Lauren Davis is the author of The Nothing, a spine-tingling series of short stories that revel in the fine lines between reality and illusion. Following the highly anticipated release of The Nothing, What We Reading sat down with Lauren to talk about everything from the process of writing the book, her roots in poetry and what she has planned for the future!
Thanks for speaking with us, Lauren! First off, tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to the world of writing.
Thank you so much, for giving me the opportunity to talk about my writing and my forthcoming short story collection The Nothing. I am a writer living on a peninsula on the Olympic Peninsula, a rather geographically isolated spot. I began writing poetry before I could properly spell, and creative writing has always been a large part of my identity and life. I went on to eventually get my MFA from the Bennington College Writing Seminars, and I have since taught workshops for various organizations such as Hugo House and Tupelo Quarterly. I have never felt like I have had a choice whether to write or not. It’s always felt like a thing I have to do. I am mentally and physically uncomfortable when I am not connected in some way to the literary world.
Talk to us about The Nothing. What are some of the key themes and how was the process of writing it?
I started writing the stories in The Nothing out of frustration, frankly. I was having a difficult time finding a publisher for my first full-length poetry collection. Submitting work for publication was very hard on my ego, and it felt like a painfully long process. I decided I would take the pressure off myself and do something different. Though I had always identified as a poet, I had written fiction in academic settings in the past. So I returned to fiction, and I found – to my surprise – that I was able to say things in fiction that I had not been able to say in poetry. Aaron Burch, who provided a blurb for The Nothing, pointed out that each story contains ghosts, literally or in feeling, and I think that perfectly encapsulated the mood of this collection. I put my characters in situations where their grip on reality is challenged, again and again.
What do you think makes you stand out as an author?
I have had a hard time identifying this book with any one specific genre. It has elements of fantasy, of speculative fiction. It borrows from fairytales, but some stories stay rooted in everyday reality. I think the most accurate term might be “slipstream,” but even that does not apply to each story. I think The Nothing’s refusal to fit neatly into a category is one of its biggest strengths. The reader doesn’t know what reality will be presented next. I got out of the way, as the author, and allowed these stories to be what they wanted to be.
What’s one tip you would give your younger self if you had the opportunity?
Just one? I don’t think I can give just one! I would say experiment more with writing. Take bigger risks. Stay away from cell phones and the internet as much as reasonably possible. In my opinion, they are killers of creativity and time.
And finally, what do you hope the future holds for you and your writing?
My hope, ultimately, is that The Nothing finds the readers it is meant to find. And I hope that my next book after this honors its subject matter. Always, I am trying to honor whatever story is asking to be told.
Follow Lauren and all of her work on her website, Twitter/X and Instagram
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
