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A Twist of the Lens: A Horror Novel

Author: Elizabeth Devecchi

Amazon

Description

A dark past. A haunted mind. A young girl caught in the crosshairs. Charlie has a dark, hidden past. It includes an early induction into a troupe of young shoplifters and the accidental death of childhood mentor and troupe leader, Bill Edwards. Since Bill’s death, Charlie has tried to settle into a more normal life and to walk the straight and narrow. This, despite frequent, intrusive thoughts whispered in Bill’s familiar voice. When Charlie travels from Indiana to Colorado to house-sit for her big brother, Tom, it triggers a series of unexpected events that throw Charlie into a desperate fight to rescue Tom’s young daughter, Alex, from the clutches of a gang of international criminals.

About the Author - Elizabeth DeVecchi

Today, we are diving deep into the dark, atmospheric, and brilliant mind of horror author Elizabeth DeVecchi. Her upcoming novel, The Shadow Beside Her: A Horror Novel, seamlessly blends supernatural suspense with the grim historical realities of World War II Italy. In this complete uncut Q&A, Elizabeth opens up about her journey from a childhood scaredy cat to a master of psychological horror, her extensive historical research rabbit holes, and her unique writing routine.

Q&A Highlights

For readers who are discovering your work for the first time, how would you describe your books in three words?

Haunting, psychological, twisty.

Horror clearly holds a special place in your heart. What first drew you to the genre, and what keeps you coming back to it as a writer?

I was a total scaredy cat as a kid: horror films terrified me. I found Jaws, The Omen, Carrie, and other more mature horror books. Once I was hooked, I was hooked. I think the scaredy cat in me liked the idea that the things in the pages were so much more horrible than anything I was actually facing.

What inspired The Shadow Beside Her?

The creature in The Shadow Beside Her appears in my first novel, A Whisper in the Dark. I started this project to give some back story.

What made Italy during World War II the right backdrop for this novel?

The creature I created thrives in environments of conflict and terror. Research led me to the events that occurred in the Apennines in 1944, and writing something with Italy as the setting was an amazing experience.

What was the most interesting or unexpected piece of research you came across while working on the book?

I fall down research rabbit holes when writing a novel. I was shocked by the abject horror of the events that occurred on Monte Sole in Italy in 1944. Additionally, I became totally absorbed with how photography worked during that time.

What draws you to exploring the balance of real-world dangers and the supernatural in your fiction?

The more realistic a danger is, the more it frightens me. The mixture of the supernatural with real-world horrors creates a deeper, more primal fear.

Connect with Elizabeth DeVecchi

Recommended Pairing for Reading

For authenticity’s sake, enjoy homemade tortellini, a slice of castagnaccio (chestnut cake), and a glass of Nonno’s negretto wine while diving into The Shadow Beside Her.