PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Offer me a book that’s being called a cross between Big Little Lies and Practical Magic, and I’m sold. This is how I came across the 2019 novel Sanctuary by author V.V. James (aka Vic James). Now a TV series airing Thursdays on AMC+ and Sundance Now, Sanctuary is a modern-day witch hunt filled with twists, turns, and of course, magic. To celebrate the new show, I chatted with V.V. about having her book adapted for television, how she created the fictional magic inside Sanctuary, what’s up next for her, and more!
PopHorror: What inspired the story of Sanctuary?
V.V. James: I’m a TV journalist/filmmaker and was covering UK and US politics at the time Donald Trump was elected president, when some news outlets reported the witches of America had been urged to “hex” him (see the Vanity Fair article ‘Yes, Lana Del Rey Hexed Donald Trump’) – and a sinkhole opened up on the White House lawn! It was a standout weird moment at the end of an already turbulent campaign. Around the same time, “Me Too” was taking off internationally, and it genuinely felt like a reckoning was coming on how women were treated in society. From that mood – and my belief that everything becomes a bit more interesting if you add magic – came Sanctuary. The book also features a “witch flu” scare that triggers a lockdown, written before anyone had ever heard the word “Covid.” I swear I don’t have a crystal ball!
PopHorror: I saw the note on the magical system at the beginning of the book. How did you create the magic in the book, and was there something specific that you were looking for?
V.V. James: I went to witch academy! London has an incredible occult community, and I became a regular at lectures and classes at its famous Treadwell’s bookshop. I’m also from part of the UK, the New Forest (it’s actually thousands of years old!) that played a crucial role in the development of modern Wiccan practice. But Sanctuary’s magic isn’t modern Wicca, it’s fictional. So, I also went back and mined renaissance and early modern beliefs and magical practice – the idea of magical charts was inspired by alchemical hexagrams, for example. And lastly, I wanted to throw into the mix echoes of all our modern alternatives for magical belief, from psychotherapy to wellness. It’s important to note Sarah Fenn’s European-American witchcraft is only one strand of magical heritage in the wider Sanctuary world.
PopHorror: Sanctuary is a modern-day witch hunt story. Was there anything that you were adamant about keeping in the final draft, no matter what? And was there anything that you had to edit out?
V.V. James: Crucial, to me, was not only showing that suspicion and paranoia damage whole communities and hurt those we don’t know, but also exploring how we can do the most harm to those we love most. Alongside the witch hunt, we see the terrible consequence of Sarah’s desire to help her friends, and of two women’s attempts to ‘improve’ or change their husbands. I was so pleased none of that got lost.
PopHorror: Who was your favorite character to write in this story and why?
V.V. James: As an extremely chilled person, it was a real experience surrendering myself to Abigail’s rage and was thrilling to ride her twisted logic through to its terrifying end. I’d love to have a drink with my bestie Detective Maggie Knight. And Harper, girl, you surprised me!
PopHorror: Sanctuary is now a series on AMC+ and Sundance Now. How were you approached for the series, and how does it feel to see your written word come to life? What are your thoughts on the casting?
V.V. James: The week we sold the screen rights was the most surreal of my life. This was months before publication, and we received multiple offers. For a week, every evening after work I’d head to my UK publisher’s HQ, and we’d get on a call Stateside with another team of potential producers. These were people behind shows I knew and loved! But there was something special about the call with Monumental. I could tell they “got” Sanctuary down to its witchy bones.
PopHorror: What is your creative process when starting a new book?
V.V. James: I try not to ‘start’ too soon! Stories, like potions, are best brewed for a while. I’ll usually spend years slowly absorbing influences for an idea: reading, visiting places, discovering inspiring art or mood music. Then one day I’ll wake up and it will have magically come to the boil, and I’ll sit down and start writing.
PopHorror: What are you currently reading?
V.V. James: Lots of historical biographies for my next project! Also, a fascinating series of essays titled Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials, looking at people through history from the 17th century enslaved woman Tatabe, to the 20th century gay man Montie Summers, who’ve been subjected to “witch hunts” because of who they are. And I’m crossing off the days till the release of Xiran Jay Zhao’s Heavenly Tyrant, sequel to Iron Widow – a tale of ancient China with giant mecha, and the most compulsive howl of female rage I’ve read in years.
PopHorror: What is up next for you?
V.V. James: My next book out is Bittershore, the sequel to Sanctuary. It’s releasing in the spring in the UK, and I’m waiting on news for the US. The stakes are higher; it delves deeper into the magic, and we get to meet Harper’s mysterious father! I’m nearly done drafting a new book – a magical reimagining of a terrifying and enthralling period in British history. And I’m just about to start directing a new current affairs series for the BBC. Both my careers – novelist and journalist – are equally important to me, and they inform each other. A bit of a rest to binge the new season of The Traitors would be nice, too.
PopHorror: A sequel! I was hoping you would say that. I have just one last question for you. What is your favorite scary movie?
V.V. James: So many scary movies! I adore The Cabin in the Woods for being frightening, hilarious and jumping the shark in the most bonkers way and taking you with it. The end of Eden Lake left me rocking with a pillow, as did Get Out. And, of course, a shout-out to the phenomenally atmospheric The Witch, which shows that true horror is a life lived without fulfillment – and the seductiveness of living “deliciously!”
Thank you so much to V.V. for taking the time to speak with us. Sanctuary the novel is now available wherever you buy books, while the series is currently streaming on AMC+ and Sundance Now, with new episodes airing on Thursday. The first two episodes are available now.
