Catlyn Ladd

I was born in Phoenix but grew up in the Ozark Mountains on 200 acres of wilderness where I roamed freely. My dad taught me to ride motorcycles when I was 12, and my mom used to sing stories to me. I learned adventure, music, and storytelling at a very young age. In college I worked as a stripper to pay for my expensive education: I have a doctorate in Religious Studies. I teach philosophy, religious studies, and women and gender studies at a two year college in Colorado. In addition to writing and reading, I love to cook vegan food and travel (I’ve been to over twenty countries so far). I worked for a bit as a paranormal investigator and lead haunted tours of my hometown. Basically, if it’s interesting, creepy, or weird, I’m in!

My first book is narrative nonfiction about the time I spent working in strip clubs. After completing my Ph.D. I started writing and publishing a lot. It’s how I want to spend retirement! (Whenever I get there.)

What country do you live in?

I live in Colorado in the USA.

What does your ideal writing set up look like?

As long as I have my laptop, I can write pretty much anytime, anywhere. I do need quiet, but I put on instrumental music or white noise if I’m in a noisy environment

Do you plot or wing-it when it comes to planning out your books?

I totally wing it – I’m a “pantser” through and through. When I’ve tried to write an outline, my characters immediately take hard turns and head off in new directions, refusing to adhere to any plans I may have had for them. That said, I do typically conclude each writing session with a few notes about where I think the story is going, or how I think the characters get to where I need them to go.

What is the hardest part of writing for you & how do you combat that?

The biggest thing I need is time, so I try to carve out four days a week where I can do something writing related. It’s easy for life stuff to get in the way, so I guard my time as best I can.

Other than “Don’t give up/keep going”, what piece of advice would you tell yourself when you were first starting out?

Find a writer’s group that is specific to the genre you’re trying to write. I write horror, so a mixed writer’s group didn’t work for me – I scared the non-horror folks! Once I found a community of horror writers, I started getting motivation, support, and feedback. This really launched my success.

Who is publishing your upcoming book(s) and how did you know they were the right fit for your story?

Right now, my novels are placed with Winding Road Stories, a small press dedicated to horror, mystery, and thriller. The editor, Michael Dolan, understands what I’m trying to do and is excellent at helping me achieve the goal. He’s thoughtful, supportive, and insightful. When he accepted my first novel his comments illustrated that he really got my story and was committed to helping me make it the very best it could be.

How long did it take you to get your first publishing deal?

Well, that’s a little complicated! I first started trying to place short stories in 2008. However, I hadn’t yet realized that I am a horror writer through and through. I did place two pieces (one in the outstanding Subterranean Magazine), but otherwise didn’t have much luck. After finishing my Ph.D. I published a narrative nonfiction book called Strip: The Making of a Feminist with Changemakers (an imprint of John Hunt) in 2018. Through a bit of honest soul searching I recognized that I am actually a horror writer, so I started submitting short stories to horror markets. I had almost immediate success. Then I queried my first novel to Winding Road Stories and they accepted it in 2023.

Recent / Upcoming release(s) & where we can get a copy:

All of my books can be found through my website: www.catlynladd.com.

A bunch of my short stories are on there so folks can get a sense of my writing. My upcoming novel – a preapocalyptic philosophical thriller called The Jehovah Project – is coming this fall.

What is your next big author goal moving forward?

My next big goal is to find representation. I have a novel and a novella in progress and I plan to query both. I love Winding Road Stories, and I want bigger. I want more than what a small press can provide.

What other authors would you recommend?

Gosh, so many! Here’s a list of horror authors doing really interesting things, but do your research: some of these are pretty extreme. I’ll list from less extreme to most: Angela Sylvaine, Marissa Yarrow, Tananarive Due, Gemma Files, Mariana Enriquez, Joe Hill, Stephen Graham Jones, Hailey Piper, Nat Cassidy, CJ Leede, Eric LaRocca, Gretchen Felker-Martin.

What cause/charity would you like to shout-out?

The Camping Impact provides people with uteruses access to reproductive healthcare in places where access is limited or prohibited. That includes Plan B (the morning after pill), the abortion pill, and travel costs for accessing medical termination of pregnancy. They are Black woman owned, and providing vital care to women and girls across the United States. I’m a monthly contributor.