We all know and love them. We’ve been obsessed all our lives and can’t get enough of them. As children they frightened us to death. Every country, region, and town has their own urban legends and we’re featuring the best from all over the world to frighten the bejeezus out of you.
Master of the Macabre Challenge 2016 is now open for registration!
Who Will Become THE MASTER 2016?
THEME: This year’s theme is “Twisted Urban Legends.”
With the outstanding success and quality we had in last year’s challenges, we are continuing the audiodrama as part of the challenge. This year we’re pushing the challenge to the next level by asking participants to write an audiodrama revolving around one of the urban legends.
The key is to take the urban legend and give it new slant and make it twisted. Remember the couple making out in the woods? Perhaps it’s no longer the boyfriend’s sneaker squeaking on the roof of the car, but the shoes are the girl’s father’s who followed the young couple into the woods. Take the legends we love and twist them up a bit to create surprise endings for your audience.
It’s all up to you!
This year’s hostess with the mostest is Killion Slade and she’ll be randomly assigning the following to each contestant.
*An urban legend
*A setting
*An obscure item
And every audio must include:
*At least two different reader voices in their production.
To register now, fill out the registration form here:
You will receive your specialized contest items and being to create a fantastical, horror-filled, terrifying audiodrama for the listeners of HorrorAddicts.net to enjoy.
DEADLINE: Sign up by May 1st, 2016. The sooner you sign up, the more time you have to prepare.
*Note: The Wicked Women Writer’s Challenge and the Master of Macabre Contest share a theme this year “Twisted Urban Legends Audiodrama”, but they will still be aired and judged separately.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FURTHER DETAILS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SPECS:
As a contestant, you will write and record a horror story, fitting the theme and incorporating your extra elements. The style should be decidedly audiodrama, meaning music, sound effects, and two or more voices should be incorporated.
Audio mp3 and text will be due to horroraddictscontest@gmail.com by June 4th, 2016, 11:59 pm PST. Contestants will then be narrowed down to 5 semi-finalists. Those 5 authors will go on to compete for the final prize of being “The Master of The Macabre 2016”.
The audio can be no longer than 10 minutes. This is strictly adhered to.
The text can be no longer than 3000 words, but may be submitted either in story or script format. Usually 1000 words=10 mins, we are giving you 2000 extra words for stage direction.
You may have someone else record your story for you, but it must still include 2 voices and none of the HorrorAddicts.net staff or previous winners may help you.
You may not compete if you have won the “Master of Macabre” or “Most Wicked” awards before. You CAN compete if you have submitted in the past but did not win the final award.
HOW ARE THE VOTES SET UP? There will be a 3-part voting system.
1/3 of the vote will still be the voters emailing in.
1/3 of the vote will be judged on podcast quality and will be judged by seasoned podcasters.
1/3 of the vote will be judged on writing quality and will be judged by seasoned writers.
These 3 sections will be added together for a final score
The winner will be honored with the coveted title, “Master of the Macabre 2016”.
Dates to know in 2016:
May 1st – Registration closes
June 4th – Audio and text are due.
July 9th – finalists will be announced
July 23rd – Audio airs (text will begin posting near this date)
July 23rd – Voting starts
August 20th – Voting ends
September 17th – Winners will be announced on the HorrorAddicts.net show.
Got QUESTIONS?
Questions should be addressed to Killion Slade at: horroraddictscontest@gmail.com with the subject MM 2016 CONTEST QUESTION.
How Do I Enter?
1) Please click on the survey monkey link and it will take you to a page to fill your information. This signs you up for the contest and we can provide your writing prompts for your audio drama.
2) Please go the Master of the Macabre Facebook Group and ask to join. Here is where Killion will conduct most of the communication with the contestants.
And that’s it!
We look forward to hearing from you and find out if YOU will become THE MASTER 2016!
We all know and love them. We’ve been obsessed all our lives and can’t get enough of them. As children they frightened us to death. Every country, region, and town has their own urban legends and we’re featuring the best from all over the world to frighten the bejeezus out of you.
Wicked Women Writer’s Challenge 2016 is now open for registration!
Who Will Be … MOST WICKED?
THEME: This year’s theme is “Twisted Urban Legends.”
With the outstanding success and quality we had in last year’s challenges, we are continuing the audiodrama as part of the challenge. This year we’re pushing the challenge to the next level by asking participants to write an audiodrama revolving around one of the urban legends.
The key is to take the urban legend and give it new slant to make it twisted. Remember the couple making out in the woods? Perhaps it’s no longer the boyfriend’s sneaker squeaking on the roof of the car, but they are the girl’s father’s shoes who followed the young couple into the woods. Take the legends we love and twist them up a bit to create surprise endings for your audience.
It’s all up to you!
This year’s hostess with the mostest is Killion Slade and she’ll be randomly assigning the following to each contestant.
*An urban legend
*A setting
*An obscure item
And every audio must include:
*At least two different reader voices in their production.
To register now, simply fill out the registration form here:
You will receive your specialized contest items to create a fantastical, horror-filled, terrifying audiodrama for the listeners of HorrorAddicts.net to enjoy.
DEADLINE: Sign up by May 1st, 2016. The sooner you sign up, the more time you have to prepare.
*Note: The Wicked Women Writer’s Challenge and the Master of Macabre Contest share a theme this year “Twisted Urban Legends Audiodrama”, but they will still be aired and judged separately.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FURTHER DETAILS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SPECS:
As a contestant, you will write and record a horror story, fitting the theme and incorporating your extra elements. The style should be decidedly audiodrama, meaning music, sound effects, and two or more voices should be incorporated.
Audio mp3 and text will be due to horroraddictscontest@gmail.com by June 4th, 2016, 11:59 pm PST. Contestants will then be narrowed down to 5 semi-finalists. Those 5 authors will go on to compete for the final prize of being “Most Wicked 2016”.
The audio can be no longer than 10 minutes. This is strictly adhered to.
The text can be no longer than 3000 words, but may be submitted either in story or screenplay script format. Usually 1000 words=10 mins, we are giving you 2000 extra words for stage direction.
You may have someone else record your story for you, but it must still include 2 voices and none of the HorrorAddicts.net staff or previous Wicked winners may help you.
You may not compete if you have won the “Master of Macabre” or “Most Wicked” awards before. You CAN compete if you have submitted in the past but did not win the final award.
HOW ARE THE VOTES SET UP? There will be a 3-part voting system.
1/3 of the vote will still be the voters emailing in.
1/3 of the vote will be judged on podcast quality and will be judged by seasoned podcasters.
1/3 of the vote will be judged on writing quality and will be judged by seasoned writers.
These 3 sections will be added together for a final score
The winner will be honored with the coveted title, “Most Wicked 2016”.
Dates to know in 2016:
May 1st – Registration closes
June 4th – Audio and text are due.
July 9th – finalists will be announced
July 23rd – Audio airs (text will begin posting near this date)
July 23rd – Voting starts
August 20th – Voting ends
September 17th – Winners will be announced on the HorrorAddicts.net show.
Got QUESTIONS?
Questions should be addressed to Killion Slade at: horroraddictscontest@gmail.com with the subject 2016 WWW CONTEST QUESTION.
How Do I Enter?
1) Please click on the survey monkey link and it will take you to a page to fill your information. This signs you up for the contest and we can provide you writing prompts for your audio drama.
It’s an honour today to have the editor for the Horror Addicts Guide to Life in Killion’s Kave. Please welcome to the spotlight, David Watson, the nicest, horrific bloke I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing.
Let’s learn more about how the guide came to fruition, shall we?
So tell me about the concept “Horror Addicts Guide to Life” where did it originate? Why the guide, what is it’s purpose?
When I first came on staff five plus years ago, I had heard of a book that was a goth guide to life. I liked the concept of a group of people who see the world the same having a lifestyle manual. Right away I thought: “I’m a writer for horroraddicts.net, this is a website/podcast that looks at horror as a lifestyle so why not have The Horror Addicts Guide to Life.”
