  Horror/Scary
This week: Edited by: schipperke
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Horror was one of the first genres I fell in love with as a child. I couldn't get enough of horror movies on the old UHF channels like "Creature Double Feature" or Godzilla and King Kong. There weren't many children books in the horror genre so I read adult books from writers like Poe or Lovecraft. These stories fired up my imagination and never gave me nightmares!
Today children have a wealth of horror stories to choose from including the Goosebumps series of books by R.L. Stein or Who Took my Hairy Toe? by Shutta Crum. Adults can delve into the classic horror stories or try new ones from authors like Robert Block or Stephen King.
I hope through my horror newsletters to bring you some thoughts on horror writing and some inspiration to create a horrific masterpiece of your own.
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Amazon's Price: $ 12.95
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My faithful readers may have noticed I often choose horror stories from billwilcox's port to highlight.
I first came upon billwilcox when looking for some quality horror fiction to read onsite during a dark winter's day. Bill's writing was first rate, and both twisted and humorous at the same time. He writes my favorite type of horror: intelligent, witty and surprising stories that make the small hairs raise up on the nape of your neck.
For this week's newsletter, I asked billwilcox if he would submit to an interview, and he graciously did. Here is billwilcox in his own words:
1) Tell us about the man behind the handle...
Handle? Do you mean like push, pull, or flush?
Seriously, I’m just a guy. A loving husband, father of four beautiful girls, writer, musician, songwriter, insurance salesman, and now the manager of a furniture store. I turned 55 this year, and if it wasn’t for my kids, I’d probably be a decrepit old man. But they keep me young, and I still have that unquenchable thirst for knowledge of the unknown and adventure.
2) Why do you choose to write in the horror genre?
It chose me actually. I started out loving fantasy and sci-fi—I still do,
but the calling of the strange and bizarre in everyday life keeps turning me
toward horror. Life is scary, and the things I read in the papers and see on the
news stick in my haunted brain like a piece of malicious duct tape. Besides,
people like to be scared—they crave it—it’s like the thrill of a ride on a
broken-down old roller coaster.
3) What scares you the most?
I suppose it’s the fear of something happening to my kids. That’s probably why
I have children in a lot of my horror stories. I can’t imagine how parents survive the death of a child. The thought is unfathomable to me and the fear grips my heart like a steel vise.
4) What writers do you admire, and whose books do you pre-order on
Amazon?
I admire a lot of writers that I’ve read throughout the years: Stephen Donaldson, Orson Scott Card, and H.P.Lovecraft. A lot of folks here at WRITING.COM have compared my work to Stephen King or Dean Koonzt, which I find quite flattering, so lately that’s all I’ve been reading, trying to see how they craft their stories, and what makes them so popular.
I don’t order anything from AMAZON.COM because I love to browse used books at
second-hand stores and libraries. I believe old books retain all the passion of
their previous owners like an old pocket watch or a Zippo lighter gets imprinted
with the emotions of its prior owners. Most of my shelves are filled with crumbling copies of dog-eared novels and out-of-print classics.
5) What advice can you give new horror writers?
Write what scares you, and nine times out of ten, your thoughts will scare someone else too.
6) Who are some of your favorite Writing.Com authors? Any stories in particular you would like to highlight?
I’ve got a lot of friends here at WRITING.COM and to try and say who my favorites are would only offend someone down the line. I have read some great stories here like:
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But really…there are so many, many more. The talent here is boundless.
7) Tell us which of your stories is your favorite, and the story behind the story...
I am very partial to "The Watercourse" because the idea came from a news story I read about a mother that drove her SUV into a river with her kids locked inside. The thought just stuck in my head, “Who could do such a thing? And why? What was she thinking that would make her do that? And what of the kids? What was going through their minds?”
I haven’t written much since my move from Calif. to Washington, but I am happy to reveal my latest creation, called…
8) What are your writing goals, and do you have any particular writing habits?
My goals are to write and to become better at writing until I think I’m ready for the big time. My habits, other than picking my nose, are to write constantly, 24/7, but my neck begins to ache and my family feels cheated without my love and attention. But between you and me, I’m totally addicted.
> 9) Where do you get your inspiration for your horror stories?
Well, I’d like to say I get my ideas while frolicking beneath clean bowers of sunlight and emerald-green foliage, but the truth is my inspiration comes from a mad fear that groans, creaks, and squirms inside of me and smells of curdled blood and old puke, and then flits away like a horrifying dream that vanishes into the burnt-out corners of the night.
I wrote "The Voice" after a fieldtrip I did with my daughter to Boyden Caves.
The story "Possession" came about when an original W.D. horror story was raffled off in a contest. The winner was a Brit named Tony Redden (yes, there is a real Tony Redden) and I emailed him about his occupation and what scared him the most. He said he had worked at a Mental Institute and was deathly afraid of dolls with no eyes, possession, and aliens. So I incorporated all those things into one story.
"The Voyage of the Wayfarer" was my attempt at writing a Frankenstein type story in outer space.
10) Do you believe in the supernatural?
Only if they believe in me. 
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In addition to the wonderful works of billwilcox above, check out the additional horror items. Some are flash fiction, a quiz, a contest and some stories. Gee, look...another billwilcox story!
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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Amazon's Price: $ 4.99
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bazilbob:OOh great idea about satan, never thought of that before! Surprising considering he's the ultimate baddy.
Btw, what do you think about mock horror?
I didn't know anything about mock horror. I had to Google it, and only found links to creating a mock horror online game. If you want to tell us more about it, please write a static article and send it to me, and I will highlight it for our readers.
Starr Phenix  :Just wanted to thank you for including "Shiver" in your newsletter this week!
I've always had a bit of a fascination with that 'yang' side of Christianity, and when I began researching for that short story (and the novel I am developing from it) I was amazed at the different names and stories associated with Satan and his minions. There's even a book or two out there painting him as the hero of humanity rather than the villain. That's an interesting angle, but I think it's much more fun to write him as the villain.
You are welcome! Not only is it more fun to write about Satan as the villain, but you would really be stretching the belief of readers by portraying him as the hero.
I LOVE feedback and suggestions and questions from readers. Please let me know I am not writing this for a bunch of mutant zombies  ! |
| ASIN: B083RZ37SZ |
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Horror/Scary: August 30, 2006 Issue [#1230]
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