Eric Woods, Author

Kaos Emslie is a nonbinary and asexual horror author who lives in Southern Arizona with their two children and a growing amount of cats. They are surrounded by pens, paper, and books constantly. They love all things horror and gore, gothic and spooky. They are never far from a caffeinated beverage.

When they aren’t writing, Kaos is reading, drawing, or binging movies or shows. They like crime dramas, horror movies, and history documentaries. If they aren’t doing any of those things, they are scrolling through social media looking at silly cat videos or cool people in LED masks.

Follow Kaos Emslie!

TIKTOK: @nightmare.food_

INSTAGRAM: nightmare.food_

THREADS: @nightmare.food_

QUESTIONS:

1. Tell our readers a little about yourself and your writing (including publications).
   Hi there, I’m Kaos Emslie! I’ve been writing for over two decades but only started submitting my things for publication in 2022. I write primarily horror, though there’s always a little something more to my stories than just a few spooky things. I published my first novella, Serenade, in October of 2022 and I published my debut novel Paint It Black in October of 2023. I’m also published in the 80s inspired horror anthology Doors of Darkness by Terrorcore Publishing (December 2023) and I have a short story published in Sirens Call Ezine, Issue #62. I’m also a staff writer for Monstrous Femme, so keep an eye out for some amazing short stories coming out seasonally from them!
   
2. What writing projects are you currently working on?
   I’ve got a few projects going right now, but the main one I am focusing on is a cozy Gothic horror set in an autumnal village in the forest with ancient magic and rituals and an Eldritch god haunting the forest. The main character and her love interest, an old friend of hers, need to come together and find the answers to the questions posed before the monstrous entity takes another life.
   
3. Are you a daytime writer, a mid-day writer, a nighttime writer, or just someone who writes when the mood hits you?
   I’m a mood writer, definitely. I always have my writing right here, poised and ready for action, but I’m not always ready to put fingers to keys if you know what I mean.
   
4. When did you know you wanted to be a writer? 
   When I was 10, I read Anne Rice’s The Queen of the Damned and it just… I realized I wanted to be a writer right then. I knew that I wanted to tell stories for people to read. 
   
5. HORROR FANS (pick 1-3): What was the first horror movie you ever saw? What is your favorite horror movie? What is the worst horror movie you have ever seen?
   My favorite horror movie…. I’ve historically said Saw, or Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but honestly Crimson Peak as a gothic horror is definitely on the top of my list. I love it so much and I could watch it over and over again. The Haunting from 1999 is another one that just gets me (based on The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson). I adore gore and blood, but gothic horror gets me on a whole different level. That quiet, spooky stuff, the subtle horror. 
   
6. Speaking of animals, do you have any pets?
   We have three kitties, who I have affectionately nicknamed: My Co-Author Sage, My Editor Chase, and my PA Loki. I’ve started posting about them more on Instagram and TikTok. 
   
7. What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a writer?
   Just do it. Don’t let your fear or procrastination or perfectionism tell you that you can’t. And don’t worry about publishing yet. Get the first draft down first. That’s you telling yourself the story. You can edit it later. Just get it down, however slow it is. Take your time, taken breaks, BREATHE. If you write, you’re a writer.

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