Author: Willow Croft

Articles / Interviews

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The Fantastical Five with Andrew Najberg and Willow Croft

I’m really glad to have created the structure of these preset interview questions like these “Fantastical Five”, the “Spooky Six”, and the “Four Red Herrings” because the possibilities for me to go into deep-dive tangents are endless. Take Andrew Najberg, for example: we could compare our synesthesia-inspired colour assignations, or science/quantum physics (my poetry book is even titled “Quantum Singularity”)…but I’ll let you discover more about this author for yourselves. Enjoy the journey!

Andrew Najberg is the author of the best-selling (#1 US Horror Amazon) novels The Mobius Door (Wicked House Publishing, 2023) and Gollitok (Wicked House Publishing, 2023), as well as The Neverborn Thief (Olive-Ridley Press, 2024), the forthcoming collection of short fiction In Those Fading Stars (Crystal Lake Publishing, 2024) and the forthcoming novel Extinction Dream (Wicked House Publishing, 2025). He also anticipates an end of the year release for the choose-your-own-adventure novel Try Not to Die in the Shadowlands. His short fiction has appeared in Fusion Fragment, Khoreo, Translunar Travelers Lounge, Utopia Science Fiction, Prose Online, Psychopomp Review, Solar Press Horror Anthology, and more. Currently, he is working on a novel called Eat the Light, signed for an early 2026 release through Wicked House Publishing.

He also has published the poetry collection the The Goats Have Taken Over the Barracks (Finishing Line Press, 2021), and the chapbook Easy to Lose (Finishing Line Press 2007). His book Fighting Fermi is forthcoming through Walnut Street Publishing (2024). His poems have appeared in dozens of journals online and in print, including North American Review, Asheville Poetry Review, Another Chicago Magazine, Yemassee, Cimarron Review, Louisville Review, and Good River Review. He was the winner of a 2010 AWP Intro award in poetry, and the 2022 Brain Mills Press poetry month grand prize winner.

When he is not writing, Andrew is an avid tabletop gamer who received his first game writing credit as part of the licensed title for Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving, and he is currently working on an original title with author and board game designer Jon Cohn. For fun, he plays board games, Dungeons and Dragons, and video games with his kids, trains in Tae Kwan Do, periodically paints, draws with pen and ink, and plays drums.. Currently, he teaches creative writing, Japanese literature, rhetoric and composition, and honors seminars in the humanities for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he also serves as the director of programming for the honors residential college.

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Articles / Interviews

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The Spooky Six with C. J. Dotson and Willow Croft

C. J. Dotson (she / her) is a generally cheerful but easily unnerved horror lover. She is also the author of the forthcoming “chilling, paranoia-inducing” (Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Cave 13) horror novel THE CUT, as well short horror fiction appearing in such publications as Found 2: More Stories of Found Footage Horror from Vermillion 2 One Press and 99 Tiny Terrors from Pulse Publishing, among others.

When she is not writing, her favorite pastime is to read a book over a meal or a snack (a preference which leads to difficulty, occasionally, if the book she’s reading while she’s trying to eat is particularly gory or gruesome).

C. J. lives in upstate New York, in a poorly-lighted cabin full of far too many bugs and spiders. Aside from the insects and arachnids, she also shares her home with her husband, their nine-year-old son and five-year-old daughter, three cats named Noodles, Jupiter, and Pebble, their puppy Cooper who was named after Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks (pictures of the pets are included at the end of every issue of her newsletter, C. J. Dotson’s Dreadful Dispatch), and over the summer and holidays the family is joined by C. J.’s teenage stepson.

In her limited spare time, C. J. enjoys participating in hobbies to which she brings much more enthusiasm than skill. For example, she dabbles in occasional forays into amateur embroidery. After her kids’ bedtimes she can often be found playing video games, particularly Stardew Valley and a handful of roguelikes (and she loves watching her husband play very story-driven games that she’s better off experiencing as a spectator, like the Remedy Connected Universe games). She also likes drawing with charcoal and painting with acrylics. And when she has time and an excuse, she has a love-hate relationship with baking and decorating cakes.

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Articles / Interviews

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The Spooky Six with Elizabeth J. Brown and Willow Croft

Elizabeth J. Brown grew up in the sprawling countryside of Kent, England, amidst cobbled streets and castle ruins. It was here that she cultivated a quintessentially British obsession for tea and cake. But caffeine and calories aside, her real passion is writing supernatural horror. Her current series, Brimstone Chorus, immerses readers in a world where demons, witches, and other nightmarish creatures reign supreme. Her debut novel, The Laughing Policeman, sets the stage for a chilling journey filled with blood debts, dark magic, and spine-tingling twists that explore the darker side of human nature where inner demons can be just as terrifying as the external ones.

