WiHM 2023: The Spooky Six with Yawatta Hosby

I’m definitely “starstuck” about this Spooky Six interviewee, Yawatta Hosby! After all, it’s not only amazing to learn about her skills as a writer and a comic book artist, it’s even more exciting to learn that as part of her outlining process, she also plots out her characters–all the way down to their zodiac signs. Which, as many of you may already know, is definitely Willow Croft’s cup of tea! (How cool would it be to go on an investigation with her to find “the truth IS out there”?)

Yawatta Hosby (she/her) resides in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. She enjoys connecting with other writers through blogging. With a desire to escape every day life, Yawatta creates short stories, novellas, and novels. She’s always had a fascination with psychology, so she likes to focus on the inner-struggles within her characters. Yawatta’s an avid reader, favorite genres: mystery, suspense, horror, and women’s fiction.

Her short stories have been featured in The Write Place At the Write Time online journal (2013), When the Lights Go Out anthology (2015), and Don’t Open the Door anthology (2019).

Since Yawatta Hosby loves drawing too, she decided to try her hand at creating a slice-of-life graphic novel/comic series called Unscripted–the best of both worlds.

Unscripted–sometimes being famous can be a pain in the arse.

In my slice-of-life comic series, Felix wants a private life. Not with her famous parents. Not with Me Cailinis touring. Not with the world dissecting her and Colm’s every move.

Keeping a huge secret, Felix has to decide what she’ll do with her life. Keep feeling stuck. Rebel against management. Run away from it all.

If only Felix’s decision affected her alone…It’s tough being famous, especially when your public persona is scripted.

In the meantime, Yawatta focuses on drawing mini-comics, zines, and comic diaries. Three of her mini-comics have been featured in I Don’t Do Comics, which is an anthology based in Canada. Yawatta also loves reading horror and slice-of-life graphic novels.

In February 2021, Yawatta Hosby created her company called Draw With Yawatta in the hopes of getting people curious about comic diaries. Her comic workshops are a safe place to learn about yourself as you experiment with drawing. A comic diary is just for you. Have fun. Have the courage to put your story down on paper. Have a desire to express yourself through words and drawings.

Yawatta loves drawing in her comic diary because it’s a great way to manage all of her hopes, fears, and quirky ideas in one place. Her comic diary tells her story, and her story has value.

Your stories have value too.

Author’s blog: http://yawattahosby.wordpress.com

Author’s website: http://yawattahosbysbooks.wordpress.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7101735.Yawatta_Hosby

Author’s Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/YawattaHosby

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@yawattahosby

Comic’s website: http://dream-snatcher-press.square.site

Comic’s Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/hosbyyawatta

Comic’s Ko-fi: http://www.ko-fi.com/yawattahosby

Comic’s Gumroad: http://yawattahosby.gumroad.com

Comic’s Global Comix: http://www.globalcomix.com/a/yawatta-hosby

Willow Croft: “Hey, look at that derelict Victorian mansion . . . let’s go explore it!” What’s the most unusual setting you’ve read about in a horror/thriller book, or included in your own creative works?

Yawatta Hosby: The setting used in Scott Smith’s book, The Ruins, really intrigued me. It was set in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. I believe in urban legends and conspiracy theories. The world is too big to just have humans, so I believe in aliens, Lochness Monster, Bigfoot, etc. Reading this book (and watching the movie), a part of me believed maybe that part of Mexico does really have flesh-eating plants. A place that the locals know to stay away from, but “stupid” tourists just don’t listen.

Imagine going on vacation to a different country with your friends, meeting nice people and wanting to help them find their brother, then getting trapped on a piece of land that plans on killing you (but psychologically torturing you first). I loved the book because it was a slow burner with the horror and thrills. Made me appreciate the story more, made me feel sorry for the characters more. After watching the movie, I decided to read the book. Happy I did.

Willow Croft: “It was a dark and stormy night . . .” What are your go-to comfort foods, drinks, or other ways to wind down after a long day (or night) of writing?

Yawatta Hosby: My go-to comfort foods are Doritos and cookies. That’s a must for me while I’m writing. If I just finished writing a very disturbing scene (my horror is slashers), then before I go to bed, I’ll watch cartoons. Scooby Doo or Total Drama Island is my go-to.

Willow Croft: “Did you hear that noise?” Everyone, even us horror/suspense writers, have our night terrors. What is it that frightens you the most?

Yawatta Hosby: Humans frighten me the most. Nowadays, some people are very crazy. Not even trying to hide their anger, aggression, hatred, violent tendencies. Killers are getting younger and younger. Social media is helping manipulative con artists spread their untruths to naive cult followers. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t leave my house…

I’m also afraid of the boogeyman. No lie. I’d have a panic attack if I ever let my legs dangle over the bed. No monster is grabbing my ankle or feet lol. I also keep my closet and bedroom doors closed when I sleep. If there’s any monsters in the house, they’ll have to make noise to give me a fighting chance to fight back.

If I’m ever cast in a horror movie, I’m the character who goes and investigates the noise just heard (with a weapon in my hand, of course). I’m thankfully not afraid of the dark since my eyesight adjusts quickly.

Willow Croft: “I’m sure it was nothing. But I’ll just go outside and check, anyway. Alone. With no weapons.” Have you ever gotten writers’ block? If so, how do you combat it? Do you have certain rituals or practices that help get you into the writing (or creating) mindset?

Yawatta Hosby: Yeah, I’ve had writers’ block. I go with the flow. If I’m meant to take a break on my creative project, then I’ll follow suit. I won’t force myself because then I’d get depressed. I binge watch television, listen to music, read books, watch true crime channels on YouTube. These things tend to help me feel motivated to get back to writing within a few days to a week. I don’t believe in the rule of having to write or draw every day. I think artists are meant to treat their creative  projects as a job. On regular jobs, don’t we need vacations?

Willow Croft: “Don’t go into the basement!” Are you an impulsive pantser or a plotter with outlines galore? What other writing/industry advice would you share with your fellow writers & creators?

Yawatta Hosby: I am absolutely a plotter with outlines galore type of writer. When I think of story ideas, I always come up with the ending first. Then I’ll come up with the plot, all the twists involved, and the characters to make everything happen.

I love, love, love researching (probably because I’m an INTJ) and will spend months taking notes on the setting I use in my story, the characters’ occupations and zodiac sign relationship interactions with other characters. Character sketches are my favorite part of the planning process. I’m always intrigued with people’s motivation of why they do what they do, so I like to portray that in my stories.

Advice I’d like to share–don’t be afraid of the blank page. Just start writing. You can always edit later.

Willow Croft: “Ring ring!” It’s the middle of the night and the phone mysteriously rings. Which notable writer, or person from history, would be on the other end of the line?

Yawatta Hosby: I’d hope Agatha Christie would be on the other end of the line. She’s my favorite author of all time. Even though she’s classified as a mystery writer, I’d say her books were more mystery horror, mystery thriller, or mystery suspense. I thought it was great how she crafted these cool stories of betrayal and crime. And Then There Were None was the first book ever where there were no survivors that I had read.The novel was my inspiration for my debut novel, One By One.