Newt, a little girl, is the sole survivor on a planet of human settlers that has been ravaged by the aliens. Very spooky in context. But lose that context and what have we got? Let’s break it down.

We have a ‘they’. This is, of course, quite ambiguous and gets our minds racing: Who or what is ‘they’? They could be supernatural creatures, they could be human or animal. Because of the night-time reference, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to imagine ‘they’ might even be vampires. That the monster was, as a matter of fact, one of the most terrible imagined (for its time) is neither here nor there. The implication is that these guys come at night — when humans are always vulnerable — and that they are really very bad news.

The ‘mostly’ fills us with an unexplained dread, too. Not only do we have an unimaginable terror running around in the dark that we must, simply must, hide from, that terror could actually come in the day-time too. No vampire, this, eh?

That’s my take, anyway. Discussion always welcome.

I was thinking of what a fellow writer said to me, too, about thrillers needing that horror kick. Indeed, the thriller kick is nearly always something that could have, or has, happened in reality: the serial killer’s history; the torturer’s den; the stalking of another. Which brings to mind the opening line of the first novel I ever wrote, Razor. Though I classify the novel as a dark fantasy/horror, my beta readers always assumed it was a thriller until half-way through the opening chapter. Here’s the line:

“Raul watched the man who watched the children.”

So, your turn now — why is it scary?

…Or not, as the case may be.

Write or quote a SINGLE sentence in which the very essence of horror is embodied.

In the interest of education, I believe we are allowed to post small excerpts from published works and films…? If anyone disagrees, please let me know and I shall remove said excerpts. I would, of course, like to discuss each line accordingly, for its merits and value — how exactly it gives over that horror kick, and how strong the reaction. Let’s try to use quotes that don’t need context. Do they fail because of that lack of setting, history, etc? Which are scarier, the one’s which make us say “eeeewww” or otherwise. How can we use this knowledge to help with our horror/dark fant writings?

And I’d like to post up some originals too. Email me with ideas, etc: womblinATwomblin.com

How about this one to start with, from a movie: Aliens — “They mostly come at night. Mostly.”

Mwhahahahaaa…

~~~~

An anthology of stories as recalled by Edward Perkins who was a child during The Great Depression in Texas. Eddie Perkins’ childhood memories come alive in this book and are recounted by Marva, his daughter. She calls the tales true but “tall”, as fact is embroidered with a little well-founded fiction to bring us a tapestry of history and humour. The reader can walk another era, hear the sounds, the dialects, smell the smells and picture a world rich, yet sometimes cruel in its make-up. Not only the adult reader, of course, for Eddie sees the world through the eyes of a child — a harsh world that had simple pleasures: a ride to auction, the local fair…even getting to school could be the most dangerous of journeys undertaken.

I found the majority of the stories endearing and the anthology itself to be a useful historical tool that gives us first-hand insight into one of the hardest times in twentieth-century America. Marva has an easy style of writing, her father’s voice coming over loud and strong to ground us firmly in the era. I loved reading about the community, how everyone helped everyone else when they needed something doing. The animal stories were lovely, and showed compassion for creatures, wild and farm-reared, despite the hard times.

Low points? Well there weren’t any low enough that I stopped reading, just a couple of niggles. I didn’t particularly like Eddie’s mother’s story. I didn’t think I needed to know it, to be truthful. And I got a little tired of some things being repeated, like Eddie telling us how Dorothy is called “Sister” each time she appears in a new story. On an technical front, the text centering was different on each page, which was distracting — one page right, the next page left, etc. But that was all and, as I say, nothing to stop me reading.

Indeed, these tales are addictive. I challenge anyone to only read one without wanting to continue to the next. Overall, a lovely and valuable collection, I highly recommend it.

Find it here:

• Amazon.com
• Amazon.com Large Print
• Amazon.co.uk
• Amazon.co.uk Large Print

I found it difficult to decide where to put this post as reading is both work and a pleasure to me — both taken at a natural working trot, not a great, gullumping gallop. I don’t know. I’m sceptical here — how can speed reading possibly be enjoyable? Isn’t idling through a novel just that: abandoning the Rat Race for a while?

And while listening is not really reading, (yet can be in some ways better) I do also have a novel near-finished that I started about a week ago. Sounds like I’m a slow reader, eh? Well no. I’m quite fast actually, I just don’t have much time in which to do it. I read in five or ten, sometimes only one or two, minute sections, grabbing a few words in between other Real Life goings on. Having food in the vicinity, such as dinner or lunch, is always a boon though. It means I might actually squeeze a whole quarter of an hour extra out of the day for this little pleasure if no one talks to me.

Evenings, of course, are dedicated to writing fiction, blogging and catching up with whatever editing jobs need doing. I also read and critique for a few fellow writers and, whilst this could be construed as reading for pleasure, there’s always an element of nit-picking and opinion needed from me. As of course is the case when the writerly tables are turned and the critiquer’s hat is on the other foot.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand: what I’m reading. Though my small digression was warranted here, as you will see. The novel is by a British author who shall remain nameless because I once loved what he did. The last time I read anything by him was in the eighties/early to mid nineties when horror was the buzzword all around the Western world and everyone was writing it. Indeed everyone wanted to be Stephen King**. In a word or three: I was young.

I read this book initially when I was 21 and thought it okay, but you know I really do think it might have been the very last thing I read by this particular author. And the reason why became agonisingly clear at around twenty pages in this past week — the writing annoys me.

There are adverbs tripping over themselves to slow the prose down — too many. There is head-hopping galore without a sniff of a transition — two, sometimes three characters in a scene. And the women are blatantly dainty and meek — all the better to strengthen the wimpy male lead, methinks. Erg. All in all, I’ve struggled against my youthful self loving this author, and am using experience and age to ask WTF?

Mostly, I am gutted.

Now, I do not hold with the majority of writers on the Internet who say that all ‘ly’ adverbs should be banished from one’s prose, because one which is well-placed has as much right to be there as any other well-chosen word.

And I’m not opposing a well-placed and suitably transitioned POV swap once, perhaps twice, in a novel should the plot warrant it.

But the thing is this, the reason I am gutted, is that my youth deceived me: I seriously thought that because this guy was a best-selling author (like SK) that he was good. Ah well.

What of the weak female character, I hear you cry? Well, weak female characters will always annoy me, no matter who writes them, male or female.

Anyway, that’s my week’s reading for pleasure — more listening that aught, but hey.

Next week, I’m reading something that has won prizes, just to be on the safe side — Chocolat, by Joanne Harris. Can’t go wrong there. Surely?

And I promise to make this section more reading than writing too, next week. I’ve a fellow writer’s book to review as well as reading Chocolat – a pleasure long ago promised, but yet to emerge from these busy fingers, so this category should be busy.

~Womblin~

*A bit of Wales that sticks out into the Irish Sea. Lovely.

**Everyone still does, I hear you cry? Well, not this writer, though I can appreciate what and how he writes.