I brought up the idea to Emerian Rich four times and on my fourth try she decided it was a good idea and we should work on it. I wanted this guide to show people who make horror part of their everyday life by watching movies, listening to music, reading and dressing up. There are a lot of different aspects to the horror lifestyle, and hopefully we did a good job touching on all of them.
This book has a horror almanac, horror-themed recipes, articles on horror writing, party planning, healthy eating, advice on surviving the zombie apocalypse and so much more.
It’s amazing how much horror affects the everyday lives of so many people. When did you decide horror was a major part of your life?
I can’t remember a time I didn’t like horror. When I was a kid, I can remember seeing Universal monster movies and thinking they were great. I remember any time I made up a game as a kid there was always a monster in it. One thing that really inspired me to love horror was seeing the 1979 version of The Amityville Horror as a kid with some younger cousins. They screamed through the whole movie, and I thought it was the most awesome thing ever.
Me too! I am a huge fan of creature feature and B horror movies.
I’m anxious to learn more about topics such as The Gothic Tea Society and Horror Party Planning. What inspired the topics of this guide?
Emerian Rich and I did some brainstorming on what we thought were important topics to have in a book about the horror lifestyle. We felt you had to have things like horror viewing, horror writing, horror reading, fashion, art, party planning and lifestyle. The Gothic Tea Society is an article by Kristin Battestella about a group of Goths who have interesting and eccentric personalities, they look at the Odd, Mis-Matched, Bizarre and Unusual and also share their views about goth culture.
We also included a lot on party planning here because what horror addict doesn’t want to have a horror themed party. There are several pumpkin recipes by Dan Shaurette. A creepy crawly party planner by Chantal Boudreau, and some bloody good party games by Emerian Rich.
Would you say that the “Horror Addicts Guide to Life” is a culmination of the many years of stories, podcasts, contests, and interviews they have entertained us with over the years?
Yes, we get into the history of the show quite a bit in this book and we talk about our favorite interviews, stories and moments from the show. So if you were a fan of the podcast this is a must read.
Definitely, a Must Read!
What is the name of cool font used in the table of contents?
The fonts were done by our publisher and Horror Addicts hostess Emerian Rich, she used two fonts, the funky one is rock show whiplash and the other pretty font is called A Charming Font. We we’re trying to give the book an artistic independent feel, so we didn’t want to use just a plain font.
What is your favorite part of the book? Was there a section where you would like to have seen more of content expanded?
There are so many excellent articles in The Horror Addicts Guide To Life that its hard to just pick one, I like the almanac quite a bit because I like the fact that there is so much horror trivia in one place and I like that it gives horror themed activities and movies to watch for each month.
Another Article that I really liked was Practicing Safe Satisfaction by Laurel Anne Hill, the title alone really sticks out and it talks about how you can get a horror fix when your in a situation like a meeting at work. I look at horror fans as having a good sense of humor and this was a good funny article.
One article that we don’t have that I wish we did was something on how a horror addict would date a non horror addict. Even though we don’t have that we do have a story by James Newman called: More To Offer Than Blood And Boobs (Not That There Is Anything Wrong With That) Or Seven First Class Fright Films To Show The Uninitiated. It may not be about dating but it shows how we can share are passion with non horror lovers.
I should have written that one since I have to bribe my spouse to watch scary movies with me! LOL
Is there a possibility of this guide rolling out to become an annual event?
I’m not sure if it will be an annual event but we might have the occasional blog post on the horror addicts blog that will expand on the idea of horror as a lifestyle. One idea that I’ve been kicking around is based on an article in The Horror Addicts Guide To Life called The Horror Addicts Guide To Good Health by SparkyLee Anderson. In this article she talks about how important it is for a horror addict to stay healthy. This got me thinking: Would it be possible to create a horror themed workout and healthy eating plan? This is something I want to write about in the future.
Tell us what is a day in the life of a horror editor like for horror addicts?
Editing The Horror Addicts Guide To Life was a big task, I had never done anything like this, so I was lucky to get a lot of help from Emerian on it. I loved working with all the different authors on the project and hearing about all the different ideas they had. One thing I got out of this project was a deeper respect for how hard writers and editors work. Its not easy to get your ideas down on paper and make them sound good to an audience.
I’m a constant reader and have always loved writers but now that I’ve worked on a book myself I see writers and editors in a different light. Writing is an art form and its something you have to practice at if you want to find your voice and an audience. Writers deserve more respect then they get and I’m hoping in the future I can get better at helping writers promote themselves.
**********
Killion Slade is comprised of a married writing team who met in the virtual realms of Second Life and virtually enjoy everything. Mrs. Slade crafts & writes their stories, while Mr. Slade concentrates on publishing. Members of the Horrors Writers Association and the Paranormal Romance Guild, they storyboard their characters inside Second Life as their avatars reveal their stories. Killion’s published short stories can be found in Sirens Call, The Danse Macabre, Cynic Magazine, Bewildering Stories, Midwest Literary Magazine and in the anthologies Bite from the Heart, Death Sparkles and the upcoming anthologies The Ghoul Saloon from Static Movement and Roms, Bombs, and Zoms from Evil Girlfriend Media. Mrs. Slade was the winner of the 2012 Wicked Women Writers Award for “Children of Angels” short story podcast from Horror Addicts. Killion has found a new love of turning the written word into an audio podcast auralgasm.
Please welcome one of the kindest ladies I have ever had the pleasure to meet, Ms. Jaime Johnesee! There’s a lot to be said about friends in the digital world and many of us can relate to having cherished pals that we have not met in real life yet. I am proud to call Jaime one of those friends.
Even though I haven’t met her yet, she is one of those folks I know when I finally get to meet, it will be as if I’ve known her for years! Her heart is sincere and even within the depths of the most challenging personal times, she is still a light that shines for others. She is a beacon of happiness and I am so very excited to interview her today!
There are some people who can be classified as genre snobs, or purists if you will, and they prefer to not have horror and comedy lines crossed. How do you feel about this topic and where does Bob stand on it?
JJ: Well, I think that they suck. I think if they were to step out of their stuffy ways they’d soon realize that horror comedy is more popular and loved by readers than ever before. A good friend once told me that horror isn’t a genre, it’s an emotion. That’s why you can have horror in sci-fi, in westerns, in romance, and in detective stories. So, why can’t you have a little horror in comedy (or vice versa)?
The reality behind people who write horror comedy is simply that we enjoy making people laugh at the darkness in life. Let’s be honest here, there is nothing wrong with taking a terrifying situation and making it amusing. It’s what many people do to deal with the dark side of life. I know it’s how I cope. *Shrugs*
I completely agree how horror is an emotion and it affects every person differently.
Bob: Well, as the product of a horror comedy I suppose I stand firmly on the side of them sucking. Although I should probably be a little kinder and simply say that if they don’t like it then they don’t have to read it. And, also, they suck. Sure, I may be offending them right now but –and let’s be honest– they already dislike my author for writing me.
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
JJ: Make sure this is something you are passionate about and surround yourself with people who will be honest with you and will help you grow. Most importantly, be sure to treasure those who will tell you the raw, honest truth. They’ll be the ones who will truly help your career. I can’t agree with this enough.
Having a trusted set of betas who aren’t afraid to tell you the cold hard truth is more valuable than anything!
What about the horror genre interests you? Disgusts you?
JJ: I have always been a big fan of creature features. I love horror movies, books, and TV series. I grew up on shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Night Gallery. As far as books go, I love reading gothic horror best. I wish I could write in that style, but it’s not meant for me.
As for what sort of horrors disgust me, I find real horror far more nauseating than anything an author can come up with. The things we humans do to each other for real is worse than any book or movie because it’s real.
Human monsters are truly the scariest!
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? How’d that work out for ya? I wanted to twirl fire batons and dance with the Rockettes.
