Laura Creedle

Laura Creedle is the author of The Deep Well, which Kirkus Reviews called “a fresh take on horror,” and The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily. When they’re not writing, Creedle can usually be found playing pinball or watching indie horror. They live in Austin, Texas, with their husband and a feral cat named Hellman who was found with her head stuck in a mayonnaise jar.

Creedle's new novel is The Girl in Green.

My Q&A with the author:

How much work does your title do to take readers into the story?

I love a Victorian ghost story names like The Lady in White, or The Woman in Black. I chose the title of The Girl in Green as an reference to those classic ghost stories, but it’s a bit of a bait and switch. The legacy is much darker. I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I’ll leave it at that.

What's in a name?

I consciously gave my main character Jess, a gender neutral name. It’s abrupt and sibilant, and it fits her personality. I spent a lot of time rabbit-holing around historic Appalachian last names. I gave Jess’ love interest, Barlow, one of those names. He is supposedly the scion of his family, and I thought it would be fitting if he carried a maternal last name as his first name.

How surprised would your teenage reader self be by your new novel?

My teenage self would probably not be very surprised by this novel. My character is ADHD and struggles with impulsivity. I drew on my own experiences here.

Do you find it harder to write beginnings or endings? Which do you change more?

This is such an easy answer! I know exactly how every book ends, but I never know how (or where) they start. I rewrite beginnings over and over.

Do you see much of yourself in your characters? Do they have any connection to your personality, or are they a world apart?

My first book, The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily was really based on my experiences growing up ADHD and dyslexic. I feel like Jess is Lily, if Lily had been abandoned at a horror-ridden boarding school. She would chew her own arm off to get out of school, which is exactly how I felt about high school.

What non-literary inspirations have influenced your writing?

I love horror movies! One of my favorite horror movies of all time is The Descent, about an all woman group of cave explorers. In The Girl in Green, I wanted to capture the same claustrophobic feeling of being trapped under tons of rock, with limited avenues of escape.

Visit Laura Creedle's website.

The Page 69 Test: The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily.

My Book, The Movie: The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily.

Writers Read: Laura Creedle (January 2018).

Writers Read: Laura Creedle.

--Marshal Zeringue