Haunted Trails is honoured to feature Tomi Oyemakinde, author of the debut speculative horror,The Changing Man, out now!
Tomi, we're thrilled to have you as one of our featured creators for #31DaysofHaunting this October! Please, tell us about yourself.
Thank you for having me! The name’s Tomi and I’m a YA Author (planning to one day span multiple age ranges) based in the UK. I love writing, reading, and watching anything with a speculative bent. Uncanny strangeness is my jam. We'd love to hear about any recent projects you released or completed.
My debut novel, The Changing Man, came out in September. Set in a boarding school in the countryside it centres new student Ife who is a fish out of water. When the only friend she’s made turns up uncannily different, it sets Ife off on a journey to uncover if the urban legend of ‘The Changing Man’ could be true.
The Changing Man was inspired by three main aspects. My boarding school experience (many years ago now) played a huge part. I wanted to write a story set in a sprawling school like the one I attended. Second, it took me a while to learn that home isn't only found in a place, but can be found in people too. I wanted to write a story to help others learn that truth too. Last, but not least, I watched Jordan Peele's US alone and late at night. I remember how terrified and energised I felt waking back. I knew I wanted to try and capture the feeling in a story.
Amazon US : https://a.co/d/4cyfD8T
Amazon UK: https://amzn.eu/d/8KRZAch
What's next for you? Are you working on anything new right now?
Good question. I have a YA thriller that I’m excited about. I can’t say much, but what I can say is that it’s about two brothers and their dad, trying to understand one another in a high stakes situation. It’s also a homage to ‘monster’ and ‘zombie’ movies like Jurassic Park, Train to Busan, Shaun of the Dead and A Quiet Place.
The premise sounds brilliant! I'm looking forward to when it comes out!
Horror is widely varied with a variety of sub genres that includes supernatural, folk, psychological, slasher, weird and many more. Which sub-genre are you most drawn to and why?
As a reader/watcher I’m most drawn to the crossroads where slashers and comedy meet. I like to be unsettled and be able to laugh at the same time. In my mind it’s like indulging in sweet and salt popcorn. When it comes to writing, I find monster/creature horror grips me the most. I get to let my imagination run wild and come up with strange and weird creatures that wreak terror.
Is there anything you'd like to see more or less of in the Horror genre, and is it something you try to reflect in your own work?
I’d love to see more subversion of classic Horror tropes. I will let the readers decide if I managed to pull it off but with The Changing Man, there were plenty of moments where I wanted to subvert things. As I hopefully explore more of this space, I hope to be bolder and braver in how I subvert and invert the Horror genre.
It's been an absolute pleasure getting to know you and your work! Since we're Halloween obsessed here on #31DaysOfHaunting, there's a few more things we need to know!
Favourite films and books for the spooky season?
I just read When Ghosts Call Us Home by Katya de Becerra which was a brilliant and chilling read. An adult horror I read that has left a strong impression is The Whisper Man by Alex North. It was spine-tingling. When it comes to films, I’ll always recommend the Scream films. I can rewatch those over and over. The Wailing and Cure are both very good too for atmospheric horror. Jordan Peele’s US is perfect for spooky season.
Who would be your perfect squad to go trick or treating with?
Great question. I’d have Eleven from Stranger things as part of my squad, alongside Scooby Doo, N.K. Jemisin, and my younger brother.
Forget costumes, you can swap bodies with your favourite horror character for Halloween. Who is it?
Love this! I think I’d love to swap bodies with Danny Torrance post the Doctor Sleep novel. I think being an adult with psychic powers would be quite the privilege.
What's the one Halloween candy that you'd rather fight the scariest of monsters than hand it over?
Ooooh. I must confess I haven’t had too many Halloween candies in my life time, and I am not sure this counts, but probably anything by Reese's.
Give us one song that should be on everyone's Halloween playlist.
I’ll Keep Coming by Low Roar. Such an eerie atmospheric song that will be sure to get that mood right. Can I cheat and pick an alternative? Which is Michael Jackson’s Thriller. A timeless song.
Finally, what's your ideal way to spend All Hallows' Eve?
I’m quite boring in this regard. I would say my ideal way to spend the evening is indoors, with a hot cup of tea, and on hand to offer sweets to the youngsters who may come by my door. I love observing the tremendous costumes.
Thank you so much for being a part of our Halloween celebration on Haunted Trails for #31DaysofHaunting! I have no doubt our readers will enjoy your debut novel, The Changing Man and we look forward to your future books! Happy Haunting!
Readers, look out for my review of The Changing Man coming soon!
You can find Tomi via the following links where you can keep up with the latest news and find out more about his current and forthcoming releases!
Twitter - https://twitter.com/oyemakindet_
Instagram - @tomioyemakinde
Comments