Perfect Little Murder

Written by Yawatta Hosby ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Published by     Independently published (20 May 2019) Genre Horror Pages 164 ASIN B07RL89N55 ISBN-10 1099469031 ISBN-13 978-1099469039

Today I am delighted to bring you not only a review of indie author Yawatta Hosby's Perfect Little Murder, but also an interview with the author herself where she talks about her debut novel
One by One as well as her latest short story.

The blurb:

Perfect Little Murder

Franco was my brother, my best friend, my protector.

He never missed any of my ballet practices.

Until Kina...killed him.

I don't care how many times she denies it.

I know she killed him.

And for that, she'll have to pay.

Short Story    Horror   

My thoughts:

When fourteen year old Franco Carey dies tragically in a road accident, his thirteen year old sister, Loren, takes the view that his death is the fault of their younger sister, Kina.

The story is told in the first person from Loren's point of view. Loren believes she is being directed to kill Kina by Franco's ghost in order that he can rest in peace. We learn about Loren's insecurities and hear her reasoning for her assumptions and actions. It's actually rather chilling to read about Loren's hatred of Kina and their mother.

As I read, I definitely felt I was inside the mind of a troubled teen, understanding her rationale, yet being appalled by it. The language and thought processes feel very much like those of a young teen. I guessed there was more to Loren's hostility towards her younger sister than we were being told. But when Loren's class mate Maria Clinton becomes the focus of her hatred, and Loren's actions result in the girl ending up in hospital, I feared it was all going to end in a bloodbath.

I found Perfect Little Murder to be enthralling, and I would highly recommend it to readers who enjoy a dark and twisted tale.

Perfect Little Murder is, in my opinion, Hosby's best work to date.

Purchase from:

Amazon UK     Amazon US     Amazon CA     Amazon AU

Interview with the Author


~ Yawatta Hosby~

Thank you, Yawatta, for taking the time to join me here today, and answering a few questions about your writing. I've enjoyed reading your stories and look forward to publication of your upcoming novel Urban Legends.

Q1. What inspired you to write One by One / Perfect Little Murder?

The horror movie Scream inspired me to write One By One. I was intrigued by Sidney Prescott being betrayed by someone close to her over their pasts. I loved the humor and all the frightening moments in the movie. Scream was the first horror movie I saw that had a human as the monster. I had been used to Jaws, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and The Exorcist.

With Perfect Little Murder, I first got inspired by a short story I had written in the 12th grade. It was full of drama and angst (my usual teenage self lol). There had been a scene with an older sister telling her younger sister “The only way to make me happy is to acknowledge your birthday makes me sad. Sad Birthday, Kina.” From there, many years later, I developed the concept of an older sister terrorizing her younger sister. Instead of drama, I switched it to suspense--my preferred genre.

Q2. Who is your favourite character in One by One / Perfect Little Murder and why?

My favorite character in One By One is Rae. I adored her inner-strength. Even though she was depressed, she still had people’s backs. Plus, I felt bad for what I did to her.

My favorite character in Perfect Little Murder is Loren, probably because the whole story is in her point-of-view. This helped me get to know her the most. It was fun being inside her head; I just wanted to give her a hug and tell her things will be okay.

Q3. What was the first story you had published?

My first short story was called Room For Two. It was published in 2013 by the online literary journal The Write Place At the Write Time. I had been so excited. As writers, we develop a thick skin and get used to rejections, so it was great when I got that acceptance email!

Q4. Do you have another story planned or in progress? When can we expect to see that?

My horror novel about urban legends killing college students, one by one, is with beta-readers right now. I’m excited to get feedback from them. I hope I can publish it soon. It all depends on how quickly I get feedback and if any editors are available when I need them.

Q5. Who is your favourite author?

My favorite author is Agatha Christie. To be quite honest, I’m obsessed with her books—a healthy obsession, of course :) I love that she wrote murder mysteries. Mystery is one of my favorite genres because I have a curious nature. It’s fun trying to solve the clues to see if the red herrings fooled me or not. And Then There Were None inspired me to write One By One.

Q6. Which writers have influenced you?

Agatha Christie has influenced me. I think it’s cool that she wasn’t afraid to write about dark topics in her time period. I also admire Stephen King. My dream has always been to be the female Stephen King, regarding my horror books.

Q7. What do you like to do when you’re not planning or writing your next book?

When I’m not writing or planning my next book, I’m a huge couch potato. I’m addicted to Netflix and Hulu. It’s probably not healthy how much I binge watch shows, but I can’t help it. Reading is a passion of mine; plus, I write short films and create comics. One day I’d like to see one of my shorts on YouTube and have one of my comics published.

Q8. What do you like most about being an author?

I love getting away with daydreaming and using my imagination. I think it’s an honor to be viewed as creative or an artist. Even though my degree was accounting and I got my bachelor’s degree in business administration, I know I’m not meant to be stuck behind a desk.

Q9. Do you have a specific routine for writing? Is there a special place or particular tool you use?

I always write my novellas with paper and pen first. When I meet other local writers for NaNo meetups, they always comment on it. After I write in my notebook, then I type on my laptop. I prefer writing in cafes because background noise helps me concentrate. I also listen to certain Spotify playlists to help set the mood for certain scenes.

My routine for writing is I draw character sketches and plot an outline first. This planning stage always take a long time. I love research, probably because I’m an INTJ. Then, I write my rough draft in a notebook. I used to have critique partners but it’s hard to find people who like horror, so now I just use beta-readers and an editor to get feedback. In between drafts, I wait a week to distance myself from the story and take an objective stance.

Q10. What advice do you have for other independently published authors?

Don’t be afraid of the crappy first draft. Your words don’t have to be perfect at the beginning. Just focus on getting your thoughts down on paper. Editing later helps when you’re ready to polish your story. Good luck! You got this :)

Q11. If your book were to be made into an Audiobook, and you could choose anyone to read it, who would you choose and why?

If anyone could read my audiobooks, I’d choose the actor Tony Todd. He’s a staple in the horror movie community. He’s best known for Candyman. I think his voice would fit perfectly with the dark tone of my books.

Q12. If your book were to be made into a film, who would you like to play your two main characters?

If One By One were to be made into a movie, I’d want Michael B. Jordan to play Kenan, and I’d want KeKe Palmer to play Rae.

Author Bio – Yawatta Hosby

Hello, I’m Yawatta Hosby. I reside in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. I enjoy connecting with other writers through blogging. With a desire to escape every day life, I create short stories, novellas, and novels. I’ve always had a fascination with psychology, so I like to focus on the inner-struggles within my characters. I’m an avid reader, favorite genres: mystery, suspense, horror, and women’s fiction. My short stories have been featured in The Write Place At the Write Time online journal (2013), When the Lights Go Out anthology (2015), and Don’t Open the Door anthology (2019).

Other stories I've read by Yawatta Hosby

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