Recently, we caught up with Christina Merklinger, a Lake Shore resident who goes by the pen name C.L. Merklinger. Merklinger, the author of supernatural-thriller “Interloper” and the soon-to-be-released “Geist”, grew up with an insatiable appetite for reading and all things scary. Inspired by horror authors such as Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Edgar Allan Poe, she was also deeply influenced by great mystery character authors such as Lawrence Sanders, Agatha Christie and Mary Higgins Clark.
Q: When and why did you decide to write your first novel?
A: This is a funny and probably odd-sounding answer. I have been writing my whole life in some way shape or form but have never written anything as grand as a novel. Last March I had a dream where I felt like I was participating in the dream. Almost like a live-action play. I took notes in the morning to research more at some point, no rush, just an odd thing to gain knowledge on. That day on my way to work, I was listening to my favorite podcast Morbid, and they had a “Listener Tale” about the very thing I wanted to research. I thought, wouldn’t that make a great book. And that is where the series came to life. The first book was originally supposed to be centric around lucid dreaming – hence the Realms and Realities Series. As I developed the characters, I found that the first novel in the series needed to have a launching point. Something traumatic to set the protagonist in motion for the rest of the series.
Q: What attracted you to the horror, paranormal, mystery and thriller genres?
A: I have been in love with horror since I was a child. My dad would read me fairy tales which are truly terrifying when you think about it. The witch in the woods luring children to their demise; an evil man tempting people with fortune for a small sacrifice; a wicked queen out for revenge poisons the girl who threatens her own beauty and vanity. There weren’t many books in this genre for kids, so I read mysteries – Nancy Drew; Hardy Boys as well as great character authors like Beverly Cleary. Around 9 I would sneak the afternoon chiller movies on the local television station here. It was after “General Hospital” and before the news. Right when my mom was making dinner. Movies like “Trilogy of Terror”, “Creeping Flesh”, etc. would fill my weekday afternoons. My mom introduced me to “Dark Shadows”, which I still love to this day. Right about this time, I began my obsession with Alfred Hitchcock. Heading into my teens I would catch the Count Gore Del Val show on DC 20 and watch classic horror movies like “Dracula”; “Frankenstein”; etc. with every version there could be. Movies like “Halloween”; “Friday the 13th”; etc. took over in my late teens, but my heart is in the classics. Now, I love the minds of Jordan Peele; M. Night Shyamalan; and Kim Jee-woon.
Q: To date, how many books have you written? What are their titles?
A: To date one novel – “Interloper”. Two being written now – “Geist” and “Baker’s Dozen”. So far nine are planned in the Realms and Realities Series. I also have two morbid short story novels outlined.
Q: How long have you been working on your latest, soon-to-be-released novel?
A: The sequel to “Interloper” is “Geist” and I started on that in December 2023 and plan to have it released before October 2024. The other novel I am working on simultaneously is “Baker’s Dozen” and will be part of my Murder and Mayhem Series which I plan on having completed late 2024/early 2025.
Q: Tell us a bit about your latest novel. What’s the story?
A: “Interloper” (which is currently out) – When Charlie wakes from a dream to find out that her mother has passed away, seemingly from natural causes, her world is sent into a tailspin. Unable to shake the feeling that what the doctors have told them is wrong, supernatural events lead her to her mother’s journals and Charlie soon begins to realize that she was right, but for all the wrong reasons. Her initial doubts have now thrown her headfirst into a fight for her mother’s soul with those entities who were once sworn to protect us as humans. In particular, Astrid. Once trained in the light she is lured into darkness with the promise of achieving her heart’s desires. Interloper is populated with quirky and affable characters, 80’s pop culture, human emotions, good triumphing over evil, and the desires of humans who seek to know if we are alone in this world.
“Geist” (Fall of 2024) – The highly anticipated sequel to “Interloper”, “Geist” continues Charlie’s journey on how to come to grips with her mother’s passing and what, if any, role she has in the paranormal world. While on her summer trip with her boyfriend, Jared, Charlie unwittingly claims ownership to an object that houses a dark and sinister history. Paranormal forces find their way into Charlie’s world, terrorizing both her and her friends. She must work with her newly assigned guardian, Marcus, to hone and perfect the techniques she will need to solve the mystery and send a tormented soul to its end.
Q: Where do you get ideas and inspiration for your novels?
A: So far, the inspiration for my novels comes from two places.
- The desire to write what I would like to read.
- From people and their stories.
People like Lorraine Warren, my experiences, all the way down to my friends from old paranormal groups and people I run into daily here in Pasadena during happy hour. Everyone has at least one story of how something has happened to them that they can’t explain or something that they find fascinating and scary. The ideas come from a place you wouldn’t expect – my dreams. I have always been a vivid dreamer and will regularly wake up in the wee hours with an idea that I have to get down in my phone. I will wake up and laugh to myself at what my brain produces.
Q: What are some of your personal favorite novels?
A: This is a particularly hard question as I love to read so much. But surprisingly my favorites are not horror. I love the writing and imagery in “Dandelion Wine” and “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”. I also love anything by Edgar Allan Poe.
Q: Do you write your novels right here in Pasadena? Which community do you reside in?
A: I do! The first novel I wrote 80% of it at the old Mountain Road Library. I had to move to the Severna Park Library while they moved locations. I am writing my current novels wherever I can find time and space. One of my most recent favorites was Second Alarm Brewhouse, but unfortunately, they had to close, so I am on the hunt for a small local place. I reside in the Lake Shore community.
Q: Does Pasadena give you any inspiration for your stories? If so, how?
A: Pasadena, the location, hasn’t yet. Pasadena, the people, have. A lot of my characters’ personalities come from people I meet out and about. And at least one or two future novel ideas have come from stories told to me during happy hours at local establishments.
Q: When exactly will your novel be released? How can folks get a copy?
A: They can get a copy of Interloper now on Amazon for eBook/Hardcover. For those that want to support local businesses I am also in Park Books and soon to be WYRD and Backwater Books. However, anyone can reach out to me via my website www.novelsbychristina.com, and request a copy. I love more than anything to reach people face to face.
Q: Tell us about any upcoming events you have going on where the community can find you and/or your book for sale.
A: I will be at Park Books in Severna Park for a book signing on 4/6; Lake Shore Plaza – Lake Shore Liquors on 4/14 for Mimosas and Mystery for a meet and greet; Savage Mill 4/14 in the afternoon for a reading of Interloper and book signing; Northeast High School Fair on 4/20 with a table; Curmudgeon Books – Halfway to Halloween event at Marley Station on 5/25; then Fright Reads Festival in Columbia in September. I love to support local businesses and am looking for any opportunity to meet local folks to talk about books and writing.
