Not much action here

[drgnlvrljh]

I noticed that the Horror section doesn't seem to get alot of action. Is it because people are disinterested? Not as many writers working on Horror? Gremlins eating the replies?

Theories?

[CindyBidar]

I have a theory that horror has fallen out of fashion. I can't remember the last time I read a good horror. :(

[drgnlvrljh]

Hmmm. That might be a factor. Well, keep your fingers crossed, I plan to change that trend! :lol


Goodness! I can be arrogant sometimes, can't I? :o

[HConn]

Post a question that piques an interesting conversation. If you do, the conversation will follow.

[CindyBidar]

Post a question that piques an interesting conversation.

Okay. Who's out there worth reading these days? In horror (and comedy, fwiw), I find it very difficult to differentiate between the good stuff and the hacks. Seems like most of what I pick up is all about the "gross out."

I was once a big King fan, but haven't liked anything since Dreamcatcher, which I could barely finish. I also don't care much for Koontz. These are the only two that come to mind. I'm sure anyone who regularly reads horror will have some favorites I never heard of. So...suggestions?

[drgnlvrljh]

Seems like most of what I pick up is all about the "gross out."

I have to agree, there's too much "splatter" out there. I don't care for that, myself. Don't get me wrong, a splatter scene or two can heighten the horror in the story, if used carefully. But too much and it begins to pall on me. It's kind of like adding tobascco to a recipe. A little bit can add a nice zing, but too much and it becomes inedible.

I guess I'm odd, but the most horrifying stories I've read (or seen in movies), are not classed in the horror genre at all. They were science fiction, or speculative fiction. Most often about what "could be", if we're not careful. 1984 scares the bejeebers out of me, because it's so possible.

Recent movies that were talked about that were supposedly terrifying, like "The Ring", didn't phase me at all. But a science fiction movie, "Minority Report" was very frightening. The Manchurian Candidate was equally as frightening. Why? Because these things are possible (Perhaps not exactly like in Minority Report, but the concept of "Pre-crime", and being convicted for a crime you -thought- about).

As far as actual horror novels goes? I think the last one that actually scared me was The Exorcist, and that was back when I was 12.

My WIP is, if it gets published, of the horror genre, just because it has the elements in it to make it so. But I'm not going to use those elements to scare anyone. They just happen to be an intergal part of the story. I want to create tension, drama, and suspense with believable characters to do that. And I think that will go alot further to make a horror novel more scary, than having the boojums and demons jumping out at you.

[CindyBidar]

Most often about what "could be", if we're not careful. 1984 scares the bejeebers out of me, because it's so possible.

I never read 1984, but The Stand had the same effect on me, for much the same reason. And the non-fiction book, The Demon in the Freezer, but of course, for a much different reason.:eek

[drgnlvrljh]

The Demon in the Freezer? The title alone is intriguing. Do tell!8o

[HConn]

Bentley Little is a good author to check out. I haven't read much of his work lately, but he's been good in the past, with novels and short stories.

The late Richard Laymon is also terrific. I bought his novel Resurrection Dreams because I'd heard he was terrific, even though the cover was absolutely awful. I'm mean, seriously, seriously lame.

I recommend either of those guys. There's a woman who put out a couple terrific books, too, but I can't remember her name for the life of me. I'll get back to you if I remember.

[drgnlvrljh]

I just googled The Demon in the Freezer, which is by Richard Preston. I read The Hot Zone a few years ago, and was -glued- to the book. Now I've got something else added to my Amazon wish list! :lol

[CindyBidar]

drgnlvrjh--how do you pronounce that, anyway? :p

The Demon in the Freezer (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=t82pHBjAy8&isbn=0375508562&itm=4) is about smallpox, and the possibility of someone using it as a weapon. There is a section that talks about the many very dangerous items that went missing when the former Soviet Union fell apart. Some of them have never been recovered. Scary stuff indeed!

HConn--I'm adding these to my book list, thanks!

[XThe NavigatorX]

I think horror fiction has been declining from the mainstream for a few years now (as evidenced by Barnes and Noble axing the horror section from their stores last year. The books are now mixed with general fiction), but there's still a pretty big demand for it, and places like shocklines have given it an "underground" feel, which is all right by me.

[drgnlvrljh]

drgnlvrjh--how do you pronounce that, anyway? :p

:lol

Dragon-lover* (the LJH are my initials). I collect the little beasties. It's been an on-line moniker of mine for about 5 years, now.








*Not to be confused with dragon -LIVER-, as some have tried to pin on me! :rollin

[CindyBidar]

as evidenced by Barnes and Noble axing the horror section from their stores last year

Jeez, I thought it was just me. The did have a horror section, didn't they! It makes it tough to find now that it's all mixed, unless you know who you are looking for.

[MacAl Stone]

I think we must be due a paradigm shift in what is culturally frightening. But I gotta admit, watching the previews for White Noise, it looks scary as hell.

[drgnlvrljh]

watching the previews for White Noise, it looks scary as hell.

So did The Grudge, and I'm waiting until it comes out on video, TYVM.

But I agree with you about the shift. Man! I hope I can keep up!

[MacAl Stone]

I think some of it is that we've been co-opted. Horror seems to cross-over into other genres pretty easily, which makes the line between horror and other genres rather blurry.

Frex, it's hard to imagine George Martin's Game of Thrones under horror--it's clearly fantasy. BUT The Stand can fit into fantasy as easily as into horror.


