We caught up with the awesome Kirsten McKensie, a former Customs Officer who is now a full time writer.
1. When did you first become interested in horror?
When I’d first started working, I was ‘conned’ into signing up for a book ordering scheme, where you either could choose the book you received every month, or they would just send you one. Most of the time, I forgot to choose, and that’s how I ended up with a healthy collection of Dean Koontz hardbacks! And that was the beginning. From there it was a very small step into Stephen King, and that was it, I was hooked.
2. Did you always enjoy writing?
Yes absolutely, but I didn’t do anything about it until it was a slow winter’s day in the family antique shop I was working in, and I announced to my brother that I was going to write a novel. He said to me, ‘You never finish anything,’ so as a starter, I was out to prove him wrong. And then I got a publishing contract. The rest is history!
3. Do you have a favorite vampire character?
I’m not ashamed to admit that I love, and will always love, Edward Cullin. Yes, he of the sparkling skin. Twilight remains a guilty pleasure, and I adore both the books and the films. As a more grown up choice, I can’t look past Matthew Clairmont in Deborah Harkness’s ‘A Discovery of Witches’. He is the perfect vampire.
4. Is there another genre that you are interested in?
Time travel. Stephen King’s ‘11.22.63’ and Ben Elton’s ‘Time and Time Again’ and Connie Willis’ ‘The Doomsday Book’ are the three best time traveling historical mystery books out there.
5. Are there topics in horror that you will not write about?
Child abuse. Or child sexual assault. That should never be used for entertainment purposes.
6. Do you have other favorite monsters besides vampires?
I am quite partial to a good zombie. Ghosts or sea creatures or demons or witches don’t interest me as much as vampires and zombies!
7. If vampires were real-what would be the best way to defend yourself against them?
I think the post accessible way of defending yourself against vampires is a stash of garlic of course. I mean, holy water isn’t readily available in the house, and nor are silver bullets. I suppose I could repurpose some of my bamboo garden stakes, but I’m just not that handy! So garlic cloves it is.
8. Why do you think horror books and movies remain so popular?
Because people like to know that their lives are better than what they could be if vampires were real. Or if the woods really were haunted. It’s a relief to know that while your life might feel a bit shite, it could be much worse!
9. Why do you think that people are obsessed with being scared?
Because you can scream without judgement, and then you get to curl up in your bed and know that you’re safe.
10. Who inspires you?
Stephen King for sure. The way he creates such well rounded characters. And then George R R Martin for his descriptions of his characters.
11. What are some of your favorite horror books?
Most recently, it would have to be ‘The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires’ by Grady Hendrix. Absolutely loved it. And again, ‘My Best Friend’s Exorcism’, also by Hendrix. The scaries book I’ve ever read is Stephen King’s ‘The Shining’. I had to put it down several times and walk away, or I might have had a heart attack. Closer to home I loved ‘The Opposite of Life’ by Narelle Harris, which I hear is being made into a TV series, which is incredibly exciting. And ‘Despatches’ by Lee Murray.
12. What are some of your favorite horror movies?
‘Scream’ (the original one), and ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ (the original one). And a couple of homegrown ones - ‘The Frighteners’, directed by Peter Jackson. And I want to add in a television series from my childhood - ‘Under The Mountain’, written by Maurice Gee. Earlier this year I read the book, to see if the scares still stack up. They do. Even as an adult, the hairs on my arm lifted and I became just as terrified of the Wilberforces as I was as a child.
13. What are your current projects?
Currently I am working on my 2nd time travel book in collaboration with US author Shawn Inmon (who writes the Middle Falls time travel series). But I always like to intersperse my time travel books with a horror, so I have a small town America story bubbling away too.
14. Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work.
I used to fight international crime as a Customs Officer in both England and New Zealand. Then, I was held up at gunpoint whilst working in my family antique store. Now I live a very safe life behind my antique desk writing full time. I alternate between writing time travel trilogies and polishing my next horror. Any spare time is spent organising author events and appearing on literary panels at various festivals around the world.
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