Wednesday Women of Horror Spotlight-Jill Girardi

Jill Girardi is a woman of horror that is near and dear to my heart (Cliché, I know, but sometimes a cliché is accurate!). She’s not just an awesome horror writer, but she fully supports and lifts up other women who have chosen to write in this historically male dominated genre. Jill was the first person to believe in me enough to give me the opportunity to transition from writer to published writer. When someone helps another person on that level, helping them believe that dreams actually can come true—well, nothing beats that. Jill Girardi is proof that one person really can make a difference.

Jill Girardi is the founder of Kandisha Press, an independent horror publisher which supports women horror writers around the world. She is also the author of multiple short stories, which feature her own brand of dark humor, beasties, and out of this world, nefarious creatures of her own design. Jill is also the best selling, award-nominated author of the Hantu Macabre series.

Jill Girardi is well known and loved among the horror community at large. She is extremely talented and a truly kind person. I am honored to have worked with her and hope to continue to do so. Her Twitter handle is @jill_girardi

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Wednesday Women of Horror Spotlight-Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson

So, tell me, how have I not read any of Shirley Jackson’s work? I vaguely was familiar with her name, but had no idea of her inspiring work in the horror genre. I had heard of the Netflix series, The Haunting of Hill House of course, but had no idea it was written by a woman of horror.

I haven’t watched the series yet though, because I recently watched this one:

I have to take a break between well done ghost stories if I want to get any sleep at night. Couldn’t look in mirrors for awhile after watching The Haunting of Bly Manor, and also didn’t realize how many mirrors there were in my house until I watched that series…

So why, have I not read Shirley Jackson? When it comes to famous authors, am I like a lot of people and only focused on the male ones? Especially when it comes to horror? And the funny thing is that according to Shirley Jackson’s Wikipedia page, great male writers like Stephen King and Neil Gaiman, count her among their influencers.

So, The Haunting of Hill House, is apparently “considered to be one of the best ghost stories ever written.”-Wikipedia

Ghost stories are my favorite in the horror genre, so of course, I’ve downloaded it on my Kindle and it will be my next read.

It saddens me that because of the time period in which she lived, Shirley Jackson was held back by society. Mainly, societal expectations for women, it seems. Although through her writing, she made much more money than her professor husband, he controlled the finances and she was given an allowance. Also, he apparently strayed quite often with his students. Shirley suffered from a great amount of anxiety and was prescribed barbiturates by her physician. She also battled alcoholism. I’ve read many counts of women in the past who weren’t allowed to reach their full potential and turned to drugs or alcohol. She died at the young age of 48. She contributed so much, but one has to wonder how much more she might have been accomplished if given a loose rein.

Wednesday Women of Horror Spotlight-Catherine McCarthy

Catherine McCarthy

Catherine’s bio from her website:

“From deep within the wild Welsh countryside, Catherine McCarthy spins dark yarns that deliver a sting in the tail.

She is the author of the collections Door and other twisted tales, Mists and Megaliths, and also the novella, Immortelle (published by Off Limits Press July 2021): a Gothic tale of grief and revenge, set on the West Wales coast.

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Her short stories and flash fiction have been published in various places online and in anthologies, including The British Fantasy Society Horizons, Flame Tree Press, Kandisha Press and Curiosities.

In 2020 she won the Aberystwyth University Prize for creative writing for her magical realism story, The Queen’s Attendant.

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Having traded the challenges and rewards of teaching for the hurdles and merits of writing, Catherine McCarthy now lives with her illustrator husband in a two hundred year old cottage in West Wales amidst spectacular, story-inspiring countryside.

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When she is not writing she may be found sewing in her ‘Garden Beehive’ or wandering the coast path, complete with picnic, sun-cream and just enough money for ice-cream.“

Catherine McCarthy is well known among women of horror and can be found engaging in many a Twitter conversation. Her books have rave reviews on Amazon and she has an avid following of devoted readers.

Check her out on social media:

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Author Website

Wednesday Women of Horror Spotlight-Alyson Faye

Alyson Faye

Alyson Faye’s bio from horrortree.com:

“Alyson lives in West Yorkshire, UK with her husband, teen son and four rescue animals. Her fiction has been published widely in print anthologies – DeadCades, Women in Horror Annual 2, Trembling with Fear 1 &2, Coffin Bell Journal 1, Stories from Stone, Ellipsis, Rejected (ed. Erin Crocker)and in many ezines, but most often on the Horror Tree site, in Siren’s Call.

She performs at open mics, teaches, edits and hangs out with her dog on the moor in all weathers.”

Alyson is a prolific writer and most recently wrote a little ditty for:

The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

No Shrinking Violets
by Alyson Faye

Her work is also featured in HorrorTree.com‘s, Trembling With Fear: Year 5:

Here’s my review of her anthology, Darkness Calls: Tales From the Shadows

She also has a story in the Kandisha Press anthology, Don’t Break the Oath, where my debut story “The Trial of Jehenne de Brigue” can be found. I’m so honored to be in an anthology which includes a talented writer like her and so many others more talented than me! These Women of Horror, inspire me to continually improve my craft.

Check out Alyson Faye’s Amazon author page for a more complete listing of her work.