Crafting Horror with Kel Byron
Kel Byron is a Michigan-born author who began her career on Reddit writing short stories for a small but loyal fanbase, known for her distinctive style of rural Lovecraftian horror. Now, she has two novels and has been a guest author for two anthologies. In her spare time, Kel volunteers at cat rescues and enjoys tabletop games, cooking spicy food, and 80's goth music.
by Kel Byron
If you find yourself driving down a winding mountain road near an endless stretch of pines, try tuning in to 104.6 FM: the radio station that shouldn't exist.
The village of Pinehaven has a secret of monstrous proportions. Evelyn McKinnon, a radio host falling on hard times, finds herself utterly unprepared when she learns that the radio station isn't just for entertainment. It's a watchtower.
She's stalked by a bird with human eyes. Her new co-host won't stop singing show tunes. And when the fog rolls in, the beasts of Pinehaven Forest begin their brutal hunt. Evelyn and her friends are suddenly face-to-face with something much scarier than ravenous flesh-giants and vengeful spirits: responsibility.
'A Lonely Broadcast' is a darkly comedic tale that mixes elements of cosmic horror, gruesome gore, and a touching story about friendship, grief, and finding hope when all seems lost. It's also the story of an unhinged woman's personal war with a goddamn bird.
*Trigger Warnings from the author: Themes of substance abuse, gore and body horror, and heavily implied suicide.*
Interview with Kel Byron:
Q: What first motivated you to start writing and share your stories with the world?
A: I've always loved writing scary stories. In school, I would write little horror stories and pass them around to my friends all the time, and eventually I started posting them on Reddit! I never imagined I'd get a large following from it, but after my health took a turn and I left the internet for a couple of years, I realized how much support I had waiting for me. I started writing my first novel the day after coming home from a major surgery. In a way, it felt like a new start for me.
Q: What made you choose the independent publishing route, and what do you love about being an indie author?
A: Being in the Creepypasta community on Reddit, a lot of the writers I looked up to and befriended also went into self-publishing. Before that, I always heard people tell me that self-publishing was a mistake or that it was only for "low-quality work,” which made me even more determined to prove them wrong. I love the flexibility of being a self-published author, but more than that, I love being a part of the indie community! It makes me feel like I'm part of a team, following those old friends on Reddit that I respect so much. Plus, now I'm getting to see the other side of that, getting lovely messages from up-and-coming authors who cite me as an inspiration. It's really been a full-circle experience!
Q: From writing short stories on Reddit to publishing novels, you’ve gained a loyal following. What do you think resonates about your writing, and what do you love most about your fanbase?
A: From the beginning, a lot of my readers said they loved my writing because of the characters and the close, platonic relationships between them. Obviously, I love making stories that are chilling and gruesome, but it's always important to me to have a foundation of characters that the reader can bond with and root for. It makes them feel like they could be friends with those characters. In a similar way, I've always been thankful for my readers as I would be my friends. When I was sick, they waited for me to come back. To this day, I don't know what I did to deserve that patience.
Q: You are known for writing Lovecraftian and folk horror – what attracted you to these subgenres? And are there any niche horror subgenres or tropes you love to read?
A: Thinking about what really scares me, I always come back to the element of the unknowable. I love horror stories where the danger isn't fully understood. When something is so much bigger than us, where do we even begin? There's a line at the end of my first novel, A Lonely Broadcast: Book One, that illustrates this: "Sometimes we can't fight to win. We just fight until we can't anymore." As for other subgenres, I've always had a huge soft spot for urban fantasy and speculative fiction, especially gritty stuff from the early 2000's.
Q: A Lonely Broadcast: Book Two just released earlier this year. Did you always know you would write a sequel to your first novel, or did the idea to extend that story come later on?
A: From the start, I always wanted it to be a trilogy! Since the books began as short stories on Reddit, one thing my readers really wanted was a bigger, more fleshed-out universe. I could never tell the story I wanted to tell with just one book.
A Lonely Broadcast: Book Two
by Kel Byron
Despite everything, 104.6 FM is still on the air.
Hidden between tall trees and snowy mountains is the village of Pinehaven, a quaint town with a horrifying secret. For years, the Operators at 104.6 FM have protected the village from ravenous, mutated beasts that live deep in the forest and emerge every time the fog rolls in. The current radio hosts - Evelyn, Daniel, and Finn - have been keeping watch for over a year.
But suddenly, things are changing. A hypnotic light has appeared between the trees, earthquakes have been putting the radio tower in danger, and something massive has moved into the Pinehaven coal mines. The forest is getting smarter. A blight is spreading. And this year, the winter is colder and more vicious than ever.
Q: How do you strike a balance between crafting a thrilling, gruesome horror story and weaving in elements of emotional tenderness and depth?
A: It's a very delicate dance sometimes! One thing my stories always need is down time. When the plot is taking a break from the horror and the thrills, I weave in moments of mundane closeness: my characters talking over cheap instant coffee, going on long drives, laughing together, being stupid and silly. Even when the story is tragic, I never allow my stories to be completely hopeless. When writing about characters in peril, it's important to give them a friendship worth rooting for. Even if you know they have no chance of surviving, you have to want to see them savor as many moments together as possible.
Q: What are you most excited about these days?
A: I'm very excited to come out with my first book of short stories this year! Recently, I've been working on a collection of Midwestern Gothic stories, all centered on folk horror vibes and the eerie environments found in the American Midwest. I was born and raised in Michigan, so I've always wanted to weave those elements into my stories: the icy waters of the Great Lakes, the endless cornfields, and small town horrors. The collection has a lot of vibes that will really resonate with readers of my prior work.
Q: What do you hope your readers take away from the stories you write?
A: The heroes of my stories aren't superhumans backed by prophecies or trained to be powerful. They're just ordinary people with troubled lives, fighting for each other for no reason other than the desire to see another day. I think plenty of my readers can see themselves in that, too. When someone picks up my series for the first time, I want them to feel fear and comfort at the same time. Fear, because the stories are scary and full of gruesome visuals. But comfort, because there's love and hope there too. And no matter how many times these characters fail and struggle to pick themselves back up, they still deserve to be loved and supported. You don't need to be extraordinary to be amazing. We're all just trying to do our best.
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Dying to know more? Go follow Kel on her socials! Or visit her website.