JJ: I actually wanted to be a zookeeper. I can remember that it was all I ever wanted from the age of seven. Truth be told, it worked out great for me. I had a nearly fourteen year long career at it. My only other career choice as a kid was being an author. I’m working on that one right now. *Grin* By the way, I could totally see you as a professional fire dancer!
NICE! Now I have to create that character 😉
What was a time in your life when you were really scared?
JJ: There have been many times in my life where I was terrified. I’ve been unfortunate enough to have quite a bit of horror in my life and that’s probably why I like horror comedy. Making fun of what scares me helps me deal.
I’m totally there with ya! Making fun of life and moments which are horrific is truly my coping mechanism. Right, wrong or indifferent… it’s the only way I know how to breathe through it.
Do you look to your own phobias to find subject matter? Are your stories the products of nightmares, childhood experiences, fantasies?
JJ: I did write one short based on a very real fear of mine, but for the most part I tend to create a character first and let them have at it. Occasionally the characters deal with something that happened to me in real life. Like with Bob. There is one real bad luck story of my own in each novella.
What is one stereotype about horror writers that is absolutely wrong? What one stereotype is dead on?
JJ: There is this stereotype that people who write horror (especially women) are horribly evil people. In truth, most of the authors I have met have been the most loving and caring people in the world. As far as what stereotype is dead on I don’t think there really is one, every horror author is so different from the next.
Tell me how you feel being a woman has either enhanced or hindered your writing in the Horror genre.
JJ: Well, we all know (or at least we all SHOULD) there is a serious gender gap in the genre. I’ve seen a friend have her story rejected with her name on it but when resubmitted under a male pen name I watched the exact same story not only go to print but be called brilliant and innovative by the same soul who originally rejected it. I’ve seen women get paid less per story in anthologies than their male counterparts. I’ve overheard guys talking about keeping “the bitches” out of open calls. As far as my own writing goes, I can say that I’ve honestly never encountered any enhancement, bias, or hindrance that I know of. I’ve been lucky though, the fellows I know are decent folks who want to smash that gap as much as we women do.
Tell me more about Jaime! What’s on deck for 2015?
JJ: I’m looking forward to this year. I’m hoping to have two novels out this year as well as more Bob novellas. I really want to focus more on my Bob as well as my Shifters series this year.
I’d love to finish some more of the construction projects we have going on to restore our home. I’m hoping 2015 is a year of growth for me both professionally and personally.
Remodeling … the never ending horror nightmare! LOL 🙂
And of course … my signature question – What is something that truly frightens you and how do you deal with it?
JJ: My biggest fear is living through another Michigan winter. I hate the cold. I deal with it through the loving guidance of fleece PJ pants and hooded sweatshirts –the kind that zip up.
Now … I want a picture of that!
Okay, truthfully, I used to be afraid of heights until my best friend at the time got me on a roof to help him with a job. Then I was afraid of cockroaches until I had to deal with them in my professional life. I deal with my fears by confronting and conquering them. There truly is nothing to fear but fear itself, and penguins.
Penguins are evil bastages!
Want to learn more about how to get in touch with Jaime and where her books are available? Connect with her and your life will change with her light!
Welcome to Killion’s Kave! Today I have a very special treat for you. We’re interviewing Lori Lopez who knows how to scare the heck out of you and isn’t afraid of spiders! I first met Lori in a Women of Horror group and have grown to love the kind generosity of her posts and the ever-lasting smile in all her photos. But what I love the most are her HATS! She stole my heart when she featured a video book trailer that her family helped her create. She is an inspiration to me that a lady in horror can have it all!
I love how you integrate your family into your whole book marketing. Tell me how did that start and where do you see it continuing?
Writing was always something I did, and my sons were around it as they were growing up. They have been very supportive, though they are not big “horror fans” like me. They believe in me, as I believe in them. The respect and admiration is mutual between the three of us. I did my best to encourage and bolster their interests when they were kids.
We share the same talents, yet each of us has our main passion. Mine is for writing. Noél is focused on music, Rafael on acting and filmmaking. But we love doing all of that, and it seemed a good idea to form a creative company. That is now called Fairy Fly Entertainment. We voted, and it meant a lot to me that my sons chose the name from one of my novels, THE FAIRY FLY.
The three of us have many projects and plans . . . for literature, films, and music. I started writing songs in the early Eighties. I’ve always wanted to act and be a musician, and that is possible at last. We started filming some things, such as author readings for my books, with Rafael behind the camera and Noél recording audio plus composing original scores.
We initially released a book trailer several years ago for my first novel, DANCE OF THE CHUPACABRAS. Rafael did the animation, Noél the creepy organ music, and we all sang my lyrics. It was a lot of fun. You can find two versions linked to our Fairy Fly Entertainment channel on You Tube.
In a more recent book trailer for my second poetry collection, THE QUEEN OF HATS, we played characters and filmed an improv scene. I’m a famous reclusive hat model, and my sons are trying to interview me. It’s funny, and the ending was a surprise! We were winging it, but I think the whole thing worked out pretty well. We filmed a couple of other single-take continuous-shot improv films the same night and may release them soon, along with more author readings that we filmed last year.
Rafael has a poetry collection published. He’s working on an author reading for that, an animated film, and more book projects, while his brother is working on musical projects. We hope to release songs this year. There is so much to do, so much going on, it’s difficult to keep up with. I love working with them and couldn’t be prouder that they chose to do this with me! They’re incredibly talented and supportive.
That is so exciting that your children are very involved in your marketing! How fun is that!! I bet they think they have the coolest mom 🙂
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? How’d that work out for you? 😀 I Also wanted to ride my bike across the United States … but I gave that up after an hour at the state park!
Honestly, in Kindergarten I knew I wanted to be an artist. I illustrate most of my books and do my own cover art, so I guess that came true. Next (by Second or Third Grade) I wanted to be a poet and songwriter too. I’m both of these. I’ve built a small following for my poetry column “Poetic Reflections” on our website, Fairy Fly Entertainment.com. We plan to record some of my ballads. I also wanted to write stories, which I am doing.
So far I have four collections of short fiction: OUT-OF-MIND EXPERIENCES; CHOCOLATE-COVERED EYES; THE MACABRE MIND OF LORI R. LOPEZ; and my latest, ODDS AND ENDS: A DARK COLLECTION. Further collections are in progress. I have stories and poems published in a number of anthologies with other authors as well.
By age fifteen I knew I wanted to write novels. I have a few out so far: the eccentric Chupacabras horror-fantasy-adventure; AN ILL WIND BLOWS; THE FAIRY FLY. Some were written around seventeen or more years ago, but ILL WIND was written in one month for a challenge between a group of writers.
Since I can remember I’ve wanted to act. I was in school plays growing up and received First Place for a two-person Forensic Playacting competition in Ninth Grade. In Fourth and Fifth Grade, I would write comedy skits and perform them on the stage at my Middle School. It’s something I loved, but I had to bury it for many years. I supported my sons as dancers and actors, along with soccer and science fairs. Rafael was cast as a dancing Jack Junior for a Jack In The Box commercial when he was a child.
He also acted in an indie film, THE HUNGRY WOMAN. Noél went to the International Science And Engineering Fair in Ninth Grade after winning a lot of awards at the regional level. He went to a few State Science Fairs. I homeschooled them from Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade, putting them ahead of my ambitions. My parents had signed me up for the military while I was in Eleventh Grade, so I went straight into the Navy after graduation, then married and wound up doing court papers for my husband another five years for a lawsuit. When that ended, the homeschooling began.
My life has taken detours, yet I never stopped believing that I would pursue my dreams. I have always been writing to some extent, and I would submit it when I could. I received the usual rejections. We self-published my first book in 2008, followed by a series of hardships and setbacks including divorce, financial struggles, one of my sons being ill for two and a half years . . . I continued to write and publish, meeting other authors online. Beginning in 2013, my sons and I could finally start attending events — festivals and book fairs, conventions — and working toward our goals. It has been an amazing period in my life. Finally, finally, I am doing author things! Signing books, producing them, working with my sons. I’ve never been happier.
