Writers of great horror don't hold back when it comes to subject matter: nothing is off limits. Their stories go to places that make readers shudder, sweat, squirm.

In these columns, Lisa L. Hannett - the award-winning author behind Bluegrass Symphony, Lament for the Afterlife, and Song For Dark Seasons - turns her attention to the topics of writing, horror, and her adopted country of Australia.

Drawn from her popular Southern Dark column, Wide Open Fear collects Hannett's advice on selecting new monsters for horror literature, capturing the Australian gothic, embracing the I in horror, avoiding the overuse of literary techniques across the breadth of your career, and more.

Whether you're an aspiring author looking advice, an established horror scribbler looking to hone your technique, or simply a fan Hannett's work seeking a glimpse behind the scenes, Wide Open Fear offers insights into the practice and philosophy of an extraordinary writer of horror and weird fiction.