Interview with C.R. Langille
C.R. Langille, author and retired and disabled veteran, draws inspiration from Saturday afternoons spent watching monster movies with her mom, weaving eerie nightmares to captivate her audience. In 2021, driven by her profound passion for unsettling tales, she founded Timber Ghost Press. As an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association and the DEI Chair for the League of Utah Writers, Langille's dedication to the craft of horror writing is evident. She earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in 2014, solidifying her commitment to the genre.
What is your hometown, and when did your journey as a writer begin?
I grew up in Utah, spending half my childhood in Orem, and then moving to Cache Valley right after 6th grade because my mom got a job up there. I first started writing in the 11th grade. I picked up The Crystal Shard by R.A. Salvatore in 6th grade from the library and that is what got me hooked on reading. I devoured all the Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance books I could and I knew pretty early on I wanted to be an author.
I am personally a fan of monster movies and I read in your bio that you grew up watching them. Which was your favorite growing up? Or at least the one that inspired you the most?
One that inspired me the most was probably Aliens. I’ve seen that movie so many times and I think it really helped shape me with my tastes for the genre. Those xenomorphs were way cool, and the addition of the queen in Aliens really took the franchise to another place. Don’t get me wrong, I love Alien, but out of the entire franchise, Aliens is hands down my favorite.
How did you first become interested in writing in the weird western genre? What drew you to this particular blend of genres?
It goes back to movies again. Along with the scary movies, sci-fi’s, and fantasy flicks, I watched a lot of westerns. I cut my chops on shows like Silverado, Young Guns, Pale Rider, The Cowboys, etc. Then as I got a bit older I started playing the Deadlands TTRPG and reading stories set in that world. One day for my MFA class I ended up writing a horror that was set in the Old West and I loved it. After that, I was hooked and started writing more. I think the blending of the genres work because of the isolation that is already inherent in a western setting. For example, even if it is set in a town, real help may still be days or weeks away if it will even come at all. Plus, there are very real dangers already present in the Old West such as the environment, the wild nature of things, lawlessness, bandits, etc. On top of it, I like writing Old West characters because they are already somewhat tough just surviving during the time.
Could you outline the key features of weird western fiction for those who may not be familiar with the genre?
The way I see it, is a weird west takes the western tropes and places them in a world that is not how we know it. There may be eldritch terrors lurking in the abandoned mine. Perhaps the strange old woman who lives on the outskirts of town can actually draw upon dark magic and make deals with unspeakable things. It’s where occult can shine, monsters can rule, and the strange can happen, all with western trappings. The Old West is already a romanticized time period for a lot of folks, and I love taking that romantic view and skewing it toward the darkness.
What strategies do you employ for world-building? Additionally, what factors do you consider when constructing an alternate or fantastical rendition of the West?
When I am creating my world, I’ll use what it was really like as a foundation. Then from there, I decide what I’m going to introduce into the world to hit those weird/horror notes. Am I going to bring in monsters? Is magic a thing? If so, how does it work, what are the rules? The reader may never know those rules, but I need to know them as I write so I can stick to some boundaries. But with any story, it starts with an idea and a character. I’ll generally know about a character before I get much of a plot going.
How do you balance historical accuracy with creative license when writing in the weird western genre?
I made the mistake of not doing enough research with my first story. When my uncle read it, he wrote me saying he enjoyed the story, but I had screwed up and had the protagonist wielding a Colt Peacemaker before they were an actual thing. After that, I ensured I did tons of research. I think the more realistic and reliable you can make a story, the more invested readers will get. I now always ensure that the places I reference and the gear they carry were a thing. I’ll often spend hours looking at old maps, looking up articles, historical facts, etc, before I even start writing. As far as the weird west part, that’s the fun part. Once I get the facts down, then I feel like I can be a little more liberal with the rest. That’s stuff I make up and create.
I’ve attempted to write some cosmic horror in the past and found that it’s both comforting to write in a category that so few know, and also scary that those who know it, know it very deeply. Is it comforting to write in such an esoteric genre, or do you feel the pressure of the “weird west” aficionados?
I don’t feel much pressure. I’ve read enough and written enough cosmic horror that I feel comfortable with it. I’ve also come to understand and accept that not everyone is going to enjoy what I write. It’s just how it goes. So I try not to get hung up about it. As long as I write something that I like and I feel adds value to the genre, then I’m happy with it.
