Author Lisa Springer sits down with theGrio to discuss her spooky season release and the nuances of Black horror.
For far too long in horror movies and books alike, Black characters routinely do not make it to the end — that is, unless they are somehow the monster or villain. In fact, it wasn’t until 1999’s “Deep Blue Sea” that a Black man (LL Cool J as Preacher) survived a horror movie.
Horror author Lisa Springer, who just released her debut novel, “There’s No Way I’d Die First,” remembers feeling a sense of accomplishment and pride watching LL Cool J celebrate surviving at the end of the late ‘90s shark thriller. While discussing her new novel and the genre now known as Black horror, she told theGrio she wanted this same triumph of the “final girl” moment for her novel’s Black heroine, Noelle.
“If it’s a girl to make it to the end of the movie, it’s never a Black girl. It’s never the Black girl,” Springer, who is originally from Barbados but based in New York, said. “We don’t get to see ourselves having a final showdown and making our way to the finish line. We help others get there, but it’s never us.
“I wanted a book that shows that Black people can be survivors in spite of anything. That we have what it takes. That we are smart enough. We are clever enough. We are intelligent enough to think and plot our way out of a situation if we had to,” Springer continued, “because we know Black people have been surviving since we were born and brought to this part of the world. We’ve been here. We’ve been surviving.”
In “There’s No Way I’d Die First,” teenage Noelle hosts a high school Halloween house party that takes a dark and gory turn when a killer clown shows up with a personal vendetta. What ensues is delightfully reminiscent of “Scream” and other teen horror cult classics — including the twist that the hero is as unexpected as the true villain.
“I wanted to show sometimes the monster isn’t who you think it is. Sometimes, it’s the person who claims to be an ally,” Springer said.
She added that she wanted to play into that concept, showing how sometimes those who are supposed to be helping are “perpetuating harm” — and not always intentionally. The novel also imagines what can happen at a house party full of teens with secrets.
“[Noelle] is gonna see everyone has some little issue going on,” she explained. Some of those secrets that they’re carrying with them, the clown knows and is judging them harshly for it.”
Noelle is part of a diverse friend group. While well-off, she remains deeply aware of how her Blackness adds an element of strife — or simply, something “off” — to her life. This discomfort becomes part of the tension Springer also plays with; Noelle can’t just go with her knee-jerk reactions in every situation she encounters.
“When it comes to horror, what scares Black people is very different [from] what scares other people of other races,” she said.
While “There’s No Way I’d Die First” puts Black characters center stage, Noelle’s story isn’t just for Black readers. Springer wrote her book for teens in general, especially those who feel unheard by the adults around them. Her novel is for just about anyone because, as she sees it, “fear is universal.”
“The book is for everyone — but I would say for your horror lovers. If you love horror, this book is for you,” she explained. “Everyone appreciates a survival story. But beneath that, it is for Black girls. It is for Black people because we don’t often get the grace that other people get. They don’t get the second chances that other people get. … So I wanted to just have a story that celebrates Black humanity.”
Beyond the literal horror of the book, there are also many references to cult classic horror films throughout, from chapters opening with iconic horror movie quotes to Noelle’s extensive knowledge of horror – which she uses to help navigate her own night of terror. Even some of Springer’s character styling evokes classic horror villains. The killer clown, at times, reads like Pennywise from “It,” Jigsaw from the “Saw” franchise, or Ghostface from the “Scream” franchise, Springer’s favorite.
“I just love a clumsy killer,” she said in reference to her love of Ghostface and his penchant for stumbling before going in for the kill.
Thinking of Ghostface’s trope and other horror classics that integrate comedy, like parodies of the “Scary Movie” franchise, Springer noted that her book is intentionally a horror-comedy.
“Just having blood and gore from Page 1 to the end is just too intense. You have to have some lighter emotional moments so the reader can recover from what you’ve read,” she said.
She added, “Comedy and horror are opposite sides of the same coin.”
Springer is also disinterested in Black characters solely dealing with racial terror. While she acknowledges that “racism is also horror,” other awful things can befall Black characters. She said she would love to see more Black horror stories like Jordan Peele’s “Nope,” where Black characters navigate “fantastical” settings and scenarios. She noted that while film and TV are increasingly showcasing Black horror stories, she foresees publishing catching up.
“Between 2023 and 2024, there’s going to be quite a few more Black horror books out there. And some really fun-looking anthologies,” she said.
Self-identified as a reader first and a writer for the last decade, Springer added, “It’s an exciting time for the genre.”
She also has more up her sleeve. She said her next project will be set in the Caribbean and will confront the question, “What about the ugly stuff that happens in paradise?”
Kay Wicker is a lifestyle writer for theGrio covering health, wellness, travel, beauty, fashion, and the myriad ways Black people live and enjoy their lives. She has previously created content for magazines, newspapers, and digital brands.
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