

Meg Hafdahl: Yes! I knew from about 6 years old that I wanted to create stories. I was an avid reader, and I found so much comfort and happiness in reading that it only made sense to want to be a writer. I studied literature in college and it wasn’t until I was thirty that I really started to build my career.


DWJ: What made you write in the horror genre?

MH: Just like how I loved reading from an early age, I loved horror! I wanted to watch all the spooky movies, read all the Goosebumps books! It actually took me quite a while to realize I wanted to write horror because I got caught up in literary fiction as a student. When I combined the things I love about both genres, that’s where I found my happy place!


DWJ: Who were some of you inspirations that got you into writing and helped developed your style?

MH: I, of course, found Stephen King early on and wanted to be just like him! I really value his character development. I’m also endlessly impressed with gothic writers like the Brontes, and Daphne DuMaurier when it comes to setting. Jane Austen, too, in particular her novel Northanger Abbey. Now that I’m older, I have an obsession with Shirley Jackson!



DWJ: Twisted Reveries is one of your collection of stories that you have written over the years. Tell our readers what they can expect in this collection.

MH: So, all three books in the series are stuffed with female driven, psychological horror. The first one is all contemporary stories, the second centers around a small, Midwestern town, and the third one are all stories that took place in the past. You can read them in any order. They have been compared to The Twilight Zone episodes and I love that.


DWJ: What I like about this collection is that the women are in the forefront of all of the stories. What made you decide to include all women driven tales?

MH: I think there is this notion that horror is a man’s genre. Slasher movies have sort of perpetuated that idea, and I, along with a lot of fabulous female-identifying horror creators, want to challenge that. It was Mary Shelley, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the Brontes, women who began to tell horrific tales to try to explore what it’s like to be a woman in their era. Horror can be such a great way to shine light on issues that aren’t always popular or mainstream. And women are a natural part of that.


DWJ: In putting together your collections, how did you determine what stories to include in them?

MH: I really write for the collection. Rarely do I take a story from another publication, so I like fresh stories that no one has read! And really it becomes a fun challenge of what can I explore next? What complication can I make for the next character?



DWJ: You also co-authored The Science of Women in Horror with Kelly Florence. Tell our readers a little about this book.

MH: It’s a non-fiction book on various horror subjects, examining science, history, pop-culture, feminist theory, literary research all through the lens of horror movies. In this one we focus on women’s contribution to horror, so it’s basically a book of all our favorite things! We got to interview some fantastic actresses and filmmakers. It was an incredible experience.


DWJ: I enjoyed how the divided the book into tropes of roles women played in the horror genre and in each section, you included movies and interviews with women that participated in all areas in the genre. How did you pick the tropes, movies and interviews to highlight your point?

MH: Well, this is tough because there are SO many to choose from! It’s really a mix of what we love from our childhood (we knew we had to do Ginger Snaps), and also learning about horror movies that are new or we may have missed. I loved watching Teeth and realizing, WOW, there is so much to this movie, it needs a whole chapter! As far as tropes, we chose the ones that I think all filmgoers can appreciate.


DWJ: You have written a whole series of ‘The Science of’ books. What made you develop this series of books?

MH: Our absolute love of horror and nerdy research! Our fans have really taken to the series and it just makes us want to write more! We like that we get to bridge this gap between entertainment and true life, it’s a heady mix that people really seem to enjoy.


DWJ: In addition to the above, you have also written novels and co-host a podcast. You are really busy and have a lot on your plate. How do you manage everything and with such a variety of projects?

MH: Oh! Well, I’m working on getting more organized! I think, for me, I’m so thrilled to be doing what I love for a living that that helps on days when I’m feeling overwhelmed! I also have a very supportive family and set of friends, so that’s vital.


DWJ: Since you have written in several different styles (novels, collections, educational), do you have a preference of one over the other?

MH: That’s like picking a favorite child! If I’m being honest, I’d say there is something so damn satisfying about a really good short story. When I know it’s a keeper!


DWJ: What projects do you have coming up in the future?

MH: I’m currently working on the last edits with my agent for my next novel, and The Science of Agatha Christie comes out in 2023!


DWJ: What advice do you have for upcoming writers looking to get into the business?

MH: My main advice is that all the writing groups, writing social media, writing classes, are great… but it’s so important you spend time actually writing. Even if it’s just stream of consciousness, journaling, a single character monologue, the actual art of writing, taking time to do it, it needs to be your top priority!