Alexis Henderson has an amazing talent for deep and horrifying stories to make us read in a hypnotic state, mouth agape, and anxiously waiting for what may happen next, but also scared to continue as something darker is sure to be on the very next page. Her skill in writing macabre stories can be seen in all her books, including her previously released The Yearning for the Witching and House of Hunger. In her newest book, An Academy For Liars, Henderson further explores the captivating and terrifying world of dark fantasy, set in a quiet pocket of Georgia, and continues to employ her deliciously twisted voice to bring us stories we can’t help but read.

An Academy of LiarsAn Academy For Liars by Alexis Henderson

Lennon’s life is crumbling all around her. Desperate for a way out, she agrees to take an entrance exam for a strange college in Georgia. Upon passing, she enrolls in the school which turns out to be an academy for students gifted in the power of persuasion, a supernatural ability to objects and even other people’s minds. Her daily lessons drain her, but she remains captivated by the school, students, and her advisor, Dante. The more time she spends at the school, the more she uncovers about its devastatingly twisted history, her quickly growing power, and how the two could bring about her end.

Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

We’re so happy to have you! Tell us about your latest book, An Academy for Liars.

Thank you so much for having me! An Academy for Liars follows Lennon, a college dropout whose life is falling apart. Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen by Drayton because she possesses the gift of persuasion: the ability to use her will to control others and in rare cases matter itself. After passing the test, Lennon learns to master this unsettling power but as her control grows, she starts uncovering dark secrets about Drayton and its history…and she’s increasingly disturbed by what she learns.

What do you feel readers should know when diving into your books?

I always feel the need to warn readers that my books are pretty dark. I think sometimes people don’t anticipate just how dark they’ll be, because I’m told I come across as a fairly sunny person (and I like to think that I am). But writing is a way for me to explore a different side of myself. That being said, I don’t think I’ll ever write a book where a cat dies. That’s a hard line for me.

What draws you to the dark fantasy genre?

I think I’m drawn to dark fantasy because it combines elements from two of my favorite genres: fantasy and horror. I’m very much a “more is more” person, and I think that’s why I tend to write between genres. I want my books to be filled with the things that fascinate and frighten me.

You grew up in Savannah, Georgia. What role does that childhood setting play in your books now?

Growing up in Savannah, Georgia was a real privilege. So much of that city influences my work, it’s hard to tease apart what exactly I picked up from the time I spent there. But I do think that Savannah gave me a real appreciation for atmosphere and gothic aesthetics. In that sense, all of my books have a little bit of Savannah vested in them.

What sort of natural horror elements do you feel exist in a campus setting that you were able to utilize for this book?

I think of that old cliché: knowledge is power. In my experience, the pursuit of power often leads to dark places. That’s what I wanted to explore in An Academy for Liars. Campus settings are a bit of a pressure cooker, I think. You have so many students pushing themselves to or past their breaking points to realize their ambitions. There’s so much stress and anguish to be found in a campus setting and, to me, that’s the stuff of horror.

What are some of your favorite dark academia reads?

Vita Nostra by Maryna and Serhiy Dyachenko, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and Babel by R.F. Kuang are easily my three favorite dark academia reads.

As we head into Halloween, what are some of the seasonal stories that have stuck with you over the years?

I’m a huge fan of horror author Rachel Harrison, and I find myself regularly thinking about her books The Return, Cackle, and more recently, So Thirsty, which is a delightfully dark vampire horror novel that I absolutely devoured. I also really loved Del Sandeen’s This Cursed House, which is so eerie. It’s such a perfect Halloween read. On the film and television side, I love Midsommar as a summer-transitioning-into-fall horror movie. I always compile a list of new horror movies and T.V. shows to watch before Halloween, but every year I find myself rewatching Twilight, The VVitch, and Over the Garden Wall.

How do you feel magic in fiction can teach us something about our own world? Do you believe some of the magic you write about in your books exists in our world right now?

Magic has always been a way for me to explore power and what we choose to do with it. I love magic as a metaphor for the systems and beliefs we uphold in our own world. In that sense, I do believe that the magic I write about really exists, but the way it presents itself in our world is different and perhaps more sinister than anything I’ve ever written about.

Tell us about your main character.

Lennon is hedonistic, headstrong, and in many ways she’s her own worst enemy. I think you can learn a lot about a character from their deepest flaws—Lennon’s is her attraction to power, which manifests itself through her romantic relationships and her insatiable ambitions. It’s not often that I write a main character that truly unsettles me. That said, I’m very fond of her. I had so much fun writing her story and I really respect her tenacity and grit.

What are you working on next?

I have two dark fantasy projects in the pipeline (both filled with demons and death) as well as a project in a brand new (to me) genre. I hope I can share more about them soon!