Janet Kay Interview Published on: 13, Mar 2026

My surroundings create a sense of peace and stimulate my creativity. I can sit out on my deck overlooking the lake with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, or lose myself in sunrises or sunsets reflecting across the lake. I enjoy watching my "pet" deer follow me around. The stress of everyday life disappears, and my creativity is unleashed. My love of nature spills over into my novels, I think, although I balance this with the inherent dangers lurking out there.

The peace and tranquility of nature can easily be disrupted in remote wilderness settings when a major storm, wild animals, or danger moves in. Or when one is stranded on an island, trying to survive. The quiet and sense of isolation can cause the mind to wander, imagining negative outcomes.

I've always been intrigued with Victorian spiritualism, ever since I connected with Emily Dickinson. She believed in immortality of the soul, and found the divine through nature. "I dwell in possibility..." she wrote, and that has become my mantra! The Victorians believe that the dead can communicate with the living, in the evolution of the soul after death, and that deceased spirits can guide the living. I relate to that...and have had several experiences to back up my beliefs. This is something I hope to relay to my readers through my novels.

I try to blur the line between external threats and internal emotions to create suspense. I create delusional, unbalanced characters, and conflicts based on internal struggles originating from experiences within previous lifetimes. It helps to set scenes in isolated settings where a character is trapped both physically and mentally.

A combination of both. I travel a lot, often seeking unique off the grid places in remote locations. Sometimes I find a place that speaks to me and compels me to set scenes there. The haunted Virginia City, Montana - the setting for my Amelia 1868 novel - is an example. Other times I research to find the best location for scenes in a novel. My research led me to Rainy Lake in Northern Minnesota, a place I fell in love with enough to set scenes from three of my novels there!

My characters and plot required scenic remote, wilderness locations that were not easily accessible such as these national parks. I had previously visited them and fell in love with them. As I hiked along the trails on cliffs overlooking the Great Lake, I knew this is where scenes in my novel must take place. I also love Duluth, Grand Marais and the North Shore of Lake Superior. They are unique communities where my characters would fit in nicely.

Absolutely! I sat by the lakes watching the sunrises and sunsets, wandered along the trails, and interviewed locals who lived or worked there. I met Mike, a local historian and boat captain, who was a wealth of information. He showed me places on Rainy Lake where one of my characters could hide out. His family history inspired me to set some scenes here and to integrate some of his fascinating stories into my novel. He even became one of my characters!

A blend of psychological fear and graphic horror can sometimes be the most effective. However, I prefer focusing more on psychological fear instead of graphic horror because I think more people can relate to it. Psychological fear targets the mind. It is more internal, longer term, frequently based on inner turmoil, distorted reality, suspense and anxiety. Graphic horror is more external, more immediate and physical, generating a fight or flight response.

Maybe because we all have some secrets - or unknowns - within our own lives and families? And because we are curious at heart. By delving into the family secrets of others, it can sometimes help us to understand our own history and to understand ourselves better. Perhaps it can even help us to resolve lingering issues that have haunted us or our loved ones for some time.

I feel that romance adds emotional depth and an additional dimension to my characters. Readers relate to love, something most of us desire to find in our own lives. By integrating romance into a thriller or a supernatural story, more is at stake. And readers are more fully engaged.

Yes, frequently. Many of my scenes take place in real places I've visited, taken photographs of, or seen in historical pictures. Others are firmly in my mind before I begin to write a scene. I can "see" the paintings on the wall, the rockers on the porch, the fireplace, books on the shelf, etc. before I create the scene on paper.

Lots! I consider myself to be a "place writer." It is important to me, and to my readers, to bring places to life. The only way to do this is to spend time at the locations I write about, meet and talk with the locals, take lots of photographs and simply try to absorb the culture and the nature surrounding me. I also do historical research at local libraries so I can integrate local history into my novels. I've developed a fan base at places where my novels are set, returning often to do book signings and spend time with new friends.

I do! I have had several supernatural encounters - visits from deceased relatives. I have also photographed spirits - some transparent, some full-bodied, and some orbs. I've shared those photos with paranormal researchers. Several of my photos are currently being used on ghost tours on Galveston Island in Texas. I believe there is another world beyond this one, a message I try to convey to my readers.

My hope is that readers may broaden their horizons after reading my novels. The best and most heart-warming compliment I've ever had from a number of my readers is that my novels have made a difference in their lives. Themes that I like to convey include forgiveness, a belief in an afterlife, and the assurance that our deceased loved ones are still with us in one way or another.

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