We recently published Chelsea Stickle’s hot “Fire Is an Open Mouth with an Empty Stomach.”

Here, we ask her two questions about her story:

1) This story is one of a series from you — the Screaming Meemies series, which is such a great name, by the way! I love the way you use detail here to give us more backstory on the psychic without requiring the reader to be familiar with the series to follow this one. How do you walk that line?

Thanks! When working with interconnected stories I pay extra attention to scope to make sure each story can stand on its own. Then I ask myself some questions. What details set the scene and establish character? What do you need to know to appreciate what the psychic is going through?

2) So … can you tell me who burnt down the psychic’s house? Or am I going to have to wait and see?

You’ll have to wait and see! That’s its own story. But I will say the psychic goes against her own interests to do the right thing and…you’ve seen the consequences.