On the heels of Washington State Book Awards crowning Lora Senf’s “The Loneliest Place” a finalist for young readers, the Spokane author is releasing her latest middle reader horror – “Pennies” on Tuesday, Sept. 23. Those looking to meet the “Blight Harbor” series creator in person can find her at Wishing Tree Books for the Perry Street Fair on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Senf was thrilled “The Loneliest Place,” the third book in her series chronicling the adventures of Evie Von Rathe, was a finalist; the second book in the series, “The Nighthouse Keeper,” also received the recognition.
“I was shocked,” Senf said. “I mean, honestly, I was shocked, because last year was a finalist, which was wonderful, but also, frankly, horror doesn’t often make these lists or become finalists for these kinds of awards, so I was very happily surprised.”
Horror has played an important role in Senf’s life since childhood, when she discovered the books of John Bellairs.
“I felt like he was talking to me,” Senf said. “He had these ordinary kids and extraordinary circumstances, and I loved the spooky stuff. I enjoyed that being afraid, but it’s a safe kind of fear, right? Because it’s happening in a book.”
Later in life, Senf realized she had anxiety, and credited scary books in helping her deal with it.
“I was afraid all the time of so many things, and scary books gave me a chance to practice being brave, and that’s what I love so much about horror for kids, the age appropriate stuff is it’s a safe place for kids to practice their bravery,” Senf said.
Senf’s main character Evie has a similar background.
“I wanted to be a fearless kid, but I was a kid with anxiety,” Senf said. “So, Evie became the main character, and Evie is brave, but she also has anxiety that she sees a therapist for. She’s a kid wrestling with anxiety and panic attacks.”
Though “The Loneliest Place” concluded the trilogy which told Evie’s story, “Pennies” takes place in the Blight Harbor universe – a century earlier. Because some of the characters in Evie’s world are ghosts, “Pennies” allowed Senf to tell their stories when they were alive.
Senf found it particularly rewarding to explore the character Lark in this book, who was a ghost in “The Nighthouse Keeper.”
“We get to see her with her friend group, just being a kid, a kid on a scary adventure, but just being a living, breathing kid,” Senf said. “I really loved giving that to her. It’s funny, these characters, especially the young characters, become kind of living, breathing, little people in my head.”
“Pennies,” illustrated by Alfredo Cáceres, won’t be the last book set in the “Blight Harbor” universe. Senf has a book set in the 1990s, tentatively titled “Bone Tree Grove.”
“I wanted to keep it in the family,” Senf said. “I wanted it to be characters that kids would have some connection with if they’d read the Evie books.”