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Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/5220-Kidnapped-LilithMoon-Speaks.html
Horror/Scary: August 22, 2012 Issue [#5220]

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Horror/Scary


 This week: Kidnapped! LilithMoon Speaks!
  Edited by: Tornado Dodger Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter


Welcome to the Horror Newsletter. It is our goal that Writing.com members of all ages can find useful information and entertaining articles within. If you have specific questions, try visiting "Writing.Com 101Open in new Window. or emailing the editor.

Meet The Horror Full-Time Newsletter Editors

Tornado Dodger Author Icon and Kate - Writing & Reading Author Icon

*Note* This newsletter contains excerpts of the full interview. To see the entire interview or view it without links, please visit: "Invalid EntryOpen in new Window.


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Letter from the editor


It is nice to have a million dollar vocabulary but the key to good writing is knowing when to use it. - Lilithmoon☽ Author Icon


When I began as a F/T Horror Newsletter editor, I wanted to develop a series of editorials that would be interesting as well as engaging. I've decided that each month, I will kidnap an author who has chosen to write in the Horror/Scary genre. In order to be released, he or she will have to answer a handful of questions for you, the voracious readers of their fine fiction. The questions will be chosen randomly from a database of questions I've developed that hopefully you will find interesting and thought-provoking. - Tornado Dodger Author Icon

*Fleurdelis* Kidnapped! LilithMoon Speaks 08.18.12 *Fleurdelis*


This month, my victim is Lilithmoon☽ Author Icon who is not only a talented author but a really interesting person as well. *Bigsmile* I encourage you all to check out her port and all the items we've featured below. *Wink* I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as I did.


*Person* Let's start with three 'get to know you" facts:
1. First job -- I came from a different era. When I was young, if a child wanted something they were expected to work for it. There was plenty to be done - yards to mow, walks to shovel, babies to sit. I was very industrious so I did all of these but my most memorable first job was cleaning house for some of the elderly neighbor ladies.

One woman in particular contributed not only to my finances but also provided fuel for my nightmares and future horror stories. Mrs. Clubb, was in her nineties and extremely decrepit. She lived in a three-story rundown Victorian style manor. She lived alone and kept the house dark because the light hurt her eyes. This was due in part to her medical condition and partly to save on electricity. She suffered from a severe iron deficiency and anemia. Her doctor advised her to consume raw liver.

I'm not sure if this was a daily regime or not but I know one thing. Old Lady Clubb, (as she was known), took great joy in pulling her carton of raw bloody liver from the fridge, sitting down at the kitchen table and consuming slimy chunks of the stuff while I swept and mopped her kitchen floor. I can still picture her today 30 years later with blood dripping down her chin. *shivers*

2. Favorite relaxing activity/hobby - I love listening to music while I read, write or crochet. I am one of those multi-tasking people who needs something to do with their hands while they relax. I'm sure I could have worded that better. Oh well.

3. Strangest thing you've ever eaten - My mom always said that I would eat anything that didn't eat me first so this is a tough one. To misquote one of my favorite Clint Eastwood movies The Unforgiven: "I've eaten just about everything that walks or crawls at one time or another." I would add to that flies and swims as well.

One of my favorite things to eat is octopus which is not considered strange in most parts of the world but here in the Midwest it still raises eyebrows. I think some of our hillbilly vittles might be classified as strange. I have eaten squirrel brains, frog legs, and chicken gizzards (which I love) but maybe the strangest thing for me was cow's tongue. It's just the thought that it is tasting me tasting it kind of blows my mind.


*Person* If you could choose to live one day as a celebrity or well-known public figure, who would it be and what's the first thing you would do?
Another tough question. I have often thought I would love to spend a day in the life of the Dalai Lama. The first thing I would do is meditate of course. The ability to quiet my mind and just be has been something I have struggled with my whole life. I envy people who can mediate. So I would seek serenity from within.


*Person* Who is your favorite author and what is it that you enjoy most about their work?
This is a question that to me depends on time period and genre but since this is the Horror Newsletter I will stick to that. My all-time favorite horror writer is Edgar Allan Poe. There is really no one else in his league. The beauty of his prose and language is unsurpassed.