You can easily tell how happy you are 🙂 Keep it up, Lady!
Is there a message in your stories/novel that you want readers to grasp?
I usually have a message . . . although I write some crazy poems that really don’t have much of a point other than harmless humor. The environment is a recurrent theme. The human struggle. War and peace, poverty. Respect. Animal and child abuse. I don’t have one area that I focus on. There are many concerns that I need to express. I put a lot of depth, emotion, and substance. It will make you think, hopefully make you wonder and question. Or feel, react . . . I take risks — inventing the occasional protagonist you might not like a lot, for example, and may even need to dig deeper to find compassion for.+
I like to challenge readers and push beyond conventions. I write my own way, by my own rules, so you can expect an unorthodox style rather than one that goes according to the way they now say everyone should write. I know the basics, the standards. I simply do not agree with all of the rules or lists on writing, and I do not use formulas. There is no single “right way” to write.
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
Find your voice, not anyone else’s. That is the most important possession a writer has. The second is to practice. Write and rewrite. Be patient. Be persistent. Do not give up if it is burning inside you. If it is not, go do something else. Don’t clutter the world with something you’re only lukewarm about. Don’t pretend you’re a writer. Find your true calling, your true passion. I think there currently could be more writers than just readers.
What about the horror genre interests you? Disgusts you?
I have loved horror since I was very small. Watching the FRANKENSTEIN and WOLFMAN movies, THE MUMMY, Alfred Hitchcock; THE ADDAMS FAMILY and MUNSTERS. Reading Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Washington Irving and so many others. Later, Stephen King and Dean Koontz, Peter Straub. Tim Burton and Neil Gaiman are wonderful. I just love dark things. I love the nighttime and find it tough to stay on a daytime schedule. I enjoyed hanging out in cemeteries as a kid. This is who I am. My sons adjusted to their mom being into Horror. Not everyone understands.
What disgusts me? I worry that things can go too far. Horror without a conscience, a message or meaning. That worries me. That kind of sick and twisted gore, purely for entertainment, isn’t my thing. And I do worry how the choices and decisions of today, artistic or otherwise, will affect our next generations. My generation was influenced by the classics of Horror. I think we turned out okay, for the most part. But what about the future? I think about that as a writer. I worry a great deal about Tomorrow. I feel we have to consider the impact, our footprint, because there have to be some limits. With everything. It’s a delicate balance. Just as there have to be standards for quality. You can’t throw it all out, or you will create garbage. That’s my belief, anyway.
I was raised watching Dr. Paul Bearer. My father LOVED old “horrible old B-movies.” I have amazing memories of huge spiders chasing little itty bitty people across the screen in black and white!
What was a time in your life when you were really scared?
I tend to be a nervous person, despite loving Horror. I get anxious. I’m working on it, but there were things in my childhood that affected me deeply. I can get really scared just riding on a freeway. I don’t drive. I have been terrified at times, sometimes over nothing.
One time as a kid I heard water dripping and was convinced there was a bomb in my room. I woke my mother. I remember being afraid of Ed Gein. I grew up in Wisconsin and heard stories. I knew he was locked up about fifteen miles from my house, so I would hear sounds at night and be sure he was coming for me. I think I worried about that instead of monsters in the closet or under my bed. My monsters were real. I recall seeing headlines and news about the Manson murders. That shook me up. To this day, human monsters are far more frightening to me than any make-believe creatures.
Without a doubt!
Do you look to your own phobias to find subject matter? Are your stories the products of nightmares, childhood experiences, fantasies?
Yes, I tend to mix in my own fears and history from time to time. I think all of my writing is personal in some way or other, no matter how far I reach into my imagination. I will find myself tossing in a detail here or there that is about me, from my life.
What one stereotype about horror writers is absolutely wrong? What one stereotype is dead on?
People think horror authors are odd, tortured, wacko. I completely agree. I certainly am! Which stereotype is wrong? That we’re odd tortured wackos. I don’t think this is true for most of them. It’s just me. (Wink.)
Tell me how you feel being a woman has either enhanced or hindered your writing in the Horror genre.
Well, I hear there has been a lot of doubt and disinterest toward female horror authors. I cannot say whether it affected my career so far. It is possible, since I do not yet have a lot of readers other than downloads for my free stories. And there are no thousands lining up for those. But I do have a number of male fans. I don’t feel I have more female fans than male. Nor do I write with female protagonists more than male protagonists.
I bring my own particular style to horror, my own individual sensitivity and perspectives. Whether that is a female aspect or just a unique one, I cannot say for sure. I do know that women write Horror as well as the guys do, and we are changing that type of negative attitude by putting our work out there for the world to see.
Tell me more about what’s on deck for Lori in 2015!
Thank you, Killion. I’m excited about my latest books and will be trying to spread the word for them. As I mentioned, I have a new horror collection titled ODDS AND ENDS and a collection of dark and humorous verse called POETIC REFLECTIONS: THE QUEEN OF HATS. (I recommend the print editions, which I did quirky artwork for.) I anticipate doing more filmwork and music with my sons. We plan to be at events. I have a Local Authors Exhibit coming up in San Diego soon. I’m thrilled that one of the anthologies I have a story in, JOURNALS OF HORROR: FOUND FICTION, made it onto the Preliminary Ballot for the Bram Stoker Awards. It isn’t nominated, merely in a preliminary round, but it’s the first time I have anything on the ballot.
I have received honors for my work before, yet being a horror author, the Stoker Award is iconic. It’s very meaningful. JOURNALS is a terrific book that was put together by Terry M. West. I’m just so excited to be part of it and to have the chance to be recognized at that level.
And of course … my signature question – What is something that truly frightens you and how do you deal with it?
Fear of failure is up there. What if I never build a larger audience? Or what if the one-star reviews outweigh the positive ones? If you think about it, readers are busy and somehow find the time to read! They don’t often take time to write a good review. Writing a bad review is appealing to some, on the other hand, as it can be a way to hurt somebody else. It gives them the power to take out frustrations on another person safely, without any repercussions, whether it’s an honest opinion or an insulting one.
They can intentionally give away critical information, spoil the twist or ending. An unfair review can have a serious effect, not just on an author’s emotions. It can cause readers not to read something that might be good — it simply wasn’t what certain readers liked. I’ve had all of this happen. So negative reviews, especially one-star, can be pretty terrifying. Just like trolls attacking others online in comments. The whole attitude of pulling out daggers really concerns me. There are a lot of nice people in the world. But there is a lot of cruelty and injustice out there also, and it scares me.
Something else that frightens me is asteroids. One is passing us tomorrow as I write this. A rock the size of a mountain! There are so many things to be afraid of. I could go on and on. I deal with it by writing about horrors in the hopes that people will want to change it, maybe change their lives, possibly change the world.
Want to learn more about Lori – you can connect with her here!
Please welcome the ever vivacious Rose Blackthorn to Killion’s Kave today! I first learned about Rose when she captivated me with her short story, Beautiful, Broken Things, in the anthology Wrapped in Black by Sekhmet Press. I’ve always craved any type of Morrigan tale, and Rose’s story brings empathy and love into the fearful crossroads of life’s choices. My favorite line was, ” The taste was bitter, like his many regrets.”
Let’s learn a little bit more about Rose and Horror!
What about the horror genre interests you?
I love the emotion – I think it’s easier to create real believable emotion in characters in the horror genre than just about anything else. Horror can be based on real life places and experiences, or it can be completely out there as far as monsters or supernatural forces or made-up places. There are very few boundaries that can’t be broken or completely obliterated in the horror genre, which makes it very freeing as a writer.
Horror can be based on real life places and experiences, or it can be completely out there as far as monsters or supernatural forces or made-up places. There are very few boundaries that can’t be broken or completely obliterated in the horror genre, which makes it very freeing as a writer.
