An Interview with Rachel Baker
Rachel Baker is a queer, disabled writer who haunts the Pacific Northwest with her sister and their cat, Boo. She loves writing spooky stories, knitting warm things, and devouring every book in her path.
What inspired you to start writing this book?
I had been writing horror short stories for a while and decided to put them all together into a collection. The hardest part has been deciding which ones to include and which order to put them in. I’ve rearranged them about a half-dozen times!
Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
You know, it was pretty easy, actually! I was debating whether to go with the title of one of the stories or something else, and I was trying to describe the vibe. All the Dark and Pretty Things popped into my head and that was it!
What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?
SO MANY. I love T Kingfisher and Kiersten White, and I’ve basically been going through the entire Nightfire catalog. All the spooky!
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
I’ve worked in a lot of random professions, from Renaissance festivals to zoos to a library. My favorite job was probably the first zoo (I worked at two different ones during college).
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
I actually came from a theatrical acting background and started writing scripts and screenplays to try to give myself better parts. Then I started writing short stories, and I’m hoping to write novels, too. I love art in general and find that inspiration can come from anywhere.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?
Sleepless nights. My perfect reader is someone who enjoys horror and wants to be taken for a ride with me.
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