A child of the 1980s, Elizabeth was captivated by the darker side of pop culture. While other children were entranced by Button Moon and The Magic Roundabout, she found herself spellbound by horror classics like Poltergeist—pressing her nose up against the TV, to get a closer look at the eerie girl trapped inside the screen (though, to be fair, she never missed an episode of Mr. Spoon’s space adventures either). It was this early love for the strange and supernatural that sparked her imagination and set her on the path to writing tales of horror.

When she’s not conjuring up new dark and twisted stories at her laptop, or spending time with her family, Elizabeth is usually lost in the pages of a book or graphic novel. She’s an unabashed Wolverine fan and credits him for her love of anti-heroes and morally grey characters.

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Articles / Guest Post

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October 2024 Horrorscopes: Literary Serial Killers (Costume) Edition

Unsure what to dress up as this Halloween? Never fear, Horror Tree’s horrorscopes are here with a murderously charming selection of literary serial killers to choose from. So pick up that butcher knife sewing needle and start crafting! Happy Spooky Season to you all!

Disclaimer: These are mock horoscopes and are meant for entertainment purposes only, and are not specifically representative of any particular person or people.

Libra (September 23—October 22). A Libra, as a (fictional) serial killer, would never neglect their aim to achieve balance in all things. They’ll model their day-job work/murderous side gig after the example set by Jared Keaton in M. W. Craven’s Black Summer (although a Libra would never be caught, of course). Your challenge for this Halloween season is to create a spin on your go-to Justice-With-Scales costume. How could you turn Justice from a symbol of virtuous morality into something…darker? Would your Justice be locked and loaded and ready for vengeance, or would the scales be loaded with macabre souvenirs from all your past victims? We can’t wait to see what you come up with! If you don’t want to go literally dark, you could dress up as a suffragette that has a subtle nod to less-enlightened times in people’s history. And, you know, with an important election coming up in the U.S. …it could just inspire people to vote. (Seriously, don’t forget to vote!) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40657648-black-summer Music to Kill By: Ethel Smyth’s The March of the Women https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ_ppIKBWPY

Scorpio (October 23—November 21). Scorpio’s Halloween costume gives a nod to private investigator Lizzy Gardner in T. R. Ragan’s Evil Never Dies. Will you go classic with a trench coat, hunter’s cap, and magnifying glass, or will you get more modern with blue jeans, generic t-shirt, and sensible sneakers? Are you the high-tech investigator with the latest digital tools and software, or are you the old-school type with a zoom-lens camera and a thermos full of coffee? Whichever costume you decide to wear, Scorpios, by virtue of your “right-time-right-place” luck, may actually stumble across a real-life crime that needs investigating during their Halloween pub crawl. Scorpio, you may be tempted to mete out justice much as Lizzy Gardner does, but maybe save it for a night when you’ve not sampled more craft beers than you can count. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24840347-evil-never-dies Music to Kill By: Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLNLvcBmoqo

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21). Brian Lebeau’s A Disturbing Nature starts out with the journey of main character Maurice “Mo” Lumen to Rhode Island. Set against the backdrop of the 1970s, and baseball, and with a religious-minded killer, the Pastoral Predator, on the prowl, it could appeal to the Sagittarian sense of adventure as well as their interest in journeys of an internal nature (i.e. journeys of self-discovery). It may be hard, at first, to envision how this book inspires your Halloween costume this year, but maybe save the brain power for other crucial areas of your life. In short, don’t think so hard about it. It’s an outfit for one night, so just turn that old baseball uniform hanging at the back of your closet into a serial killer’s with the aid of a few props—a bloody bat, or add some fake blood and rips to your (hopefully not vintage!) jersey. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60534318-a-disturbing-nature Music to Kill By: Hans Zimmer’s “Heaven’s Just a Ballpark Win Away” from the A League of their Own soundtrack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlAUFCcvwMo&list=PLohYzz4btpaTsjLWtnywjBpqILL1f1w4R&index=10

Capricorn (December 22—January 19). Typically, Capricorns love lists, so you might be intrigued by the serial killer in Jackie Kabler’s The Murder List who is not just premeditated, they have their past and present murders supremely planned out, by date. Perhaps you, my wonderfully organized Capricorn, could incorporate a bit of whimsy in your Halloween costume this year. Perhaps go as a spreadsheet tracker for your meticulously organized killer? How about a graphic plan to murder en masse? You may not actually be a serial killer, of course, but you’ll definitely slay the costume contest in your hometown, for sure. And if you’re in attendance at your spooky office party? It’ll be a win-win, and not only because you have the most original costume, you’ll get to show off your professional skills that might just put you in line for that promotion you’ve been chasing after!  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60185050-the-murder-list Music to Kill By: Alexander Mosolov’s The Iron Foundry (Factory: Machine Music, Op. 19) best captures a Capricorn’s frenetically admirable work pace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eDUN60SOFE

