Meg Hafdahl & Kelly Florence

Q: What led you both to teaming up and writing books such as The Science of Witchcraft?

We have always liked scary things and when we became friends, we realized we both liked doing research into the history, science, psychology and more behind our favorite horror movies! We started talking about it weekly on our podcast, Horror Rewind, then realized we should be writing about our passions. It started with The Science of Monsters in 2019 and now our latest, The Science of Witchcraft.

Q: Tell us, readers, what makes The Science of Witchcraft such a unique read?

Like all of our books, we approach the subject from many different angles. As horror movie fans we begin with the filmic POV, and Meg is a bookworm and Kelly is a theatre expert, so we add those in too! We believe our love of art, science, and history really shine through and gives the reader such a prismatic view into witches.

Q: How did you both go from screenwriting and writing fiction to this nonfiction analogy?

Since we are naturally drawn to horror, it was a logical step to write about the truth behind our favorite fictional characters. We learned that sometimes truth is scarier than fiction and many times fictional monsters are based on real people! We’ve also had so many discoveries in our research about real medical conditions that inspired horror franchises, like A Nightmare on Elm Street, and gave us a new appreciation for the movies.

Q: Is coauthoring easier than writing solo or tougher?

We’re working on our sixth cowritten book right now, and are award nominated co-screenwriters, so at this point we have found our writing rhythm! We often say we share the same brain, and that’s true sometimes, but it’s also vital to recognize the differences we bring to the project that make it even better! That being said, we both have solo projects which gives us the opportunity to create on our own. What’s easier? Having a writing partner makes it so much more fun!

Q: What other projects are you both working on that you can share with us, readers?

Meg is working on her next novel, Kelly is working on a chapter for a Golden Girls anthology (with a horror twist!), and together we continue to write scripts and our next book, The Science of Agatha Christie.

Q: What is your advice for writing in the non-fiction genre?

The big one is to infuse your own personality into your work. Why do you care about this subject? What makes it fascinating to you? As a non-fiction reader I want to know that. Also, don’t be afraid to admit there are people who know more than you on any particular thing; reach out to them, interview them. Don’t be afraid to explore differing opinions, oh and cite those sources!

ABOUT MEG

Horror and suspense author Meg Hafdahl is the creator of numerous stories and books. Her fiction has appeared in anthologies such as Eve’s Requiem: Tales of Women, Mystery and Horror and Eclectically Criminal. Her work has been produced for audio by The Wicked Library and The Lift, and she is the author of two popular short story collections including Twisted Reveries: Thirteen Tales of the Macabre. Meg is also the author of the two novels; Daughters of Darkness and Her Dark Inheritance called “an intricate tale of betrayal, murder, and small town intrigue” by Horror Addicts and “every bit as page turning as any King novel” by RW Magazine. Meg, also the co-host of the podcast Horror Rewind and coauthor of The Science of Monsters, The Science of Women in Horror, The Science of Stephen King and upcoming The Science of Serial Killers, lives in the snowy bluffs of Minnesota.

Web: www.meghafdahl.com

ABOUT KELLY

Kelly Florence teaches communication at Lake Superior College in Duluth, MN and is the creator of the Be a Better Communicator podcast. She received her BA in theatre from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and her MA in communicating arts from the University of WisconsinSuperior. She has written, directed, produced, choreographed, and stage managed for dozens of productions in Minnesota including Carrie: The Musical through Rubber Chicken Theatre and Treasure Island for Wise Fool Theater. She is passionate about female representation in all media and particularly the horror genre. She is the co-author of The Science of Monsters, The Science of Women in Horror, The Science of Stephen King, The Science of Serial Killers, and The Science of Witchcraft with Meg Hafdahl. They co-host the Horror Rewind podcast and write and produce horror projects together. Kelly is repped by Stacey Kondla (Literary Agent) at The Rights Factory and Karmen Wells (TV/Film Agent) at The Rights Factory.

Web: kellyflorence.com