Lee’s poem, STATUS TRANSCRIPT, is an amazing short piece that says so much with so few words! It tells a horror of losing the point, as many of these politicians have, of being able to see a woman as an actual person and forget that without women there is no human race. To stop treating them as people and take away their rights will lead to catastrophe.
the context just doesn’t suit we’re lost without them sir, for Humanity’s sake
line from STATUS TRANSCRIPT by Lee Murray
Q (Crone Girls Press): Author Interview Question 1: What drove your story for this anthology? Tell us the “story behind the story.”
A (Lee Murray): A speculative-horror poem STATUS TRANSCRIPT: addresses the importance of women to the future of Humanity and the horror that will surely eventuate if reduced to mere incubators. As a New Zealand author not directly affected by the decision, I hope my poem serves as a call to action, because while the overturning of Roe vs Wade may appear to be a US concern, stripping away of reproductive rights will have broader impacts world-wide, and not just in this time. If we don’t speak out now, where will it end? I’m grateful for the opportunity to add my voice to others calling for change.
Q: What does it mean to read and write horror when you’re competing with news headlines (for example, this anthology came about in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe V Wade)? How has it changed (or not!) your approach to the genre as a writer or as a fan?
A: It’s no secret that I started my literary career writing other genres, but I quickly found that my place was in horror and dark fiction, and that’s because there is an honesty to horror. It’s a genre that doesn’t flinch from unsettling or difficult topics. And when something momentous happens in the news, people look to books and movies to help them process the issues. In a way, reading (and writing) horror allows us to address difficult topics from a place of safety.
Q: There are a number of different flavors of horror. Where does your story fit, and what drew you to this particular category?
A: STATUS TRANSCRIPT: is a speculative (sci-fi) horror.
Q: Why do you write horror? What about the genre appeals to you as an author?
A: Horror always been subversive and provocative, addressing real-world fears in ways which enlighten, engage, and even entertain. But it’s more than just that. As an author, I’m drawn to the community of horror. Themed anthologies like this one, A Woman Unbecoming, create extensive communities around them, signal-boosting important issues and offering up fresh new perspectives from people who might not otherwise have had a voice. We all know that horror gets a bit of a bad rap as literature’s ugly stepsister, but it’s undeserved because horror folks have real heart.
Q: What’s next in your writing journey?
A: Thanks for asking! Relevant to this A Woman Unbecoming, I’ve just finished up the proofs on Unquiet Spirits: Essays by Asian Women in Horror (co-edited with Angela Yuriko Smith) which released from Black Spot Books in February 2023. And for another project with themes of feminism and oppression, I’ve recently completed the director’s cut of Asian-Kiwi body horror feature film, Grafted, which is in post production.
About The Author
Lee Murray is a multi-award-winning writer and poet from Aotearoa-New Zealand, and a four-time Bram Stoker Award® winner, including for poetry for Tortured Willows. Lee is a Grimshaw-Sargeson Fellow, an NZSA Honorary Fellow, and an Elgin-, Rhysling-, Dwarf Star-, and Pushcart-nominated poet. Her poem “cheongsam” won her the Australian Shadows Award for 2021.
You can learn more about her from her website, as well as her socials on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and her pages on BookBub, and Amazon
Be sure to check out her story in A Woman Unbecoming
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