Tell me how you feel being a woman has either enhanced or hindered your writing in the Horror genre.
Maybe I’m oblivious, or just extremely lucky, but I don’t think my gender has ever had much to do with my success as a writer. I am a very emotional person (I’ve been known to cry, even sob, at certain commercials – don’t ask) but that may or may not have anything to do with the fact that I’m female. I try to use that empathy to add depth to my characters, and hopefully create an emotional response in my readers. As far as how I’ve been treated by editors, publishers, and other authors – I have to say I don’t have any horror stories to share. 😉
This is very true! Real horror elicits emotion, and that’s when you know it’s good!
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? How’d that turn out for you? 😀 I also wanted to be a chiropractor, because my father was one. When I found out I had to carve up a real live dead body in school … yeah … I taught myself how to code instead. LOL
For a while I wanted to be a performer – a dancer or singer. I took dancing lessons for several years, but never went any farther than that. I sang in a choir in school, until my teacher told me in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t good enough to do anything with it. (Whether or not he was right, he certainly ended that dream).
I’ve been reading voraciously since I was five or six years old, and have been writing since my teens. I’ve always thought it would be the best “job” ever to be a full-time writer. I have published a few short stories and poems, and have written (but not published) more than one novel. I still think being a full-time writer would be the best job, but haven’t reached that point. However, I’m still working on it. 🙂
I agree! Being a full-time writer is a huge dream! I LOVE my day-job, it is very needed and enjoyed. The days I’m able to plan plotlines and write dialogue are treasured gems!
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I don’t have a novel out, although I’m working on a couple. As far as a message in my writing – it just depends on what it is. I’ve written some things that are very close to my own heart, in which I’m sharing my own pain. Some are just for entertainment with no “deep meaning”.
What was a time in your life when you were really scared?
I guess when my mother passed away. I am an only child of a single parent, and so when she died it was the first time I felt that I didn’t have an older, wiser person looking out for me with my best interests in mind. I was married at the time, so I had my husband, and I had several very good friends who were there for me. But I definitely felt like an orphan, even though I was in my thirties and a responsible adult.
I can completely identify with that pain and loss. Nothing can frighten you to a child more than the loss of a parent. {{HUGS}}
Do you look to your own phobias to find subject matter? Are your stories the products of nightmares, childhood experiences, fantasies?
I have written stories and poems about dreams I’ve had, and based my writing more than once on experiences from my own life, even if only on character development or emotional responses. Fantasies are always fodder for a new tale to tell.
As far as using my own personal phobias – no, I haven’t done that. Maybe I should, because it would take some of the fear out of them. But I don’t even like thinking about those deep-seated involuntary fears of mine, let alone spending hours immersed in them while writing.
What is one stereotype about horror writers is absolutely wrong? What one stereotype is dead on?
“Horror writers ain’t right in the head.” Obviously that one is wrong. Right? 🙂
Dead on? Judging from those horror authors I know (either personally or through social media) that would be, “Horror writers can look at something innocent and innocuous, and immediately find the darkness or off-kilter thing that leads to something frightening.”
I know I’ve been that way most of my life. My wonderful mother introduced me to Stephen King and John Saul at a very young age, and I’ve embraced that “what if” that leads down the less-trodden path ever since.
Your mother was a very wise woman! Go Mom!
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
Don’t give up. It’s hard if you are getting rejections, or if people in your life don’t understand the time and emotion that you invest in your writing. Sometimes it’s hard to keep going. But if you love it, don’t give up. You’ll never know how far you might go if you give up.
What are you currently working on? Any new story or book releases? What’s on deck for you in 2015?
I have a fantasy novel, an urban-fantasy/post-apocalyptic novel and a horror/post-apocalyptic novel that are all in various stages and being worked on. There are also a few short stories in the queue.
As far as releases – I have a drabble “Young Love” in Speculative Valentine Drabbles 2015 released by Indie Authors Press on Feb. 4th.
I have a short story, “Beneath the Shadows of the Red-Leafed Maple” that will appear in the Eldritch Press anthology Our World of Horror to be released in 2015.
And, in the anthology Twice Upon A Time from Bearded Scribe Press I have a story titled “Before the First Day of Winter” which should be out within the next month or so. Also from Eldritch Press, sometime in 2015 I’ll be releasing my poetry collection titled Thorns, Hearts and Thistles which includes my photography as well.
And of course … my signature question – What is something that truly frightens you and how do you deal with it?
There are different kinds of fear. I’m terrified of bees/wasps/hornets. I’ve nearly wrecked my car when one flew into an open window. I’ve stood frozen and screaming (as a child) while one crawled on my arm. It’s completely visceral, and I have no control over it. How I deal with that is simply trying to never put myself in the position where I have to be around them. I love flowers, but stay away from them when the bees are there.
The other kind of fear is more internal. I’m terrified of losing those I love, whether it be friends, family members, or my fur-kids. I have few really strong relationships anymore, because I can’t bear to lose them. If you’re part of my life, expect to be stuck with me forever – because I don’t want to let go!
Excerpt from Before the First Day of Winter, available soon from The Bearded Scribe Press:
There was a path down the ten foot drop of rock, carved as rude steps and handholds that Jordon took cautiously. He was terrified and wanted to rush headlong, but falling and breaking an ankle would help no one. As he reached the beach, the last roseate beams of sunlight made the fog incandesce, rendering his lantern redundant. But the brighter light hid more than it revealed, and his eyes burned and watered as he tried to find some sign of her.
Something moved to his right, and Jordon flinched. As quickly as the sun lit the fog, when it dropped below the horizon the billowing mist immediately became opaque. Shadows darted high, hunched low near the edge of incoming waves, and the sound of wings filled the air as the last gulls lifted from their foraging.
“Naia,” he called, desperate now. He moved toward the thicker shadows, lantern held high again.
Crumpled on the sand, safe from all but the highest tide, were a faded red skirt and sleeveless white shirt. Bare footprints led from the discarded clothing to the sea, and Jordon hastened to follow.
“Naia, don’t,” he shouted, “please don’t go!”
The mist shifted and thinned, giving him a clear view of maybe a dozen yards of wet sand and rushing waves. Standing knee-deep in rising water, Naia pulled something dark and heavy around her shoulders. Her hair lashed in the wind, and she looked back at him for only a moment.
“Naia—”
Then she was gone, and something dark and sleek swam away into the restless sea.
Today in Killion’s Kave: I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to know Leigh for a couple years now, and she was a pleasure to interview. She WOWed me with her podcasting story for her entry in the Wicked Women Writer Challenge in 2013 which challenged the whole “sheeple” mentality with nanobots joining the collective.
Since then, I have grown to adore Leigh and her passion for life, and especially her love of grammar. Let’s get to know this amazing lady and what she brings to the table for Women in Horror.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? How’d that work out for ya? I wanted to be a professional baton twirler with fire batons!!
When I was really little, I wanted to be the next Roald Dahl or Carolyn Keene—could you imagine, lol? I also wanted to be a veterinarian (until I learned about euthanasia).
In high school, I thought it would be pretty cool to be a narc like in 21 Jump Street. I had a thing for Johnny Depp. I also developed a passion for screenwriting and dreamed about writing for Richard Donner or HBO. Right?! Who didn’t want to be a cop with Johnny Depp! LOL
Is there a message in your stories that you want readers to grasp?
Yes: Be aware of the world around you; don’t allow complacency to slip blinders on you while you’re not paying attention; and you may be just one person, but don’t let that stop you from standing up for what you believe in and effecting change. If everyone says, “There’s nothing I can do” or “It’s not my problem,” rather than “We can do something about this,” the social and political horrors in all of my dystopian works will come to pass. (And that’s a scary thought.) I’ve done my part in the best way I know how—I’ve written these books. What part will you play in it?
