Welcome to our last Friday of Women in Horror Month 2019. It’s been a short, dark month but we’ve done our best to make your days that little bit brighter by showcasing the work of so many talented authors of dark fiction. Today, I’m delighted to be shining the spotlight on author of horror and suspense tales, Sue Rovens.
Sue Rovens is an indie suspense writer with two novels currently out in the world. Badfish, her first novel, was published in 2015. Track 9 was published in 2017. She also has two books of short horror stories, In a Corner, Darkly: Volume 1 and Volume 2. All her books are available on Amazon, in both paperback and Kindle formats.
Her third horror/suspense novel, Buried, is almost ready. It will be available for the public sometime in the first half of 2019.
Sue works at Illinois State University as the Stacks Maintenance Manager in Milner Library. She has been with ISU for 27 1/2 years. She also has a Master’s Degree in Kinesiology and Recreation (and a Bachelor’s in Speech Communication) from ISU.
When she’s not writing, she can be found running, watching weird movies, lifting weights, practicing ASL, playing with Noodle and Monkey – two fluffy kitties, or hanging out with Charlie, her “partner in crime”.
Question 1.
Which horror genre do you write in?
I like to wallow in psychological horror. To me, the scariest thing is what is just beyond normal. I like to take regular people, put them in dubious situations, and push a few boundaries. I have a few graphic horrific moments in my books, but those are not the driving force or main focus in my novels/short stories.
Question 2.
Why do you write horror? Tell us about your horror journey?
Because no other genre will have me?
No, actually I write horror because I feel the closest to it. I grew up reading Stephen King, getting scared by 70s made-for-tv horror movies, and gravitating to the weird side of life.
I like reading/watching things that deal with the dark side of people and situations. It’s more interesting to me than say, romance or cozy mysteries. (not that there’s anything wrong with those – it’s just not my bag to write them) I find that horror/suspense is very forgiving – anything can happen. Look at Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone. Some of the stand-out episodes, ones that people remember after sixty-plus years, are the creepiest and most shocking ones.
Horror can, and often does, make a statement. Recent films like Hereditary and Get Out are two great examples of how horror can impact an audience.
Question 3.
What scares you?
Spiders.
And movies that are incredibly creepy without having to depend on cheap gimmicks. The movie “Endless” is a great example. I don’t want to spoil anything, but there’s something about this entire film that doesn’t rely on jump scares or gore or shock value. It’s VERY atmospheric and unsettling. There are some scenes that still give me chills to this day.
And certain kind of bridges.
Question 4.
What have you got in the pipeline?
Oooo! Glad you asked! I am getting very close to releasing novel #3 – Buried. It should be out later this year (preferably before June).
The story revolves around a hoarder who lives next to a funeral home. I’ll have the official blurb posted on my blog – https://suerovens.com – very soon (probably in the next few weeks).
Question 5.
Please, include a paragraph of your work – your favourite passage or a few lines from a work in progress.
In a distant field, a massive form of a man hunched over a grave and pitched mounds of soil to one side. Muted light from a rusty lantern cast an eerie and cadaverous glow on the silhouette, creating a freakish impression to the passing eye. The imposing presence, with his elongated arms and hammer-like fists, had coiled his meaty fingers around the body and neck of a shovel, strangling the very essence out of the antiquated tool.
Moving closer in, his efforts were now audible. Guttural grunts accompanied every dirt-filled heave, every strain and struggle.
Nearer still, the funk of formaldehyde and decay danced with his salty sweat. A nauseating and pungent bouquet hung in the air like a ghastly portrait of the grisly and repulsive.
When the dull edges of the steel finally made contact with the hollowed wood, the man stopped and threw the implement to the side. He gripped his aching back and wrenched his body toward the black pitch of the sky.
It was hard to dig up the dead.
- Buried (2019) – ©Sue Rovens
Find out more about Sue’s books and writing :
Unusual Fiction 
Reblogged this on WordyNerdBird and commented:
Today’s Women In Horror featured author is Sue Rovens.
Thanks again to the Unusual Fiction blog for this author interview.
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