Author Mark Holtzen interviewed author Alexis Powell about her middle grade horror debut, A Coven of Witches.

Mark Holtzen: You have a new collection of spooky stories. What caused you to tiptoe through the creepy front door of this intimidating adventure?

Alexis Powell: I’ve always loved both witches and scary stories, so this made a lot of sense for me to explore! 

Mark: You have independent bookseller blood. What is your favorite part about selling books?

Alexis: Generally speaking, talking to people about books is one of the best things in this world, but my favorite thing is the possibility of connecting someone with a book that might change their life. A few customers have returned to the bookstore to talk to me about a book I recommended that altered them in some way or they’ve found a new favorite author. That is incredibly rewarding! 

Mark: From a craft perspective, I’m curious how you built these stories. Which body parts did you harvest from the folklore, and which parts did you create from scratch to sew on? 

Alexis: I love your wording, Mark. It’s like you’re a writer or something. 

I tried to keep the heart of the original stories, like the witch’s powers and their motives (whether that’s to the aid or detriment of the protagonist). Circe, for example, has the power of transformation, dislikes men encroaching on her island and effectively does something about it. How would encountering this powerful being cause trouble for kids in today’s world if they were to encounter her? That’s the kind of question I frequently asked myself. 

Mark: Did any story end up vastly different than you predicted?

Alexis: “Shadows at Play” was initially more of an Alice in Wonderland style story with a girl literally falling through a hole and winding up in Hades’s underworld. Although I found joy in writing that version, it was sprawling and took too long for me to tell it. So, the hole became a fence for my protagonist to climb over to enter another world. The labyrinthine underworld became a haunted playground. And who doesn’t love a haunted playground? 

Mark: Any conclusions about humanity after working on stories inspired by tales from around the world? 

Alexis: Humans will always tell scary stories. We, at our core, are a terrified species, and telling tales of hauntings, home invasions, possessions, vampires, werewolves, magic, all of it, is essential to dealing with the troubles of life.

Mark: Any tips or tricks for when you want to shake off a story that scares you a little TOO much? (As you know, I experienced this recently)

Alexis: My condolences to your nervous system. 

Horror often preys on you not knowing. So, if something scary becomes too mentally taxing, find comfort in the familiar. Reread a book or rewatch a favorite movie or TV show, something where you know what is going to happen, to give yourself relief.

Mark: Who is the scariest witch in your collection? (I found the Christmas witch particularly terrifying).

Alexis: Yes! Frau Perchta and Zhalmauyz Kempir definitely compete for the spot of the spookiest!

Mark: Any tips for writers out there who’d like to pen their own scary stories? What’s a good thing to keep in mind to creep out an intrigued reader? 

Alexis: Start with what scares you. Is it scary to get near the bottom of the stairs and see nothing but darkness? Is the thought of being abandoned in an unfamiliar place and not knowing your way home terrifying? 

Once you’ve established what it is that frightens you, remember that less is more in some instances. If I’m not seeing the scary thing, I’m more likely to fear it. But also, if you are going to show me, the reader, the creature or whatever it is that terrorizes your protagonist, give me the details. Does the monster smell sickly sweet? Does it have an unimaginable amount of teeth? Does it walk on all fours, or is it limbless? Does it caw or screech or howl? Asking yourself questions is a big part of the process.

Mark: This collection obviously took a lot of research. Was there a story or witch you enjoyed digging around for the most? 

Alexis: “The Affair of the Poisons” because it is a tangled, wild web of dreadful DRAMA. 

Mark: You grouped the stories into tales categorized as Folklore, Mythology, Historical. Which section was most inspiring for you, and why?

Alexis: Historical. I am fascinated by people in real life who, under the guise of the supernatural, were able to improve their lives by presenting ordinary skills as something magical. Marie Laveau, for example, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, had people believing she was clairvoyant. In actuality, she listened in on folk’s messy lives and used the information she collected to gain customers who wanted magical answers to their problems. The same goes for Toadmen, men and women who were able to convince their employers that they should hire them to plough their fields because they had a magical ability to make horses obey. Really, they had a deep understanding of horse biology and used that knowledge to their advantage. 

Magic tricks excite me.  

Mark: What’s something you do when you’re stuck during the creative process? 

Alexis: It is solved by walking. 

Mark: I met you in our MFA program at VCFA Writing for Children and Young Adults (WCYA) and loved the introductory chapter you read from a novel in progress. You obviously know how to set a moody tone. How long have you been into scary tales? 

What made you want to write them? And when do I get to read that novel?

Alexis: I was an odd kid who sought out any and all forms of media that would scare me so badly that it would keep me up at night. In that aspect, I haven’t changed much.

As for that story at my MFA program, I’m still working hard on it. It’s got an element to it that’s tricky so I’m trying to study books that have done it and reverse engineer what those writers did to pull it off. Aaaanyway, I’m close, and I hope you get to see it someday soon!

Lightning Round:

*Favorite spooky movie or show? (For kid Alexis and/or adult Alexis.)

Kid Alexis: The Little Vampire movie and the Courage the Cowardly Dog show (there is an entire episode where all the characters are beheaded…this was for kids!). Adult Alexis: Hellraiser and The Thing. Both the original ’80s versions. 

*Favorite writing place? 

At my messy desk. Or any messy desk, really. 

*Coffee or tea?

Coffee all the way. 

*Dogs or cats?

It’s mean to try and make me choose. 

*Reptiles or mammals?

The cruel and unusual punishment continues…

*Warts or broomsticks?

Broomsticks. I love the idea that magic can happen with a regular, everyday item!

*Morning or night person?

Night. Time is endless at night. Morning makes me feel like time is quickly passing me by, which makes me anxious. 

Alexis Powell is a middle grade author whose debut book, A Coven of Witches, is available now from your favorite independent bookstores (complete with glow-in-the-dark cover). She lives in San Diego, CA. 

Mark Holtzen is a kids’ author and literacy and children’s books advocate. He lives in Seattle, WA and is a beloved contributor to nwbooklovers.org.