WiHM 9 Presents - Suzanne Sussex

The news reports spoke of a virus sweeping across South America. Entire villages were wiped out, yet events soon turned the media attention elsewhere.
Then a video hit the Internet and quickly went viral. A video showing a woman, attacked, bitten and dying.
Then she rose again.
Experts confirmed the video as a fake and prank. It was widely condemned as fear-mongering.
But all the expert denials counted for nothing when the virus reached the UK.
Chloe finds herself left behind, abandoned by Steve who rejoins the army to fight the new enemy. She does not know if she can survive without him.
Sam, arrogant and selfish in his immaturity, is miles from home, alone and scared. He knows he must change, must become a man, to endure this strange new world.
They must all make sacrifices to do what is right.
To do what is right for the greater good.

1) As a female horror writer what do you bring to the table in terms of what of you write?
 
I like to think that my characters are relatable, particularly my female leads. Their real women with real flaws, not super strong assassin ninjas nor weak and feeble that need protection.

2) Do you think female authors are underrepresented in the horror genre?

Yes, my first three books are zombie apocalypse and while there are some amazing female writers in this genre, we’re outnumbered significantly by men. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing and could be driven by a reluctance of women to write horror. In the days of indie publishing we can write in any genre we want and don’t need to worry about being dismissed by publishers because of our gender. That said, I did think long and hard about my pen name and whether to use initials rather that the full first name. I ultimately decided that I am proud to be a woman in this genre so I’m not going to hide it. My books covers are also more feminine than others in the genre. This was a risk because I didn’t want to alienate male readers, but it doesn’t seem to have done so far... 

3) Tell us about your book(s)

I have a zombie apocalypse trilogy called Safe Zone. The first books is set at the outbreak of the virus, my main character is Chloe, a thirty something women, left alone when her boyfriend rejoins the army. The second and third books are set twenty years into the apocalypse and explore the darker side of human nature.

4) Why is horror writing important to you?

It’s escapism, generally horror, particularly post apocalyptic horror, allows you to put yourself into the place of the characters and feel their fears. I think about how I would act in that situation and play with scenarios. Many other genres just don’t offer that for me.

5) Is the future of horror female?
​
No, I think any genre solely dominated by either gender isn’t a good thing, and I’d extend this beyond gender to ethnicity, beliefs, nationality etc. The wider the variety of authors, the better the genre will be. For horror, the challenge we face is how to invoke fear in the reader as we are all becoming increasingly desensitised. 

About the Author:

​Suzanne Sussex is an avid reader and fan of dystopian and apocalyptic fiction. Originally from Hampshire, she has lived in various finally settling in North Wales, with her boyfriend, and crazy cat. When she is not working or writing, she can usually be found out on the hills, training for her next madcap long-distance hiking adventure.

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