Lindy Ryan is an award-winning author, anthologist, and short-film director whose books and anthologies have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal. Several of her projects have been adapted for the screen. Ryan is the current author-in-residence at Rue Morgue. Declared a "champion for women's voices in horror" by Shelf Awareness, Ryan was named a Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree in 2020, and in 2022, was named one of horror's most masterful anthology curators. Born and raised in Southeast Texas, Ryan currently resides on the East Coast. She is a professor at Rutgers University and serves on the board of directors for the Brothers Grimm Society of North America. She recently talked about the first two novels in her new series, Bless Your Heart and Another Fine Mess with Daryl Maxwell for the LAPL Blog.
What was your inspiration for Bless Your Heart?
I wrote Bless Your Heart after losing both of my grandmothers, just to spend more time with those women who helped raise me and who shaped so much of who I am. The Evans women are deeply inspired by their grit, their warmth, their sharp tongues and soft hearts, and their world is also steeped in the memory of my own hometown as it was in my childhood, where gossip traveled faster than the morning paper and funeral casseroles showed up before the grief had time to settle. It's a book about monsters, but just as much about the ghosts we carry with us: of family, of history, and of love that doesn't end just because someone's gone.
What was your inspiration for Another Fine Mess?
Originally, the Evans women and their story was inspired by my own grandmothers, but somewhere along the way, they took on lives of their own, quirks and flaws and all, and once they started talking, they didn't stop. They had something to say about survival and about the beautiful mess of being a woman in Another Fine Mess, and I just tried to keep up as these characters continued on their quest to keep their town safe from the restless dead.
In your Acknowledgments for Bless Your Heart, you talk about how Ducey, Lenore, and Grace are all heavily inspired by your own family matriarchs. Can you tell us a bit about them? What was it like to create their fictional counterparts (ones that deal with "the restless dead")?
Absolutely. Ducey is based on my actual great-grandmother, Ducey—sharp, spirited, and the kind of woman who could read you like a book and still love you for every messy chapter. Lenore was inspired by my grandmother Linda, a woman coated in a hard candy shell to protect her soft interior, and Grace is very much my mom, Lydia—strong, stubborn, and deeply loving, even when life throws the worst at her. It was incredibly special (and a little surreal) to bring versions of them into their own in the Bless Your Heart series. Ducey, Lenore, and Grace are all rather true to the women who raised me (and I poke at myself as a young Luna, too), and I had fun exaggerating some of their quirks, but the warmth, the loyalty, the fierce protectiveness? That came straight from real life.
Have any of the family you've used for inspiration for your characters read Bless Your Heart and/or Another Fine Mess? What did they think?
Most of the family who inspired those characters have passed, which makes writing them a way of keeping them alive, even if it's just on the page. But my mom is still very much here and is my first (and fiercest) beta reader. She's the first to read anything I write and isn't afraid to tell me when something doesn't ring true (or when she doesn't like a direction I'm going!). She reads it all, but knowing she sees pieces of herself—and her mother, and her grandmother, and her daughter—in the Bless Your Heart series makes it even more special.
How did the novels evolve and change as you all wrote and revised them? Are there any characters, scenes, or stories that were lost in the process that you wish had made it to the published versions?
Actually, no. For me, the story rises on its own; it knows what it wants to be. Of course, there's revision and refinement along the way, but the heart of the novels stayed true from the start. I didn't have to cut anything I loved or mourn any lost scenes. If something didn't make it in, it's because it didn't belong—or maybe moved to a future series installment. I trust the story to tell me where it needs to go.
In your novels, you seem to return to the origins of some of horror's most famous and infamous monsters by referring to them by their original names from Romanian folklore (strigoi and pricolici). What drew you to return to these monsters' "roots" for your novels? How familiar were you with these original versions of them prior to writing Bless Your Heart and Another Fine Mess? Did you need to do a bit of research?
I’ve always loved vampires, but for Bless Your Heart and Another Fine Mess, I didn’t want to revisit the familiar fangs-and-coffins version. I wanted to dig deeper, to explore the roots of the myth the same way I was exploring my own history and heritage. That led me to Romanian folklore, and the stories that came long before Dracula ever boarded a ship to England. Luckily, I'm an academic, so research is second nature—and one of my favorite parts of the process. I was familiar with some of the older lore, but immersing myself in it, connecting the dots between ancient fears and modern monsters, was not only fascinating but necessary. It grounded the story and gave the horror a sense of lineage—something passed down, like family secrets and recipes.
What was the most interesting or surprising thing you learned during your research?
How many cultures fear vampires! Nearly every region of the world has its own version of a blood-drinking, shape-shifting, night-haunting creature. The names and lore might change, but the core fear—that something once human could come back wrong—feels universal. It was both eerie and fascinating to see how deep and wide that fear runs.
