ERIC LAROCCA IS STARVING THE GHOSTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 
Eric LaRocca holds an MFA in Writing for Film and Television from Emerson College. His fiction has appeared in various literary journals and anthologies published in the US and abroad such as, Stiff Things and Year's Best Hardcore Horror, Volume 2. He is also the author of several plays which have been developed and produced at theaters across the country including, Gadfly Theater Productions, Hartford Stage, La Petite Morgue, and Love Creek Productions. He currently resides in Cambridge, MA. Follow him on Twitter @ejlarocca.
 
Starving Ghosts in Every Thread is his debut novella.
 
 
LINKS
 
Starving Ghosts in Every Thread (preorder): https://amzn.to/38Dd85n

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?
 
I recently graduated from Emerson College’s MFA program in Writing for Film and Television. It was an incredible two-year experience where I connected with so many talented people in the film industry, as well as developed lifelong friendships with the peers in my cohort. I currently live in Cambridge, MA with my partner, Ali, who’s also a writer. Now that the weather’s thankfully getting warmer, I love to spend my weekends exploring Boston or finding a shady spot in the park to read a new book.
 
To get the ball rolling and get everyone relaxed, here is a hopefully lighthearted question to break the ice, which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life and have them complain at you about they way you treated them in your work.
 
I think the character I would least like to meet in real life is Clay from my short story, “If My Face Were Transparent, You’d See the Devil” featured in Red Room Press’ collection, Stiff Things: The Splatterporn Anthology. I treated Clay very poorly in my piece and I’m sure he’d have his share of complaints if he ever met me. Of course horrible things are expected to happen in horror stories; however, I recognize I crossed a line when it came to deciding Clay’s dreadful fate.
 
Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?
 
Though I grew up relatively insulated in a small Connecticut town, I was surrounded by courageous, intelligent, and self-sufficient women. I think their presence had such a profound effect on me and has consequently informed many of my writing choices. I love inverting the standard of male-dominated horror by writing from a female perspective and I get so excited when I attempt to bring dynamic and compelling female characters to the table. Being involved in Community Theater at a young age has also been a major influence on my writing. I grew up reading the greats such as Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, and Eugene O'Neill. I always attempt to infuse palpable human drama in my pieces no matter how fantastical the subject matter is.
 
The term horror, especially when applied to fiction always carries such heavy connotations.  What’s your feeling on the term “horror” and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?   
 
I definitely agree that the term “horror” carries such heavy connotations. I might even suggest it carries undesirable implications in certain select circles. I often found myself skirting around the word when people would ask me what I write, using more benign terms like “thriller” or “dark fiction.” I think horror’s negative inferences are obviously fueled by the limited scope with which people interact with the genre. They assume all horror content mistreats women and involves exaggerated and gratuitous depictions of violence. Horror connoisseurs know this is not the case with all horror content as the genre clearly has the potential to highlight poignant human issues. I think in order to break past these assumptions we, as writers, have a responsibility to constantly challenge our readers by subverting the tropes and producing the unexpected.
 
A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?
 
I think we’ve seen a tremendous surge of home invasion-type thrillers in recent years simply because of the cultural divisiveness being encouraged by the Oval Office. I think people have always been fearful of “the other,” but I feel as of late we’ve seen more content being produced about a fear of intrusion and powerlessness. That being said, I think our fears are becoming more internally based and I think we’re about to experience a renaissance of the Body Horror subgenre with content focusing on the invader existing as an inside force as opposed to an outside antagonist.
 
Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?
 
I think exceptionally well-done horror is a truly cathartic experience. It’s like surviving a car crash without actually getting in the car. We identify and empathize with the characters in horror fiction – their failures are our failures, their triumphs are our triumphs. I think it’s also one of the few genres to accentuate the true resilience of the human spirit. We, as viewers and readers, play witness to a character’s determination to survive no matter the obstacle.
 
What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?
 
I’d love to see more openly queer characters in horror fiction and film. Of course it would be a dream to see a prideful gay man as the protagonist of a mainstream horror release, but I’m uncertain if the general public is prepared for that. Regardless, I think it’s important for more queer authors to unabashedly add their voices to the mix, share their experiences, and tell their stories.
 
Is horror its own worst enemy? What do you think keeps horror from being regarded as a valid genre by the public at large?
 
I think what keeps horror from being regarded as a credible genre by the public at large has to do with the fact that the most mainstream representations of the genre are redundant and religiously follow the overworked tropes from which we should be struggling to break free. Of course I worry horror will always be considered a “ghetto genre” because of its sordid history, but recent commercial successes in the film industry like Midsommar and The Lighthouse prove that horror has the potential to captivate audiences without tactless jump scares or unnecessarily brutal violence.
 
What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice off?
 
One of the most exciting voices in horror fiction I’ve read recently has to be J. Daniel Stone. Not only is his writing electric and vividly compelling, but he’s such a kind person and has always been supportive of me and my work. Check out his newest release, Stations of Shadow, when it’s released in May. Another equally talented writer to watch out for is Rob Costello. His queer horror story, “Emergent,” published in The Dark Magazine shook me to my very core. After you’ve finished reading this interview, head over to The Dark and read his piece!
 
What are the books and films that helped to define you as an author?
 
