Name:- Olivia Isaac Henry
Job:- Author
Instagram: @OliviaIsaacHenryAuthor
Facebook: @oisaachenry
X: @oisaachenry
Introduction:
Olivia Isaac-Henry is the author of 4 books. Her most recent book due out in September is Hallow Hill. She is also the occasional keyboard player in experimental electronic band.
Current book?
The Changeling, Victor LaValle. Apollo Kagwa believes his wife is suffering from post-natal depression when she declares their son is ‘not a baby’. Tragedy ensues, and in his quest to find the truth, Apollo discovers places and people no one knew existed in New York. Partly a musing on fatherhood, this novel also delves into ancient lore and fairytale, in a world where witches and changelings definitely do exist.
Has any gothic book spooked you and if so which one and why?
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill. The whole atmosphere of Eel Marsh House leaves you shivering and checking for The Woman in Black out of the corner of your eye.
Which two gothic writers would you invite to dinner and why?
Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe. Not only were they fabulous writers, but they led fascinating, if tragic, lives.
How do you relax?
I’m addicted to streaming dramas, especially anything crime or horror related. Currently I’m watching Finnish detective series Arctic Circle, the scenery is stunning and the plot goes off in a completely unexpected direction.
Which gothic book do you wish you had written and why?
Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier. I read this when I was about eleven or twelve. At the time I was down in Cornwall on a camping holiday with my family. We bought the book at the actual Jamaica Inn. I read it in a day and I thought it was the most exciting novel ever. The final reveal stunned me. One day I’d love one of my books to have the same effect on a reader as that one had on me.
If you were to write a gothic book where would you set it and why?
Two of my novels lean toward the gothic: Sorrow Spring, which is already published, and Hallows Hill, which comes out in September. Both are set in Worcestershire, where I grew up. It’s a beautiful county with plenty of legends and folklore to use as inspiration. Also, because it’s not as well known as counties like Cornwell and Yorkshire, people come to it with fewer expectations.
How would you describe your latest published book?
Sorrow Spring is a folk horror novel with a crime-mystery element. In the present day a woman attempts to discover what happened to her aunt, last seen in the village of Sorrow Spring in 1978. The novel goes back and forth in time to unravel her fate, which is linked to the ancient customs and beliefs of the village.
With Detecting the Gothic: tales from the Dark Heart of Crime Fiction the theme at St Hilda's this year, which are you three favourite gothic authors or books
Melmoth - Sarah Perry
We Have Always Lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson
The Night Film - Marisha Pessl
Which 3 gothic films would you rewatch and why?
Let the Right One In – This Swedish film is disturbing on multiple levels, not least because it reminds you that humans far exceed vampires in their vice and savagery.
Angel Heart – Just mesmerizing. It has fantastic performances by Mickey Rourke and Robert de Niro and one of the all time greatest twists. A couple of watches are required to spot all the clues.
Sinners – I’ve only just seen this one at the cinema, and I haven’t had a chance for a rewatch, but this film definitely requires one, as there’s so much to unpack. Again, it’s not just about vampires but the society that spawns them. It’s visually stunning with great performances and a stomping soundtrack.
What are you looking forward to at St Hilda's?
I’m looking forward to chatting with the other authors. Some I know already. Others I’m keen to meet.
Hallows Hill by Olivia Isaac-Henry (Harper Collins Publishers) Out in September.
Have they stirred an ancient evil…or is there a killer in their midst? Twenty years ago, on Halloween night, a group of teenagers performed a summoning ritual on Hallows Hill. The next day, one of them was dead. Mia has never forgotten the chilling vision she saw that night, and which she believes foretold the death. Now the remaining friends gather for Halloween again. But when another death occurs, Mia starts to doubt everything around her. Is there a malevolent supernatural force that means them harm, or is human evil at play? Mia must take a long, hard look at her friends, herself and the folklore of Hallows Hill. Can she find the answers before all of them are dead?
Information on how to buy online tickets can be found here. The programme can be found here.
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