WIHM 2026: Meet TJ Solod

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

I am Tiffany Jean Solod, also known as TJ, a lifelong storyteller shaped by a childhood spent moving across cultures and continents due to my father’s U.S. Army career. Living in places like Panama, Germany, and across the American South exposed me early to folklore, mythology, and the darker edges of storytelling that never quite fit into neat, happy endings. My academic background is in English Literature and Education, including a Bachelor’s degree with a focus on Children’s Literature and a Master’s in Secondary English Education, and I spent more than thirteen years teaching literature and writing at the middle school, high school, and college levels.

I was first published in 2023 with Rise of the Wicked: Creation, followed by Rise of the Wicked: Sacrifice in 2024, beginning a trilogy that reimagines classic monsters through a modern, science driven lens. My work blends horror and science fiction with ethical questions, emotional realism, and character driven dread, often exploring what happens when humanity itself becomes the monster. 

Through both my novels and my short fiction collections, I aim to honor the roots of horror while pushing it forward, especially by centering flawed characters, moral ambiguity, and the quiet horrors that linger long after the last page.

What drew you to the horror genre? 

My earliest introduction to horror came through folklore and regional legends tied to the places I lived as a child, particularly during my time in Germany, where fairy tales were cautionary, brutal, and deeply unsettling rather than sanitized. As a young reader, I devoured R.L. Stine, which opened the door to darker stories, and that door fully swung open when my father handed me Watchers by Dean Koontz. Soon after, I was reading Koontz, Stephen King, and anything else I could get my hands on.

The moment horror truly took hold was when I first read Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Studying Mary Shelley and other Romantic and Victorian writers showed me that horror has always been a space for philosophy, grief, morality, and societal critique. To this day, I am most drawn to supernatural horror and classic monsters, though I still appreciate a well executed slasher. Horror, for me, is where fear and empathy meet.

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? 

I will always champion the classics. With a background in English Literature, I studied the origins and evolution of monsters, and Frankenstein remains foundational not just for horror, but for speculative fiction as a whole. Another personal favorite is Coleridge’s Christabel, which captures uncanny dread, moral ambiguity, and feminine power in ways that still feel unsettling today. These works remind us that horror has always been intellectual, emotional, and deeply human.

What positive changes have you seen happening in the horror community and what are some areas the community can still improve?
 
The increased visibility of women in horror has been a powerful and long overdue shift. More women are writing, publishing, directing, and reshaping the genre across all mediums. That said, there is still room for growth when it comes to recognition. Horror as we know it began with a woman (Shelley), and acknowledging that legacy, both historically and in modern spaces, is essential.

When folks look back at the Women in Horror movement of today’s day and age, what do you think the defining characteristic will be?

I think it will be defined by liberation. Women breaking free from imposed boundaries, refusing to write small or safe stories, and reclaiming a genre that was never meant to exclude us in the first place. There is a sense of authorship and ownership happening now that feels both revolutionary and inevitable.

What are some areas of horror you think are under-explored?
 
Dark fairy tales that operate on an epic scale. Stories that combine myth, horror, and sweeping narratives while retaining emotional intimacy and genuine terror. There is so much untapped potential there.

I am actively planning a story in that realm, and plan to give it my full attention when I finish my Rise of the Wicked trilogy.

What do you find scary within the horror genre?

Possession stories genuinely terrify me, perhaps because they strip away autonomy and identity. Also, clowns. I do not like clowns at all. 

What advice would you give to the next generation of women coming into the horror genre?

Do not wait for permission. Write the stories that unsettle you, even if they do not fit market trends or expectations. Study the roots of the genre, but do not be afraid to dismantle and rebuild them. Horror thrives on honesty, and your perspective is not a weakness, it is the point.

Where can folks find you these days?

Physically, I am in the Charlotte, North Carolina region.

Mentally, that is a terrifying concept. Are you sure you want to know?

Spiritually, you will likely find me haunting a coffee shop or bookstore.

For updates, news, and to purchase my books, you can visit my website.

For a quick guide to purchase links: books2read.com/TJSolod

Bio:
Tiffany Jean Solod (Williams), was born in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, and had a diverse upbringing due to her father's US Army career, living in various locations like Panama, North Carolina, Germany, and Pennsylvania. When her father retired in 1994, her mother, an educator, settled the family in Sanford, North Carolina. After graduating from Lee County Senior High in 2002, TJ initially studied music at Campbell University but left and later transferred to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC), graduating in 2011 with a BA in English with a minor focus on Children's Literature and Childhood studies. Later she returned to UNCC and received a Master's degree in Secondary English Education in 2016.

TJ taught for over 13 years in public education. Mostly in English Literature at the high school level, but also taught Middle School ELA as well as college adjunct courses in writing, and college transfer success.

She transitioned to a new role working for a local community college building integrated education training in October of 2024.

TJ has been a writer her entire life, but was first published in 2023 with her first novel, Rise of the Wicked: Creation and went on to publish the sequel in 2024. Her primary genre of writing is Fiction and she prefers to write in the sub-genres of Horror and SciFi, but she also dabbles in other areas as well.

TJ currently lives in the Charlotte NC area with her husband and three children, as well as two dogs and two cats. She loves music, whiskey, wine, good food (especially sushi and tacos), firepit nights, movies, walking and yoga. She also prefers to curl up with a good book and a cup of hot tea and recommends everyone tries it.