CONTRIBUTOR SPOTLIGHT: Rae Knowles
RAE KNOWLES (she/her) is a queer woman with multiple works from Brigids Gate Press. Her debut novel, The Stradivarius, was released May ’23, her sapphic horror novella, Merciless Waters, is due out winter ’23, and her collaboration with April Yates, Lies That Bind, in early ’24. A number of her short stories have been published or are forthcoming from publications like Dark Matter Ink’s Monstrous Futures, Nightmare, Seize the Press, Ghoulish Tales, and Taco Bell Quarterly. Recent updates on her work can be found at RaeKnowles.com and you can follow her on twitter @_Rae_Knowles.
The Fiends in the Furrows III: Final Harvest
“Mulberry Silk”
What do you like most about Folk Horror?
I’m fascinated by the idea of blind devotion, and you can catch me watching just about every cult documentary that’s ever aired. Folk horror captures that same zeal with the added bonus of old, often merciless gods. As someone still searching for the best way to tap into my own spirituality, it’s fun to play with ritual and the meaning behind it on the page. I think The Wicker Man imprinted on me with the contrast between frivolous joy and brutal violence. It’s hard to pin down just one thing. The combination of these elements is what draws me to folk horror.
What inspired you to write your FIENDS III story?
I’ve written about these characters, Becca and Gem, repeatedly and almost always in a folk horror framework. The blind devotion to cultish practices fits seamlessly with Becca and Gem’s dynamic—Becca being an aloof narcissist and Gem her obsessive devotee. This particular story came out of what was, at the time, my strangest idea yet, and the woodsy setting made for a perfect backdrop.
What upcoming projects are you working on?
My debut novel, a psych thriller called The Stradivarius, releases May 9th and I’m incredibly excited about that. Becca and Gem (with new names, Lily and Jaq) star in an erotic folk horror novella called Merciless Waters which comes out in November 2023. I’m beyond thrilled to show their relationship play out in a longer form, and it was an amazing experience writing folk horror from the point of view of the group members. Normally we see folk horror stories told from the perspective of an outsider. I had such fun twisting that, making the outsider the antagonist and showing how he interrupted the lives and rituals of this group. Really hoping fans of Mulberry Silk will pick up a copy!
THE FIENDS IN THE FURROWS III
THE FIENDS IN THE FURROWS III: FINAL HARVEST is a collection of nineteen stories embodying the menacing essence of Folk Horror.
Folk Horror fans will uncover in these short stories tales of rampant rural monstrosity and agrarian horror within rustic settings, where dread sinks its roots deep into the earth to bring forth a bountiful crop of unforgettable terrors.
Nosetouch Press is proud to present THE FIENDS IN THE FURROWS III: FINAL HARVEST to horror readers everywhere.