Stacy: Younger adults and anyone into horror novels.
Cindy: Yes, I think our readers are primarily younger adults, 20's to 30's, although I'm into horror entertainment and I'm not what you would consider a younger adult, so I think it would be safe to say that our target audience is anyone over the age of 18 who is predisposed to the horror genre.
Q. Which author do you compare yourself to?
Stacy: None really, but if I had to pick one I would say…kind of like Simon Clark.
Cindy: I wouldn't presume to compare myself to another author either, especially any that are well known.
Stacy: None really, but if I had to pick one I would say…kind of like Simon Clark.
Cindy: I wouldn't presume to compare myself to another author either, especially any that are well known.
Q. Have you always been a fan of the horror genre?
Stacy: Yes! From books to movies.
Cindy: My mother gave me my first horror novel, Salem's Lot by Stephen King, when I was about 13, and even though I was afraid of vampires for weeks afterwards, I've been into horror stories ever since. Although, my son is the one who has always been our family's biggest apocalyptic zombie fan.
Stacy: Yes! From books to movies.
Cindy: My mother gave me my first horror novel, Salem's Lot by Stephen King, when I was about 13, and even though I was afraid of vampires for weeks afterwards, I've been into horror stories ever since. Although, my son is the one who has always been our family's biggest apocalyptic zombie fan.
Q. Who are your favorite authors? Who inspires you?
Stacy: My mom, Simon Clark, and Stephen King.
Cindy: I have to say Stacy Stephens and of course, Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I really like Dan Brown's novels as well because they're not only intriguing, they're also smart.
Stacy: My mom, Simon Clark, and Stephen King.
Cindy: I have to say Stacy Stephens and of course, Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I really like Dan Brown's novels as well because they're not only intriguing, they're also smart.
Q. What prompted you to write horror?
Stacy: I have always written horror stories, ever since I was little, but I think Goosebumps is what got me into it.
Cindy: I had originally wanted to write a spiritual non-fiction book for younger adults who lean towards non-conformity but then I thought my target audience probably wouldn't even pick up a metaphysical book. So, I had the idea to incorporate spiritualism into a horror novel, which of course led me to work with Stacy since she already had numerous horror story ideas.
Stacy: I have always written horror stories, ever since I was little, but I think Goosebumps is what got me into it.
Cindy: I had originally wanted to write a spiritual non-fiction book for younger adults who lean towards non-conformity but then I thought my target audience probably wouldn't even pick up a metaphysical book. So, I had the idea to incorporate spiritualism into a horror novel, which of course led me to work with Stacy since she already had numerous horror story ideas.
Q. When people think of horror writers, they usually think of dark personalities. Is that true of you?
Stacy: I would have to say no because I like to think that I am a fun loving person…even if I dye my hair black.
Cindy: No, I would not say I have a dark personality but I am by nature, an introvert. I'm not very sociable. In fact, I could easily become a recluse if I didn't force myself to stay connected to the world.
Stacy: I would have to say no because I like to think that I am a fun loving person…even if I dye my hair black.
Cindy: No, I would not say I have a dark personality but I am by nature, an introvert. I'm not very sociable. In fact, I could easily become a recluse if I didn't force myself to stay connected to the world.
Q. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? At what moment did you discover you actually were a writer?
Stacy: I think I wanted to be a writer when I was about ten or twelve. I think once you start putting your pen to paper you are a writer.
Cindy: I started formally writing about 25 years ago but I don't think I thought of myself as a real writer until Stacy and I published SHADOW PEOPLE and actually made our first sale.
Stacy: I think I wanted to be a writer when I was about ten or twelve. I think once you start putting your pen to paper you are a writer.
Cindy: I started formally writing about 25 years ago but I don't think I thought of myself as a real writer until Stacy and I published SHADOW PEOPLE and actually made our first sale.
Q. Are there any other genres you are interested in that you could see yourself writing for sometime in the future?
Stacy: I have tried writing a little bit of everything, from horror to romance. I don’t know if I ever would try to do something else besides horror, I enjoy writing horror the most.
