Ghosts, Crime Podcasts, and More with Keller Agre

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Ghosts, Crime Podcasts, and More with Keller Agre

Have you ever listened to a true crime podcast?  I bet most of us have, whether it’s a favorite genre of interest or not one you gravitate toward often.  But when I read Keller Agre’s newest novella, Let the Ghosts Sleep, centered on true crime podcasters exploring a haunted hotel, I knew immediately the plot would make for a fun summer horror read!  

So put your earbuds in, play that latest true crime podcast, and cozy in to read Keller’s interview on his newest release, hauntings, true crime, and more!

Bio: Keller Agre is a new horror fiction writer originally from Overland Park, Kansas whose work has appeared in various publications including Undertaker Books and Haunted Words Press. He writes both short stories as well as longer pieces. Let the Ghosts Sleep is his first novella. He is a member of the Atlanta Writers Club as well as various book clubs in the Atlanta area. You can usually find him hiking the Appalachian Mountains, playing folk music on his guitar, or walking his beagle, Banjo. He works as a Treasury Analyst and lives in Decatur, Georgia with his partner, Caitlin.

 

Socials:

Author Website: https://kelleragre.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/keller.agre

X: https://x.com/KellerAgre

Bluesky: @kelleragre.bsky.social

 

Nikki: Firstly, I have to ask for all our music lovers out there: I understand that you enjoy playing folk music on your guitar? How did you get interested in this hobby?

Keller: Like many American boys, I dreamed of being a rockstar. However, after getting the basics down, I was drawn to the fingerstyle guitar and songwriting of musicians like Bob Dylan and Kristian Matsson (The Tallest Man on Earth). The simplicity and storytelling of those artists inspired me to pursue that playing style. With that, a love of folk and Americana music blossomed.

Nikki: Does playing music help you to write creatively in any way?

Keller: I don’t think the music itself has helped me creatively, but playing guitar has taught me some important lessons that have carried into my writing. For one, to learn an instrument, it takes a lot of patience and perseverance. Writing isn’t something I’ve been doing my entire life, so there were many difficult and disappointing days before I was able to write something coherent. Playing an instrument, among other things I’ve done, has taught me that if there’s something worth pursuing, you need to keep at it. Then, when you’ve learned a few things, it’s best to try to be at least a little unique both in music and in writing.

Nikki: Excellent points, music is just another version of storytelling, and one, much like writing, takes great practice and patience. Speaking of writing, your debut novella, Let the Ghosts Sleep, centers around two true crime podcasters as they explore a haunted hotel. What is your interest in true crime?

Keller: My interest in true crime podcasts mainly consists of listening to what my partner, Caitlin, puts on while we’re road tripping. I listened to many podcasts to draw from for this story, but Let the Ghosts Sleep’s main character has a unique and vulgar style that I didn’t hear from any other show (probably for good reason). I’ve also watched many true crime documentaries which are an easy thing to put on while eating or decompressing.


Nikki: The novella, while including themes of true crime, also takes place at a Georgia based haunted hotel. Have you ever visited haunted places in Georgia which helped to inspire this tale?

Keller: The only haunted place in Georgia that inspired this story was the Jekyll Island Club Resort. I spent much of the trip exploring the grounds, learning some of the past guest’s stories, and coming up with some of my own. I’ve gone on haunted ghost tours in both Savannah and Decatur. However, at the time, I was more focused on the drink in my hand than paying attention to all the details of our guide’s stories.

Nikki: Hopefully those ghosts forgave you for being more focused on your drink (😂)!  Let the Ghosts Sleep was born from a short story, You’ll Be All Over The Papers. What does the drafting and editing process look like when expanding a short story into a novella?

Keller: The drafting process began with a focus on what made the short story effective. In this case, it was the main character and the setting, and I worked to give both those elements more substance before I got started. Georgia’s Jekyll Island, the inspiration for Crane Island, provided many locations that worked well for the atmosphere I was trying to create. Next, I needed a foil. Henry, the main character, definitely rubs some people the wrong way, so I needed another character, Kurt, who the reader could hopefully identify with. From there, I let the characters drive and had a great time drafting.

The editing process was a challenging one as Let the Ghosts Sleep was my first attempt at writing something longer than a short story. Unlike a short story, I had to make sure the novella hit on all the major elements of storytelling. I couldn’t depend solely on atmosphere or an interesting main character. Pacing, character development, and crystal-clear motivations had to be implemented well for the story to at least have a chance to succeed.

Nikki: Your publishing history thus far includes flash pieces, short stories, and now a novella. Who are your favorite authors that also have a talent for writing short stories?

Keller: Shirley Jackson’s short stories are what inspired me to give writing a shot. Her unique voice for understated horror and domestic dread has always appealed to me. Lisa Tuttle is another writer I’ve enjoyed reading. For contemporary examples, my favorites are Michael Wehunt, Laird Barron, and Mariana Enriquez as well as, for non-horror, Haruki Murakami.

Nikki: Those are great authors, and Shirely Jackson is a tremendous inspiration for my own writing as well!  I noticed that two of your short stories, The Birthmark and What Makes Me So Special, focus on a character’s birthmark. This may be too personal a question ( sorry, not sorry  ) , but…do you have a birthmark in real life? And if not…what is your inspiration for these stories?

Keller: I have a birthmark halfway up my right leg about the size and shape of a squished penny. It was a big insecurity of mine when I was a kid and one that I’ve held onto, although to a much lesser extent, into adulthood. What Makes Me So Special was my attempt at coming to terms with my birthmark. The character in that story is severely punished for not appreciating his unique feature.

Nikki: What are your most and least favorite parts of writing?

Keller: Of course, I love sharing my work with others, but what brings me joy is consistently getting words on a page or revising what I’ve written into something stronger. Making steady progress, no matter how small, toward my goals each day are what keeps me going. My least favorite parts are when the message I’m trying to communicate doesn’t come through. Often, my stories will require me to be vulnerable and the ideas I’m expressing are deeply personal to me. When those ideas don’t connect with others, or don’t make for a good story, it can be frustrating. Also, sometimes writing requires a certain level of concentration that turns me into someone that I don’t like if I don’t get it.

Nikki: I’ve read that you’re a member of several book clubs, which is awesome! I’ve recently started listening to audiobooks, to increase the number of books I can consume. Do you like audiobooks? How do you keep up with a rigorous reading schedule for the book clubs, in addition to writing and everyday life?

Keller: I do like audiobooks, but I only listen to books that I’ve either read before or ones that have a story I’m already familiar with. I can’t absorb new material nearly as well as it deserves. I’m a member of two book clubs. One is focused on horror fiction and the other is made up of other writers. I’ve found that sticking to a routine and reading, at the very least, a few pages a day has helped me the most. I give myself time in the morning and during my lunch breaks to read.

Nikki: In addition to the release of Let the Ghosts Sleep, what upcoming projects can we expect to see from you?

Keller: I have a backlog of stories I’m trying to place, but at the moment, I’m working on my first full-length novel, a post-apocalyptic horror à la I Am Legend that is set in the Midwestern United States. Similar to when I was writing the novella, there are some growing pains associated with taking on a project bigger, both in length and scope, than I’m used to.

 

Readers shouldn’t miss out on this one, it’s the perfect summer horror read! Keller’s novella, Let the Ghosts Sleep, will be available from Undertaker Books on June 26, 2025. 

 

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