Lyndsie Manusos’s work is always surprisingly fresh and creative. Her new novella, From These Dark Abodes, continues her tradition of immersive storytelling. The gothic setup and characters hooked me immediately. Lethe and Petunia are such compelling characters; I felt invested in their plight, and I enjoyed the reveal of the mystery surrounding their identities. The descriptions of the house & the revelries are strong—the scenes came to life as I read. This is a hell of a horror story, with gorgeous language and characters I won’t soon forget.
I’m thrilled to feature her work today. Thanks to Lyndsie for taking time for my questions!
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Myna: Tell us about your new novella, From These Dark Abodes! What’s it about? Who are your characters?
Lyndsie: From These Dark Abodes follows Lethe and Petunia, who have no memories of their pasts and are trapped in a gothic house with no exits. Every night, they serve immortals who take off their skins to dance in their skeletons. When one of the immortals goes missing, Lethe and Petunia are tasked with finding him, which sets them on a path of twists, turns, and discovery.
Myna: What’s unique about this book?
Lyndsie: I wouldn’t say this is completely unique, as I’m glad to see this written about more and more in fiction lately, but I really wanted to tackle the darkness and difficulty of the early postpartum experience—the wanting to be outside yourself while having this raw and unfathomable love, and the duality and paradox of emotions during this time.
Myna: When a reader finishes the last word in the book, what emotion will they be feeling?
Lyndsie: Oh, such a great question. I think the ending can create different emotions. Unsettling yet hopeful, perhaps. Whatever the reader feels, I hope they are overwhelmed by it.
Myna: If your book had a theme song, what would it be?
Lyndsie: “The Violet Hour” by The Civil Wars. An eerie yet lovely instrumental song, I listened to it a lot while writing and editing this book.
Myna: Were there any surprises or problems along the route to publishing?
Lyndsie: I am thrilled with the experience I had publishing with Psychopomp. E. Catherine Tobler is a brilliant editor. The cover is gorgeous, and Sean Markey updated me every step of the way. I always felt that my presence and thoughts were witnessed and respected.
Myna: What’s your favorite thing about writing?
Lyndsie: It’s a wonderful process of self discovery. I love being surprised by it.
Myna: I know you do a lot of stuff. How do you juggle it all?
Lyndsie: Some days I don’t juggle it. Sometimes I drop the ball, sometimes a lot. I often feel I’m failing at juggling, especially lately, but I always keep attempting to juggle. And whew, the gratitude when I am able to juggle.
Myna: Do you have other books or stories you’d like to mention?
Lyndsie: Yes, I’d love to mention “She Builds Quick Machines,” which was originally published in Apex Books’ Robotic Ambitions anthology, and it went on to be featured in the LeVar Burton Reads podcast. I still pinch myself over this.
Myna: Do you have a pet, or other non-writing hobbies/activities?
Lyndsie: We have a corgi-mix named Eleanor, and we are in the process of possibly getting another dog because my kids keep asking for “a friend for Eleanor.”
Myna: What’s next for you?
Lyndsie: I am currently on sub with a novel (putting this out into the universe! Please, editors, love my book!), and working on a new eco-fantasy novel. There are two long short stories, possibly novelettes or novellas, that I want to finish. Unsurprisingly, one has skeletons in it.
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Lyndsie Manusos’s work has appeared in LeVar Burton Reads, The Deadlands, Lightspeed Magazine, and other publications. Her debut novella, From These Dark Abodes, recently released from Psychopomp. She lives in Indianapolis with her family, works as an indie bookseller, and writes for Book Riot. You can read more at lyndsiemanusos.com.
Twitter: @lmanusos
Bluesky: @lmanusos.bsky.social
Instagram: @lmanusoswrites
Purchase From These Dark Abodes: https://psychopomp.com/product/dark-abodes/
Myna Chang 