Are you a fan of the Horror genre? What are some of your favorite novels, films, and/or series? Who are your favorite authors and/or filmmakers?
Horror isn't just a genre to me—it's part of my blood. I grew up reading Goosebumps and sneaking adult horror novels off the shelves, watching Are You Afraid of the Dark? with my eyes half-covered and daydreaming about nightmares. As I got older, that fascination deepened. I keep my feel-good horror movies on a loop (I'm a sucker for a good horror-comedy!). I'm also a big fan of Mike Flanagan's work—Midnight Mass and The Haunting of Hill House hit me right in the gut, and Jamie Flanagan can write a monologue that bleeds your soul. Whether it's on the page or the screen, horror reminds me that the scariest stories are often the most human—the ones that make you feel.
Do you have a least favorite? (I realize that you may not want to address this one, and if that is the case, please don't. But I also realize it might be so bad that it could be fun to answer.
I'll admit it: dolls creep me out. Always have. There's just something about the fixed expressions, the uncanny stillness... no thank you—in fact, there's an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark? involving a girl who turns into a doll, which reminded me of this terrifying antique doll Ducey kept on her guest room bed, and it's haunted me all the way into adulthood. That said, I absolutely love how many people do connect with terrifying toys and childhood horrors (and Grady Hendrix did an amazing job of reminding us about this in How to Sell a Haunted House). It's one of the great things about the genre—there's room for all kinds of fear.
What do you think it is about Horror that draws you, as an author and/or reader, to these types of stories?
For me, it comes down to vulnerability and hope. Horror cracks us open—it asks what scares us, but also what matters to us. It strips away the polite, polished surface and gets at the raw, pulsing center of being human. Grief, love, fear, survival—they all live in horror. It's a genre that lets us face the worst and still choose to keep going. There's something deeply hopeful about that. Horror tells the truth, even when it's messy. Especially when it's messy. And that's why I'll never stop writing—or reading—it.
Bless Your Heart and Another Fine Mess would make marvelous movies or series! If/when they were adapted for the screen, who would your dream cast be?
The rights have been acquired, a showrunner has taken the lead, and development for TV is officially underway—so stay tuned! It's tricky to talk dream cast while things are in motion, but I will say this: if Betty White were still with us, she'd have made a helluva Ducey. Sharp as a tack, sweet when she wanted to be, and unafraid to stir up a little trouble—that was the spirit I channeled while writing her. Whoever steps into those roles, I just hope they bring the same fire, humor, and heart that made these women come alive on the page.
You now have two books following the Evans' women as they deal with the "restless dead" in Southeast Texas, and the ending of Another Fine Mess seems to indicate that readers will have the chance to read about them again in the future. What are your plans for the series?
I fully intend to finish what I've started. These women still have more to say, and more monsters to face. I'd love to continue the series by both looking forward and reaching back. There's a strong possibility we'll return to the past to see how it all began, peeling back the layers of the Evans family legacy. And I'm also drawn to the idea of jumping ahead—maybe twenty years or so after the events of Another Fine Mess—to see what Luna and the next generation of Evans women are up to. The past haunts us, but the future is where the real reckoning happens.
What's currently on your nightstand?
Right now, it's a towering stack of ARCs. I’m digging into upcoming releases from Rachel Harrison, Hailey Piper, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Sarah Gailey. It's a perfect mix, and I feel incredibly lucky to get a front-row seat to what's coming next from some of the genre's most exciting voices.
Can you name your top five favorite or most influential authors?
So hard to choose! But I have to name some of the incredible women working in horror today—authors whose books I'll buy the second they're announced, no questions asked: Delilah S. Dawson, Christina Henry, T. Kingfisher, Gwendolyn Kiste, and Mona Awad are at the top of my list. Each of them brings something bold, fresh, and deeply human to the genre. Additionally, Grady Hendrix, Josh Malerman, Nat Cassidy, Clay McLeod Chapman. I don't even need to read the blurb—I already know the book is going to be brilliant, chilling, and entirely unforgettable.
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
I grew up on Goosebumps by R.L. Stine. I was a 90s kid, so the Scholastic Book Fair was a sacred holiday, and getting my hands on a new Goosebumps felt like winning the lottery. Whether it was haunted masks or creepy camps, Stine had a way of making horror accessible (and he even wrote a character named Lindy, which is a special treat for me). His books taught me that being scared could be thrilling, that monsters could be metaphors, and that the best stories didn't always end happily—they ended with a twist. (I also have an incredible soft spot for Betty MacDonald’s Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series!)
Was there a book you felt you needed to hide from your parents?