The book that resonated with me most has to be Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk. Not only is the novel one of the most disquieting and unsettling works I’ve ever read, but it’s spectacularly audacious with regard to structure and content. I first read it several years ago, but I’ll never forget how much it challenged me as a reader.
 
When it comes to films that have changed my life, there’s only one: Pascal Laugier’s 2008 masterpiece, Martyrs. It’s probably one of the bleakest, most soul-destroying films I’ve ever seen. Martyrs showed me the unexpected, the aberrant, and the unusual. More importantly, Martyrs is excellent proof of the horror genre’s capability to explore the more difficult questions of humanity from which other genres shy away. I envy anyone seeing the film for the very first time. It’s a harrowing descent into the depths of depravity.
 
Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?
 
I’m relatively new to the business, so I haven’t accumulated a massive amount of reviews yet. However, one reviewer once performed a makeshift gender reassignment surgery on me and referred to me as “Erica LaRocca.” That was a new one.
 
What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?
 
I find the most difficult aspect of writing to be actually finding the time to sit down and write. Any moment I have free I make certain to strap myself to the keyboard and hammer away at a scene until I’m satisfied with the outcome. However, the more responsibilities I accrue in my personal life, the more difficult I find it to be productivity-wise with regard to writing.
 
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?
 
I don’t believe in limiting the imagination, so I can’t say I would shy away from certain subject matter others might deem offensive. If it’s relevant to the story and executed tastefully, I’ll write about it.
 
How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?
 
Names are very important to me and my creative process. Most of the time the names of my characters are references to musicians or artists I admire. Regardless, it’s a struggle to find names that suit the character in question.
 
Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years?
 
I think more than anything I’ve learned to trust my intuition when it comes to crafting content. I used to be so consumed with self-doubt and I would constantly compare myself to others. But, I’m so proud to say I have the skills to ignore my inner saboteur and write to the best of my abilities.
 
What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?
 
The best piece of writing advice I ever received has more to do with the business side of writing as opposed to the actual craft. In my Undergrad, I had a very successful writer as an instructor tell me that “true talent never goes unnoticed for long.” It was heartening to hear those encouraging words from such an established writer. More than anything, it gave me a sense of hope.
 
For those who haven’t read any of your books, which of your books do you think best represents your work and why?
 
I think my new novella, Starving Ghosts in Every Thread, best represents the new direction in which I’m heading as a writer. I was engrossed in the hardcore subgenre of horror for a while, but lately my fiction has leaned into a more literary space with fantastical sensibilities. I’m excited to see where it takes me!
 
Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?
 
My favorite passage from my new release, Starving Ghosts in Every Thread, has to be our introduction to the main character as she walks home from work:
 
“I tuck my chin into my scarf, slide my hands into both of my coat pockets, hiding my face beneath my hood – as if I were boxing the bigness inside me. Because, even if I wasn’t so unusual, the world would still want me to be kept as small as possible. It wants all girls that way.”
 
Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?
 
My debut novella, Starving Ghosts in Every Thread, will be available on Amazon on Friday, May 1st 2020. A somber mixture of dark fantasy and queer horror, Starving Ghosts in Every Thread follows a young girl who harbors a gruesome secret – her body literally unravels unless she feeds off the emotions of others. When she encounters another girl from town with an equally disturbing secret, it’s not long before Teddy’s insatiable hunger fueled by guilt begins to threaten her safety and violently touch all those who cross her path with disaster.
 
As for what’s next, I’m currently wrapping up a short story and then setting my sights on beginning to write my first novel. I finished outlining the concept the other night actually and am very satisfied with what I have so far. I have a title in mind, but I’d rather not share until I actually start writing.
 
If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?
 
I think the horror cliché I would erase immediately would be the jump scare in film. I find it more annoying than anything. Being startled is not necessarily frightening, but rather a momentary inconvenience.
 
What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?
 
The last great book I read was John Hornor Jacobs’ A Lush and Seething Hell. Both novellas contained in his collection are haunting, lyrical, and deeply unsettling. In truth, I can’t recall the last time I was disappointed by a book.
 
What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?
 
The question I seldom get from reviewers is simply “How are you doing?” My answer (though I can be somewhat mercurial) right now would be: “I’m doing OK.”

Starving Ghosts in Every Thread by Eric LaRocca

She's so consumed with guilt that it compels her body to literally unravel unless she feeds off the emotions of others. Teddy’s parasitic condition is usually tempered easily and is invisible to most, unless she feeds from them. However, her insatiable hunger has already begun to threaten her safety. Trapped in her tiny Connecticut hometown thanks to a careless mistake which cost her a prestigious scholarship, Teddy grieves her father’s death and cares for her neurotic mother, Mercy, who is convinced scorpion venom is the only remedy for her own peculiar skin ailment linked to her daughter’s sadness.

Once an aspiring songwriter, Teddy now merely alternates between shifts at the local market and visits to the house of her eccentric neighbor, Mr. Ridley, for fresh scorpions to bring to her mother. It’s during one of her routine visits to Mr. Ridley’s subterranean grotto of exotic animals that Teddy meets an unusual young girl named Kiiara. Immediately enamored with one another, Teddy soon discovers that Kiiara is hiding a gruesome secret, too – a secret that will threaten to undo everything Teddy has ever known and loved, and violently touch all those who cross their path with disaster.

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