Q+A with Vincent Ralph

We’re thrilled to have another creepy, twisty YA novel coming from Vincent Ralph, and we’re even more thrilled that he agreed to sit down with us and answer some questions about himself and his upcoming book, ONE HOUSE LEFT!

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1. What’s something that made you smile today?

Our sons are currently obsessed with The Lion King and have spent most of the morning singing Hakuna Matata.

2. What are you currently reading?

I tend to avoid fiction while I’m writing, so I’m currently reading MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios by Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, and Gavin Edwards. I love Marvel movies and this is a fascinating look behind the scenes from the birth of the MCU to now.

3. Where’s your favorite place to write?

Just at my desk in the bedroom. It’s quite boring, but I need to close the door and lose myself in the story to write effectively.

4. What’s an upcoming book you’re excited about?

HEADS WILL ROLL by Josh Winning. It’s about a former sitcom star who checks into a retreat at an old campground in the woods. She doesn’t believe the urban legend about Knock Knock Nancy…until a fellow camper disappears in mysterious circumstances and something starts knocking on her cabin door.

5. What’s on your TBR?

As soon as I can, I want to read WHERE SLEEPING GIRLS LIE by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. Having loved ACE OF SPADES, this one is next on my list. I also can’t wait to get into INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE by Josh Mallerman and THE SHARDS by Bret Easton Ellis.

6. What was your favorite book as a child?

I loved the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. They were the first stories I remember losing myself in – these epic fantasy books for children with a cast of anthropomorphic animals and such a rich history.

7. What’s a fact about you that surprises people?

It won’t surprise anyone who knows me but, despite writing dark novels, I love shows, books, and movies that make me cry. I’m a sucker for a rom-com and coming-of-age stories.

8. What has been your favorite part of your publishing journey so far?

Seeing one of the pages with the fewest words on: the Other books by Vincent Ralph page at the front of my novels. I love seeing that expand the more stories I write. From the age of 18, I dreamed of being a published author, and it took nearly twenty years for that wish to come true. I’m incredibly lucky and, with each new title added to that page, I feel even more privileged.

9. Your upcoming book, ONE HOUSE LEFT, centers around urban legends. Was there an urban legend you grew up with?

The Ghost of Blue Bell Hill. There have been several ghostly sightings there since a car crash back in 1965. Three women lost their lives, one at the scene and two later in hospital. People have since claimed that they gave a lift to a hitchhiker only for her to disappear from their back seat. Others say she stares into the eyes of drivers as she steps in front of their vehicles. But, when a driver checks the road, she’s vanished.

10. If you could pitch ONE HOUSE LEFT in one sentence, what would it be?

Nate and his family have been running from Murder Road for years, but there are some urban legends that you can’t escape.

11. What inspired you to start writing scary stories?

I’ve always written quite filmically, picturing the chapters in my books as separate scenes. I was 17 when the original Scream came out, and I watched countless horror movies off the back of that, so I realized that scary stories are incredibly fun to write. I also worry a lot, and putting those worst-case-scenarios into stories seems to help.

12. Do you have a favorite horror classic?

MISERY by Stephen King is an all-time favorite. I vividly remember reading this incredible cat-and-mouse game when I was a teenager. To this day, it’s the tensest I’ve ever felt reading a novel. In terms of movies, Scream is the OG for me.

13. And alternatively, what’s a more recent horror movie that you love?

Talk to Me is one of the most original, dread-inducing movies I’ve seen, and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a new scary movie.

14. Your books are always so twisty and plot-driven? Are you a plotter or a pantser? How do you keep track of the twists and turns?

I guess it’s a bit of both. I like to have the major points mapped out before I start, but much of the story comes when I let the characters breathe. They say things and go to places I hadn’t previously thought of. The big twists in most of my stories were outlined before I wrote a word, but many of the smaller twists happen as I’m writing.

In terms of keeping track of everything, when I’m writing, the story literally fills my head. I’ll be thinking about it constantly, running through what works and what doesn’t, how to improve a certain scene or tweak a key moment. Once a story is complete, I empty my mind, take a few days off, then start on the next one.

15. If you could write about anything in the world next, what would it be?

I grew up watching Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill so, if I’m being totally honest, I’ve always wanted to try my hand at something similar for the modern day. I don’t know if that would work but, maybe one day, I’ll give it a try.

16. And lastly, can you tell us anything about what you’re working on next?

I am very excited to be writing my first horror series, set in the cursed town of Bleak Haven. The first book is finished and I’m currently drafting the second. I can’t be too specific about the individual stories, but I can say this is the most fun I’ve had writing.

 

ONE HOUSE LEFT by Vincent Ralph | 9781250882189 (TP) | 9781250882165 (HC) | 8/27/24