In our latest post introducing you to our Night Shade Volume I authors, it is our great pleasure to introduce you to Katrina Emgard, author of the fascinating and sinister short story 'A Fairytale Ending'. Not only is Katrina an incredibly talented writer, but she is also a very talented graphic artist. It was our absolute privilege working with her and her various art forms. Be sure to check out her beautiful website to discover a whole host of interesting and innovative projects.
Biography:
I’ve always had many
stories to tell. They’ve been expressed in different ways but writing gave me the
chance to place the characters of my imagination in the same room and let them
tell me their stories – that’s how writing came into my life and why it stuck. Because
it gave me time, time to get to know the characters and time to tell the vivid
tales.
One of those stories
grew until it expanded beyond the format of a comic or a short story, which
I’ve usually written, and became a full scale novel -“In the realm of dreams –
Walkers.”
In a near future, in a
bankrupt city, a worldwide corporation has gained the ability to manufacture
and control people’s dreams. Kia, a
young woman, struggling with reoccurring nightmares and the effect this has on
her psyche is searching for a way out of her own personal hell. A journey
through the darkest corners of her subconscious, where some people help her and
many more try to put an end to it.
Interview:
Q: Tell us a little
about yourself.
A: As the fog lifts in
the morning it reveals: acres of fields, the entirety of the Atlantic Ocean, a
bit of forest and in the middle of it all a sturdy, yellow, old house. If you peak
through one of the gritty windows you’ll find me writing stories, drinking
coffee and occasionally petting my constantly attention seeking dog.
Q: When did you start writing seriously
A: About 5 years ago I
started studying Creative Writing and writing a comic. I soon came to learn
that I needed more space for my lyrics than the speech bubbles could offer, and
so I moved on to short stories and now I’m working on a novel.
Q: What is the favourite
thing you’ve ever written?
A: My next piece is my
favorite thing. It’s always like that, lots of new ideas and stories pop up
when you’re working. And you can’t wait to get started with them, and as soon
as you have, it’s the same thing all over again.
Q: Tell us a little about your book
A: The book takes place
in a near future, in a bankrupt city, a worldwide corporation has gained the
ability to manufacture and control people’s dreams. Kia, a young woman, struggling with
reoccurring nightmares and the effect this has on her psyche is searching for a
way out of her own personal hell. A journey through the darkest corners of her
subconscious, where some people help her and many more try to put an end to it.
The book is currently in
the making, check out www.emgaard.com
for more updates.
Q: Who’s you
inspiration?
A: Joss Whedon for his
ability to write dialogue driven action. Jon Aijvide Lindquist for his bizarre
imagination and of course Neil Gaiman, for his fairy tale-like, earthy
atmosphere.
Q: What are your hopes
and ambitions?
A: I want to write, to
keep the characters in my head alive and well and hopefully reach out to people
with my stories.
Q: What would be you
advise to aspiring writers?
A: Don’t wait for inspiration
to come to you. Keep writing and work on your stories. No matter what you think
of them, just get them out, get them down on paper and finish them. Remember there
is something great about every story.
We have been having an absolute ball reading all the submissions for Dark Heart Volume 2 this week. To be honest we have been taken by (very pleasant) surprise by the literal mountain of submissions that came in.
