The following is an interview with Holly Rae Garcia regarding her recently released horror novel, The Easton Falls Massacre: Bigfoot’s Revenge. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Garcia about the inspiration behind the novella, her creative process in bringing the story to life, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of your horror novella, The Easton Falls Massacre: Bigfoot’s Revenge! For those who may be unfamiliar, how would you describe the novella’s premise, and what inspired you to tell this story?
Holly Rae Garcia: The Easton Falls Massacre: Bigfoot’s Revenge starts off with US Army Veteran Henry Miller straying from the path while on a bear hunt, finding himself too close to the East Cascade Mountain Range. On the other side of the mountain range lies an ancient race of Bigfoot that have kept to themselves for centuries, until one of them defies the warnings and roams too far from the safety of their home. When these two intersect, alliances are broken and events set in motion that will leave residents of the town of Easton Falls, Washington, fighting for their lives.
I’ve long been a fan of crypto-zoological horror, and this is an expansion of the very first thing I ever wrote (a short story for my husband, never published). I think it was around three or four-thousand words back then. After Come Join the Murder was accepted for publication and I was contemplating what to write next, we brought the story back out and jointly turned it into a novella.
BD: What can you share with us about your shared creative process in working with co-author Ryan Prentice Garcia for this story, and what (or who) have been some of your creative influences?
HRG: We had a great time co-writing this novella, though he may have a different answer. We brainstormed most of the plot together. He came up with and wrote the fight scenes and the military flash-back scenes. I wrote the “feelings” side of things and edited it all so it wouldn’t read like two different people wrote it. I think we worked together really well and look forward to doing it more in the future.
For other authors who have influenced me, I would have to say Edgar Allen Poe, Richard Matheson, and Stephen King. More recently, I’ve come to discover and admire the work of Chad Lutzke.
BD: At Fanbase Press this year, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that The Easton Falls Massacre’s story will connect with and impact readers, and why do you feel that this story was important for you to bring to life?
HRG: I think it’s important to realize “bad” and “good” aren’t as black and white as we think. Pretty much everyone is capable of doing bad things for the right reasons. Protagonists can do terrible things, and antagonists can be empathized with. As for why it was important to write this story, it was just a load of fun. Crypto-Horror has long been a favorite, and Bigfoot especially is fascinating to me.
BD: In light of the release of your debut novel, Come Join the Murder, earlier this year, do you feel that your approach to narrative storytelling differs in your long-form work versus your short fiction?
HRG: Come Join the Murder’s length gave me room for a slow-build and to delve into the protagonist’s psyche a lot more than a short form would have. For the novella, while there was a small bit of back story and scene-setting, the majority of it is filled with action and dialogue. They’re both fun to write, the latter especially as a follow-up to the former. It was nice to have a break from the heavy subject matter found in Come Join the Murder.
BD: Are there any upcoming projects on which you are currently working that you would like to share with our readers?
HRG: Ryan and I are currently working on a sequel to The Easton Falls Massacre: Bigfoot’s Revenge. We’re playing around quite a bit with cave-dwelling creatures and bringing in a few Army buddies of the main character, Henry Miller. I’m looking forward to getting this one out there, even if people end up not liking the first book. We’re telling the stories we want to tell.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Come Join the Murder, The Easton Falls Massacre: Bigfoot’s Revenge, and your other work?
HRG:
The Easton Falls Massacre: Bigfoot’s Revenge
For Holly: Readers can find more information on my website, www.HollyRaeGarcia.com, and can follow me on Twitter (@HollyRaeGarcia), Instagram (@HollyRaeGarcia), or Facebook (@HollyRaeGarciaAuthor).
For Ryan: Readers can find more information on his website, www.RyanPrenticeGarcia.com, and can follow him on Twitter (@PrenticeGarcia).
