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I broached the subject of the Horror genre as a label and asked questions about it, but I am equally happy to be classed a writer or a Horror writer.
Please also see this thread: Is Horror Changing for the better?
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Nemonymous |
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Des Lewis first brought up this point in another thread, horror as a label and why must we, as a collective, be cast into this certain literary pot or mold.
============ I broached the subject of the Horror genre as a label and asked questions about it, but I am equally happy to be classed a writer or a Horror writer. Please also see this thread: Is Horror Changing for the better? |
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Allyson Bird |
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It says horror writer on my site and it is staying there.
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LL Soares |
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FinnboyHauty wrote: Rick, hate to say this. But you're late for supper.
L.L. Soares
Horror writer/film critic/occasional talking ape/splatterpunk/all-around rotten bastid Website: Infernally Yours MySpace Page Gotcha! |
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LL Soares |
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Allyson Bird wrote: LOL, me too.
L.L. Soares
Horror writer/film critic/occasional talking ape/splatterpunk/all-around rotten bastid Website: Infernally Yours MySpace Page Gotcha! |
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tems |
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I don't particularly mind being called a Horror writer, because I love the stuff. I also don't particularly mind being called a fantasy, sf, or
whatever writer. Readers and booksellers and publishers have a need to pigeon hole writers. At the same time--I can't really relate to that need for
labelling, as I find that it more frequently distorts than illuminates.
And sometimes it does cause problems. Almost everything Melanie and I write--together or separately--gets the horror label slapped on it, even when it's obviously something else. Some readers have been annoyed because the book-length version of THE MAN ON THE CEILING has been listed by Random House as Horror, and consequently is sometimes shelved in horror sections--readers expecting a particular sort of horrific read are naturally disappointed. It wasn't our doing, and we didn't know about it until the book came out. |
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Sabledrake |
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Some people WANT to be labeled a horror writer. Some people are saddened and baffled by all the "no, it's ... um ... it's DARK FANTASY! Or ... or
... uh ... SUPERNATURAL THRILLER! Yeah! That's the ticket!" scrambling and wishy-washy crap.
I'm one of them. -- C. |
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Nemonymous |
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Allyson Bird wrote: Great!
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ericenck |
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If you have an audience and write well. If you keep that audience, It doesn't matter. I have a modicum of a fan base. But if I wrote a book about children
who make friends with a cartoon rat named "Mully" and children like it, then what does it matter? Clive Barker is a horror writer. But he also writes
fantasy for kids.
I'll never do it. But have at it. |
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Allyson Bird |
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No - I'm not worried about it at all Des. I doubt if anyone would open the book if they are expecting anything other than danger/horror from a title like
that. It is only one story out of 21 - but the message is clear. The collection is full of protagonists who 'seize the day' and of course there are
always consequences to that.
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Allyson Bird |
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And don't forget Bull Running for Girls is very much not for children and before you say it Des - I like the title - it was a gift from the gods
:>)
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Nemonymous |
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Yes, Allyson, I said on another thread elsewhere, that I very much liked the title.
A part of me - from your description of the book - believes that there is a readership for it who may not pick it up after seeing you are a 'Horror Writer' on your website. Another part of me - says go hang, it's their loss, and Allyson is going to get a large readership for it, anyhow. |
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gfaherty |
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I write horror, dark fiction, fantasy, and science fiction. That's what my site says, and my business cards. If I write something else, like, say,
paranormal romance, I'll add that. If the list gets too long, I'll cut it down to dark fiction or fantastic fiction.
But the only reason for that is so people have an idea of what I write when I hand them a card or they visit my site or I send out a query letter. I write what comes out. So far, this is what's come out (not counting my non-fiction).
JG Faherty
www.jgfaherty.com 'Everyone has a monster inside.' "Bones," in Cemetery Dance #58 (available now) "The Toll" and "Hybrids" in Wrong World, www.wrongworld.com (available now) "Experimental Subject," in Bits of the Dead "Family First," in Dark Territories |
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Allyson Bird |
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Thanks Des. I'm being true to the concept and if anyone sees horror author and is put off - so be it :>)
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Allyson Bird |
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I'm getting lots of interest from everyone, Des, and it should move to 2nd printing quite quickly/hopefully.
Indeed when I gave a library talk last week on horror - one lady actually agreed with me that Wuthering Heights could be classed as horror. Did you ever read the bit where the child's wrist is pulled repeatedly over the glass pane. |
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Nemonymous |
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Wuthering Heights - is horror indeed. But how many more or how many less people would have read it if it was marketed solely in the Horror genre. Being
Devil's Advocate.
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ericenck |
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"Did you ever read the bit where the child's wrist is pulled repeatedly over the glass pane"
That sounds fantastic! I want a copy. |
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Allyson Bird |
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I know Des. I can't answer that question. Ramsey is much more eloquent and will probably be able to.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - written 1847. Buy it now! A most wonderful read. |
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RGavin |
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While I certainly understand the position of authors who do not wish to be labelled in any way, shape or form, I personally take pride in calling myself a
horror writer, and am happy to be known as such.
Now, I don't think of genre or categorization when I sit down to write a story, but everything I've written since I was able to hold a pencil has touched upon at least some of the myriad themes of horror fiction. For me, it's not about working slavishly with any particular formula, it is writing about reality as I see it...or, in the case of purely supernatural horror, as I speculate at the way reality might be. If authors wish to have the label Horror stripped from the spines of their books, that is entirely their choice and I respect their decision to do so. I have no desire to see that happen with my own work, however. Rather than shying away from the word horror, I would rather see publishers and booksellers embracing the diversity and breadth of dark litetature. I wonder how the book-buying public would feel about horror if they saw a large section in the bookstore that contained not only the authors one would expect to find there, but also Shakespeare's Macbeth, the tragedies of Aeschylus, the poems of Baudelaire? Best, Richard |
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Allyson Bird |
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Don't forget Titus Andronicus!
I'd have loved to have said all that Richard - mind you after two hours sleep last night it would have come out all wrong anyway. |
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RGavin |
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Thanks, Allyson. Now go get some rest!
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