Nicole Bryd has always been an avid reader, the kind who grew up sneaking chapters long past bedtime—especially when it came to R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series. That early love of spooky stories never faded. She still prefers her books scary and her reading done at night, when the world is quiet, and the shadows feel a little closer.

When she’s not writing or reading, Nicole can usually be found living off Mexican food, hanging out with her one very spoiled cat, and calling Texas home.

She believes the best stories should unsettle you just enough to linger long after the last page.