My favorite modern day horror writer is without a doubt Stephen King. What I love about King is his ability to make everyday life horrifying. The family dog, a car, a secluded hotel and eclipse, all things that normally are mundane suddenly become the most frightening things in existence. Also, I am fascinated by King's talent for writing such incredibly true-to-life characters that we can all relate to and care about. I think that is the true appeal of his work. I read his books as much to meet new interesting people as I do for a good story.


*Person* Please share the last books you read and whether you would recommend them or not.
I am a voracious reader so I have read several books of late. My favorites were Lullaby: ($11.55 from Amazon.Com) by Chuck Palahniuk, The Dresden File Novels by Jim Butcher  Open in new Window., and 11/22/63: A Novel: ($15.37 from Amazon.Com) by Stephen King. All of which I would highly recommend to everyone. They are all great reads with a thriller aspect to them.


*Person* What piece of writing advice would you share with our new authors?
Write for yourself not for others. In other words write what you like not what you think will sell (so to speak). If you like marauding kittens then write about them. Don't write a zombie novel because that's the current flavor.

Another important piece of advice is to watch your language. I don't mean this in the prudish sense such as swearing. I'm talking about your prose -- writing style. Keep your diction clear, concise and simple as possible. Don't let your language get verbose and melodramatic unless of course you are intentionally writing purple prose. Even then you want to use simple language. It is nice to have a million dollar vocabulary but the key to good writing is knowing when to use it. Nothing will frustrate a reader faster than having to look something up in the dictionary.


*Person* Do you remember the first review you received at Writing.com? What was your first impression of the site and what do you like best about it (members, reviews, contests)?
I don't remember my first review but I'm sure it probably came from J. Marie Ravenshaw (62) she runs the group "Horror, Inc." and I entered their weekly contest. I won it several weeks in a row and from then on I was hooked. I became an avid contestant in various WDC contests. That is still one of my favorite pastimes. I love all the contests.

I also love writing reviews. It is fun discovering and encouraging new writers. I think I learn as much if not more from reviewing the work of others as I do writing myself. I see what others do wrong and know not to do that and on the flipside I borrow from what they do right. It really does improve my writing and it's beneficial to someone else as well.


*Person* What was the first horror book/story you remember reading?
This is a trick question since many books that are not typically considered horror today have aspects of horror in them. For instance, I grew up reading mythology, : (Available at Amazon.Com) and Aesop's Fables: ($12.49 from Amazon.Com), all of which are pretty dang scary but not exactly what you think of when you think "horror."

The first modern horror novel I remember reading was The Exorcist: A Novel: ($15.48 from Amazon.Com) by William Peter Blatty. I heard about the book when I was in school. I must have been 11 or 12 years old. Everyone was talking about a book that had all this vulgar language in it. The f-bomb was still a big deal back then. Anyway, this book was supposedly based on a true story and so scary it would turn your hair white. I actually remember reading a dog-eared tattered copy the kids were passing around school during study hall. It really was a frightening book. I think I feared demonic possession for years after reading it. Okay, okay, maybe I still do - a little.


*Person* What's scarier to you... real-world horror (psychos, murderers, kidnappers, torture, etc.) or supernatural horror (ghost, zombies, vampires, apocalypses, time travel snafus, etc.)?
I would definitely say real-world horror is the scariest. Anytime there is a possibility that this thing could happen to you no matter how slight or unlikely it is more frightening. You don't have to suspend your disbelief with real-world horror. When I go to sleep at night my nightmares are filled with me and my family trying to survive real-world horrors, not vampires and zombies.

In fact the supernatural horrors are more fun than frightening to me now. When I read a good supernatural horror story or watch a zombie movie it is like going to a world class spook house. It's entertaining and fun. It reminds me of Halloween and getting dressed up to go to a party. It is a totally different experience from reading a good real-world horror story which often leaves me feeling traumatized. That's weird, right?


