Written Author Interview
- Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do outside of writing? What is a day in the life like for you?
I’m a South African horror author writing under the pen name Cailynn Brawffe, and I specialise in stories where the quiet things are the most frightening — grief, inheritance, memory, the ghosts we create ourselves. Outside of writing, I live a fairly cosy (and mildly demented) domestic life. I have three cats who are convinced they are criminal masterminds and attempt food-related psychological warfare daily.
When I’m not writing, I’m usually researching strange bits of folklore, watching old horror films, drinking unreasonable amounts of tea, or browsing second-hand bookshops like they’re temples.
A typical day for me is a mix of teaching English online, writing whenever the story starts tugging on my sleeve, trying to convince my plants to survive, and attempting to keep the cats from staging a coup. Quiet life on the outside — gothic brain palace on the inside.
2. What inspired your first novel? What was the thing that got you into writing in the first place?
My first published novella, Madness in Bloom, was born from a strange moment of irony around Mother’s Day. Everywhere I looked were soft pastel cards and sentimental messages — and I remember thinking, “Where are the stories for the daughters who don’t feel safe going home?”
The novella explores the dynamic between covert narcissistic mothers and their daughters, and how society often romanticises motherhood to the point that harm becomes invisible. Even when daughters escape, they often carry the echoes of manipulation, guilt, and identity-loss. In that sense, the story became both horror and social commentary — the haunting isn’t just supernatural, it’s emotional and inherited.
As for what got me into writing: I’ve always been drawn to the quiet, unsettling corners of life. I grew up fascinated by what people don’t say. Horror became the perfect language for those silences.
3. How do you come up with characters? Are they spontaneous or meticulously planned?
A bit of both — like alchemy.
Characters usually arrive with a voice or a wound first. I’ll suddenly think, “What kind of person
would do this? What are they running from?” and the seed is planted. The initial spark is spontaneous — but the history, the emotional architecture, the way they move through the world — that part I build deliberately.
I outline backstory, motivations, and internal conflict… and then, inevitably, halfway through drafting, a character will revolt and say:
“Actually, no. That’s not who I am at all.”
When that happens, I listen. Characters reveal themselves in the writing. And sometimes the most truthful version of them is the one that defies the plan.
It’s chaotic. It’s frustrating. It’s magic.
4. What are some of your favourite genres to read? Are there any books you’d recommend to first time readers or people looking for something new?
I gravitate toward horror, psychological thrillers, and literary fiction with a dark or uncanny edge. I love stories that sit between genres — the ones that make you feel slightly off-balance, like something is just a little wrong beneath the surface.
For readers new to thrillers, I always suggest starting with Agatha Christie for structure and suspense, and Gillian Flynn for psychological depth and emotional brutality. Both write women who are complex, sharp, and often deeply unsettling — which I adore.
As for personal favourites:
Perfume by Patrick Süskind — a gorgeously grotesque dive into obsession.
Dead Writers in Rehab by Paul B. Davies — surreal, darkly funny, deeply human.
Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse — a serial killer narrative that somehow manages to be witty, horrifying, and painfully relatable.
If a book can make me laugh, cringe, and stare into the middle distance questioning humanity, I’m probably in love with it.
5. What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer?
Aside from the classic “I finally solve a plot problem at 3am when I am nowhere near a notebook” phenomenon?
Honestly — the loneliness of it.
Writing is deeply internal. You spend so much time in your own head, building worlds no one else can see yet. And if you’re introverted (guilty), finding a writing community can feel nearly impossible. When you’re just starting out, it’s easy to feel like you’re shouting your stories into a void.
I’ve learned that even horror writers — who can conjure monsters and ghosts without blinking — still need support. I wouldn’t have made it this far without my small circle of friends and my husband, who cheer me on even when I’m mumbling about plot arcs and haunted appliances.
Writing is lonely. But it doesn’t have to be solitary.
6. What is your process to completing a novel from outline to final product?
My writing process always begins in chaos — usually with a single image, emotion, or “what if” that refuses to leave me alone. From there, I start building shape around the feeling. I’ll sketch out a loose outline or character arc, knowing full well that both will shift once I begin writing. I also have a wonderful friend, Daniel, who endures all of my “Wait — but what if—?!” messages at odd hours.
Once I have a direction, I move into drafting. The first draft is where I allow myself to be messy. I write scenes out of order, follow instincts, and let the characters surprise me — and they do. I inevitably discover plot holes mid-sentence, but I try not to panic. The first draft is where I learn what the story actually is.
