Zin E. Rocklyn: Of Mothers & the Monstrous

In episode seven, Nicole kicks it with Zin E. Rocklyn, a horror and dark fantasy author of Trinidadian descent hailing from Jersey City, NJ. A contributor to several anthologies, Zin's creative nonfiction essay, "My Genre Makes a Monster of Me,"  was published in Uncanny Magazine’s Hugo Award-winning Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction issue, and her debut novella, Flowers for the Sea, earned the Shirley Jackson Award. Nicole and Zin explore the complexities of vulnerability, mental health, and family dynamics. They discuss the importance of being open about struggles, the impact of upbringing on identity, and the challenges of navigating relationships, particularly with mothers. Zin shares insights on the writing process and offers advice for aspiring writers.Purchase Flowers For The Sea, Zin's debut novella.Oracle Card: "Face," from the Classic Horror Oracle Deck.Chapters00:00 The Power of Vulnerability03:33 Navigating Mental Health Challenges05:50 Exploring Family Dynamics11:45 The Impact of Maternal Relationships18:08 The Evolution of Monstrous Relationships22:01 The Power of Personal Narrative in Writing28:34 The Catharsis of Writing About Trauma35:16 The Role of Writing Workshops in Development39:05 Challenging Perceptions in Speculative Fiction40:51 The Birth of a Story44:41 Exploring Themes of Hunger50:40 Monstrosity and Care53:25 Invisible Disabilities and Personal Narratives55:27 Writing Process and Sensitivity Reading59:07 Crafting Complex Characters01:03:18 Of Monsters Rapid Fire SegmentRead Zin's short stories:"Summer Skin""My Genre Makes a Monster of Me""Birds"The Night Sun"Teatime""Tet Fe Mal""A Keening for Churile""BloodhounOf Monsters: A podcast with Nicole Shawan Junior features intimate chats with speculative fiction masterminds and the characters they create. Spread love. It's the Brooklyn way. Follow the podcast. Share it on your socials. Comment on what you hear. Find Of Monsters on IG. Written and performed by Nicole Shawan Junior, the Of Monsters intro music was created by Ben Ford, produced by Caits Meissner, and engineered by Tatenda Dizha.