I hope you enjoyed this look into the mind of a fellow author. I encourage you to read the entire interview here : "Invalid EntryOpen in new Window..

If you would like to share your thoughts, please send me a note using the box at the bottom of this newsletter.

Write and Review on! ~ Brooke

[Related Links]
Here are some fun activities to check out. *Smile* *Thumbsup*

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*Down*This is Book One of The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher - mentioned above *Down* Check it out!
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Editor's Picks


~*Ax*~ Kidnapped Author's Freedom Five ~*Ax*~
All my kidnapped authors must choose five horror stories to be released.


 The Dark Side of the Moon Open in new Window. [13+]
An astronaut must come to terms with his sins in the isolation of space.
by Joe Nelson Author Icon

Excerpt:
The weightless form of Captain Thorpe floated gracefully in the void of space as the last ray of sunlight disappeared behind the Moon's horizon. A corona of light, hypnotic in its beauty, shone with a concluding display of spectacular radiance before finally disappearing and leaving him in the shadows of the dark side of the moon.
He shivered at the sudden drop in temperature but like always, watching the sun set in outer space was worth it. Especially as the sun would not emerge again for another fourteen days.


~*Bird* ~

 Megaloblatta Open in new Window. [18+]
Mars Mission One - Year - 2050
by Coffeebean Author Icon

Excerpt:
Commander Jim McLaren, closed his eyes, covered his ears and screamed.

A thousand legs scurried above his head. A thousand claws scraped and slashed at the module's thin metal layer; the only barrier between the Commander and the vermin's savage jaws. The horde's ravenous hunger for metallic deposits pushed forward their siege upon the strange intruder. Their insatiable cravings were spurred on after their latest discovery: human flesh.


~*Bird* ~

 The Flower Girl Open in new Window. [ASR]
Oh, it's not at all what you think.
by elizjohn Author Icon

Excerpt:
There was once a little girl who liked to draw flowers. The girl, whose name ironically was Lily, drew all kind of flowers, from roses to carnations to orchids and everything in between. It didn't matter to her what she drew, as long as she was drawing flowers. And Lily had talent! No one in the little town she lived in could draw as well as she could. People talked from miles around about the little girl who could draw the beautiful flowers. As she grew more and more famous, her flower pictures, which soon became known as Lily Flowers, became widely coveted. People would come from everywhere to get a Lily Flower and soon she was the most popular artist in the land.

But despite her talent for drawing beautiful things, her lovely namesake, and her ever-increasing fame, Lily had a dark, ugly soul.


~*Bird* ~

Jingle Jangle Open in new Window. [18+]
Why stare at a bare white wall?
by Stuckintime Author Icon

Excerpt:
I sat staring at the white wall. There was no way I was going to look back over my shoulder at what called to me. I had purposely positioned my chair for this moment; I knew that this time would come.

"Colin," it said quietly from the other side of the room. "Colin look at me, I have it here."

I heard a jingling sound as it shook an object that should have been in my possession. I wanted to turn and run across the room and grab it for myself, but I knew that wouldn't work. Instead I focused my eyes upon the white paint of the wall at the back of my living room.

I tried to sing inside my head to blot out the ringing as the thing shook the object ever more fiercely, the noise getting louder as it came closer.


~*Bird* ~

 
Image Protector
Mundane Endeavors of the Living and Dead Open in new Window. [13+]
A young man wishes for adventure on a midnight, moonlight stroll on the beaches of Biloxi
by Mitchopolis Author Icon

Excerpt:
The rock hit the water and bounced once, twice, three, four, five times.
"That be a good one. You almost edged out a sixth one but your stick-like arms weren't up to the task. Now it be my turn! Your very near future depends on five being enough to keep your dinghy afloat." The voice sounded like waves crashing on the surf.
Chester nodded as moonlight reflected dully off his companion's skull. The salt-scented, warm wind caressed his cheeks with promises of a supernatural adventure. Oddly, he couldn't even remember falling asleep.


