What is your name and what are you known for?
My name is Deirdre Swinden, and my debut novel Somnium, will hopefully provide the start of being known for horror/sci-fi crossovers with a psychological spin.
Tell us about one of your works and why we should read it.
My debut novel, Somnium, is a blend of psychological horror and science fiction. It’s centered on the character of Gillian Hardie, who experiences nightmares so intense they can kill. Thanks to a glitch in Somnium Corporation’s groundbreaking dream advertising technology, Gillian’s body reacts to dreams as if they were real. Every night, her mind unleashes monsters that have pushed her to the edge of despair.
Armed with lucid dreaming skills, Gillian has managed to survive for years, but when an accident traps her in a perpetual dream state, her darkest fears begin manifesting at an alarming rate. As Gillian races against time to survive, a growing threat that could unleash unimaginable horrors from the depths of her mind emerges.
I think fans of psychological thrillers and survival horror will enjoy it.
What places or things inspire your writing?
I can be inspired by a place, a sound, a song, an image. I observe and store these things somewhere in my head, often creating a story around it so I don’t forget the image or the moment. Most often, the image I store is darker than reality. An old, beautiful house, but in my mind it will be derelict. A gorgeous mountain range that contains a dark inhabitant. A handsome face hiding something sinister. Those sort of things inspire my writing.
What music do you listen to while creating?
My playlists can run from Joan Armatrading to Rob Zombie and everything in between. I’m a huge fan of Barns Courtney, Lord Huron, Mondo Cozmo and The Airborne Toxic Event. I like to pair an album or artist with a story. That way when I sit down to write, the music helps carry me into the world.
What is your favorite horror aesthetic?
I love a good ghost story. Anything involving the paranormal will suck me in.
Who is your favorite horror icon?
Toss up between Stephen King, Mary Shelley and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
What was the scariest thing you’ve witnessed?
I’ve been very lucky that I haven’t witnessed too much that truly petrified me. But I was home from school the day the Challenger space shuttle exploded and watched it live on television. I just sat there, thinking “this can’t be happening, can it?” It’s the same way I felt when I watched the footage of 9/11, the attack on the White House and heard about the repeal of Roe v. Wade. We’re going backwards as a country in the US, and it frightens me more than any creature, ghoul or ghost ever could. The recent movie Civil War really landed that experience. I walked out of the theater wondering if that, along with Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale were terrible predictions of what’s yet to come.
If invited to dinner with your favorite (living or dead) horror creator, who would it be and what would you bring?
There’s so many to choose from – Shirley Jackson, M.R. James, Richard Matheson – I’d love to pick their brains on what they think makes a good story. I’d bring a bottle of whatever they each like to drink, a stack of firewood, and a firm hope that after dinner we’d gather around the fireplace and swap a few secrets.
What’s a horror gem you think most horror addicts don’t know about? (book, movie, musician?)
For books, I absolutely loved Dark Matter by Michelle Paver. It’s been a long time since a book gave me such a creepy feeling of dread and forced me to turn on every light in the house, and that one did it.
For movies, it’s probably Autopsy of Jane Doe. That movie spooked me enough that I’ve only watched it once. I hesitate every time I go to watch it again.
Have you ever been haunted or seen a ghost?
Not yet – but I’m not opposed to it!
What are some books that you feel should be in the library of every horror addict?
Depends on what you like. Because I like creeping dread and ghost stories, I’d recommend the following:
The Shining by Stephen King, also The Breathing Method, which is one of my favorite novellas. I read it as part of Different Seasons, but I think it’s out as a standalone now.
Dark Matter by Michelle Paver
The Lockwood & Co. Series by Jonathan Stroud (YA) – Start with The Screaming Staircase. You’ll be hooked. The talking skull is one of my favorite characters.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
What are you working on now?
I’m currently finishing up my take on a werewolf origin story – another sci-fi/horror crossover that involves scientific experimentation gone drastically wrong. It focuses on the base instincts of man and beast, and the desperate loneliness human beings feel in their own skin.
Where can readers find your work? (URL #1 place for them to go.)
You can find out more about me on www.deirdreswinden.com. And be sure to check out the great titles at Crystal Lake Publishing – you’ll find Somnium there as well as on Amazon as of May 31, 2024. https://www.crystallakepub.com/
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