Clare Cavenagh: I Didn’t Know I Was Working on a Novel
In this interview, author Clare Cavenagh discusses how a historical folklore helped inspire her debut literary horror novel, Tillinghast.
Clare Cavenagh spent her childhood in Erica, Australia, and her adolescence in Fribourg, Switzerland. She read English and Renaissance literature at the University of Cambridge, and now lives in London where she works as a copywriter. Her short fiction and criticism have been published in Editions L’Hèbe, Cambridge Quarterly, and Eucalyptus Lit. Follow her on Instagram and Bluesky.
In this interview, Clare discusses how a historical folklore helped inspire her debut literary horror novel, Tillinghast, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Clare Cavenagh
Literary agent: Judith Murray/Gráinne Fox
Book title: Tillinghast
Publisher: Viking
Release date: June 23, 2025
Genre/category: Literary horror
Elevator pitch: A dark and utterly original literary horror debut, following a priest whose bloodthirsty life has extended far longer than any mere human's—and is upended when a stranger comes to town.
What prompted you to write this book?
A few years ago, I stumbled across a YouTube video about the New England Vampire Panic and I was instantly obsessed. In response to deadly tuberculosis outbreaks in the 19th century, rural communities developed a folk belief that the dead were somehow feeding on the living. From there, they imagined that neutralizing the dead would stem the spread of the disease. Methods ranged from exhuming bodies and reburying them face down to digging people up, removing their organs, burning them, and consuming the ashes. I read everything I could find. At first, I didn’t know I was working on a novel, but over time, characters and relationships began to suggest themselves to me and I started writing.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
Going from YouTube video to release date took a little over four years. My first draft was a big mess. The first problem was that I’d chosen the wrong character as my main point of view on the story. The second problem—kindly pointed out to me by another writer who read a couple of excerpts—was that I hadn’t seriously thought about structure. To address this, I didn’t do anything big or clever, just an internet search for “novel structure”. I read a few of the top results, and made a new outline informed by what I’d learned. It worked: The story went from a mess of notes to a recognizable book. After a bit more tuning up, I found my wonderful literary agent, then she secured a publication deal.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I didn’t know much about the publication process, so I was very surprised to learn how long the lead time for a book can be, especially a debut novel. From book deal to publication was two years. After signing my contracts, I had the same conversation over and over with friends and family: Yes, it’s going to be published, I’m extremely excited, it will come out in two years, yes, genuinely, two years, yes, that’s normal.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Like lots of writers, I’d dreamed about writing a book for a long time, but it seemed overwhelming. I thought I’d have to produce something brand new out of myself, with nothing but my wits and my word processor. It’s not magic, though, it’s just work. For me, having a historical event to latch onto was extremely helpful, because rather than sitting around waiting for inspiration to strike, I could comb through the record like a magpie, looking for shiny things I might be able to use. It’s the same with craft and structure: There are plenty of great tips out there. You don’t have to reinvent the novel as a form. Making use of this help doesn’t lead to work that’s formulaic or derivative either—something very mysterious and fun happens when you combine craft, research and your own mind.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Pleasure! I hope that Tillingast will be a delectable little treat you can save up for a dark evening and devour, possibly in a single sitting.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Fiction is like a house party where new people constantly arrive but nobody ever leaves. Don’t worry—the house is imaginary and there’s always room for one more. When you arrive, all you need to do is drift through the rooms and see what people are up to. Your interests and experiences will make it more tempting to linger in some places longer than others, and that’s alright, but it’s worth exploring as much of the house as you can manage. Then, once you’ve got your bearings, it will become clear that there are a few places where you might be able to contribute to the conversation, join the dancing, help make the next round of drinks. When you’re writing, you’re not on your own. In fact, everyone already at the party has been waiting for you.
