As someone who manages to kill even plastic flowers, author Elizabeth Twist’s story, Tender Flesh, spoke to me… especially since the only plant I’ve ever managed to keep alive (and still is alive right now, watching me) is a Venus Fly Trap with unknown intentions, given it doesn’t seem to actually eat flies. This is a powerful story that radiates chaos, despair, and a loss of control that I know so many of us feel right now. It’s beautifully written and an absolute gem.
“The trees don’t really sleep at night. They turn into something else.”
Tender Flesh by Elizabeth Twist, 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 (Elizabeth Twist): I was working with a story prompt: write a character who is like you but behaves in a way you wouldn’t. I’ve been slowly converting my urban backyard into a permaculture garden for years now, including planting fruit trees. Generally speaking I wouldn’t send homicidal fruits after my neighbours though.
Q: Why do you write horror? What about the genre appeals to you as an author?
A: Horror has always felt like home to me. My nervous system is hard-wired for anxiety, so dwelling in a genre that deals in worst case scenarios and fear makes me feel, however briefly, like the stimulus I’m receiving matches my internal frequency, which makes it soothing, in a sort of backwards way. I also love how easy it is for horror to transform into comedy. The world is a ridiculous place, even / especially when it’s awful.
Q: There are a number of different flavors of horror. Where does your story fit, and what drew you to this particular category?
A: There’s a long tradition in horror of Plants Gone Wrong, which Dark Spores is tapping into. (I’m thinking Day of the Triffids which is arguably science fiction but I smell horror in a premise where everyone goes blind and then killer genetically modified ambulatory plants murder everyone.) I’m drawing on some of the paranoia of 1950s invasion narratives (Them! Tarantula!), with a whiff of cosmic horror. Fundamentally, I’m feeling vulnerable about the natural world. Everything is changing so fast, and the relationships upon which we’ve relied for so long are under threat. Who knows what will happen? I certainly don’t.
Q: What do you love about mushrooms? What drew you to this anthology?
A: What’s not to love? They spring up overnight, they’re beautiful, sometimes tasty and nutritious, sometimes deadly. They have a quality of the uncanny. I can’t wait to see what the other authors in this anthology are doing with their fungi-fueled nightmares.
Q: When you’re not writing, what might we find you doing? (Free time or for a day job?)
A: A couple of years ago I decided to start brushing up on my crone skills so I taught myself how to crochet. It’s fun and soothing and vexing. Also gardening. Non-evil gardening. I promise.
Q: What’s next in your writing journey?
A: I’m working on a long form story, mayyyybe a series, that involves reverse Indiana-Jonesing (i.e., returning) magical artifacts at the peak of the Victorian era, a lady stage magician with real powers, her solar astronomer partner-in-heist, and a secret society working at the highest levels of the British government to harness the occult powers of the sun.
About The Author
Elizabeth Twist lives in Hamilton, Ontario, where she untames a garden and teaches meditation. Find her on Twittex @elizabethtwist and goodreads.
Be sure to check out their story in Dark Spores
Crone Girls Press 