ash.reads.horror | What I'm Reading This Week

What I'm Reading This Week

Bindery refers to a studio, workshop or factory where sheets of (usually) paper are fastened together to make books, but also where gold and other decorative elements are added to the exterior of books, where boxes or slipcases for books are made and where the restoration of books is carried out.

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Author Interview: Mikayla Randolph

Welcome back to another author interview! Today I'm joined by author Mikayla Randolph as we talk about her debut novel, Not Your Final Girl.

  1. I always use this first question as a chance for you to introduce yourself. Say as much or as little as you want.

    Hello! Iā€™m an author based out of California who writes horror, fantasy, and thrillers. My favorite stories blend genres, invert tropes, and feature complicated characters, all while being a bloody good time. Beyond writing, I love adding too many books to my TBR pile, reading while cuddling with my dogs, and waffling between wanting to travel the world and wanting to never leave the house.

  2. Your debut book Not Your Final Girl released May 5th. How have you been feeling? Excited? Overwhelmed? Everything in between?

    Yes! Absolutely everything, and it changes by the second. Iā€™m frazzled, but mostly Iā€™m feeling incredibly grateful. Itā€™s a lifelong dream coming true, and Iā€™m blown away by the support Iā€™ve received. Close friends, family, former teachers, authors I've never even met, and so many members of the horror community, like you, have been so kind. The generosity and camaraderie have been astounding, and I appreciate it all so much.

  3. What made you choose a slasher for your debut novel?

    A slasher has been on my bucket list for a long time. My first stab at it was in college, and I think it frightened my poor roommate, who was not a horror fan. Since then, Iā€™ve written a few other novels, from a post-apocalyptic story to a western, but once this idea clicked, there was no turning back. It was such a smooth writing process, too; it bled right out of me.

  4. Any specific films or media that helped influence your novel?

    There were so many influences, and most don't seem like they belong together. Thomas Hardyā€™s Tess of the Dā€™urbervilles was a primary inspiration, with this being a partial retelling. Beyond that, Scream, Heathers, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, and Men, Women, and Chainsaws by Carol J. Clover. Plus every slasher novel, movie, show, or game that Iā€™ve enjoyed since I was far too young for them to be appropriate.

  5. What was your favorite scene to write? The hardest?

    Oh, that is difficult to answer and remain spoiler-free! For my favorite, Iā€™ll say there is a scene with a shed, a wheelbarrow, and a surprise that was a lot of fun to write. The hardest was most likely the opening pages because I wanted to immerse the readers in that epic Final Girl climactic moment while introducing new characters.

  6. Who was your favorite character to get inside the mind of?

    I loved them all, and bouncing between them was such a fun experience. It felt like I got to write five books in one! If I had to choose, I'd say Ashley because she challenged me the most. She is so confident and unrelenting that writing her perspective made me question how I phrase things and second-guess myself. I hope a bit of her spirit has stuck with me.

  7. Are you currently working on any other projects at the moment? If so, can you drop us any hints?

    Iā€™m currently querying my next novel, which I think of as a witchy X-Men horror noir. I'm also revising an "Eat the Rich" haunted house novella.

  8. Tell us what you've been reading lately? Your favorite 2026 book? What books are on your backlist?

    I finally caught up on Something is Killing the Children and am enjoying Look What You Made Me Do, the Taylor Swift inspired horror anthology from Sobelo Books. My favorite book thus far is probably King Sorrow by Joe Hill. Sadly, I have far too many on my backlist, like Little Eve by Catriona Ward, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Gr a ham Jones, and Writhe by Abby Vail. I'm a terribly slow reader and can't seem to stop buying more books. But I refuse to feel bad about it because even if I can never read them all, they look pretty on my shelf, and Iā€™m supporting those authors and publishers.

  9. What books are you looking forward to releasing this year? How about movies?

    Iā€™m so excited for Worry Box by Chris Panatier, Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle, and, of course, Kiss Slay Replay from Rachel Harrison, who is an autobuy author for me. Movie wise my most anticipated was Ready or Not 2 and I loved it! Iā€™m also looking forward to Supergirl though Woman of Tomorrow wrecked me at times.

  10. Did you have a playlist that you listened to when writing your book?

    Yes, and I have a Spotify playlist available for it here. In particular, Chvrchesā€™ Screen Violence album features a lot.

Thank you again, Mikayla, for allowing me to do this interview! You can follow Mikayla on Instagram at mik_randolph.

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