I believe that art is subjective and everyone has their own interpretation of your work. I value the unique ways my readers may interpret my book as well as the different messages or meaning they make take away from my book. But there are some aspects of my first book, Dissecting House, that I want to address (don’t worry, there are no spoilers).

Why Does the Serial Killer, Mina Bassey, Murder Men?

I get this question a lot, specifically from my male readers. Not in a way where they’re offended — surprisingly, most seem interested.

Well, there are two reasons why I chose a female serial killer who preys on men:

1. I rarely see any female serial killers who specifically target men in horror. When they do, it’s rarely for bloodthirsty reasons. They mainly target men for gain (the femme fatale) or revenge (which is most of the feminist horror I see). Bloodthirsty female killers exist, I’m not saying Mina Bassey is the only one. I just don’t see these characters too often.

2. As a female myself, I’m pretty fucking sick of being the victim. Let’s turn the tables, shall we?

This content is no misandrist, man-hating, etc. propaganda. I’m a straight female — of course I love men! I was surrounded by amazing male family members my whole life. I have an incredible boyfriend who makes me happier than anything. Some of my best friends are men and I think I have more male friends than female friends.

Even with saying that, I’m always skeptical when I first meet a guy. Of course, I’m wary if he’s a serial killer/rapist/abusive asshole/some sort of crazy person. But I mainly question his intentions. Why is he talking to me? Is he really being just nice?

And then I wondered why I think this way — I mean, I know so many amazing men in my life. But it hit me: propaganda.

It’s the bullshit women are fed:

Don’t walk alone at night

Don’t dress provocatively

Keep an eye on your drink

While sure, there is some truth to these warnings, such as the threat of someone spiking your drink, etc. But overall, these warnings are overexaggerated.

So that’s why I wanted to turn the tables. What if men were targeted the same way by a woman?

I spoke to my male readers about this concept and it shocks every one of them. They say the same thing: I never thought of that. I never thought I was a victim. Never thought women were dangerous.

Good. My work here is done.

Now, I also add there’s a very unlikely chance a smoking hot woman you meet at a bar will turn out to be a crazed killer. And I add I don’t want men to be fearful of women. I want to take out these stereotypes and just teach everyone that evil exists.

Why Is It So Violent?

Most of my readers are horror fans, so I usually don’t receive this complaint. But a couple of family members said they couldn’t even finish it due to the extreme violence.

So, why is it violent?

Simply put — I love gory horror. Plain and simple. I have no idea why. Always been the type of horror I preferred. So a lot of my scenes are influenced by films and books I love.

Beyond horror, I read a lot of news stories and look up serial killer facts. Let me tell you, real life is scarier than any horror movie I’ve ever seen. I try to write some of these scenes with a realistic edge. It’s not only graphic but you can feel the pain and suffering that the victim is enduring.

How Did You Think of the Story?

It just popped up in my head one day while driving to my class (this was years ago when I was in college). The story formulated over time. The ideas became so strong that I just had to start writing it. It came along really naturally and I’m pleased with the final result.

Is Mina Bassey Real?

No, she’s entirely fictional. As well as every other character in the book.

Will There Be a Sequel?

You’ll have to read the book and figure that out for yourself!

Where Can I Read the Book?

You can order your copy of Dissecting House from Amazon! It’s only $7 ($3 for an e-reader edition)!