Nick Cutter: On Interpreting the Past Through Fiction
In this interview, author Nick Cutter discusses his surprise at how personal the experience became of writing his new horror novel, The Queen.
Nick Cutter is the author of the critically acclaimed national bestseller The Troop (currently being developed for film with producer James Wan), as well as The Deep (which has an adaptation in development at Amazon Studios), Little Heaven, and The Handyman Method, cowritten with Andrew F. Sullivan. Nick Cutter is the pseudonym for Craig Davidson, whose much-lauded literary fiction includes Rust and Bone, The Saturday Night Ghost Club, and, most recently, the short story collection Cascade. His story “Medium Tough” was selected by author Jennifer Egan for The Best American Short Stories 2014.
In this interview, Nick discusses his surprise at how personal the experience became of writing his new horror novel, The Queen, his hope for readers, and more.
Name: Nick Cutter
Literary agent: Kirby Kim, Janklow & Nesbit Associates
Book title: The Queen
Publisher: Gallery Books
Release date: October 29, 2024
Genre/category: Horror
Previous titles: The Troop, The Deep, Little Heaven, and The Handyman Method (cowritten with Andrew F. Sullivan)
Elevator pitch: When her childhood friend goes missing, Margaret Carpenter gets pulled into a horrifying chain of events that unravels the secret history of her friend's life. Thirteen Reasons Why meets Carrie.
What prompted you to write this book?
The idea of looking back over my own past through the lens of fiction. My high school experience, moving away from home, trying (and failing) to stay close to the people you grew up with and how that impacted all of us. Friendships and connections, the burdens and joys of that in our adolescence ... and bugs. Mustn't obligate to mention my love-hate relationship with all creepy crawlies.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
Longer than most books I write. I think the first draft was completed in 2020. Then, it morphed over the ensuing years as I worked on some other projects and let this one gel in my head when I wasn't actively working on it. The most important thing was finding (finally) the real emotional hook, which for me was this simple story of two childhood friends who were drifting apart from each other at that time in our lives when that tends to happen—that being the end of high school. How that impacts each of them and how they move forward—or fail to.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I think as I get older, books—or the breakthroughs I have while writing them—tend to happen differently. I find the motivators, those things that connect me to the characters or the spine of the story, in pieces sometimes. So, I'm proud of this book as it's a very different version than the first version. Things changed progressively, pushing toward what I feel is the best version of the narrative based on my own talents. Y'know, you get the best out of the horse you brought to the race, but it takes a bit more time nowadays.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I think with this one it was just how personal it ended up being. It's set in a version of my hometown and backgrounded by a social milieu which—though it should in no way be seen as the one I came of age in way back in the 90s—is somewhat resonant in that time in my life.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Oh, y'know, it's the usual. That they'll get a kick out of it. Get their blood pumping a bit, maybe get a bit revolted here and there, but ideally to feel that there's a real beating heart amidst all the chaos.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
I tend not to give advice to writers nowadays. I'm unsure what value it may be and suspect it could be dubious.
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
