We are delighted to present to you this fantastic indie author whose story "Those Things We Cannot See" is featured in our upcoming anthology "It Calls From the Forest: Volume Two".
Lex Vranick is a poet and fiction author who has been writing since she could hold a crayon. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Excelsior College and is a Juris Doctor candidate at Florida State University College of Law. She is a twelve-time participant and eleven-time winner of National Novel Writing Month. Her poems have been published by Cagibi, Kissing Dynamite, Soft Cartel, and others. Lex was born and raised on Long Island, but currently resides in Tallahassee, Florida with an abundance of houseplants and her four-legged roommate, Ozzy.
Have you always written, or was there a catalyst that prompted you to begin this journey?
I always joke that I’ve been writing since I learned how to hold a crayon, but I think it started before that. My earliest work includes some horribly misspelled Pokemon fan fiction and some elaborately plotted dramas featuring an array of Beanie Babies. I really loved stories: fairy tales, myths, that sort of thing. I think my fate was sealed when my first grade teacher gave us a weekly assignment to write and illustrate our own stories. She’d pass out booklets at the beginning of the week and I’d be asking for a second by Wednesday, because the story would grow wildly out of control and I’d need more and more and more pages to catch it.
What is your favourite genre to read?
I love horror and mysteries, but I think my favorite has to be memoir. I love reading about people’s lives, and there’s something really special about hearing their stories in their own words. I think it’s so cool to feel connected to people that I’ve never met, whose paths have only crossed mine through paper. I think it’s a testament to how incredible writing really is.
Do you remember the first piece of writing shared publicly? What were people’s reactions, but more importantly how did you react getting it out there?
I don’t know if I recall the first, exactly. Around the eighth grade, my friends and I found this website- I think it was called Writers Café -where you could post original poems and short stories. We all made accounts so that we could share what we’d been working on with each other. Of course, posting on a public site, we were also inviting in stranger to read and critique us. I remember feeling so nervous every time I clicked “Publish”. People were really kind, though. Even the critiques of my work were encouraging, and that kindness and encouragement pushed me to keep writing, keep posting, keep sharing and taking criticism and learning from it. It was a really great experience, and I’ll always be grateful for it.
What is your workspace like? What kind of atmosphere do you need to write?
I work in all different spaces. I have a home office that I do most of my in-depth work in, but I enjoy moving around and changing up the scenery. I’ll write on my balcony, in the living room, at the local coffee shop, in the school courtyard between classes. As long as I have headphones and a playlist at the ready, I can write anywhere.
Horror occasionally veers into the paranormal or supernatural, that's what makes it fun in my opinion. Do you believe in the supernatural?
I’m a skeptical believer. I’ve had some personal experiences that I can’t explain in any other way, and I genuinely think that there are things in this world and beyond it that we don’t fully understand, but I’m more apt to blame weird noises on the wind than a ghost.
Without giving too much away, tell us about the short story you have featured in “It calls to the Forest: Volume Two”. What inspired you?
I hike a lot. There’s a particular trail near my parents’ house that I used to walk every morning. In the winter, they would be super quiet. No one out there but me and my dog. We might pass one other person on a sunny day, but for the most part the woods would be empty, and you could hear all the squirrels running up in the trees and all the birds. All this commotion right up over my head. And you’d hear acorns and pine cones dropping to the ground and the thuds would sound extra loud because it was so quiet. As peaceful as it felt, I always thought it was a perfect backdrop for a scary story.
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Follow Lex. on all of her direct social media links
Twitter: @lexvranick
Instagram: @lexvranick
Facebook: Lex Vranick
Website: lexvranick.com
They warned us not to enter, but we didn't listen. The call too strong to ignore. And now there is no one left to save us.
Beware, these things within the forest will rip out your heart and devour your soul. You will tremble as they revel in your madness, taking everything from you and leaving you with nothing. Delve inside this anthology of what truly lurks within the shadows of the trees.
Eerie River Publishing brings you another round of exceptional horror by award-winning authors from around the globe.
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