The Page Ladies Book Club | The Patch

The Patch

V.S. Lawrence

The vines are spreading. The town is unraveling. And the entity won't stop until every last descendant...PAYS THE PRICE! When sixteen-year-old Maddox moves to a remote town with his father, he learns the locals fear a pumpkin patch on the edge of town that is rumored to be cursed. Determined to prove it's just superstition, Maddox smashes a pumpkin and ends up triggering something ancient and vengeful. With the help of his new friends, Maddox uncovers the horrifying truth of the town's gruesome history... And the residents who refuse to admit to their ancestors' sins. V.S. Lawrence, author of 80s Ghosts, brings pumpkin-filled Halloween spooks to the Totally Freaked! series in this dark, unpredictable supernatural romp!

Interview with V.S. Lawrence

1. V.S. Lawrence in Three Words

Q: For readers discovering your work for the first time, how would you describe your books in three words?
V.S. Lawrence: "Nostalgic, campy, broad."

2. Turning Fears into Fiction

Q: Your Goodreads bio mentions that you grew up being scared of everything. What are some fears that have found their way into your stories?
V.S. Lawrence: "I actually have a huge fear of fire, likely from the time I went to blow out my birthday candles when I was young and ended up catching my hair on fire instead. But fire has found its way into a couple of my books, as well as bugs. Cockroaches, spiders, maggots... all have found their way into my books and give me the creeps."

3. The Heart of Horror

Q: Horror can take many forms, from creepy and atmospheric to downright terrifying. What kind of horror do you enjoy writing most?
V.S. Lawrence: "The versatility of horror is one of my favorite things, and I've been having so much fun exploring several different types. But campy, fun horror has my heart."

4. The Spark of Just Us, Here

Q: Your upcoming novel Just Us, Here explores social media, isolation, and a farmhouse that may be hiding dark secrets. What first sparked the idea for this story?
V.S. Lawrence: "A couple of years ago I had the idea for a book where an influencer is experiencing something terrifying in front of her audience, and thought it would be so interesting to explore the idea that for so many of us, it's almost impossible to look away from a trainwreck. We see people falling apart online and feel the need to comment on it, take it all in as entertainment, and I felt that having the comment section stand in as a character almost would be a really fun way to explore that idea."

5. Why Haunted Houses Hit Different

Q: Many readers are fascinated by haunted houses and places with history. What makes a setting feel genuinely unsettling to you?
V.S. Lawrence: "Our homes are supposed to be our safe place, the place where we can relax, unwind, let our guard completely down. But when the floorboards start creaking, strange noises happen, things start moving it rips that sense of safety right out from under you. It's also presenting us with the idea that maybe there is something after death, that maybe we leave a small piece of ourselves behind that ends up desperate to be seen and acknowledged."

6. The Allure of The Patch

Q: The Patch centers around a cursed pumpkin patch and a town haunted by its past. What drew you to that premise?
V.S. Lawrence: "I'm obsessed with pumpkin patches. It's one of my all-time favorite things to do in the fall, and when I was asked to write something for the Totally Freaked! series, I felt like the classic new kid in a new town that had some interesting beliefs surrounding a pumpkin patch would be a really fun addition to the series."

7. The Scream-to-Laugh Ratio

Q: Several of your stories seem to blend horror with humor and adventure. How do you find the balance between scares and fun?
V.S. Lawrence: "Honestly, I think horror and comedy are two sides of the same coin. Both rely on building tension and timing so that the joke or scare lands just right, resulting in either laughter or screams. I think finding the balance is similar to either straight horror or comedy - you don't want to hit the reader with scare after scare, or joke after joke. It loses its impact if it's a steady stream. But with horror and comedy, it's kind of neat because you don't always know if the tension is building to a scare or just a funny moment, and I think that makes it even more fun to write (because I don't always know, either.)"

Support the Author & Grab Your Copies!
Don't miss out on these spine-tingling reads. Check out the links below to follow along and grab your copies:

Shop the Latest Releases:

Join for free or log in
Book Club Conversation: Campy Scares and Influencer Nightmares with V.S. Lawrence!