Today we’d like to introduce you to Chantell Renee.
Hi Chantell , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
About 10 years ago, I joined a writers critique group on Meet Up.com. I’d been working on a book for the first time, mostly I wrote poetry at that point. The group really helped me start thinking like an author not just a writer. Fast forward to today, I have two series and several anthologies. I’ve also been included in multiple anthologies and poetry collections published by various press houses.
Every single one of the groups I have been a part of whether it’s one story I shared or multiple pieces, has helped me grow as an author. As you continue your journey writing, you will start to find your own personal group. That helps you grow even more.
About six years ago, I started a podcast with another author, and we interviewed various people in the genre. At the time I considered myself more of a horror author, and she considered herself more of a sexy/horror author. So naturally, we came up with the name, Sex and Horror podcast.
It has been a lot of fun over the years and sometimes tedious as all things that you do for a long time become. But that too has been a wonderful experience that has helped me grow both as an author and a person. Not too many people get the opportunity to speak to so many people from so many different parts of the sex and horror genre and just be humans with them. This was pretty big for me during the Covid shut down.
I have done many small and large events over the years. I’ve become a staple at the Houston Houston Film Fest. We have many special guests every year and this year. I’m excited to have Juliette Lewis coming to Houston! Her work over the years has really inspired me to be a strong female character in my own life.
Now I’m moving on to creating my own YouTube called, Chantell Renée’s Dark and Delightful Realm.. This is becoming a collection of things I do as a writer, ghost hunting, and eventually interviews I will do. One of the comments, I usually get when I’m out selling books, due to the way I present myself and my books is that people have a strong interest in knowing me more. So I felt the YouTube was the next step after maintaining social media accounts for several years now.
This year I am going to be working more with Hellbound publishing and Carnage House. Both publications have several amazing collections of books by very talented horror authors! I’m super excited to be a part of both publishing houses.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The very first obstacle I faced was being told since elementary school that I have dyslexia.
As a student, I struggled constantly. I barely graduated high school with a D average. But I did graduate however I had no desire for any type of college. I make my living as a hairstylist have been for the last 30+ years. Now I’m an instructor as well.
Between the unofficial diagnosis, and my not so wonderful education, I didn’t ever consider myself a good poet. However, when I went to poetry readings, I always moved people with my words. This life has not been a simple one however everything that I have experienced has shaped me. And as an author, you learn all experiences, good or bad, make for great writing.
That’s a simple one to deduct if you’re a reader you know how o good story pulls you into a world and shakes you to the core.
Sure there are a lot of people that do a lot of schooling to become authors. And there are those of us that have stories that we need to share regardless of our educational background. In the end, somebody will read the book you’ve written and move to the next when they’re finished because one story will never satiate the reader. And not every reader cares about who the author is or how educated they are. It’s always just about the story.
Now I feel the biggest obstacle is myself as it is for every human being! I tend to try to keep the energy positive around me. If I feel anyone is very dramatic in their own realm or loves to cause difficulties for others. I completely get them out of my space. That’s the only good thing I feel social media has done for us. We just have to trust our instincts and cut people out even if it feels impolite to do so. Especially since there are so many cyber bullies now.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
A while back, Houston had a wonderful place called The Wilde Collection. I got to be a part of this incredible store. Lawyer B Douglous II was the curator and artist of the store. Him and his silent partner had a wide collection of curiosities. Lawyers, specialty was romantic Goth. He brought the store to life in a way no other place has ever been brought to life before, and inspires many places to this day! Unfortunately, an unstable person attacked and burnt down the store nearly 5 years ago now.
Having worked with him for so long and finding a place that I really resonated with not only brought me a true experience of the Gothic world, but also nurtured my love for darker things.
I feel this has shown up in multiple ways in my life not just my writing. I also paint with acrylic as my medium. Here and there I will also create an oddity or two using bones that I have bleached myself or things that one of my animals brings to my home such as dead mice or dead, bats, and sometimes pairs of wings from a bird. Most of these things remain in my own collection.
I own over 25 Ouija boards/spirit boards and nearly a dozen haunted dolls. My walls are covered in the art that has moved me in one way or another or simply calls to me by its Dark nature. My Shades of Evil series was definitely inspired by the darker parts of horror. My current book.House of Fickle, is very inspired by Dark and haunted themes. Most of the horror movies I enjoy watching are usually dark and haunted as well.
I cannot pinpoint an exact thing that I’m most proud of, but I am most excited about my YouTube channel Chantell Renee’s Dark and Delightful Realm. With this outlet, I can share so much about the things in life. I find beautiful. From graveyards to pumpkin head photo shoots!
I remember as a teenager finding it interesting how Ozzy Osbourne seemed to be this dark figure in rock ‘n’ roll. Yet when you listen to his lyrics. You see, he was simply trying to wake people up. And this is true for so many rock stars, but I was always drawn to the ones that presented the darker side of things like DIO. Again another amazing Musician using his talent to wake people up.
So I guess if there’s one thing I do that I try to emulate with my writing is there is always a positive message no matter how horrific the story is. Sometimes it’s buried in there but it’s there. Pun intended.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I’m not real sure that I would consider good or bad luck a part of my life. I am the type of person that believes everything we go through both good and bad has come to us because we need to learn something from it. So even when I’m really upset through loss or death I always think this was something that I needed to go through. This has always helped me get through some very hard losses and helped me grow stronger when I had to be by a loved ones side when they were going to pass.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.Chantellrenee.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crrenee_?igsh=MWJjcmMxcG0zb3BuNA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1GmGHxA7MU/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chantellreneeauthor?si=XyyuLVtrmLM6uJa5
