Before her first foray into folk horror, Olivia had two crime fiction novels published: Someone You Know and The Verdict. She grew up in Worcestershire but now lives in London.

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Welcome to the Hive, Olivia. Congratulations on the upcoming release of Sorrow Spring. Firstly, can you tell our readers what they will find inside the pages of your book?

It’s a dark, folk suspense novel of twisted sisterhood and secrets. In 1978, when teenager Rina Pine is abandoned by her hippy mother in the isolated village of Sorrow Spring and forced to live with her elderly aunt, she quickly realises no one is coming to rescue her. She finds herself trapped amidst a community of women beholden to the past, who believe in the protective powers of the local spring. When a child goes missing and a young mother is killed, she is drawn into the dark and sinister truth flowing through the sacred waters that give the village its name. Rina is about to learn what it truly means to be a daughter of Sorrow Spring…

 Your book is set in 1970s rural England, what drew you to writing in this era?

It’s a time in the not too distant past where strange local rituals could exist without outside interference. Likewise, any strange disappearances or occurrences could be kept secret. Now there would be podcasts and a Netflix true crime series. Also, there’s a charm and innocence to the era, despite the dark undercurrents.  Rina couldn’t be so naïve in today’s world. 

Often when people hear rural village settings they imagine an idyllic cosy picturesque place. How did you set about creating an eerie atmosphere? Or was this juxtaposition deliberate?

Like beautiful people, beautiful places get away with far more than less charming ones. Everyone wants to think the best of them and red flags in any other context, are often written off as idiosyncrasies. We interpret the world as we wish it to be. 

Can you briefly describe what defines the folk-horror sub-genre for you? Do you have a favourite or least favourite trope?

To a certain extent folk horror is in the eye of the beholder, which is great because I don’t think these things should be too heavily codified. Usually, folk horror would be linked to a specific location, Summerisle in The Wickerman or England’s North West coast in The Loney. There’s a sense of isolation, and a culture clash, the old vs the new or rural vs urban. Also the horror should come from an entity established in local lore, such as a ritual or some type of monster. It can be real or imaginary but the inhabitants must believe in it. Regarding tropes, I don’t think there are good ones and bad ones, they all exist for a reason and their effectiveness lies in the execution. 

Your book explores pagan undertones along with themes of isolated communities and otherness. Was there any particular folk-lore or story which inspired you to write about these aspects?

Growing up, my local church was dedicated to St Kenelm, the boy king of Mercia. Legend states that his wicked sister had him murdered to capture his lands. When his body was found and disinterred, a spring sprouted from the ground and its water contained healing properties. At the beginning of the pandemic, as people were fighting over paracetamol and hand sanitiser, it struck me how fearful we are in times of disease and that before modern medicine, communities would have clung onto anything, such as these healing springs, to keep them safe. How far then would people go to preserve and protect them? This question formed the inspiration for Sorrow Spring, though I have fictionalised both the saint and the location.

Can you tell us a bit more about your main character, Rina Pine? What drives her?

Rina’s motivations change throughout the book. When she first arrives in Sorrow Spring her main wish is to escape and return to her mother and their friends at their commune. But as soon as she meets Luke Glebe this changes. She’s on the cusp of adolescence and he’s the first boy to turn her head. So she’s conflicted, wanting to escape but also wanting to be with Luke. In the second half of the book her motivation is very different, but discussing that would lead to spoilers.  

And how do you think you’d fare if you were in your protagonist’s shoes?

I think I would have done a better job of escaping from Sorrow Spring. But Rina makes a more compelling heroine. She’s far braver than I am and doesn’t shy away from physical confrontation. Also she’s ruthless when required.  

Without giving away too many spoilers, was there a particular scene in your book which you enjoyed writing the most?

I enjoyed writing the scene where Rina’s Aunt Agatha explains the village customs. To us, they are horrific and terrifying, to her they are rational and necessary. There are people who glorify being evil, but the majority of evil is instigated by people who believe it is justified and for the greater good. 

Recommend us your favourite horror written by a woman! Any hidden gems?

I think most of my favourites like, Shirley Jackson, Catriona Ward and Silvia Moreno-Garcia, are already well-known. E Nesbit is a bit more under the radar. She’s celebrated as a writer of children’s stories such as The Railway Children and The Phoenix and the Carpet, but her horror short stories are often overlooked, which is a shame because some of them are classics. My favourites are The Shadow, Man Size in Marble and John Charrington’s Wedding. 

What’s your favourite scary movie?

I love the Babadook. The best horror is a metaphor for our own dark emotions, in this case the Babadook externalises both grief and guilt

Can you tell us a little something about your current work(s) in progress? Have you any upcoming projects which you can share?

I’m working on my next novel, again much of it takes place in Worcestershire, this time on the fictional Hallows Hill, where a group of teenagers perform a summoning ritual, calling upon the spirit of a reputed witch. By morning one of them is dead. 

Finally, what is the one thing you hope readers take away from your writing?

I really just want my readers to enjoy a bit of escapism. And perhaps, with Sorrow Spring, a drop of nostalgia. 

Thank you so much for joining us today!

Sorrow Spring is out today, you can order your copy on Bookshop.org