Aquarius (January 20—February 18). Aquarius might have to guard against being too caught up in the mystical realms of spirituality or religion in their pursuit of deeper truths. J.J. Hensley’s Measure Twice explores morality that’s been lost, found, and adapted in the pursuit of justice, and as part of the journey towards personal healing. Aquarius is often too wrapped up in their head spaces and in the world of their spirit to put much planning into their Halloween costume, but they could be tempted by a priest or a nun gone bad outfit, or a monk-turned-murderous theme. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23109699-measure-twice  Music to Kill By: The Wrath of God by Sofia Gubaidulina.  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9uF9x6KXIDQkQ8HuTnyPxlJiZZbWqzsT

Pisces (February 19—March 20). What could be more romantic to a Pisces than being swept off their feet by a charming, debonair stranger this Halloween season? Unless, of course, that mysterious stranger is also a serial killer, like the one in Noelle W. Ihli’s Ask for Andrea. Still, Pisces can take a page from the book, and craft a costume that captures the glamorous sophistication that might be needed to hide a killer’s deadly intent. Don’t forget the bottle of champagne to go along with your coat and tails! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219407654-ask-for-andrea Music to Kill By: Dynamiden Geheime Anziehungskräfte Walzer, Op. 173 by Josef Strauss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv1BrwsSVE0

Aries (March 20—April 19). Aries is, perhaps paradoxically, a good-natured brawler. The same person that got thrown out of the bar the previous evening for “public disturbance” just spent several minutes rescuing a spider from their kitchen and putting it outside. The person that acts with deliberate intent to harm or kill is one that mystifies an Aries. Still, Aries doesn’t shrink away from a challenge, so they’ll hunt around for a character that is at the extreme end of the violence spectrum. Although they may not have the patience for a needle and thread, Aries will scour thrift stores for the found items needed to dress up as the cold-blooded Anton Chigurh from Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23515727-no-country-for-old-men Music to Kill By: Gustav Holst’s Mars, the Bringer of War. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGGlL1wexQk&t=23s

Taurus (April 20—May 20). There’s probably nothing more terrifying to Taurus than when the “ties that bind” are the source of terror and trauma. The events in Anne Frasier’s Find Me involving serial killer Benjamin Fisher and his FBI profiler daughter Reni Fisher will keep the Taurus up all the night, but once they’re through with the book, they’ll be inspired to channel that unimaginable familial horror into their costume. Intangible concepts like these may be difficult to incorporate into your outfit, but perhaps it can be done by way of symbolism: a house with a white picket fence that suddenly turns on its inhabitants. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49884715-find-me Music to Kill By: Psycho by Bernard Hermann https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joOnPIuZG0s&t=45s

Gemini (May 21—June 20). Literature (and nonfiction) is full of stories about serial killers who hide in plain sight—the one dedicated to their family, the spouse/life partner/parent/sibling you thought you knew, or the person that has both an angel and a devil within them. Complexities like this fascinate dual-natured Gemini and this spooky season may find them trying to understand the motivations of not just serial killers, but those who “copy cat” said serial killer’s terrible actions, such as in Erica Spindler’s book Copy Cat. Think about ways, Gemini, you can capture this kind of duality in your Halloween costume outside of the stereotypical angel/demon contrast: the medic as both healer and murderer, the sweet elderly person with a plate of fresh-baked cookies in one hand, and a bloody butcher knife in the other, or the person who plays the role of a staid librarian during the day, but by night becomes a terrifying killer that stalks the city streets. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/418621.Copycat Music to Kill By: Gemini by Esa-Pekka Salonen is a suitably dramatic piece for the Halloween season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcRLsGb17xo

Cancer (June 21—July 22). Cancerians sometimes fall prey to dark moods and even darker trains of thoughts, relying on their circle of friends and their loved ones to help shake off the blues. Cancer’s not afraid of the darkness as a rule, and can often channel it into creative expression. Still, in the middle of these “dark nights of the soul”, Cancer searches for cautionary examples in literature and art as reminders of what happens when you venture into the abyss, instead of just peering in from a safe ledge. As such, they won’t go so far as to emulate a character in the book, but they will put together an iconic “tortured artist” costume, complete with unkempt hair, bedraggled clothing, and a paint- (or is it blood?) spattered artist’s smock. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15320.Exquisite_Corpse  Music to Kill By: Camille Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre is the quintessential soundtrack for Cancer’s gothic-infused Halloween festivities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyknBTm_YyM

Leo (July 23—August 22). This Halloween, Leo will be “dressed to kill” as they emulate Ayoola’s (My Sister, The Serial Killer) trending sense of style. Don’t forget, Leo, to accentuate your luxe costume with carefully curated pieces of gold or diamond jewelry. And make sure your pocketbook is large enough to hold Ayoola’s equally treasured knife! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38819868-my-sister-the-serial-killer Music to Kill By: The Egun Variations by composer Ako Bankole, as they flawlessly shift from gorgeously haunting tones to whimsically bright ones—charming and unsettling notes all in one composition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBKpLbXYukQ

