Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .

What drew you to the genre you write?
Because I write across genres, there are many creative funnels that got me to this place.

I grew up reading Encyclopedia Brown and, on the other end of the spectrum, Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Clive Barker. I was into Sweet Valley High books and anything Judy Blume and S.E. Hinton. I also had time to read too many inappropriate Jackie Collins books. I write across genres incorporating horror with crime noir and Southern Gothic so almost anything can catch my attention and be an inspiration.

How did you come up with your pseudonym?
I use the loose pseudonym of P.M. Raymond which is a variant of my actual name. I want to have some separation between my everyday life and my writing life.

Tell us how you got into writing?
I’ve always been an avid reader which was my conduit into writing when I was younger. As an adult, my professional career requires business writing, so I’ve been engaged in technical writing for years. I explored fiction writing beginning in 2015 when I joined Sisters in Crime.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
I began my career in retail management and transitioned to leadership roles in marketing. I eventually spent years in Public Relations. Now, I am a project manager in the software development sector and technical marketing areas for a Fortune 500 company.

How many books do you have published?
No books yet but my debut interconnected collection, THINGS ARE AS THEY SHOULD BE AND OTHER WORDS TO DIE FOR, will release on April 21, 2026. I primarily write fiction short stories. I have a dozen published so far. I also write non-fiction articles for outlets like Writer’s Digest and DreadCentral.com.

Where do you write?
I mostly write in my living room lounging on my sofa. Sometimes I write in my reading nook in my bedroom. I organize a write-in group every other month that meets at a local café or the public library.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
What an unfair question!! I read widely so I like a bit of everything. I’ve always been a big romance reader. Authors like Beverly Jenkins and Erica Ridley are my go-to. I really enjoy cozy mysteries like those from Melissa Bourbon, Diane Kelly, and Lisa Siefert. I also read traditional mysteries and really enjoy work from Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier, Sara Johnson, Delia Pitts, and K. T. Nguyen.

Over the past few years, I’ve been a big fan of Southern or rural noir. Amazing writers like S.A. Cosby, Meagan Lucas, and David Joy are all on my bookshelf. I read a ton of horror. Most recently I dove into work from Andrew K. Clark, Candace Nola, and Tamika Thompson. I can’t resist a good thriller. My favorite authors in the genre hands down are Steph Nelson, Noelle Ihli, and Minka Kent. I would be remise if I didn’t mention my love for manga and the best in the genre and my favorite is Junji Ito.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I have an identical twin sister!

Who is an author you admire?
Octavia Butler. Her work stays with me after reading it. She builds rich, complex, and troubling worlds that feel very lived in and incredibly immersive. Her work touches on timeless faults in our society that resonate now more than ever.

Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?
Building a writing community is important. I run a critique group for Triangle Sisters in Crime and it is the best group of supportive, talented creatives. Just as important is actively supporting other writers. I don’t see other writers as competition but as opportunities to grow. I get to be a colleague AND a fan!

What is next for you?
My first book, an interconnected collection, THINGS ARE AS THEY SHOULD BE AND OTHER WORDS TO DIE FOR, will release from Uncomfortably Dark Horror on April 21, 2026.

I will have two non-fiction articles appearing in Writer’s Digest. THE WEIGHT OF EXPECTATIONS – Navigating a critique group while keeping your mental health intact coming January/February 2026 and three Project Management Principles to Pace Yourself Through Your Next Writing Conference coming March/April 2026.

I will be featured on two podcasts in January 2026 – The SinC Writers’ Podcast with Julie Hennrikus on January 7, 2026, and on The Dark Mind Podcast on January 13, 2026.

And I will begin lecturing at Duke University and NC State University guiding students through MASTERS OF DARK FICTION in both universities’ OLLI program starting February 23, 2026.

Where can we find you?
Find me at my website, www.pmraymond.com. Find me on social media at Instagram @pmraymond_author or Facebook on my author page, @pmraymondauthor. I also do monthly blogs and quarterly newsletter content through Substack, pmraymond.substack.com.

Now to have some fun . . .

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
ALWAYS Breakfast!

Fruits or vegetables
Vegetables. I love a good, steamed broccoli.

Sweet or salty snacks
I just wrote a short story where my main character eats Junior Mints and popcorn in the same handful. That sums up my preference.

Ice cream or cake
CAKE. According to my family, my cakes are some of the best!

Cooking or baking
See above.

Dining in or dining out
I like cooking at home. I see dining out as a communal activity so when it’s just me, cooking at home is the delineation that marks the end of my workday and my time to relax.

City life or country living
I’m from New Orleans so I like city life that moves slow.

Beach or mountain
Beach

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall
Summer because see above.

Extrovert or introvert
Introvert. I need lots of ‘me’ time.

And even more fun . . .

What is your favorite movie?
This changes constantly! This year it’s Sinners but I’ll always stop and watch The Godfather, The Stepford Wives, or Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
Water filtration, my mixtapes from the 80s and 90s, and sunscreen. Everything else will take care of itself!

My bio:
P.M. Raymond is an award-winning author from New Orleans, Louisiana who knows a thing or two about good gumbo, grits, and café au lait. She is a 2025 Killer Shorts Screenplay and Horror2Comic Semifinalist, the Sisters in Crime 2024 Eleanor Taylor Bland Award Winner, 2024 Claymore Award Finalist, and 2024 Killer Shorts Screenplay Finalist. Her linked Southern Gothic, crime noir, and psychological short story collection – THINGS ARE AS THEY SHOULD BE AND OTHER WORDS TO DIE FOR – releases April 2026 from Uncomfortably Dark Horror. Her work has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Writer’s Digest, Punk Noir, Flash Fiction Magazine, and Dark Yonder, among others.