I’m taking part in another blog tour today and I’m excited to be interviewing the author of the book, Kat Ellis!
I’d love to start featuring and promoting more Welsh or Wales-based authors on the blog, so this is a perfect introduction to that. I asked Kat some questions about herself, her writing, Harrow Lake, and more. So let’s dive straight in!
Quickfire Round
Let’s start off with some quick-fire questions… What’s your favourite book?
My favourite recent read is Hold Back the Tide by Melinda Salisbury, which is an excellent fantasy-horror about a creepy village with strange things lurking in the shadows.
If you could co-write a book with another author, who would you choose?
I’m not sure I could — I hate for anyone to see my messy first drafts!
If you could only have 3 books to read for the rest of your life, which books would you pick?
Scythe by Neal Shusterman because it’s amazing, Watersnakes by Tony Sandoval because the artwork is stunning and the story is so weird, and Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier because it was such a favourite growing up, and has definitely influenced my own stories.
If you could choose to never write again or never read again, which would you choose?
What a harsh choice! To never write again, I suppose, though I’d be extremely peevish about it. Extremely.
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You & Harrow Lake
OK, let’s move onto some questions about you and your book. What is Harrow Lake about and why do you think people will love it?
In a nutshell: Lola, the daughter of a famous horror director is sent to stay with her estranged grandmother in the creepy town where her father’s most iconic movie was made, and finds deadly secrets waiting for her — not only about the town, but about Lola’s own family.
Beyond that, though, Harrow Lake is about a girl who has spent her life in a cage. It’s about finding monsters everywhere you look. It’s about a young woman who isn’t always nice, or kind, but she is brave and resilient and smart. I think if those are things you look for in a book, then you will love Harrow Lake. (At least I hope so!)
There’s a thing I see a lot on BookTube where people say “if you like [this book], then you’ll love [this book].” Fill in the blank for Harrow Lake – if people love [these books], then they’ll love Harrow Lake!
Harrow Lake has a big horror movie influence, and some reviews have compared it to The Babadook and Scream, and said it will appeal to fans of Stephen King (I’m obviously not going to disagree with any of these!) Books-wise, maybe if you loved The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, or Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Bérubé, then Harrow Lake might be your cup of tea.
Was novel writing something you always wanted to do, or something you fell into without expecting it?
I didn’t plan on becoming a writer. I first tried my hand at it when I was in my mid-20s, and it took several attempts before I wrote anything worth reading. But I’ve always loved stories in whatever form they come, so writing them was probably inevitable. And I do love it!
How about the genre – is horror/thriller the kind of thing you usually love to write? What is it about the genre that you love?
All my books so far have been thrillers. I think it boils down to the fact that I love a fast-paced, exciting story — especially with some element of mystery to it.
If you could turn this book into a film or TV show, which would you pick? Do you have any idea who would be in your dream cast, or have a dream director?
Probably a film, though either would be a dream! Jennifer Kent (writer and director of The Babadook) would be an amazing choice for director. To play Lola, the main character, I think Emilia Jones who plays Kinsey Locke in the Netflix series Locke & Key would be fantastic.
I’d love to start focusing more on highlighting and promoting Welsh authors. Do you have any recommendations?
I do! These are some amazing Welsh authors to add to your list:
- Children’s Laureate for Wales – Eloise Williams (Wilde)
- Rhian Ivory (The Boy Who Drew the Future)
- Lucy Christopher (Stolen)
- Ruth Morgan (Alien Rain)
- Maria Grace (White Petals)
- Daniel Whelan (The Box of Demons)
Finally, where can people find you online?
Most often in any of these places:
About the Author
Kat Ellis is the author of YA novels PURGE, BLACKFIN SKY, and BREAKER, and the novella THE TWINS OF BLACKFIN in the THREE STRIKES collection. Her next book, HARROW LAKE, will be published in the summer of 2020.
You’ll usually find Kat up to no good on Twitter, trekking through ruins and cemeteries with her camera, or watching scary films with her husband.
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About the Book
Welcome to Harrow Lake.
Someone’s expecting you.
Lola Nox is the daughter of a celebrated horror filmmaker – she thinks nothing can scare her.
But when her father is brutally attacked in their New York apartment, she’s swiftly packed off to live with a grandmother she’s never met in Harrow Lake, the eerie town where her father’s most iconic horror movie was shot. The locals are weirdly obsessed with the film that put their town on the map – and then there are strange disappearances, which the police seem determined to explain away.
And there’s someone – or something – stalking her every move.
The more Lola discovers about the town, the more terrifying it becomes. Because Lola’s got secrets of her own. And if she can’t find a way out of Harrow Lake, they might just be the death of her…
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