Absolutely—more than one! I was the kid sneaking Stephen King and V.C. Andrews paperbacks off my grandmother's shelves. I'd tuck Misery or Flowers in the Attic inside my Trapper Keeper or read them late at night by flashlight. Those books felt dangerous in the best way, which only made them more irresistible. I think that's when I first learned the power of stories to unsettle, to question boundaries, and to expose truths that adults often tried to shield us from. It was my first real taste of forbidden fiction. I was hooked.
Is there a book you've faked reading?
Oh, definitely. Like many students, I became a master of skimming my way through parts of the high school reading list. But I did have genuine soft spots—The Great Gatsby with all its glittering rot and tragic yearning, and Frankenstein, which felt more like gothic poetry than science fiction (and which I went on to study in-depth in college). Those two stuck with me, as well as a few others. The rest? I read them, because I love reading, but let's just say I haven't returned to most for a re-read.
Can you name a book you've bought for the cover?
So many. Too many. If a book has a moody, foil-stamped, or deckle edge design, I'm already halfway to the checkout, even if the title is already on my shelf at home. And don't even get me started on special editions. I've bought multiple versions of the same book just because a sexy alternative cover dropped. Sometimes I joke that I collect books like art—and honestly, I do.
Is there a book that changed your life?
Two come to mind, and I've told these stories more times than I can count. The first was Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire, which I found on a flea market shelf my first semester in high school. That book made me realize that horror could be beautiful, that monsters could be mournful, and that storytelling could be sensual and subversive. It's the book that made me want to write, and I am forever indebted to Anne Rice for that. The second was She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb. Not horror, but a deliciously dark and brutally honest read. I read it when I was twelve—it hit Oprah's Book Club around that time—and it was the first time I felt truly seen. Dolores wasn't easy or perfect, and that made her real. Her pain, her humor, her messiness—I clung to all of it. That book taught me that stories could hold space for girls like me.
Can you name a book for which you are an evangelist (and you think everyone should read)?
The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste. I'm such a tremendous fan of Kiste's work, and she weaves grief, memory, and sisterhood into something both spectral and deeply human. Velkwood just won this year's Bram Stoker Award, and for good reason. I've been pressing it into people's hands like a literary street preacher.
Is there a book you would most want to read again for the first time?
My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix, hands down. It's a wild, weird love letter to female friendship wrapped in 80s nostalgia and demonic possession, and I wish I could go back and relive that ride for the first time. It's funny, sharp, and surprisingly tender, and it reminded me that the scariest monsters are sometimes the ones we face growing up. Runner up (because I can never decide) is Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica. That book did a number on me—not an easy feat!
What is the last piece of art (music, movies, TV, more traditional art forms) that you've experienced or that has impacted you?
Lately, I've been spending a lot of time reconnecting with my deep love of musicals and visiting Broadway. Even though it's not my usual genre, Hamilton hit me hard. The storytelling, the staging, the sheer lyrical brilliance—it's a masterclass in craft. More recently, I had the absolute joy of seeing the new Death Becomes Her musical, which revives a lifelong favorite in the most dazzling, darkly funny way. Seeing that story come alive on stage—with camp, heart, and a whole lot of glitter—was pure magic. It reminded me how art evolves, how stories can be reborn, and how sometimes the things we love most find their way back to us in new, powerful forms.
What is your idea of THE perfect day (where you could go anywhere/meet with anyone)?
Give me a good writing day—one of those rare, golden stretches of time when the words flow and everything else falls away. Even better if it's spent beside a crackling fire or with rain drumming against the windows. Add a warm drink, a fluffy dog curled up nearby, and a writerly pal offering chaotic inspiration or cathartic laughs (or both), and I'm in absolute heaven. Honestly, that's the dream: creativity, connection, and just a hint of controlled chaos.
What is the question that you're always hoping you'll be asked, but never have been? What is your answer?
I'm still waiting for someone to ask, "What would you be doing if you weren't a writer?" I'm lucky—I already get to do something I love as a professor. But if I weren't writing (or teaching), I have a not-so-secret dream of running a bookshop that stays open way too late, celebrates local artists, and serves copious amounts of tea. Think creaky floors, handwritten staff picks, a sleepy dog behind the counter, and shelves full of horror, romance, and everything in between. What a dream.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I'm deep in the weeds (literally and figuratively) of a new, suburban-set cozy horror about three women, watchful neighbors, and a dark, seductive stranger who may or may not be the end of them all. I'm having a blast blending domestic drama with supernatural menace—and leaning all the way into the magic, messiness, and monstrous potential of womanhood. Aside from that, I'm hard at work editing a new horror anthology, and it's a dream project. More soon!
Book Review: Another Fine Mess