A young girl is lead to believe she’s a healer because of an old superstition that impacted her mother. I’d never heard this superstition before, that a woman who never knew her father would become a healer, but I admit it truly intrigued me right from the get go… as did the fact the individual telling this story is sitting in a juvenile detention center for arson and murder. What brought her there, from a straight A student whose mother said she also had the gift, to sitting in an orange jumpsuit with horrific charges is quite the tale… let’s hear more form Daniel Roop about what brought this incredible story to life!
“So sure, that house burned, but it ain’t like you can kill an angel.”
The Angels of Scruggs County by Daniel Roop, featured in Dark Spores by Crone Girls Press.
Q (Crone Girls Press): What inspired your story in this anthology? Tell us the “story behind the story.”
A (Daniel Roop): A number of things led to this story. I live and work in rural East Tennessee, and have lived in quite a few Southern states. I love the orneriness, friendliness, and stubborn idiosyncrasies of the people. I wanted that reflected in my narrator, Sadie.
Another influence is my fatigue at the way we often silo ourselves off from one another as either people of faith or people of science. I wanted Sadie to embrace both.
Q: Why do you write horror? What about the genre appeals to you as an author?
A: I love the honesty of horror, the way it lets us confront the parts of ourselves (and others, but mostly ourselves) that we don’t want to show the world.
I’m particularly moved by horror that springs from a character’s best intentions. Horror isn’t just about depraved maniacs committing unspeakable acts, though that can be fun, too. But the horror that touches me most deeply is when a character tries to behave as honorably and lovingly as they know how, and for some reason, those genuine attempts lead to devastating consequences, for themselves and others.
Q: There are a number of different flavors of horror. Where does your story fit, and what drew you to this particular category?
A: Maybe folk horror? Maybe a touch of cosmic? The lines blur for me, as I love so many subcategories of horror. I can say that the things that matter most to me as a writer, and a reader, are character, voice (both the author’s and the characters’), theme, and language. I come from a poetry writing background, and have found myself appreciating the opportunity the short story form offers to make every word matter.
Q: What do you love about mushrooms? What drew you to this anthology?
A: They’re a fascinating form of life. Not quite one thing, not quite another, which suits the genre very well.
I was attracted by the anthology theme, but even moreso by the quality of work that Crone Girls has published over the years. I’m honored to be part of this series.
Q: When you’re not writing, what might we find you doing? (Free time or for a day job?)
A: Day job, I work as an occupational therapist, which I love. Free time – reading (horror, comics, theology, poetry), listening to my son’s music (he’s a talented digital music producer), editing my daughter’s fantasy novel (she’s 25,000 words in), laughing with my wife, and playing tabletop games.
Q: What’s next in your writing journey?
A: Hopefully, continued growth, depth, and maturity. I’m loving short stories, so that’s my current focus. A lot of my current or planned stories are set in Scruggs County, so I’d love that to lead to an eventual collection.
About The Author
Daniel Roop is a member of the Horror Writers Association and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize for his work in Will Work for Peace from Zeropanik Press. His speculative fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in publications including Flash Fiction Online, Dark Spores, Black Cat Tales, The Maul Magazine, and Appalachian Places. He is a seventh generation East Tennessean, and his favorite superhero is Kitty Pryde.
Be sure to check out their story in Dark Spores
Crone Girls Press 