Hello Simone! It is always a pleasure to chat with you, thank you for taking the time for us today.
So, tell us a little bit about you. How did you get into writing?
I am Simone Green (they/them), and I write under the penname S.O. Green. I am also Eerie River’s Chief Contract Editor, and the editor of this Folk Horror anthology, among other Eerie River titles. I’ve always been into writing, since I was in single digits. I’ve written on commission before (ghost writing, I suppose) but my furlough in early 2020 gave me the opportunity I needed to transition into publication. It’s been a ride.
Without giving away too much detail, tell us a little bit about the story that you have in the Folk Horror anthology, coming out in 2023 with Eerie River? Where did you get the inspiration from?
I think my primary inspiration for the story came from the regalia people used to wear in old, pre-Christian celebrations, namely flower crowns and antler headdresses. I asked myself if there was a reason those things were so central and ubiquitous to those festivals, and the story was what I came up with. I also really wanted to write a story about a character named Blossom.
Have your family and friends read your work? What do they think?
My girlfriend is my first reader. I trust her to tell me straight if I’ve actually written something worth submitting. I think she’s the main reason I feel I’ve improved so much over the last few years. I couldn’t do this without her. I cannot overstate how important it is having someone whose opinion you trust implicitly and who isn’t afraid to give you honest feedback.
What is it about Folk Horror specifically that you love?
There’s a veil of mystery drawn across a certain point in time, specifically before the general adoption of Christian beliefs. The UK—especially Scotland, where I live—is steeped in these old, half-remembered traditions that no one can rightly explain anymore, but which exist at an intersection of nature and human superstition. I find that fascinating, and I always feel that the true horror in anything comes as much from how human beings twist and pervert an otherwise benign thing into something terrible. By that logic, folk horror becomes a natural place to find inspiration.
What books did you read as a child that inspired you to become an Author?
I think it was reading Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series that really made me want to write. The complexity of that universe, the recurring characters, the sarcastic and quick-witted prose, cemented in me a desire to find my own voice. I tempered that by writing a lot of fan fiction as a teenager and onwards (right up to today), which helped me hone my craft and learn a lot of key skills before I went looking for publication.
What are your favorite genres to read and write?
Horror is only one of the genres I love. I also adore fantasy and its numerous sub-genres. I’m partial to the softer side of science-fiction, and mashups of the three. I’ve dabbled with post-apocalyptic high fantasy, Greek myth urban fantasy and comedic eldritch horror (although you can thank Tim Mendees for that).
Kill the dog or let it live?
LET IT LIVE! Animal cruelty and death is one of the few things I can’t stand in fiction. Not sure if it’s my vegan sensibilities or my misanthropy shining through, but I’d much rather watch the humans getting horribly murdered.
Are you a pessimist, optimist or realist?
That’s a matter of perspective. I’d say I’m a realist. My girlfriend says that makes me a pessimist. Current affairs lead me to believe I’ve actually been an optimist most of my life.
S.O. Green (they/them) is a genre-fluid writer and editor living in the Kingdom of Fife with husband, John. Author of the post-apocalyptic novelette, Sin Chaser, published by Eerie River Publishing, as well as over 80 works with imprints including Dragon Soul Press, Black Ink Fiction and Nordic Press. Writer, vegan, martial artist, gamer, occasionally a terrible person (but only to fictional people).
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SOGreenWriter