JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Lena Brown, author of “Something Wicked: Short Stories”
(Buzz Books USA)

“Mesmerizing and eerie. Tales to keep you reading late into the dark night.” – Tara Hudson, author of HEREAFTER and ARISE

Sometimes, they aren’t costumes.They’re baaaack. More nightmares brought to you by the authors of “Prom Dates to Die For…”

Beware the Midnight Troll on your late-night stroll by Mari Hestekin – a runaway discovers her destiny, but not before she’s the prey being hunted by trolls. Will anyone notice the runaways are missing?

Swim at your own risk Under Loch and Cay by Jenny Peterson – the popular friends are back in action, slaying monsters seaside. Beware of the kraken.

A curse of spiders on campus means Arach War by Lena Brown – Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war may be ready for battle, but she’s never dealt with eight-legged warriors until Halloween night at Mid America University. Can she save the campus before it’s too late?

Through a Glass Darkly one could lose a soul by Heather Dearly – helping others to the other side has never been a task to take lightly. What if a dark soul gets in her way?

Supernatural Hunters turn to the sea in Mermania by Kelly Parra – Parra’s hunters from Prom are back and dealing with a new danger, underwater.

Social media goes to the ghouls in Spectral Media by Aaron Smith – Cyber stalking takes a turn for the eerie in Smith’s take on haunting and bullying online.

These bite-size stories make for a reading trick or treat for tweens, teens and adults.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write “Something Wicked: Short Stories“?

Lena Brown: “Something Wicked” is a fun young adult paranormal collection, perfect for Halloween. The six authors all have such different stories in it, from kraken to supernatural hunters and trolls and spiders, that it’s a great mix. Kind of like the best trick or treat candy jar, you know?
My story, “Arach War,” is based on the Athena/Arachne mythology, but I brought the characters to modern day.

JP: What sets” Something Wicked: Short Stories” apart from other books in the same genre?

LB: We don’t have vampires or werewolves in our stories, which was the big trend for awhile, so our paranormal slant is definitely broader, which I think also makes “Something Wicked” more entertaining. And they are well-written with six unique voices.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “Something Wicked: Short Stories” getting out to the public?

LB: I’m prolific, always working on a new story, whether it’s for young adult or women’s fiction under Malena Lott. Write every day. And market every day.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish “Something Wicked: Short Stories”?

LB: For a short story, I still like to work on it for a few months to get it just right. On my novel-length fiction, the first draft takes me about 3-6 months, and then I like to go through it another three or four drafts before it’s ready to be polished and go to an editor.

JP: What’s next for Lena Brown?

LB: My fourth novel, “Something New,” comes out 11/5 in trade paperback and ebook. It’s my most romantic book to date, about secrets and second chances.

For Lena Brown, my agent is shopping a teen paranormal series, so we’ll see!

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I hope readers enjoy “Something Wicked”! If you read it, let us know what you think. Happy Halloween!

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