I pretty much write to keep my head from exploding. I suffer from a severe case of overlapping thoughts; its quite critical. As a writer, I try to embrace versatility while fabricating a specific, unique style. I want to have the ability to put my own personal twist on any subject. I primarily write works of fiction. I have written three novels. All of which are quirky and graphic YA. I find writing to be a great way for me to unplug my mind. Throughout my life, I have been influenced and driven by the work of several authors. I primarily read transgressive and historical fiction. My interests have evolved, and sometimes changed, in terms of which authors or types of work I still read religiously. No matter what, I am absorbing the literary world around me while building my own.
The main theme that seems to drag across all of my work is dry, dark humor. I make lots of snide, many times self-aware, comments in my writing. I always want my characters to have a sarcastic edge. Yet, that edge needs to have shock factor. I apply my real-life sense of humor, warped and inappropriate, to my work because I want it to reflect who I am as a person. Though I write fiction, I want a piece of me to always be present.
My subjects vary, I have written three novels all of which have overlapping concepts but different genres. My upcoming novel is actually my first. It was written when I was 18 and, though of course it has been re-vamped and edited by me recently, I wanted to honor my style of writing and perceptions at the time. I have worked so hard on Synthetic Sanity and am beyond excited to reveal my writing style through this dark-comedy, coming-of- age story. The second novel I wrote is also YA, but it is more on the serious side. It follows a college student as she, her boyfriend, and her family recover from her horrifying rape. My third novel full embodies the genre of transgressive fiction. This is my all-time favorite genre; it centers on stories that surround characters who feel apart from society, in the extreme. My third book does not stray away from controversial topics nor dark, graphic, and abusive content. A defining aspect of this genre is that all of these harsh, unsettling topics are presented with underlining humor.
I love the idea of making readers squirm or even feel violated. In the 1980’s, there was a movement called Splatterpunk. It centered around works of horror being about gory violence instead of generalized fear. My ultimate career goal is to resurrect this movement and merge it with the genre of transgressive fiction. Yet it’s not all blackness here! My first novel, Synthetic Sanity, is coming-of-age with a dash, perhaps a spoonful, of morose quirk and a lot of love. Though it plows through heavy topics such as grief and institutionalization, it is a story of growth. It may be unconventional, but it is still appropriate for teenagers and older; it is not horror and will not make you sleep with the lights on. But it is most definitely not a fairy tale and has lots of sharp twists and turns. June Wilson will keep you on your toes. I promise!
Caroline C. Cole 