Are there any particular authors or works within the weird western genre that have inspired or influenced your writing?
Absolutely. Joe Lansdale, KC Grifant, Hailey Piper, Wile. E. Young, Stephen King, and Robert E. Howard to name a few.
How has being a retired Air National Guard veteran influenced your writing? Is there a group of supportive veterans out there supporting writers?
Mainly time. I’ve gotten so much more time after retiring. I would say that my time in the military really helped me with project management as well, so I can get things done in an orderly fashion, lol. It’s also helped me whenever I write military horror. I have a pretty decent understanding of how organized military groups function, so I can put that through on the page. I definitely have veterans out there who support me. Some are writers, some are not.
What are some of the pros and cons of self-publishing?
Biggest pro is you get to make all the decisions and you get to keep all of the profit. The biggest con, is that you have to make all of the decisions and a lot (if not all sometimes) of the profit goes into production and marketing. You definitely have to hustle more with self-publishing, but I noticed I was having to hustle a lot publishing with some some small presses and wasn’t getting much in return. So I decided to start self-publishing some of my work and now I put in the same amount of time and effort but get a better return on investment. It all just depends on what you want and what you are willing to put into it.
I read in one of your reviews that you are a tabletop gamer. What type of games do you play? Role-playing or tactical board games?
I started playing TTRPGs in 6th grade (geez, it would seem 6th grade was an important time in my life). But it goes back to reading. In the back of the Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance books were ads for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition. I wanted to get into it, so my mom, who kicks all sorts of butt, got me the core books and I convinced my friends to play. That started me down the path of RPGs. I’ve played both RPGs and tactical games such as Warhammer 40k, but my favorites at the moment are D&D 5e and Call of Cthulhu. Although I did run an Alien RPG campaign for my group last year and really enjoyed that system as well.
I love RPGs because it is another medium for storytelling. I am generally the DM or Gamemaster running everything, so it lets me flex my creative chops and test out story elements in a live setting.
I see you are a fan of survival and sharing tips about it. Which came first, a love of survival or a love of horror… or did they go hand in hand? Also, do you use your love of survival as research for your writing?
My love of horror came first. The survival part came from being in the outdoors and the military. As a kid my grandpa would take me hunting and fishing. Then, when I joined the military, they sent me to wilderness survival school and showed me the basics of how to survive in the woods. I was hooked after that and continued my education in survival with both self-study and taking classes when I could.
I have definitely used my survival knowledge in my writing. I’ve written a lot of stories set in the backwoods and my latest novel that I am currently shopping around is about a group of professional survivalists who think they are competing in a reality television show when in fact they are tribute to an ancient entity that awakens every so often to feed. It’s kind of Alone meets Cabin in the Woods.
I’ve read that you try to include some kind of LGBTQ material in your writing. Are some genres (like weird westerns) more difficult to include LGBTQ material in?
I wouldn’t say that it is difficult. I mean there have been LGBTQIA+ folks around since recorded history. It is just a matter of showing it as accurately as possible in the time period. There are some themes in my weird westerns, but they are more subtle than in my modern pieces.
Weird west isn’t your only genre. I see you also write horror, dark urban fantasy, and weird tales. Do you have a few genres you like to stick to? Do you have a genre you consider your “home genre”?
My home genre would definitely be cosmic horror. But I like to mash things up, so sci-fi cosmic horror, modern cosmic horror, etc. The first books I wrote started off as horror, but slowly morphed into dark urban fantasy. I think it was because I was reading a lot Jim Butcher books at the time I was writing and it kind of just happened, lol. I’ve also written some fantasy and grimdark fantasy. But cosmic horror is the genre I feel most comfortable writing.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers interested in exploring the weird western genre?
My advice is read and read a lot. Read the genre so you can understand what it is and what folks are doing with it. Also, read critically. If you come across a scene in a weird western that you really enjoy, break it down and figure out what the author did to make it so enjoyable. Same thing if you come across a scene you really don’t like. Do the same thing. Break it down and try and figure out what they did so you can avoid it in your writing.
What are you working on next?
I’m working on a couple of short stories for open calls. One I was invited to and others that are kind of bucket list publications I want to get into. After that, I’ll be jumping into my next book which is part cosmic horror, and part homage to the old sci-fi horror flicks of the 80’s/90’s. It’s titled Night of the Wormheads if that gives you any indication of the plot, lol. Think small town, meteor hitting the earth, bad things happening.
