(no subject)

[erastes]

So I've been trying to start a story for Dark Scribe press and failing miserably. I think this is mainly because of the old adage "write what you know", and I don't KNOW horror. I don't watch horror, I don't read horror and when it comes to scary computer games like Silent Hill I turn down the volume and I shut my eyes. So there's no chance in hell I'm ever going to be able to write something that'll scare anyone. *gives up* What did amuse me, though, is their submission call which said: We are not interested in science fiction/fantasy, mystery, or splatter punk for this anthology. We're looking for stories about those terrors that populate the closets of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. Terrors can be of any shape, size, and theme – supernatural, psychopaths and slashers, vampires, werewolves, zombies, urban legends, ghosts, witchcraft, demons, and original horrors of any kind.

That'll be the NON fantasy werewolves, vampires, ghosts and vampires then. Bah it's annoying, though, but every idea I had had been done a million times before.

I had a really creepy thing happen to me yesterday though, I'd been spending a lot of time in the afternoon considering the weather of New Year 1963 in relation to the novel, and as I was driving home I heard someone on the radio talking about going grape-picking. My first thought was "grape picking? In January?" It took me about ten seconds or so to realise that I wasn't driving through the Great Freeze of 1963.... I think the lack of 20 foot snowdrifts finally gave it away. *headdesk*

Comments

[busaikko]

Well, there must be something that terrifies you! One of my favourite authors as a child, Zenna Henderson, wrote lovely mental-breakdown horror about very simple things: loss of personal identity... not having a corner to hide in. Horror's more about the state of mind than the gore, IMO (mostly because I'm too much of a coward to see anything gory!)

I just had a cold-sweat nightmare the other night, where my mother found out about my LJ. The internet's pretty horrific itself; I don't know about over there, but here we have sites which are suicide clubs. Scary....

Good luck with the horrors! It's a good season for them....

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I think that thinking of it all day has loosened somthing as I thought of a bunny about 10 mins before going home! Now I have to write up the idea and try and sell it!

[busaikko]

Hurrah! Go scare the pants off them!

If I may . . .

[naturalfractual.livejournal.com]

I sat on a panel once that discussed Horror - most of the attendees were Goths and very into the Vampire thing.

I asked a question - Do you really tink that there will ever be a chance that you will encounter a vampire?

I used to be an insurance investigator. To me horror is the potential for reality, like finding a human arm under a blanket in the back seat of a wrecked car, waking to find your house on fire and the smoke rendering you blind and unable to find your way out, etc.

I'm not suggesting what you write about but maybe some insight into what horror is. Life can be horrifying sometimes.

Re: If I may . . .

[erastes.livejournal.com]

That's a very good idea - I don't know if you follow Torchwood but the scariest episode in my mind was the one when the horrific killers were discovered NOT to be aliens, or under some influence, they were just human beings.

Good thinking!

[adventurat.livejournal.com]

I don't do horror, either. Too much of a chickenshit suggestible.

January in a trifle late for grape picking, it's true. But you can a darned nice icewine from grapes picked at -8C. That usually happens in December around here. *mmm, icewine*

[erastes.livejournal.com]

sounds divine - I've never had icewine! *wants*

[adventurat.livejournal.com]

It is, not surprisingly, VERY sweet - dessert wine, or dessert of wine. Delicious when served in teensy chocolate cups.

*craves*

[lunalelle.livejournal.com]

Considering that horror is a subgenre of both fantasy and sci-fi, I found that a little amusing, too...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

It was a little odd. I hope you are going to try for it? And happy birthday for tomorrow!

xxx

[lunalelle.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the birthday wishes. :)

Yep, my query was accepted, and I sent in my story Saturday night. Semi-excited about that. :)

[iulia_linnea.livejournal.com]

First part: *snicker*

Second part: That is some impressive focus you have there! :D

[iulia_linnea.livejournal.com]

Er, I was snickering at the idiots, not you. It's too bad that they are looking for fantasy because focusing on something internal as the source of the horror would be cool, something that walks the line between being all in someone's head and manifesting (but that isn't actually the character's inner werewolf). Okay, I don't envy you coming up with a plot. *hugs*

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I actually came up with an idea!! *bounces* Now I just need to make a "pitch" email - not something I've done before... argh...

[iulia_linnea.livejournal.com]

Yay! Good luck with the pitch. :D

[slice-of-nick.livejournal.com]

I thought the criteria was oddly worded myself. Especially the any size and shape...because there's a dirty joke in there some where.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Now as IF....

;)

[rwday.livejournal.com]

Those really are weird guidelines. The 'terrors that populate the closets of gays, lesbians and bisexuals' part makes me think psychological horror, but then they go on about vampires, werewolves and zombies. I seriously doubt that most GLBT people spend much time being afraid of vampires, zombies and werewolves.

I honestly think that all horror, good horror, is psychological in the sense that it's largely internal. Monsters I can see don't scare me in the least - the unknown, though is terrifying. And ordinary things that behave in unexpected ways - like "The Birds," which I think is one of the scariest short stories out there.

The key for me is characterization. What scares you or your characters may not be one of my personal fears, but if I believe in the character and feel what he feels, his fears will become mine.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I would imagine that the terrors in a lot of closets are adults/parents/churchgoers/politicians...

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Us bi folk have zombie fear. To the point of hallucinating them.

Or werewolf fear to the point we don't go out of doors after dark unless forced and never on a full moon.

I saw too many scary movuies at too young of an age.
And I still don't like being out of doors after dark.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Yes! But the sad point is that it's the real people who we are really afraid of!