They might not be raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but that doesn’t mean that we love them any less. Welcome back to My Favorite Things, the weekly column where we grab someone in speculative circles to gab about the greatest in geek. This week, we sit down with Kelsey Sutton, whose newest novel, Smoke and Key, came out April 2nd from Entangled Teen!
What does Kelsey love when she’s not writing about characters who struggle with dark decisions? Spoiler alert: creepy and frightening movies, beautifully powerful scary movies, a fascination with the grisly, and a book that still lingers years after reading it. Intrigued? Read on to learn more!
Before Smoke and Key, I worked on a middle grade novel for two, maybe three, years. It seems only natural that my mind, which had been trapped inside that of a young child, would immediately gravitate toward everything opposite. Death, darkness, suspense. Smoke and Key is all of this things combined. My next novel also ventures into these territories. So of course, that will be all I talk about/think about in regards to this list.
Favorite screenwriter: M. Night Shyamalan. I do want to clarify that I mean early Shyamalan, back when he was putting out gems like The Village, The Sixth Sense, and Signs. The latter was, in fact, my introduction to him. I was sleeping over at a friend’s house one night and she asked if I wanted to watch it. My parents were very strict about what I was allowed to see, but for some reason, I wanted to break the rules for this movie. Thus began my obsession with the creepy and the frightening.
Favorite director: Tim Burton. My first Burton film was, as I’m sure it was for many, The Nightmare Before Christmas. As with Signs, I found it fascinating and, in a way, beautiful. It was the beginning of my realization that when something is frightening, it can still be powerful and lovely.
Favorite podcast: My Favorite Murder. This is my guilty pleasure, as I’m not sure I really derive any deep lessons from it. But I listen to an episode every day, to and from work. It’s two women, usually drinking wine, talking about (you guessed it) their favorite grisly murders. Why am I so fascinated by this? Why are any of us? I’m not sure. All I know is I’m absolutely riveted and my commute flies by.
Favorite horror novel: Duma Key. While I haven’t been able to find a book that truly terrifies me, I still think about Duma Key even years after reading it. The villain, or monster, rather, was so strange and unexpected. The climax was unputdownable. I also loved the painting aspect, in which the main character rediscovers his old passion and the plot centers around this. I may have to go reread it after writing this. (Oh, and you should definitely check it out, too).
Thank you for having me, Speculative Chic!
Kelsey Sutton is a young adult and middle grade author. She lives in Minnesota, where she received a dual bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing from Bemidji State University. She will soon have a master’s degree from Hamline University. Her work has received an Independent Publisher Book Award, an IndieFab Award, and was selected as a Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2013. When not writing, Kelsey can be found watching too much Netflix, ordering a mocha at the nearest coffee shop, napping with her rescue dogs, or browsing a bookstore. You can visit her online at www.kelseysuttonbooks.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter or Instagram.
Author Photo by MC Photography LLC
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Thanks for joining us, Kelsey! That podcast seems right up my alley. I also used to have a copy of DUMA KEY lying around, but I’m not sure if I still do. Seems like I should read it!