WIHM 2026: Meet Lorrie Ness

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you contribute to the horror genre.

I am a writer who blends horror with elements of humor, thriller, romance and other genres. My agent and I are currently on submission with two manuscripts, and I am working on another horror novel as we approach publishers. My work features protagonists, mostly female, who tackle the horrors we face on a daily basis, such as greedy corporations, misogyny, ecosystem collapse and societal pressures to conform. I like to think my stories challenge many of the toxic influences that abound in our present world.

What drew you to the horror genre?

I was drawn to horror by my grandmother, who was quite literally a second mother to me. She was born on Halloween and tucked me in at night by reading me Edgar Allan Poe. On weekends, we’d rent scary movies and when I got older, we swapped horror novels. Horror is something that’s deeply nostalgic and comforting to me. It’s a genre that can build courage, point the finger at true evils, provide an escape, show you what not to do, and it can surprise, scare, thrill and make you laugh. Because my grandma introduced me to horror, it feels very adjacent to comfort and caretaking.

If you could recommend one creation of horror that everyone should consume, whether that be a book, podcast, movie, art, etc., what would you recommend?

Model Home, by Rivers Solomon, is a beautifully written novel that I cannot recommend more highly. This author explores generational trauma, gender, grief, race and messy family relationships in a way that feels deeply human. Their work is lyrical, aching and hits hard enough to leave the reader bruised. I love how this novel applies literary writing to horror and moves us into the dimensions of human suffering that are rarely explored with this level of nuance, humility and depth. 

What positive changes have you seen happening in the horror community and what are some areas the community can still improve?

I love seeing more diversity with regard to gender, sexuality, race and mental health representation in novels. For the most part, I’m also seeing more depth given to character development within the horror genre. Nothing turns me off to a novel quicker than flimsy characters without any backstory driving their decision-making, actions and reflections. However, I still see female characters whose identity seems adjacent to men and whose actions and thoughts feel hollow, or even absent, compared to the male cast. The situation is improving and there are many authors of all genders who write from the female perspective in a truly fantastic way. But…not all writers are doing it well and there’s room for improvement. Some recently published and massively popular novels still fall into this trap even today. I’d love to see readers rise up and demand more. That sort of thing is just not acceptable.

What do you find scary within the horror genre?

Nothing scares me more than possession…the idea of an entity controlling your personhood. That’s a total loss—obliteration of your free will and agency. Nothing scarier than that. Runners up are cults, a truly diabolical haunted house and creepy dolls!

Who are some women in horror you think more people should discover?

Women in horror to discover. Well, I’m a huge fan of some very well-known authors such as Rachel Harrison, Agustina Bazterrica and T. Kingfisher. But I’d love it if K-Ming Chang got a little more attention (author of Organ Meats) and also Olga Ravn (author of The Wax Child). I’m also a huge fan of Jessica Federle, who widely publishes speculative poetry and short stories. She’s also an editor and agented writer who is on submission with her novel-length work. I’m just waiting for the day one of Federle’s novels makes it to market. Lastly, a self-published horror author I adore after reading her debut is Magda O’Toole.

Where can folks find you these days?

My website has links to my poetry (many of which have horror themes), as well as information regarding my novel-length projects: www.lorrieness.com
I’m also active on Instagram @lorrie.a.ness

Bio: 
Lorrie Ness is a writer working in a rural corner of Virginia. She writes poetry and novels and has been published in a wide array of journals. Flowstone Press published two of her poetry collections: Anatomy of a Wound, and Heritage & Other Pseudonyms.