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
Don’t skip college—and take at least one grammar course. Learn about literary theory. Read all kinds of books, not just what you think will interest you. I hated reading Faulkner, but one of his books changed the way I thought about certain aspects of writing and added a whole new layer of depth to my books.
Don’t be too eager to publish, because that leads to two huge but common mistakes: getting stuck in bad contracts and self-publishing first or second novels when you’re still too green to realize your writing is not yet ready for the world. Patience is truly a virtue.
What about the horror genre interests you? Disgusts you?
I love horror that makes a point, but I want it to be both provocative and subtle. Psychological horror is probably at the top of my list. Zompoc is pretty close to the bottom. I don’t like reading sexual sadism, although some of that has crept up in a few of my works (I blame the muses). Gore for gore’s sake disgusts me.
What was a time in your life when you were really scared?
A while back, I developed blind spots that resulted most likely from a lupus complication. No doctor was able to tell me how bad the permanent damage would be or whether this was a problem that would continue to recur until I went completely blind. The thought of losing my eyesight terrified me, and that terror ruled my life for some time. It still scares me, but I’ve gotten a better handle on that fear. I haven’t developed any new blind spots for a good year or so, but I still check daily for changes in my vision.
Do you look to your own phobias to find subject matter? Are your stories the products of nightmares, childhood experiences, fantasies?
Sometimes, although I’ve been hesitant to write about certain fears. Writing about something so personal means facing those particular fears head on. It means admitting they affect me as profoundly as they do. It also means admitting I’m more vulnerable than I’d like to let on.
I have, however, explored certain fears and aspects of past experiences in my writing. If it left such a lasting impression on me, it’s got to be worth something in a story—right? In regard to dreams and nightmares, the first novel I ever wrote, which I actually co-wrote with my twin sister, was based on a series of dreams the two of us shared. (I’m guessing the shared dreams was a twin thing.) As far as nightmares go, if it scared me, I’ll try to find a place for it in a book. Why waste good material? I completely agree! 🙂
What is one stereotype about horror writers is absolutely wrong? What one stereotype is dead on?
I think some people are unable to make distinctions between the written content and the writers’ personal identities, which might make them view horror writers as weird, potentially violent, or disturbed. In my humble opinion, horror writers are some of the nicest, most passive people out there. I do think we are indeed a morbid bunch, though.
We definitely are not afraid to embrace those things others shy away from at all costs. 🙂
Tell me how you feel being a woman has either enhanced or hindered your writing in the horror genre.
I genuinely believe people—readers and writers alike—view me as a woman first and a writer second. I think people look at pictures of my sweet, smiling face and think, “She can’t possibly write any horror worth reading.”
People judge books by their covers; they also judge writers by their appearances. That’s just life. I just hope I see a little success before I grow into a sweet-looking old lady—because then the likely thought will be, “How could that sweet, old grandma write any horror worth reading?” and I think that would be an even harder sell.
Tell me more about Lisa! What’s on deck for 2015?
My dystopian thriller The Private Sector is slated for release through Eldritch Press, although I still don’t have the ETA or the cover art. I’m also anticipating a couple of anthology releases that include my short stories “You and I” and “If These Walls Could Speak,” both supernatural horrors—again, no publication dates set as of yet.
I have an agent lined up to read my current novel, which I believe might just be my best work to date. I’ve also been sitting on Aftermath: Beyond World-Mart, undecided as to whether I want to self-publish it or send it off to one of my current publishers. It’s a tough one since it sequels a novel I did self-publish, but I believe it deserves more attention than merely KDP or CreateSpace could offer.
Be sure and keep us updated as to how your new agent works out for you. 🙂
And, of course … my signature question: What is something that truly frightens you and how do you deal with it?
I carry a lot of existential angst. Fear of the unknown gets me worked up more than I’d like to admit. I think it’s a common fear, one that defines humanity on one level or another, and so I use it as a theme in much of my supernatural horror.
Be sure and Check out Leigh’s Amazon Author Page and the amazing novels, novellas, and short stories she has published. Be sure to connect with Leigh on Twitter at @LeighMLane
Today we welcome a very talented and dedicated lady to the Celebration of Women 2015 blog spotlight. Vix Kirkpatrick lives in the UK, has a more than full-time position managing a nursing staff, and manages to review close to a book at week! How does she do eeeeet?
On her blog, she says, “I love the horror genre, but must be well written even if Bmovie style! also enjoy sci-fi, comedy, thrillers, biographies and some weird stuff.”
We all should fit right in with this awesome lady! An animal advocate and a fierce lover, please welcome The Fluffy Red Fox!
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Marine Biologist – am still very much “in-love” with animals and work hard at campaigns to stop animal abuse. But clearly that is not my life, being a teenager got in the way!!
When did you start reviewing books and how did you gravitate to the horror genre?
I have loved the horror genre since my dad gave me a SK book to read way, way, WAY before I should have done (The Stand, I think!) and I was entranced. I love the way horror makes me think and feel, I really enjoy the goosebump feeling and being shivery on a warm sunny day!
Reviewing books? We went on a cruise in Nov 2010 and a chap on there was wowing everyone with his new gadget; a Kindle. I wanted one for my Bday in Dec and got it!! I was amazed with the comments function and opened up to the world of ebooks, amazon and reviews. I was lucky enough to come across a horror bundle and Joe McKinney was my first ever (very badly written) review, my second was Mark Tufo and his acclaimed Zombie Fallout series!
I am very proud to say that I actually MET both authors at the WHC in 2014, amongst many others, but meeting Mark Tufo made me tongue tied to say the least!
About how many books a month do you review?
I am for 1 a week! Sometimes more, often less due to work and family commitments.
Mind Boggling!
What three items of advice would you give to writers just starting out? Things to avoid in their writing?
Poor grammar and spelling – it really slows and distracts from the reading, even if it’s an amazing story. Continuity errors – they drive me wild! Often a simple read through is all that’s needed. Don’t be arrogant – you may well be the best author ever with the wildest, most original stories but if you upset your readers or those that might help you promote by being rude, arrogant, selfish etc then you will get nowhere.
Awesome Advice! 🙂
What about the horror genre interests you? What disgusts you?
I will NOT read about animal abuse, I have stopped reading several stories because they have “gone there”.
I really enjoy how diverse horror is! The list goes on and on; supernatural critters, serial killers, spooky houses, erotic thrillers, comedic horror, if you can think it someone has written a horror version of it!
What was a time in your life when you were really scared?
I was on the tube train next to the tunnel where the 7/7 bomb went off, whilst I was scared it was the terror and panic of others that scared me more.
Tell me about one of your most favorite books that you had the pleasure of reviewing. What did you like most about it?
I really love the comedy horror sub-set. Authors seem to have such fun with it such as Bob The Zombie by Jaime Johnesse, That Ghoul Ava by Todd Brown or even Tim by Mark Tufo.
That said a wonderful British author called Iain Rob Wright put my “name” into one of his books (Sea Sick) and I was so chuffed I really enjoyed writing that review (and reading the book!) since then I have been graced by a few other authors who like to kill “me” off, I get a real kick out of that!!
I’ve got a spot for you in my next novel, missy!! 😉
What is one stereotype about horror writers is absolutely wrong? What one stereotype is dead on?
Wrong – they are all weird, goth hermits! Spot-on – they are all crazy!!
Tell me how you feel being a woman has either enhanced or hindered your Horror book review career.
Erm. I never really thought about my gender affected my reading or my reviewing! But I have found that the comradery in the female horror community (online) is fierce, loyal and totally fun!
We Do Rock the Joint from Time to Time!
And of course … my signature question – What is something that truly frightens you and how do you deal with it?
Spiders are my only fear! Lori R. Lopes wrote (and illustrated) a book called The Fairy Fly – it changed how I see spiders, am not over my fear but I do stop for 5 seconds before I start screaming and doing a Hong Kong Phooey display.
Thank you, Vix for stopping by and chatting with us today! It has been such a pleasure and we look forward to many more of your book reviews. 🙂 Have a question for Vix? Please stop by and give her a shout out.
