In her upcoming novel, Accumulation, Aimee Pokwatka explores a haunting that unfolds through seemingly mundane objects. The story begins with a doll, followed by a tooth hidden in the floorboards, and a mysteriously running faucet. The narrative follows Tennessee Cherish, a former documentary filmmaker who has traded her career for domestic life, as she and her husband Ward move into an old house with their children. While they engage in playful pranks involving the found doll, the true nature of their home becomes evident, revealing its haunting agenda.
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The novel addresses not only the supernatural aspects but also the deeper emotional erosion Tenn experiences after leaving her creative pursuits for motherhood. Pokwatka highlights domestic labor as often repetitive and disproportionately shouldered by women, using the haunting as a metaphor for Tenn’s lost identity.
In an interview, Pokwatka conveyed her intention to balance external horror with the internal struggles of her character. The degradation of both the house and Tenn’s psyche emerge in tandem, reflecting each other's decay. Objects in the home, such as the doll and the tooth, are described as vital to expressing the unsaid anxieties within the family dynamic. Tenn and Ward's inability to communicate their feelings amplifies their emotional disconnect, manifesting physically in both their lives and the condition of the house.
Pokwatka noted that while the haunting could be read as a metaphor for a troubled marriage, she preferred to maintain a sense of ambiguity throughout the narrative. Inspired by astrophysicist Katie Mack’s acceptance of unexplained phenomena, Pokwatka embraced the theme of the unknowable, allowing readers to interpret the story in multiple ways.
Through the character of Tenn, who attempts to capture objective truths through cameras, the narrative plays with the idea of reliability. Tenn's subjectivity and her role as a caregiver complicate her understanding of reality. The haunting serves to underscore the emotional turmoil that women often face, echoing deeper issues of identity and mental health.
Pokwatka also acknowledged the challenges of writing about a slow buildup of dread rather than sudden crisis, explaining that everyday compromises can insidiously lead to profound unhappiness. The house itself, modeled after her own home built in the 1750s, becomes a character in its own right, its atmosphere reflecting Tenn’s growing disorientation.
Sound plays a crucial role in the horror aspects of Accumulation, with the absence of sound often amplifying the tension. One pivotal scene involves Tenn and Ward texting each other in silence, unable to voice their fears or disappointments, showcasing the core themes of miscommunication and internal struggle.
Throughout her conversation, Pokwatka expressed her desire to deviate from traditional haunted house tropes. She sought to challenge the binary of either supernatural events occurring or a woman’s descent into madness, opting instead to portray a narrative where both elements coexist. Her approach invites readers to grapple with the complex layers of the female experience within the domestic sphere.
Accumulation will be released on May 5, 2026. Aimee Pokwatka is also the author of Self-Portrait With Nothing and The Parliament. She has a background in anthropology and creative writing, and resides in a haunted house in New York with her family.