Virgo (August 23—September 22). Historical research, sleuthing, and not only extraordinary brain power but dogged persistence employed in the pursuit of justice? Both Lincoln Rhymes and Amelia Sachs (The Bone Collector) have that in spades. Even a modest Virgo daydreams of being a hero, and Halloween is the perfect time for them to explore their alter ego. You can bet that their 1990s-era NYC police officer’s costume will be meticulously crafted, accurate down to the smallest detail. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2373.The_Bone_Collector Music to Kill By: Steve Reich’s City Life that mashes up classical music with sounds from the streets of New York City. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMcz4jhDWMI

Articles / Interviews

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The Spooky Six with Matthew Mercier and Willow Croft

How often do you get to sit down with a fellow author who’s lived in Edgar Allan Poe’s basement? Naturally, I was thrilled to interview Matthew Mercier and, perhaps after the interview’s wrapped, he’ll take me mushroom hunting–an adventure that is totally on my bucket list!

Matthew Mercier (he/him) is a writer and storyteller living in the haunted Hudson Valley, the beautiful home of Rip Van Winkle, Ichabod Crane & The Headless Horseman, the historical ghosts of the Underground Railroad, and what the horror community should now, in his opinion, affectionally call “Langan Country”, as a tribute to the work of horror master John Langan.

Before building a home with his wife in a lovely piece of fairy tale forest, he worked as a tour guide at the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, (where he grew up), ran a youth hostel in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was slimed as a salmon packer in Naknek, Alaska, provided showers for homeless men on the Bowery, and proudly served three years as head docent and caretaker for the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage in The Bronx, an experience that became the basis for his debut novel Poe & I, published by Crystal Lake Publishing on July 19th, 2024.

He now spends his days writing, cooking, playing with his cats Ursula and Bombadil, and hunting for mushrooms after a good rainstorm. He is a mycological evangelical since fungi are the future and are of great benefit to humanity and ecosystems. And yes, he knows the poisonous ones that will kill you.

On a more pragmatic note, he earned an MFA from Hunter College where he taught writing and children’s literature. His work has appeared in various magazines such as Creative Nonfiction, The Fairy Tale Review, Shotgun Honey, and Mystery Tribune.

He’s performed stories live on stage with The Moth, and he’s been heard on NPR’s The Moth Radio Hour, as well The Story Collider, RISK and The Truth podcasts. He’s also been awarded the Leon B. Burstein scholarship from the New York chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, and a residency from the Saltonstall Foundation.

Currently, he is writing and producing radio dramas for Radio Free Rhinecliff in Rhinecliff, NY.

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Articles / Guest Post

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October 2024: Tarot Cards for Author Inspiration

Deck: The New Orleans Voodoo Tarot by Louis Martinié and Sallie Ann Glassman

I don’t ever use this powerful deck lightly and/or for these creative inspiration readings, but New Orleans has been coming up lately in various ways. Part of me would love to live in New Orleans—it’s a fascinating city that combines the natural magic of the swampy South with the haunting allure of history. Since we are entering into October, a similarly atmospheric month, I felt compelled to draw upon this deck’s wisdom for this month’s reading.

(I had a feeling that the reading would contain a strong fire element before I pulled the cards, and it seems my intuition was correct.)

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Articles / Interviews

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The Spooky Six with Nick Roberts and Willow Croft

Do you know how much I miss the beach? So I jumped at the chance to interview Nick Roberts at his favourite beach (okay, I would say undisclosed, but you all know we’re not actually meeting up in person, right?). Still, I can dream of the day I’ll return to a marine environment. But enough about that…let’s take a deep dive into this wonderful interview!

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Articles / Interviews

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The Spooky Six with Willow Croft and Corinna Bechko

I admit, had a terrible dilemma when it came to my interview with author and zoologist Corinna Bechko. I had to pick just one mug from my own collection of “geeky mugs” (to reference Bechko’s comment in the interview below) for our tea chat. But don’t worry, I found the perfect one for this auspicious occasion: my Buster the Possum “Creature of the Night” mug (designed by comic strip artist and blogger at Evil Squirrel’s Nest https://evilsquirrelsnest.com/2012/01/02/buster/.).

I mean, critters and comics all in one mug, right? Now my only quandary is finding out what sort of tea is Bechko’s favourite!

(Update: I discovered which tea she prefers! “My favorite is usually something black like English breakfast, because who needs sleep? But I do try to mix in some herbals, like ginger, licorice, or mint. But really any tea is good tea with very few exceptions.”)
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