After that, I step back. I send the manuscript to my editor because, by then, I’m far too close to the material to see it clearly. Their feedback helps me refine the structure, pacing, and thematic focus.
Then come the rewrites — this is where the real craft happens. I tighten language, deepen character motivations, sharpen the horror, and ask myself the hard questions:
Is this moment emotionally honest?
Is the fear earned, not forced?
Does the haunting linger when the page is closed?
By the final pass, the chaos has become something deliberate — shaped, sharpened, and alive.
7. What’s the most unhinged thing you’ve written in your novel? Don’t worry, we don’t judge here.
There are options, which probably says a lot about me.
Popcorn was written from pure, simmering rage — a workplace horror where the “employee appreciation” popcorn literally brainwashes staff into becoming docile, smiling corporate puppets. People who’ve worked in toxic offices tend to read it and go, “…yeah, that tracks.”
But the most unhinged thing I’ve written is definitely in The Girl Who Knew The Medicine. My favourite scenes involve the bullies gradually losing their grip on reality and vomiting up bloody, thorn-filled hairballs — a very visceral metaphor for guilt and cruelty rotting someone from the inside out. It’s grotesque. It’s cathartic. And I stand by every gory detail.
8. What’s one thing about being a writer that absolutely drives you up the wall?
It’s when I tell someone I’m a writer, and they respond with,
“Oh, that’s a cute little hobby!”
Writing is a craft — one that takes discipline, time, revision, and emotional vulnerability. Many creative pursuits get dismissed this way, and it can be disheartening. For me, writing isn’t something I do on the side — it’s something I am constantly nurturing, learning from, and showing up for.
So when someone implies it’s something I’ll “grow out of,” I have to take a very deep, very calm breath… and remind myself that they simply don’t understand what it means to build worlds from scratch.
No haunting necessary — just a quiet promise to keep proving the art is real.
9. What does being a successful writer look like for you? What type of life do you want to live as a writer?
My definition of success has changed over time. When I was younger, success looked like fame, bestseller lists, and maybe a dramatic interview on Oprah while wearing an unnecessarily dramatic cape.
There was also a phase where I imagined myself ruling a shadowy publishing empire from a throne made of leather-bound books. (Which… honestly… still has a certain appeal.)
But now? Success looks quieter.
A small home surrounded by trees.
My husband, my cats, and a life built around storytelling.
Waking up, making tea, and writing books that linger under people’s skin long after they’ve finished them.
Success, to me, is simply being able to live gently — while writing the kind of horror that unsettles, resonates, and stays.
10. Describe your writing journey. If you had to write a story centered around it, do you think you could pull it off?
My writing journey has been full of ups and downs — and yes, monsters and tricksters, too. I’ve never been someone who enjoys writing directly about myself, but if I had to tell it as a story, I think I’d tell it like a dark fairy tale.
Once upon a time, there was a girl who loved stories. She was raised among monsters who looked like ordinary people, and she grew up bruised, twisted, and carrying scars no one could see. She almost stopped telling her stories. She almost let the silence swallow her.
And then she met a rogue warlock — someone who didn’t rescue her, but reminded her that even the mangled, hurting parts of herself were still hers, and still powerful. So she began writing again. And again. And again.
Each story made her braver.
Each page stitched one wound closed.
Until eventually, she was ready to share her stories with the world.
Could I pull off writing that as a book?
Yes, maybe — but only because I survived it first.
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About
Cailynn Brawffe is a South African-born writer who has always had a penchant for the dark and disturbing. She strives to create a unique blend of horror, thriller, and fantasy fiction that’s a rollercoaster ride through the depths of the human psyche.
Drawing inspiration from literary giants like Gillian Flynn, Agatha Christie, and Joyce Carol Oates, Cailynn’s writing often delves into the darkest corners of human nature, leaving readers on the edge of their seats and sleepless for days. Her psychological thrillers are not for the faint of heart, but for those brave enough to venture into the shadows, they offer a gripping and unforgettable experience.
When she’s not busy scaring the living daylights out of her readers, Cailynn can be found reading, knitting, gardening, and drawing. She finds that these activities help to keep her grounded after spending hours in the company of her dark and twisted characters.
With a wicked sense of humour and a passion for crafting spine-tingling tales, Cailynn Brawffe is a force to be reckoned with in the world of horror and thriller fiction.
Ready to dive into the dark? Check out Cailynn’s short stories on Wattpad for a taste of her chilling tales. Don’t miss out on exclusive content, updates, and more—sign up for her newsletter today and be the first to know when new nightmares are unleashed!
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