Welcome to the world of Vanessa Howren Reid, where monsters are the heroes (and heroines, of course) and weirdos are welcome.
Her love of speculative fiction and horror started at a young age with Scooby Doo cartoons and the Twilight Zone series. It was Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews that struck her with the atmosphere and taboo topics. A creative writing assignment wet her appetite for being a writer. Years later, On Writing by Stephen King inspired Vanessa to dive back in and create her own works. All of these inspirations coalesced into a passion for telling dark fiction stories.
The vulnerable woman that finds her agency and strength draws Vanessa into a story. Classic themes of isolation and ominous settings will never get tiring for her, especially if they include ghosts or other creepy elements.
Primarily a short story writer, Vanessa’s first story was published in Read by Dawn Volume III and was part of the UK Horror Festival. She’s also been featured in Georgia Gothic and The Fourth Corona Book of Horror: The Best in New Horror Short Stories.
Vanessa is now working on her first novella with the encouragement of her critique group and a fellow Broadleaf member. It’s been a growth experience for her with more than a dash of frustration, but she’s excited to venture into this new territory.
By day, she’s an English teacher in Atlanta where she enjoys making her students watch The Twilight Zone and read Edgar Allan Poe. The writing workshop model influences the work she does with the kids. She wants them to understand the full writing experience and embrace practicing just like they would in sports. It’s important they understand things don’t have to be perfect the first time, but you’ve got to create the beginning. Vanessa lets them see her own work “warts and all.”
Vanessa stays active in the writing community through Broadleaf Writers Association, the Horror Writers Association, and the Mystery Writers of America.
You can find more info about Vanessa and those anthologies featuring her work on her website. Connect with her on Facebook for author updates from The Girl Who Loves Monsters.