Miracle Austin embraces the thrill of horror, weaving tales that blend horror, fantasy, and romance, sparked by her Scooby-Doo-inspired love for the supernatural.
SAN ANTONIO — Some writers chase happy endings, Miracle Austin chases chills, magic, and everything in between.
The Waco native may fill her stories with monsters, but she’s never afraid to wander into something new.
Austin’s writing journey began in junior high but instead of stories it was song lyrics.
“You know, being an 80’s girl I loved songs, all those good things: Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, New Addition, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam,” Austin said. “If you think about it every song tells a story regardless of the genre of music, it tells a story. So, music spoke to me and it continues to speak to me. I can’t write without music.”
But Austin didn’t take writing seriously until years later. She graduated high school, went to college and grad school, got married and eventually, rediscovered her passion.
“I just kind of put my whole writing passion on a shelf and I forgot about it until, like, maybe about eight, ten years ago. Something happened in my life that led me back to writing. And I started on this like, writing online group,” she said.
That decision reignited her creativity, though the road wasn’t easy. She feared she wouldn’t stand a chance in the writing world.
“Of course, I got so many rejections and I pretty much almost gave up and threw in the towel but I didn’t. And I finally got confirmation from one of my little free verse poems to be basically published on a E-zine,” Austin said.
And that was the start of it all.
“I think I rediscovered what I’d always loved but I just forgot about it because so many obstacles got in the way.”
Now a full-time medical social worker, Austin says writing is her escape.
“It’s my therapy playground,” she said.
And despite her love of horror and the paranormal, it wasn’t Freddy Kreuger, Jason Vorhees or Michael Myers that sparked Austin’s love for all things spooky. It was those meddling kids and their talking dog.
“Scooby Doo, believe it or not, introduced me to horror. And I love watching horror and supernatural movies, series, but I’ll also watch other things. I’m not just locked into horror and supernatural, even though it’s my first choice. But I do like to watch and read other genres because believe it or not that’s where you can get the best ideas and cross them together and create something that you never expected,” Austin said.
That open-minded approach shines in her second book, “Boundless,” a collection of short stories that blends horror, fantasy, romance, and more.
“[Boundless] was like a personal love letter to myself and I started, you know, collecting these stories when I joined that, online writing group. But it was never supposed to be released at the time that it was,” she said.
After hundreds of rejections, Austin finally decided to publish independently, an idea she got from a fellow indie author she met at a conference.
“One day I just said, you know what? I think I’m going to do it and I did. And ‘Boundless’ is just a gumbo of genres. I give you horror, I give you supernatural, fantasy, I give you a little romance, I give you some mash ups. So, I just loved it,” she said.
When it comes to writing, Austin finds inspiration everywhere from movies to music to mood boards.
“If I need some inspirational writing juices, I will dive into maybe a series or a movie – a specific movie maybe I’ve already watched or maybe something new. Or I’ll read something, a particular book or an article and that will definitely get it going and then music just enhances the creativity for me. So that’s pretty much my process. And I do longhand. I like old paper and pen and flash cards,” Austin said while laughing.
She is currently working on a pocketbook series.
“The thing about a pocketbook that’s so magical about them is that they’re short, you know, it’s not a big commitment to read them. And then if you’re not sure about [something] or I don’t know if I want to take a chance on that author then a pocketbook is a great place to start,” she said.
She’s also collaborating with other writers on an anthology called “Dreamscares,” which explores phobias and nightmares.
When asked about deadlines, Austin had a refreshingly patient outlook.
“A book releases when it’s time, you know? Because if you rush it, it’s not going to turn out the way that you want it to and I just think like everything happens for a reason. And I think every book releases on the date and time that it should as well.”
Whether publishing indie or traditional, Austin encourages other writers to find the “right home” for their own work.
“There’s always a place you just have to find the right home. And even if you don’t find the right home, then you can find your personal home by releasing it in your own book or collection,” Austin said.
For more on Miracle Austin and her books, click here.