I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to interview Allison a couple of times now through her talented contributions to the Wrapped in Series for Sekhmet Press. Allison M. Dickson writes dark contemporary fiction, covering both speculative and realistic realms.
Her debut psychological horror novel, STRINGS, released to rave reviews in 2013 and has topped Amazon’s bestseller lists several times. She is also the author of an abundance of short stories as well as the 1940s sci-fi noir Colt Coltrane series.
It’s been told that Allison likes to relax with a cold beverage, a game controller, and no pants! Way to Rock it Out, Allison 🙂
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? How’d that work out for ya?
I’m so boring. I wanted to be a writer! hahaha! But as a teenager, I did have brief dreams of being a journalist and a chef. I still think about going into culinary arts, actually. But then there was the time I wanted to be a political campaign strategist.
I love the study of politics in an academic sense, but then I realized how much I valued my soul, and selling it to politics at rock bottom prices was a surefire way to make myself miserable. Being a writer ended up fulfilling all of my wishes to do all the things I’ve wanted to do and then some, because I can create characters who can do those things, and experience their mindspace at the same time.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
There is a lot going on in THE LAST SUPPER. Sentient weeds, people with other-worldly powers, and a lot of tragedy. But I think the message lies mainly in the discovery of the truth about the world around you, the process of peeling back all those layers to get to the truth, and how it’s important to not let it drive you mad.
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
Writing is a craft and a process. It takes time to develop your craft, and the process never really stops. Don’t ever get comfortable, and don’t go into this thing thinking it’s an easy cash grab. Nothing about it is easy, but if you love it enough, you can fool people into thinking it is.
What about the horror genre interests you? Disgusts you?
I feel there are few genres that invigorate the spirit more than horror, at least when it’s done right. It gets the blood pumping, the thoughts racing, the endorphins flowing. It’s like getting a tattoo, only on your brain.
It only disgusts me when people cheapen it by going for the easy scares without giving us characters we can care about. This is largely why I live in the painful dichotomy of loving horror while being disappointed by most of it.
What was a time in your life when you were really scared?
Such a wide and varied soundtrack, that. But I think I’ll go with the first day my husband went back to work after our first child was born. She was a week old and I was all alone with her, and about 1000% certain I was going to break her. She’s thirteen now, and a great kid, so I must have done something right.
Indeed! Every first mom’s nightmare! 🙂
Do you look to your own phobias to find subject matter? Are your stories the products of nightmares, childhood experiences, fantasies?
I don’t have too many phobias, thankfully, and the ones I do have (bugs) are so easily exploited that I couldn’t see going there more than once. I did so in my story “Vermin,” but it wasn’t even the bugs I was attempting to explore.
The stuff I like to really dig into are abandoned old houses and buildings, feelings of isolation, secrets, and this sense there is always something that exists beyond our ability to perceive. And all of that probably does stem from some old nightmare, childhood experience, or fantasy.
I remember standing at the edge of a field behind our neighborhood when I was a kid and straining to imagine what it might be like to just run for the horizon and see what hidden things I could uncover. I suppose that’s what brings me back to the creative well over and over again. I’m looking for something. I don’t know what, but I figure if I never find out, that’s okay. The journey is always the best part.
I love that analogy!
What is one stereotype about horror writers that is absolutely wrong? What one stereotype is dead on?
The worst stereotype is that we’re weird or disturbed people, or that we somehow get off on the horrible situations we write about, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. I find a lot of horror authors to be extremely sensitive people who are just looking for healthy ways to channel the same darkness and pain we’ve all experienced in our lives.
Some people paint peaceful landscapes or write uplifting stories. Others invert the process and try to expose the optimist that lives in us all by showing us what hell REALLY looks like. They’re also highly intelligent, witty, irreverent, and dead sexy. Well, sometimes. If we’ve remembered to shower, that is. If that isn’t a stereotype, then it should be.
Tell me how you feel being a woman has either enhanced or hindered your writing in the Horror genre. You mentioned how people have disdain for a woman to write such violent books. How does that make you feel? And what do you intend to do about it?
I sometimes wonder, if I’d known the disadvantage women experienced not only in this industry as a whole, but particularly in speculative genres like horror and sci-fi, would I have written under a male or androgynous pseudonym?
Because I have not only seen my fellow female authors sell exponentially more books when they write under male pseudos, but I have also experienced first hand a spectrum of emotions from people who, when they read my horror-thriller STRINGS, realize I am indeed a woman. They say things like, “I thought a man wrote this” or “What sort of woman writes these things?” Phrases so blatantly sexist they make me feel like I should be lacing a corset and taking laudanum for my menstrual cramps whilst lying upon my fainting couch.
It pisses me off, to put it plainly. And while the more fiscally hungry side of myself would have decided to play into this wrong and antiquated system by devising a pseudonym, there is an even larger part of me that just wants to put up both middle fingers and thrust my real name into the spotlight. Yeah, that’s right jerkholes, I wrote a violent, gory, visceral, scary as hell book that has made a lot of grown men squirm in their britches, and I ain’t going anywhere.
In fact, I have even more, so buckle your seat belts. The more of us do that, the more accepted and mainstream it will become, and the more we can obliterate this mindset that women only write romance, erotica, or flowery literature. There are so many women writing great horror and dark, gritty fiction, and they’ve been doing it for a long time. A woman wrote what is considered the first horror book, and she did it a century and a half ago, and she put her real name on the cover. If Mary Freakin Shelley can do it, so can the rest of us.
Sing it, Sista!
As a horror novelist – what is your end game? What is your goal?
I want to keep people up at night. I want them to be reading on their backlit Kindles or with their booklights on, and suddenly realize they need to turn on a lamp and maybe put on a nice, benign infomercial. I want to . . . Here, do this for me. Go to YouTube, type “Too Many Cooks” into the search, and watch the top video that comes up. Watch the whole thing. If you’ve seen it, you know what I mean, but basically, what Too Many Cooks does to your brain is exactly what I want to do to your brain with my stories. I want you to put that book down at the end and go What. The. F**K. Because I know when a story does that to me, I never forget it. I couldn’t if I tried.
And of course … my signature question – What is something that truly frightens you and how do you deal with it?
That I’ll get to the end of my life and feel like I wasted it. The only way I can deal with it is to create. To leave a footprint. And I make that footprint with my words.
Please tell us what is on deck for you in 2015!!
Well, my agent hopes to sell my dark suspense novel KUDZU in the early part of the year, so fingers crossed I’ll have big news in the coming months on that. Additionally, I am going to be releasing the next book in my Colt Coltrane series, COLT COLTRANE AND THE STOLEN SKY.
If you like detective stories from the height of the pulpy noir era, but with robots and dieselpunk excitement thrown into the mix, I highly recommend folks check out the series. There are two stories out now, and #3 drops on 3/17. You can pre-order at Amazon now, but it will also be available in other formats and print.
Today we begin celebrating Women in Horror month on HorrorAddicts. There are so many talented ladies who encompass the entire industry. From actresses to screenwriters, to book reviewers, to paranormal investigators, and authors. Horror would not be the same without women!
Let’s get to know a few of these incredible women this February and celebrate Women in Horror!
Please welcome Faith Dincolo to the stage today! I met Faith while exploring the raging torrents on Angel Falls in the Amazon where we were trapped by dinner-plate sized spiders ready to feast on our faces … er …. well not really … but it sounded good, huh?
Faith is an amazing lady inside and out. Hands Down! She has a heart of gold and many ghosts across the veil have discovered how wonderful she is as well. Her unique gift has helped many a soul and has scared the living shite out of her as well! Let’s get to know Faith a bit more, shall we?
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? How’d that work out for you?
My mother made all my clothes when I was a child, she even made my underwear. That left a lot of scraps for me to work with and I would create and design clothes for my dolls, my cat, the dogs, and anyone else I could narrow down and isolate.