Ya know what I miss? Those really creepy comic-books--Tales from the Crypt and such.

[scullars]

The ambit of horror needs to extend beyond "gore" and "scary" in order to survive. Human mutiliation has been done to death (pun not intended), and many writers come into the field with a myopism, a tunnel vision that limits their imagination. Women in jeopardy, the monster under the bed, the sudden vampire or werewolf...all overdone, cooked beyond recognition.

I've only recently begun writing horror, and I find that it is a Rubik's puzzle to be "scary" and original. I luckily have found two authors, Gary Braunbeck and Tom Piccirilli, who have expanded the definition of the genre, not going for the cheap, gory tale, but who delve into the monster within, the fantastical without, the human drama to be found in everyday living. They create tales that are emotionally evocative as much as they are disturbing and yes, even horrific. Some might consider them cross-genre. Braunbeck has said in more than one interview that the story should lead you and not the other way around, otherwise you will constrict your creativity by trying to follow some defined rules of what horror is supposed to be, what comedy is supposed to be, what mystery is supposed to be, etc.

Braunbeck also speaks of this in one of the rants featured at his website (www.garybraunbeck.com), (http://www.garybraunbeck.com),) where he states that writers have been conditioned to believe their stories will not be accepted as "horror" by the readers unless there are certain identifiable elements, including gore-violence-zombies, etc. This thinking produces mediocre, formulaic stories that readers soon tire of. He advises to follow your instinct, and when you find yourself thinking that you should interject something gory for horror sake, "Don't Do That." That particular rant can be found at www.garybraunbeck.com/htm...chive.html (http://www.garybraunbeck.com/html/2004_06_20_archive.html)

[drgnlvrljh]

@ scullars,

Thanks for the link! Very good article, and something I deeply agree with. Horror, aka fear, is an emotion. That can be generated with a well-written story, that doesn't shed a drop of blood.

It should speak to your darkest fears that you keep hidden in an even darker corner. Some of the best horror I've read, was not "horror" at all.

My WIP, admittedly, does have alot of your "typical' elements of Horror. Namely percieved insanity, and demons. There is -ONE- scene that's horrific, in that it has a gorey-ness about it. But I see no point in dragging the scene out for 2-3 pages. What happens, happens quickly, and is done. I want it written that way (although there will be other things fixed for that part, the violent act itself will remain short, and without the painful detail).

It's there for one purpose, and that's to set up the character. He runs around doing the exact same thing, throughout the book, but I see no point in bludgeoning my readers with a constant replay.

[scullars]

Just call me Sharon. :)

I'm pretty sure Braunbeck didn't mean that the recognized elements are not to be used; he just protested that sometimes they are used illogically or unnecessarily because writers feel they need to interject them in order for their stories to be defined as "horror." In these cases, the forced elements do nothing but disrupt the flow of what might have been a good story (thus the word "interject"). To me, a good horror story doesn't necessarily hinge on an axe being brought down, a woman being terrorized, or a gnome digesting the scared little boy who couldn't convince his parents that there was indeed a monster beneath the bed. Can you name any other overused plots?

Braunbeck brought up a good point about today's writers not being familiar with authors like Nathaniel Hawthorne, and yet because they've read everything by Rice and King, they feel they know everything about horror. Don't get me wrong; Rice and King should be lauded as good horror writers in that they brought their own original spin to the genre (at least when they started out). Yet, these writers are not the ultimate definition of horror. Horror can be the turn of a screw, the twist of the mind, a bend in the road. Speaking of Hawthorne, the Turn of the Screw is a wonderful psychological tale, and is horrific in that the reader is left wondering about whether we've read a ghost story or a diary of a woman's descent into madness. It's the ambiguity that adds the suspense.

Hopefully, one day genre will not be a restrictive marketing tool and writers will write beyond the limiting definition of what is now considered "horror" and just write good, entertaining (even illuminating) stories. Maybe then the term "horror" will lose its stigma, and good authors will be more widely read.

[MacAl Stone]

an axe being brought down, a woman being terrorized, or a gnome digesting the scared little boy who couldn't convince his parents that there was indeed a monster beneath the bed.

It strikes me that King used all of these, over and over again. The dust-bunnies in Delores Claiborne, the roque-mallet in The Shining, etc--but made them new, and made them his own.

[maestrowork]

The Grimme's Fairytales are some of the most horrific tales...

[drgnlvrljh]

The Grimme's Fairytales are some of the most horrific tales...

Yeah! :eek


Just imagine how horrific they were before the Grimm Brothers "tamed" them down somewhat! :eek :eek

[MacAl Stone]

That's a great example, Ray. The uncensored originals were really VERY scary and awful. There are authors retelling those stories today, very successfully (Robin McKinley comes to mind, frex.)

Those old stories tap into a collective experience of life and the world, that keeps them both timely and powerful.

[scullars]

I wrote a piece on the Grimm brothers for Bella Online, where I host the Short Stories section. Here is the link:

www.bellaonline.com/articles/art5727.asp (http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art5727.asp)

[MacAl Stone]

nice article, scullars. :)

[scullars]

Thanks.

[drgnlvrljh]

Oooooh! Love the site! And loved the article!

[drgnlvrljh]

My fiance (with the Bachelor's in Sociology, and a head full of interesting trivia :lol ), also just informed me that the Grimm Brothers are somewhat mildly famous for the original theory of "Continental Language Drift".

Just thought I'd toss that in there.

[scullars]

Thanks dragonluver. :)