An Interview with Rita Jo Norvoteny

Rita Jo Norvoteny is a dark fiction author and creator of The Reformed Killers Universe, a series that blends psychological horror, dark humor, and morally complex characters. Her work explores themes of trauma, survival, and the uneasy line between redemption and destruction.

Her stories center on unforgettable figures like Colin Cross, a counselor tasked with reforming supernatural killers, and Claire Evans, a chaotic survivor who defies the odds in ways that are as unpredictable as they are compelling. Through her writing, Rita challenges readers to question what it truly means to change – and whether some monsters ever could.

In addition to her novels, she is expanding her universe through creative projects like Color Me Dead Inside, a not-for-kids coloring book that brings her signature dark humor into an interactive format.

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What inspired you to start writing this book?

What inspired me to write Reformed Killers was a mix of curiosity and personal experience. I’ve always been drawn to the question of whether people can truly change – especially those who’ve done terrible things. Not in a way that excuses them, but in a way that forces you to really look at what creates someone like that in the first place.

A lot of my writing is rooted in real emotions and lived experiences, and I wanted to create a world where those darker, more uncomfortable questions could exist without being softened. The idea of putting supernatural killers into something as structured and almost clinical as a support group came from that contrast – taking chaos and trying to force it into order.

At its core, Reformed Killers isn’t just about monsters. It’s about survival, control, trauma, and the uncomfortable truth that not everything – or everyone – is meant to be saved.

Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

The title Reformed Killers actually came pretty naturally, but not in a rushed way – it felt like the only name that truly fit the story I was trying to tell.

From the beginning, I knew the core idea was about killers being placed into a system that’s supposed to ‘fix’ them. The word ‘reformed’ is what made it click for me, because it sounds hopeful on the surface – but in this world, it’s also a little unsettling. It raises the question of whether they’re actually changing…or just being contained.

So while I didn’t go through dozens of titles, I did sit with this one for a while to make sure it carried the weight of the story – and once it did, nothing else felt right.

Describe your dream book cover.

My dream cover is dark, bold, and immediately recognizable.

Black background, subtle texture, and high-contrast elements – usually gold, red, or something that feels almost dangerous against the darkness. I love clean layouts with one central focus, like an emblem or symbol, instead of overcrowded imagery.

I don’t want a cover that explains the story – I want one that challenges you. Something that feels controlled on the surface, but slightly off when you look closer.

If someone sees it, I want them to think, ‘This looks beautiful…but something about it isn’t safe.’

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

If Reformed Killers had a soundtrack, it would definitely lean into darker, more chaotic energy with a mix of emotional intensity and unpredictability.

Songs like RAW capture that raw, almost unfiltered side of the characters – the parts they can’t hide or control. Then something like The Neden Game brings in that chaotic, unhinged energy that fits the group dynamic, where things can shift from dark to disturbing to almost absurd in a second.

And damn! adds that emotional punch – those moments where everything hits at once and you really feel the weight behind what the characters are going through.

Overall, the soundtrack wouldn’t feel clean or perfectly balanced – it would feel intense, a little unpredictable, and very human underneath all the chaos.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I have worked in customer service for the last twenty-four years, and that’s harder than writing a book.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I didn’t start writing because of one specific author – I started writing because I had a lot of things I needed to process, and nowhere else to put them.

Writing gave me a way to take experiences, emotions, and questions that didn’t have easy answers and turn them into something structured. Something I could control.

I’ve always been drawn to darker themes and morally complex characters, but that comes from a real place. I’m interested in what people become after they’ve been through something, and whether change is actually possible – or just something we tell ourselves.

So while there are definitely influences in the horror and psychological genres, the biggest influence behind my writing is life itself. Everything I create comes from that foundation.

Where is your favorite place to write?

At my kitchen table.

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

I hope readers walk away feeling like they’ve seen something real underneath the horror.

Even though the story involves supernatural elements, the emotions behind it – survival, trauma, control, identity – are very human. If something in the book makes them feel understood or makes them pause and reflect on their own experiences in some way, that means everything to me.

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