NAME: LCW Allingham
CREATIVE FIELDS: Author, Artist, Publisher/Editor
WEBSITES: lcwallingham.com
AUTHOR LINKS:
speculationpub.com/books
lcwallingham.com/published-work
lcwallingham.com/book-cover-design
CREATIVE BIO:
LCW Allingham is an award-winning author, artist, and editor. Her publications include her novel, LADY, and novella MUSE, as well as short fiction.
She is the co-founder and executive editor of the indie press, Speculation Publications, and a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Horror Writers Association.
She resides near Philadelphia with her family, her animals, and her ever growing art collection. She is represented by CW literary.
INTERVIEW
What got you into horror to begin with – what’s your core Horror memory?
I think I was born looking to be scared. One of my earliest memories is begging my mom to bring me something scarier to watch. I consumed horror and nothing was ever enough. Unfortunately my parents were a bit strict with what I watched, so in the age of Chucky and Freddie Kruger I was left peeking around corners to watch the movies they were watching after I was supposed to be in bed.
When I started to read, it all opened up. I was there when Goosebumps were introduced, then it went to Fear Street, then Christopher Pike, then Stephen King. In books I was finally able to delve into those depths of terror that I had been seeking.
Do you have a favourite horror subgenre (or more than one) and if so, what is it? What/Who are your favourite books/films/podcasts/artists/creatives working in that subgenre?
I am a big fan of Good for her Horror and Female Identity Horror.
There are so many amazing authors who are putting out that kind of work right now but a few that come to mind are Gwendolyn Kiste, Monika Kim and Mona Awad.
Stephanie Gagnon always has a strong presence of these books on her podcast, Books in the Freezer, and it’s become my favorite place to hear about new titles.
What is the horror project of your heart – perhaps something you’ve already got out there, something you’re working on now, or something you’d like to do?
Late last year my editorial partner, River Eno, and I put out the anthology VAMPIRE HUNTERS: AN INCOMPLETE RECORD OF PERSONAL ACCOUNTS and I could go on and on about how much I love this book.
We have amazing stories by amazing authors but although they’re all so different, we tied them together with a greater framework that we had so much fun putting together. It was honestly so much fun to make.
The personal project closest to my heart is a manuscript my agent has right now. It’s a ghost story about gaslighting that I started way back in Covid times. It’s a little Twin Peaks and a little Stir of Echoes.
Which 5 horror books can you not stop thinking about, or have influenced you most in some way? (If not books, you can pick 5 films, 5 pieces of art, 5 songs… or mix & match!)
- CARRIE by Stephen King because it was the first adult horror novel I read (way too young) and it set a very high bar.
2. SISTER MAIDEN MONSTER by Lucy A. Snyder is so out there and has such intensely graphic descriptions, I still have a physical reaction thinking about it.
3. THE RETURN by Rachel Harrison was such a terrifying and powerful depiction of the messiness and the strength of female friendships.
4. ROSEMARY’S BABY by Ira Levin and to be fair, I’m going to lump THE STEPFORD WIVES in there too because Levin could depict the uniqueness experience feminine vulnerability within a marriage and these books are evergreen.
5. HARVEST HOME by Thomas Tryon is a book I can see the images from in my head years after reading it.
If you had to describe the tones and themes of your own work in terms of movies, books, songs, or art, what would you choose and why?
My stories usually explore gender and what it means to be a woman. Often my protagonists have to learn to trust their own instincts and recognize the ways society has denied them confidence in their own perceptions. Sometimes its about overcoming internal biases, sometimes it’s about hacking them to pieces with an ax and sometimes it’s about conjuring an ancient consciousness to expel the patriarchy forever.
Introduce us to something you’ve created, and pitch it to the audience!
MUSE was my debut horror novella, and is about the alchemy and spiritual experience of creating art, exploitation of artists and the billionaires who get fat off their talent, while bleeding them dry for content. It actually came out in 2024 but it seems especially relevant now.
The tagline is: Inspiration is a living thing and it is hungry.
Link: amzn.to/4qsa3x3