Today's spotlight is on the incredibly talented Christy Aldridge, author and artist.
Read on for her take on being a woman in horror!
Enjoy!
What defines “horror” for you?
Life. Sad, but true. I think so many of us find this genre, not because we simply love watching someone get gutted (though it can be entertaining when not real), but because it's such a cathartic way to deal with life. To deal with the things we can't control. Horror is all around us every day.
What is your personal favorite horror movie or story and why?
Horror movie is probably The VVITCH. I think it's such a beautiful movie in terms of cinematography and atmosphere, but I also love the ambiguity of it. Whether you believe what is shown, that a coven of witches do live out in the woods and that the Devil is sleeping in their barn, or that their religious ideology has gone so far that they have basically done all of this to themselves, I think it's well-crafted and different than most of what we've seen before. Plus, I'm a huge fan of anything dealing with witchcraft during Puritan days.
What is your favorite thing about being a female author in the horror industry?
The same thing that's my favorite about being in horror at all. Being able to use my perspective. Whether that's as a woman, a woman from the south, a bisexual, whatever box you want to place me in, it all boils down that there isn't another 'me' in horror. No one will write the story I write because they have their own perspective. Their own experiences with life. I think that's such a beautiful thing that we all being to the table. Our own individuality.
What differences do you believe women bring to the table within the horror industry, and why are those differences impactful and important, in your opinion?
Like with any group, we all have our own experiences. There are things that I've been through that are more likely to happen to me than a man and vice versa. And I think that being able to have so many different outlooks, so many different journeys, is what makes each of our perspectives so unique. I think that women are able to use all of the bad and write from places of anger or sadness, to tackle certain topics in more sensitive ways simply because we actually know what that felt like.
Have you faced any challenges as a woman in the mostly male-dominated world of horror? If so, what were they and how did you overcome them?
I don't think so. We definitely are in an age where more marginalized groups are having a chance to actually speak. To be heard, and I feel like I'm able to write without worrying about that anymore. I don't worry that people won't read my work because I'm a woman. If that's a determining factor for them, I don't really care if they read my work. That's their loss.
What advice do you have for the next generation of female horror authors?
Write. Write brutally. Not just in terms of gore or extremities, but in honesty. One thing I've learned over the years is that this feminine rage I often feel isn't always comfortable to read, but it's important. Our stories are important. What we feel and think is important. So, write. Don't complain. Don't just get angry. Write every single word and don't worry about if people feel comfortable about what you've written. Some things need to be said, and you are just the generation to continue doing that.
Christy's Bio:
Christy Aldridge is the crowned Southern Belle of horror, conjuring spine-tingling tales from moonlit porches and Spanish moss-draped oaks. With four feline phantoms, a faithful hound, a quacking duo, and Lily, her emotional support chicken, she orchestrates her own eerie menagerie. Anthologized in chilling collections such as "25 Gates of Hell" and "These Lingering Shadows", Christy's craft lies in creepy twists and dark tales. Her latest novel, "The Breaking of Mona Hill," invites you to a world where the line between Southern charm and unsettling fear blurs with every turn of the page.
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