Letting the Monster Win : A Conversation with Anastasia Garcia

A children’s horror writer explains why it’s beneficial to let young people experience fear.

Horror may not sound suitable for children, but it can actually prepare young people for future challenges. Anastasia Garcia is a children’s horror author who creates age-appropriate stories that emulate oral storytelling. Since Halloween is here, we spoke with her and learned more about children’s horror literature.

Writing Horror for Young People

Anastasia Garcia is focused on writing realistic horror stories, ones where the monsters sometimes win. “I never liked when books would pull their punches or wrap up with a happy bow,” said Garcia. “Even if someone survives a story, I knew they never end up just like they were before the horror started.”

From Garcia’s perspective, horror gives children the opportunity to learn more about their resilience and ability to face real-life fears. As a child, Garcia loved to visit libraries but found it difficult to find horror selections that resonated with her interests. Garcia has attempted to reach out to her younger self and write the stories she would have wanted to read.

Garcia’s book Ghostly, Ghastly Tales includes stories where the characters barely make it out alive while still being appropriate for children. “I wanted to write a book for my younger self and for other spooky children who want to read something with a little bit more bite.”

Turning Legends Into Fear

Legends, folklore, and history make up a significant portion of Anastasia Garcia’s work. Garcia is fascinated with the pattern of reality morphed into horror and enjoys experimenting with that in her writing. “Fear is universal… I love reading legends, lore, and history from around the world that give us a glimpse into the things that frightened our ancestors.”

Garcia especially feels this way in an increasingly digital world. Children are becoming used to passively engaging with real-world events all the time. “I believe humans and especially children crave more one-to-one storytelling that is imaginative yet grounded in reality.” By combining realistic horror with engaging folklore, Garcia aims to capture the feeling of listening to spine-chilling oral storytelling.

Garcia feels that the storytelling showcased in her work is vital to human connection. “Families are growing more distant from each other physically, and with that, we lose the knowledge integral to how we prepare for encounters in life. Children can still learn many of life’s lessons from these ancient folktales today in an approachable, easy-to-share way.”

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Forming Fiction Addiction

After moving into a small New York apartment, Anastasia Garcia craved connection. Having used her first paycheck on used books and secondhand bookshelves, Garcia decided to reach out to others with her shared love of reading. Garcia formed Fiction Addiction in 2016, a book club for women and nonbinary people. Regularly gathering to analyze and discuss their favorite literature selections, the club has read around one hundred books in the past eight years.

The Importance of Diversity

Anastasia Garcia’s work has featured characters and concepts from Nigeria, Iceland, Japan, Norway, the Philippines, Ireland, Ancient Egypt, the Caribbean, Mexico, Germany, and the American South. When asked about her story’s diversity, Garcia emphasized the need for children to understand other points of view.

“I believe reading builds empathy,” mentioned Garcia. “To read and enjoy a book, you have to envision yourself in a character’s shoes, especially characters who are not like you, and by doing so, you learn to feel and think like someone else.” Garcia believes that children reading about characters from different parts of the world enhance their curiosity and ability to escape to new environments.

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Embracing Horror at Libraries

Anastasia Garcia regularly visited the library as a child and still feels passionate about its role in communities. According to Garcia, “Libraries create a safe space for children to explore their interests and passions through books while also providing access to skill-building activities and tools.”

Garcia particularly focused on US public libraries’ affordability and accessibility to children. As mentioned by Garcia, when so many vital resources are free for children, it instills a love for reading at a young age. “Providing free access to a well-curated selection of books and allowing children to sample any stories that pique their interests sparks a continued enthusiasm to read.”

Garcia also reiterated the importance of including horror for young people on library shelves. She feels it’s essential for children to confront their fears and overcome hardships through horror books. “Reading scary stories, like those in my book, allow young readers to approach their fears and ultimately conquer them.”

Celebrate Halloween with Anastasia Garcia’s Horror Books

As Halloween approaches, many young people will be interested in reading creepy and thrilling literature. Anastasia Garcia encourages people to embrace the childlike wonder and imagination that reappears around the spooky season. “We celebrate the season that reminds us so much of the “big change” — death… It’s a blissful time that reminds us to appreciate life and remember those who lived before.”

Visit Anastasia Garcia’s website if you’re interested in exploring her horror literature.