Molly Macabre Is Cultivating a Dark Bloom
Molly Macabre has been writing since middle school, working in genres that explore the dark crevices of mental health. After years of writing short stories and poetry, her debut novel released in 2024. A lover of all things spooky, Molly enjoys horror movies and books, noting Stephen King as her biggest literary influence. When Molly is not writing the darkest things her mind can conjure, she enjoys exploring dungeons, preferably ones rich with loot and guarded by dragons, playing video games, or listening to face-melting metal breakdowns.
WEBSITE LINKS
Dark Bloom- https://a.co/d/bQRbsF7
X- https://x.com/Molly_Macabre_
Tiktok- https://www.tiktok.com/@molly_macabre_
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556315530416
Website- https://macabremolly.com/
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/molly_macabre_
Amazon author page- amazon.com/author/molly_macabre_
Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?
Hey, friends! I am a mother, wife, and pharmacy technician in VA. When I’m not writing, working, or adulting, I’m reading, listening to metal, playing D&D, playing video games, or watching horror movies.
Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?
The character I would like to meet the LEAST would have to be Julia. She’s the embodiment of shallowness and selfishness. She would not make a great friend or a good apocalypse companion.
Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?
My mental health has had a huge impact on my writing. While my experience with depression and anxiety has not always been pleasant, it has opened my mind to dark crevices of the human psyche that I try to portray in my writing.
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 think it’s important to remind people why horror is such a loved genre and to speak about the reasons horror lovers enjoy it. Personally, fictional horrors help to distract from the tough situations life has to offer. They can inspire creative endeavors and be thought-provoking. To witness fictional horror can remind us that this life could always be worse.
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?
Horror seems to be increasingly popular with many creators devoting their entire personalities and platforms to it. I foresee it only growing in popularity and demand.
Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it?
As I mentioned earlier, horror distracts us from the horrors of reality. Reading horror is a means of escape. Some people are bored with happy, light-hearted themes and wish to indulge in something dark and thoughtful. Horror affords this opportunity, shocking the senses and causing a person to imagine things they never would have.
What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?
I like to find a well-placed romance in the horror genre. Typical romance can be easy and thin. A romance that blossoms in the midst of something horrific is well-earned and rare. It is solid and suggests the idea that there are people in the world who may just be willing to fight a monster or suffer a zombie apocalypse for you.
What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice of?
In the horror genre, W. James Chan is an Aussie who writes intelligent, enrapturing tales.
Nykky Roadarmel writes short stories that are vicious, captivating, and relatable.
Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?
W. James Chan wrote a review that made me feel as though he was in my head while writing Dark Bloom. He noted that the book was about an evolving romantic relationship while not being about romance at all. He seemed to truly grasp the vibe I was going for and I am thankful for his words. Along with Chan, many others have praised the storytelling and depictions of violence.
What aspects of writing do you find the most difficult?
Dialogue has been the most difficult for me. At heart, I am an introvert who often has clumsy conversations with people. I am not quick to think on my feet with witty responses and pleasant banter so in order to construct these types of exchanges between my characters, it took a lot of editing, speaking the conversations out loud, and replaying the scenarios in my head.
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?
I won’t say there’s a subject I won’t write about. I have found that part of being a horror author is pushing boundaries, not just with readers but with yourself. In my recent projects, I have already taken to writing about things I never thought I would.
Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years?
Every time I sit down to write, I learn something. I am not the same author who published Dark Bloom. I have learned techniques, either by learning from my mistakes or by studying other authors’ works. Writing with the goal of publishing involves being open to constructive criticism, working outside of your comfort zone, and always looking for ways to improve.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?
Oh, gosh. Just one thing? As a self-published author, and a victim of severe anxiety, I am prone to doubting myself. During a discussion with my editor about whether or not I should include certain things in Dark Bloom’s continuation, we came to the conclusion that I should write what I want. Rather than being so worried about what the reader expects or desires in a sequel, I should go with my gut and write what makes me happy.
Which of your characters is your favourite?
Nick is my favorite character. Nick is a fictional trauma response I created in my head during a time when I was angry at the world and did not believe fairy tales or love existed. He represents an ideal, a person who respects boundaries and does not take without asking. He also carries the burden of the mental anguish that I have lived with for so long. Despite the trauma I saddled him with, he strives to be the best person he can while also willing to do anything for the people that he loves.
Which of your books best represents you?
Dark Bloom is my only published work thus far, but it is certainly my autobiography in the most abstract of ways. If you look between the lines, you will find the story of someone who suffered trauma from a young age, held hands with mental illness, and still managed to find a person to share their struggles with.
Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?
“He was in love with the darkness in her eyes because he lived there, too.” That is my favorite line. Because even though Kate has endured so much in life, she found the person who was not only able to face her darkness but enjoy it because it mirrored their own.
Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?
Dark Bloom is the first and latest book I have published. It is a post-apocalyptic horror novel that features a romance. I am currently working on a continuation and final installment of the Dark Bloom story. I am also working on what I like to call my “super secret side project.” Because I am not sure what will become of it, I don’t have much to say about it just yet. It is more thriller/romance rather than gory horror. Regardless of what it is or what it might be, it is a ton of fun to write.
If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?
I don’t know if happy endings are considered a horror cliche, but I always enjoy it when a story, book, or movie ends horribly. I feel that most of the time creators feel the need to give the reader/watcher a feel-good ending. When things take a turn for the worst, it thrills me because the opposite has been done, and that takes guts.
What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?
The last great book I read was Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman. Told from the point of view of a little girl, this book was haunting and creepy. The last book that disappointed me. Oh, I am probably going to get hate for this but I was not a fan of Shirley Jackson’s Haunting of Hill House. Perhaps I did not go into it with the right mindset—it is a book from the ‘50s—but the female characters drove me mad and I did not find it scary or thrilling.
What’s the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer?
One thing I don’t get to talk about as much is what carried me through the writing of Dark Bloom. As someone who lives in a busy household, sitting down and focusing on writing could be difficult. Often times, I would come home after working ten to twelve hour shifts, eat dinner with my family, make lunches for the next day, pack bookbags, and just get my family all set up so that they would not need me. I would sit down at my PC, put my headphones on, and blast metal music into my ears. At first, this was distracting but I conditioned myself to write this way.
And I even found that music served to induce a particular mood. I bring this up, not only because of my love for music, but because I feel that horror and heavy metal really hold hands in current society. Music has been vital in my writing journey as well as life in general. Music saved my life on many occasions and continues to be integral to my creative processes.
Dark Bloom by Molly Macabre
When a disease runs rampant, turning people into cannibalistic horrors, society comes to a halt. Kate manages to escape the sadistic captivity she has endured and collides with Nick, a Marine haunted by the scars of war.
They join forces to navigate a treacherous landscape, battling the undead and hostile survivors. But what happens when the monsters outside are the least of their worries?
Nick’s shame is crushing, and Kate’s distrust is swallowing her whole. Will they overcome the darkness that threatens to consume them from within? And what will become of a world overrun with creatures that cannot seem to stop…laughing?
