Themes from a few of my favorites (like the legends surrounding the Hamilton-Turner Inn, which appears in John Berendt’s famous novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) definitely inspired the eerie, gothic themes that are so prevalent in The Year of the Witching.

Because of that, I was raised on a steady diet of ghost stories and Southern Gothic folktales. Could you tell us more about the setting? What were your inspirations behind its creation?Īs I mentioned previously, I grew up in the very haunted city of Savannah, Georgia. The bulk of the story is set in Bethel, a place with an eerie, terrifying atmosphere that almost feels like a character itself.

I also did quite a bit of research on agriculture (particularly shepherding), 18 th-century attire, and the psychology behind spiritual abuse. I purchased a lot of witch-related items to help me with my research, including a 1,000-page long spellbook that features 5,000 spells, copious amounts of sage, ethically sourced oddities like animal bones, multiple tarot decks (I have quite the collection), crystals, meditation stones, and other miscellaneous (vaguely witchy) items. When I was first developing my book’s magic system, I gave myself a crash course on Wicca, witchcraft, and other ways to practice magic. What kind of research did you do in preparation for writing The Year of the Witching? I like the challenge of building vast fantasy worlds that reflect (and often elucidate) the inherent darkness of my own. That said, I think what draws me to dark fantasy as a writer is different. So you can expect gothic worldbuilding, gruesome imagery, cataclysmic plagues, creepy witches, dark family secrets, and a theocratic, dystopian church.Īs a reader, I love the way that dark fantasy blends the conventions of horror and fantasy in new and inventive ways. The Year of the Witching is a story that straddles the line between fantasy and horror. The Year of the Witching, your debut novel, comes out on July 21.

When I’m not writing, you can find me with my nose buried in a book or watching horror movies. I grew up in one of America’s most haunted cities, Savannah, Georgia, which instilled in me a life-long obsession with gothic themes and ghost stories. Thank you for having me! I’m a speculative fiction writer with a penchant for dark fantasy, witchcraft, and cosmic horror. Alexis answers all our questions about her book, her love for dark fantasy, her upcoming projects and a lot more! Hello Alexis! Thank you so much for joining us! Could you tell us a little about yourself? The Nerd Daily recently had the pleasure of chatting with Alexis Henderson, debut author of the dark, witchy horror fantasy novel The Year of the Witching.

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