Cindy: We'll stick with horror for now.
Stacy: I have tried writing a little bit of everything, from horror to romance. I don’t know if I ever would try to do something else besides horror, I enjoy writing horror the most.
Cindy: We'll stick with horror for now.
Q. Where do you get your story ideas?
Stacy: From everyday life, just looking around at my surroundings, you never know what you might see and what kind of story idea you might get from it.
Cindy: From Stacy, other books, movies, my imagination.
Stacy: From everyday life, just looking around at my surroundings, you never know what you might see and what kind of story idea you might get from it.
Cindy: From Stacy, other books, movies, my imagination.
Q. Writers tend to be a superstitious lot, with good luck charms and other objects they need to have nearby when they write. Do you have any such item that must always be with you when you write (e.g. Favorite Pen, Certain Music, Statue of a Drooling Gargoyle, etc.)?
Stacy: Coffee? No, I don’t really have an item I need in order to write.
Cindy: Coffee, yeah, and chocolate. I didn't know that writers were typically superstitious. We are not a superstitious family at all.
Stacy: Coffee? No, I don’t really have an item I need in order to write.
Cindy: Coffee, yeah, and chocolate. I didn't know that writers were typically superstitious. We are not a superstitious family at all.
Q. If you could offer one bit of advice to your fellow writers what would it be? In turn, what would you tell them not to do?
Stacy: Don’t doubt yourself and never give up. Hold onto your dream with all of your heart, never give it up.
Cindy: Edit, edit, edit, and don't give up.
Stacy: Don’t doubt yourself and never give up. Hold onto your dream with all of your heart, never give it up.
Cindy: Edit, edit, edit, and don't give up.
Q. Tell us about your recent novel, SHADOW PEOPLE: Quickening of the Wicked. What inspired you to write it? (e.g. Initial idea, Where the idea came from, etc.)
Stacy: I have had the idea for Shadow People for a long time, since I was sixteen I think. I came up with the idea for it one night trying to scare my little sister telling her spooky stories. I ended up liking what I told her and wrote it down but nothing really came of it, not until my mom helped me make it into a way better story, with a lot stronger characters.
Cindy: Like I said before I wanted to write a horror novel (with a little romance thrown in) that could be veined with strong spiritual, not religion but spiritual concepts.
Stacy: I have had the idea for Shadow People for a long time, since I was sixteen I think. I came up with the idea for it one night trying to scare my little sister telling her spooky stories. I ended up liking what I told her and wrote it down but nothing really came of it, not until my mom helped me make it into a way better story, with a lot stronger characters.
Cindy: Like I said before I wanted to write a horror novel (with a little romance thrown in) that could be veined with strong spiritual, not religion but spiritual concepts.
Q. Do you feel any other authors have influenced your writing? Have you gained anything from reading a particular author's work that has helped better your own writing?
Stacy: There are a lot of authors I love to read, but I try not to write like them. Their style is their style and I would like to think that we have our own style as well.
Cindy: I agree. We have our own style, our own voices.
Stacy: There are a lot of authors I love to read, but I try not to write like them. Their style is their style and I would like to think that we have our own style as well.
Cindy: I agree. We have our own style, our own voices.
Q. What can your readers expect next?
Stacy: The second book to Shadow People, the next one is going to be bigger and better.
Cindy: We are eager to start on the sequel to Shadow People. We plan to make it a trilogy.
Stacy: The second book to Shadow People, the next one is going to be bigger and better.
Cindy: We are eager to start on the sequel to Shadow People. We plan to make it a trilogy.
Q. As horror authors, you have written some pretty terrifying scenes. What really scares you?
Stacy: Spiders…
Cindy: Real life scares me. The news terrifies me. I don't watch the news and I try to stay clear of it on the internet although it always seems to be in my face.
Stacy: Spiders…
Cindy: Real life scares me. The news terrifies me. I don't watch the news and I try to stay clear of it on the internet although it always seems to be in my face.
