The world can be weird, wild, and often funny. Too long, however, girls/women were supposed to be sugar and spice, and everything nice.

Not any more.

Today, girls can be science and tech, and everything creepy. The worlds of STEM, sci-fi, and horror are not only opening up to women but supportive communities have blossomed in all these fields expanding what it is to be female.

Creak. The door is opening...

Enter Jessica Raney, scientist by day, horror writer by night. If you're wondering when she sleeps, it's probably never as some of her stories would keep any one at night.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

I had the privilege of speaking to Jessica earlier this week. She is local to Houston and will be a part of the ScaryDad's Haunted Halloween Show this weekend. She has written six books including a collection of horror stories, Oddballs, and several novels, among them Tooth and Nail and These Violent Delights.

Things That Go Bump in the Night

Jessica shared her vision of horror and it's very open definition. Horror is what makes you uncomfortable. There is no right or wrong answer. For her, that is psychological twists with humor, often set in what she calls "hillbilly noire" but it might be jump scares or slash and gore for you. Each of us that button and good horror pushes that button in you.

She's inspired by Shirley Jackson, best known for her short story "The Lottery" (included in almost every American short story textbook and a gut punch to first time readers) and The Haunting of Hill House which has been incarnated in several films and recently brought back to the fore with the recent Netflix series. We have that in common. I have never quite recovered from "The Lottery". She points out what a trailblazer she was in the field - not only a female horror author but an acclaimed one.

Personally, I think Jessica may very well be on her own path of acclaim. In fact, her sequel to Tooth and Nail is coming out next week.

I like to end my interviews asking if there was a question that they wished was asked. And her answer did not disappoint. She asked that we remember that writers are always evolving. Each book should be different than past books but, hopefully, there is a core that is consistent throughout.

I hope you will check her out this weekend at the Crowne Plaza in the Galleria area this weekend, and at your favorite purveyor of books.

A big thank you to Jessica for her time and sharing her talent.