Christina Barber is the award winning author of Greystone, Spirits of Georgia’s Southern Crescent, and the recently released Seely’s Pond. She weaves history and the paranormal together with an interesting and refreshingly unusual blend of Asian influence, creating something that isn’t quite dark fantasy and isn’t quite horror. I was able to interview Christina about her latest release, her influences and what inspires her to write on the darker side of fiction.
Kelly Melcher: Seely’s Pond came out in March of 2008. Can you tell us a bit about it?
Christina Barber: Seely’s Pond is a dark urban fantasy in which the main character, Julia Tatye, an everyday woman, doesn’t realize her own strengths. Julia learns that she can take care of herself. Moreover, she can also take care of those she loves. In fact, she must if she wants them to survive. As she battles evil forces head on, she puts her strengths to the test. What starts as an interesting archeological find in her front yard ends in a serious struggle with demonic powers. Life or death hangs in the balance. Who will win?
KM: In Seely’s Pond there is an Asian influence. How did you become interested in using different cultures in your writing?
CB: I believe it is my love for mythology that influenced my writing using different cultures. I enjoy the research and study of different world mythologies, including their history.
KM: Will you continue to use multicultural influences in future works?
CB: Absolutely! My current work a series based on the White Women of the Scottish Highlands. Again, I love mythology and digging around in ancient cultures. So for me it is a ‘natural’ to provide glimpses, albeit based in my own worlds, but pieces of the original myth intertwined within my works.
KM: What is the next book or project you are working on?
CB: My agent is shopping my vampire series based on the myth of the White Women of the Scottish Highlands. These women are not your typical vampire! Based on their unique twist on the traditional vampire, I’ve made a whole new breed of vampire for this series. And add in that it takes place in the year 2020, and I think we have something new and refreshing.
KM: Would you describe what you write as horror or dark fantasy or something else?
CB: Definitely something else. I really feel that they can be very similar and almost blur, but truly there is one distinction, at least to me. That distinct line is that horror is an emotion, while fantasy or dark fantasy is a setting. This is the hardest part of writing (at least to me). It is so difficult to put one label on my work since it crosses many genres. However, many other published authors have faced this difficult task and have survived. I for one would love to do away with these labels, though I know that the only way the book sellers can shelve our books is by using the tried and true system of genres.
KM: What intrigues you most about ghost stories?
CB: I think that we, as humans, have an unyielding desire to know what, if anything, is on the other side. We also have a yearning to know if our beloved friends and family are watching over us, guiding us in our everyday lives. Many people despite religious beliefs feel that ghosts exist. So much so that religion often takes a back seat when it comes to ghosts, and instead we beg the question, “Do they really exist?” Of course the hunt for hard, scientific evidence continues. Will we ever know for certain? I’m doubtful.
KM: In the future do you think you will stick to writing dark fantasy/horror or branch off into another genre? What genre?
CB: Well, actually I started out writing in a completely different genre. While I always loved horror and dark fantasy, I didn’t think it sold. So I started off writing what I thought was ‘hot’ at that time. What a mistake. Then I switched over to my first love, horror, and have never looked back. This is the genre I was meant to write. I may intertwine several genres together, but I don’t think I’ll stop using horror and dark fantasy as a basis for my work.
KM: How would you describe your writing process?
CB: Much like a car jacking. I start off driving down the road, with the characters and plot well in hand. I stop at a red light, and next thing I know, the drivers’ side door pops open and the characters shove their way into the car! I scoot over to the passenger side, while the main character climbs into the driver’s seat. From there I’m only an observer. I traditionally call myself a typist, since I’m really not the one telling the story. I can only follow the whims of my characters.
KM: Which of your works would you recommend to introduce your writing style to a new reader?
CB: Since it’s my new release, I’d have to say Seely’s Pond. Plus we already have a sequel planned, which was requested by the publisher. I think it is a great way to be introduced to my dark worlds.
KM: Do you find that you also read a lot of dark fantasy/horror?
CB: {chuckles} I wish! Unfortunately, while I’d love to read more titles, my reading time is mostly spent helping new writers and working with an active log of critique partners. When I have had a few minutes to read, I did like Raymond Feist’s Faerie Tale, and Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas series. I only wish I had more reading time to consume the miles of books on my to-be-read list.
KM: What is your favorite book, or author, and why?
CB: Edgar Allan Poe is my favorite author. I’d fallen in love with his work, way back in the fifth grade when my teacher let us hear The Pit and the Pendulum. Since then I’ve always loved delving into the dark and despair with Poe. He is the master of subtlety and psychological torture. I truly admire that.
I would like to thank Christina Barber for her time and on behalf of myself and everyone at Fandomania I wish her luck in her endeavors. If you haven’t checked out her work yet you really should. Her works include (or are included in): Seely’s Pond