I had this dream of being a clothing designer, a famous one! Now, I write about this dream while in my robe and slippers, and it is well past noon. My hair isn’t even brushed yet. The life of a writer doesn’t require me to be very high fashioned, and the poor cats around here are naked, except for their own fur.
I hear you are quite the Ghost Whisperer! Tell us a little about yourself and how the spirits from beyond communicate with you. Which one frightened you the most and inspired you to write a story?
I saw my first corpse when I was 7 years old, Mrs. Frieda, the lady who lived two houses down from my family. Her casket sat in the back of a large, dark viewing room, and was surrounded by tall candles. She was dressed in a satin red peignoir night gown set with large boa feather trim. The flames on the candles flickered upon her face and body.
It was in the middle of summer in Atlanta, Georgia and there was no air conditioning in the room. Sweat rolled down my face, my stomach lurched, I swore I heard her laugh, the same laugh she would cackle out when she fed the gray squirrels in her back yard and they would eat from her hand. My palms were soaking wet as I held onto my Brother Billy’s hand. Somehow, I managed to walk through the large room and up to her coffin.
I peeked in, and her face was heavily made up, her lips a bright red. I saw her eyes flicker at me, she winked, her voice floated around her, “You can see me!” she said. I ran from the room, full speed, my skinny legs were faster than eyes. I saw her shadow on the wall by the door, it appeared that she stood up from the coffin and was waving at me! I would be in my mid-twenties before I could sleep in the dark after that.
In my novel, Rules of the Dead, I use this experience to help my young protagonist, Ray, realize that he can see the dead. Over the years, I have learned there are ways to connect with ghosts or to block them. In the early years, I had a lot of fear with encounters, but as life went on, and I realized that I have control over what I experienced, it has eliminated the fears. I have studied with Astara, The Teaching Light Center, studied the Tarot for most of my life and other forms of communication systems.
Over the past several years, I have become more finely attuned to the voices of the dead as my clairaudient skills have increased.
I am getting to the point where I don’t like to stay in hotels because of the ghosts and shadows of voices from the dead. It is surprising how many ghosts are in hotels and not all of them are friendly, in fact, the hotel spirits are usually angrier than ghosts that I encounter at other places.
I had a disco era female ghost wake me up one night at a Las Vegas hotel and point to where I was sleeping, and she screamed at me “I died there.” Trust me, I moved away from that side of the bed! The next day in the bar at the hotel, I told the story to the bartender and she asked me what room I was in. I told her 772. The bartender got very quiet, looked around the bar before speaking and said “That would be Deidre. She was a famous overdose victim here in the mid 80’s. She was a groupie with Motley Crue’s Band.”
I checked out of that room within the hour of hearing that. Not because I have an issue with ghosts, but this one was angry, violent and possessive of where she died.
Yikes! I’d definitely would have checked out of that room too!!
Do you prefer writing screenplays or novels?
Screenplays are blueprints for stories. Novels allow you to get into the interior of characters and hear and see what they are thinking. Characters in screenplays must act through visual means, who they are, is seen through their actions, and heard through dialogue.
Both mediums appeal to me for different reasons. Some stories are better suited for novels because of the growth of the characters, or the need to be in their heads. Other stories, especially very plot heavy stories, and action stories are better served by screenplays. I find screenplays to be more comfortable for me to write than novels as I am a visual person.
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
Those folks new to writing should study craft and grammar along with the genres that they enjoy watching and reading. When a writer tells me they don’t read other writers in their genre, I say to myself that they are naive and why would they write their story without knowing if their storyline is currently saturated in the market by millions of other writers? How do you truly know your genre if you aren’t reading it and watching movies and TV shows within that genre?
What about the horror genre interests you? Disgusts you?
This is what I love about the horror genre:
“The terror, which would not end for another twenty-eight years – if it ever did end – began, so far as I know or can tell, with a boat made from a sheet of newspaper floating down a gutter swollen with rain.” – It by Stephen King
Great opening lines, scary characters, digging deep into the human mind and finding prehistoric demons, the fear of death, or worse, the fear of not being able to die. Horror that is extremely gory for the pornographic purpose of titillation disgusts me. Chainsaw massacre, Saw series are examples of that. I find I quickly lose patience with those story lines.
What was a time in your life when you were really scared?
My second pregnancy was problematic and I was very ill through most of it. After a prolonged labor, I had to have a C-section. I was strapped to a small table with a tube in my throat, and the anethesiologist had anethestized me wrong during the epidural. I went into seizures, and couldn’t even scream as I heard the doctor say to the anethiesologist, “We have to save the mother first.” I was terrified my son was going to die before even being born! After several more attempts to save me, the doctor was able to complete the C-section. I was very ill after that, and had many problems.
My son was healthy, but I struggled with tachycardia and severe panic attacks. I didn’t sleep for the first two weeks after the surgery, I couldn’t!
It really opened a portal of visitations from ghosts too, including the ghost of a little toddler girl, who kept calling out for her mother.
Finally, after about 2 horrible weeks, I was attempting to sleep when I saw a light at the end of my bed. It was different than the light of the other ghosts that had visited; this one was a soft yellow, fuzzy figure, a man. I heard his voice as he waved at me; it was my husband’s grandfather who had recently passed within the last year. I sat up in bed and grabbed my husband’s arm. His grandfather very clearly told me “You’re okay now, get some sleep.”
Do you look to your own phobias to find subject matter? Are your stories the products of nightmares, childhood experiences, fantasies?
Every story I write, whether screenplay, poem, short, or novel, is about my experiences. I may give the story to another character, but essentially, the stories have a core of my own experiences in them.
What is one stereotype about horror writers is absolutely wrong? What one stereotype is dead on?
Not all horror writers are dark souled people swaddled in black capes and stovepipe hats. You can’t look at a horror writer and say, “Why he’s another Poe!” I do think that horror writers are willing to go down into the pit hole of humanity and drag out the rotten bits and display them to us so that we are haunted by the thoughts of who and what we really are as humans.
Tell me how you feel being a woman has either enhanced or hindered your writing in the Horror genre.
When I was 11, I read “Interview with a Vampire,” by Anne Rice. I still remember lines of that story, and how dark the room was at night while I was reading. I heard something at my bedroom window, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t even breathe for almost a minute. From that moment on I was hooked on horror stories. It didn’t matter if a man or a woman wrote the stories, I wanted more!
Over the years, I’ve had people assume because I am a woman, that I am a romance writer. I laugh, I don’t correct them, and I offer to let them read my work, that evil giggle in my head hoping they will while thinking they are reading romance. I think being a woman has helped in some of my horror writing as much of my work is about ghosts and old secrets that come to light. I am a mother and know well the fear of worrying about my sons, and other family members.
I can completely identify with that! As Mothers, we do tend to think of every horrific possibility for our families, and what we can do to avoid those situations.
What’s on deck for Faith in 2015?
This is a busy year for me. I am one of the non-fiction editors for East Jasmine Review Literary Journal, and I’m the co-producer of “Her Story” a documentary based on literary short stories about women’s issues, with Renee McClellan of Rite-Works Productions. My plan is to have my YA novel “Rules of the Dead” complete by May, and my short story collection “Sacred Soil” for July.
I am currently writing short screenplays for my new web series “Wineovoire” that I am in pre-production with and looking to cast by late summer.
Last year I released my poetry collection “Me and Him, Married” and my image history book of Salina, Kansas with Arcadia Publishing.
And of course … my signature question – What is something that truly frightens you and how do you deal with it?
The evening news scares the hell out of me. We are a violent and exploitative species and watching the news loops, where 10 people were murdered in Los Angeles last night, and 8 the night before, haunts me.
How do I deal with it? I turn off the TV, or I turn on a horror movie, helping those fears have a way to release, or I sit down and write about the reality that we are a heathen lot.
Thank you so much for coming to talk with us today! Do you have any questions for Faith? We’d love to hear them? Stop on by and share your thoughts!
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