Happy Friday the 13th!

This is the long awaited interview with Romizabooks, a writer hailing from Australia who has penned at least 16 stories right here on Wattpad. You can always count on them to participate in a writing challenge... and to give a great interview 👀

What draws you to the paranormal genre?

Growing up, the paranormal genre was never on my radar. I grew up in a time where fantasy was popular, thanks to books like the Harry Potter series, His Dark Materials trilogy for the YA audience, and The Lord of the Rings for the adult audience.

After high school, I went to Romania to study medicine at university. Like most people, I had heard about vampires and their association with Romania, particularly the Transylvania region. Unfortunately, I didn't get the time to visit Transylvania during my study.

My time in Romania drew my interest towards the paranormal genre, and following university, I have started delving in this particular genre. As a university professor of mine explained, Dracula was nothing more than a politician. But strangely, fresh garlic is sold in abundance at the grocery store unlike back home in Australia.

I have always loved all things supernatural. I grew up in a house that embraced all things spooky.

What was the first paranormal story you read or watched?

The earliest memory I can recall is of The X Files TV show. I was 3 or 4 when I first watched it. After all these years, the theme song is still stuck in my head.

What paranormal trope do you secretly love—even if readers roll their eyes?

This is a hard one. But if I have to choose, it would be monster hunter/paranormal investigator. You can't have a good story without one.

What's your process for worldbuilding in the paranormal realm? Where does logic meet lore in your work?

Currently I am working on a YA paranormal story, which started out as a novella during this the ONC 2025. When I decided that my story would be paranormal genre, I started studying books in the same genre. I've also been reading All About History magazines where you can get actual information about the paranormal through a few of their magazines.

If anyone is interested in reading All About History magazines for paranormal genre writing, here are my following recommendations:

— History of Monsters & Mythical Beasts (2nd Edition, 2022)
— Guide to Cryptids (1st Edition, 2024)
— History of Ghosts (4th Edition, 2023)
— The Travellers Guide to Cursed & Creepy Destinations (3th Edition, 2025)
— History of Vampires (6th Edition, 2024)
— Guide to the Supernatural (1st Edition, 2024)

What's the strangest "research" you've done for a paranormal story that made your search history look suspicious?

I've never actually thought about this. I usually clear my history after awhile.

Ever finished a draft and thought, "This is either genius or a disaster. I'll let the readers decide"?

When I completed my ONC entry, I didn't get time during round 3 to edit my work. I was more focused on finishing my story than obsessing on perfection. I knew my story was a disaster, but no reader that read my story said anything. I later went on to edit my story and submit it for Ambys.

Which line or scene from your stories do you secretly feel proud of — the one that gives you goosebumps every time?

My ONC 2025 entry Legacies & Bloodlines, which I am currently working on to extend into a novel and also enter it for the NovNov (Novel November) challenge, has one particular line that I am proud of. It is said by my character Clara Harker who is the descendant of Jonathan and Mina Harker form the novel Dracula.

Here is the line: "Harker. Clara Harker. Prepare to meet your doom—because I don't run from monsters. I run toward them," Clara introduced herself.

Do you believe in real-life paranormal experiences?

Being Australian with a South Asian background, I grew up with paranormal stories tied to South Asian. Though I have never had any real life paranormal experiences myself, I have heard of relatives on my mother's side who have had experiences. Does communicating with djinns or the ability to control crows count as paranormal experience? I'll let the readers decide.

What's the most random thing that inspired one of your story ideas?

Back in high school I watched the movie Hotel Transylvania on TV. I have so far watched the entire movie series plus Hotel Transylvania: The Series. Having fallen in love with the concept of a hotel for the paranormal, I took the idea and changed it to a paranormal restaurant where mythical (supernatural, magical and paranormal) creatures can came and eat at night. Out of the ashes was born the restaurant Late Night Bite.

Here is chapter 3 from my ONC entry titled 'Late Night Bite'

What's the biggest challenge when writing supernatural elements?

Obviously the lore. I don't want to see vampires sparkling and wandering about under the sun or werewolves changing from human to wolf without a full moon. Please stick to the lore.

Which of your characters taught you something unexpected about yourself?

Like my main character Eva from my ONC entry Legacies & Bloodlines, I have had a hard time fitting in when I moved somewhere new. Eva has taught me that you should always be in the company of people who want you in their lives. Also you should be proud of who you are.

What's the best compliment you've ever received from a reader?

During October, I wrote a fanfic for AmbassadorsInternational for HauntFest 2025. One reader left a wonderful compliment which was the last sentence of a comment. I've been left speechless by it. "Do you ever think about having scenes like that brought to life in art?"

What message or emotion do you hope readers walk away with after reading your stories?

Keep an open mind to all possibilities.

If you ever stumble upon a store named Mystic Curio Shop, "beware, be warned, be wary" as the shop owner likes to say. Mystic Curio Shop is a recurring location in different stories I have written since joining Wattpad. I believe I so far have 5 stories in the form of Novella, short story and flash fiction that contain this peculiar shop. You never know what you might find in this shop, so read with caution.

Any upcoming projects, events, or releases you want to tease?

I am hopefully going to enter NovNov on ProWritingAid website with my story Legacies & Bloodlines with the aim to fully have it transformed into a first draft of a novel. Maybe I will have already started the challenge by the time this interview is published.

Is there anything else you'd love to share with readers or fellow writers?

With the cancellation of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), writers maybe looking for other challenges where they can write 50,000 words in 30 days (November). Introducing Novel November (NovNov) challenge on ProWritingAid with Wattpad as one of the sponsors. Why not join the challenge? It's free to sign up. https://prowritingaid.com/novel-november

Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed, Romiza! It was wonderful learning about your spooky inspirations 🧛🏻‍♂️

Check out their profile here.