~*Bird* ~


~*Film*~ Editor's Choice - The Trio of Terror ~*Film*~


~*Ax* Classic Chiller *Ax*~

 Invalid Item Open in new Window. []

by A Guest Visitor

Excerpt:
Every night for the last week, Jack had read the book. He didn't normally like reading, but something about this book drew him. It wasn't even something unidentifiable, it was the picture on the cover. He saw the book sitting in the window of an antiquarian bookstore. The cover looked like it was made of leather or something similar. In the middle was a charcoal drawing of a woman's face. She had full, pouting lips, like a butterfly landed on her face. Her hair was short and her eyes wide. Jack bought the book right then. He was hoping it would have some nice pictures of the woman in it. Maybe it was some old erotic novel.

The title inside read, "Judge Not By the Cover". It sounded promising, like someone would be getting uncovered. No such luck, though. Most of the book didn't make any sense at all. In fact a lot of it wasn't even in English, just a bunch of letters thrown together seemingly at random. The parts that he could read without sounding out every letter were pretty garbled. Some of it seemed to be like dark goth poetry. Other parts were more disturbing, talking about the paths beyond death and madness. Every time he started reading, he eventually threw the book down in disgust or boredom. And every time, he came back, picked it up and started reading again, right where he left off.


~*Ax* Modern Macabre *Ax*~

 Invalid Item Open in new Window. []

by A Guest Visitor

Excerpt:
A beggar lived halfway between the bus stop and her home. He was never there in the morning, but in the evening he set up camp in a store's doorway. This man was a fixture in the neighborhood just like the trees, fire hydrants or Kathy's certain arrival at the same time each day.

Kathy had forgotten when the habit started. On her walk past him, Kathy handed him a dollar or a hot beverage from the coffee shop down the street. Sometimes she gave him a piece of fruit or a granola bar.

They never spoke a word to each other. It wasn't needed somehow. Every evening he watched her come toward him. As she leaned closer to hand him the goody of the day he stretched out his seven-fingered hand. There was no thumb. He had seven fingers on each hand.


~*Ax* The Future of Fright *Ax*~

 Invalid Item Open in new Window. []

by A Guest Visitor

Excerpt:
Sitting down at her computer, Dee yawned, trying to see the screen. Taking a long sip of her coffee, she blinked a few times, clearing her vision, the typed in her password, logging into Facebook. The top of the screen said she had twenty-seven messages.

"Those can wait," she thought. Glancing at the time on the bottom of the screen, her stomach lurched; she'd overslept!

"Please don't let me be too late," she pleaded with the internet god's. Clicking a few buttons she found herself on her farm. The image of perfectly grown corn met her eyes.

John F used unwither on your crops.


~*Bird* ~


~*Ax* Bonus Selection *Ax*~

As I mentioned last month, Combining Horror and Comedy isn't always easy to pull off...
throw in Sci-Fi and it's almost impossible. I said ALMOST.


 Werebunnies Attack! Open in new Window. [18+]
A mad scientist creates a gore-thirsty bunny.
by Medussa Author Icon

Excerpt:
The two stood before the contraption that Dr. Master had built so many years ago. In the center of shiny red buttons, tubes, wires, flashing lights, and leather strapping (don't ask), was a silver, egg-shaped container. "Think of it, Bob," she murmured, "every year, at Easter, parents give their children bunny rabbits. But the children almost never keep the poor bunnies. They either don't take care of them, or they wind up selling them back to the pet shop. It's not fair. Just because a bunny isn't a traditional pet! How do we solve this dilemma, Bob?" Bob opened his mouth to answer, but Dr. Master continued her ranting, "I tell you how, Bob! By making the bunny cuter! We'll make the bunny so cute and fluffy that no child will be able to resist having one! The bunny will replace dogs and cats! Everyone will want a bunny! Everyone, I say!" Bob watched as Dr. Master rubbed her hands together. "Uh, Master...aren't bunny rabbits already really cute and fluffy?" Dr. Master's eyes began to blink rapidly, and Bob watched as her face convulsed into three or four different expressions. This went on for a minute or so. Finally, she replied with, "Shut up, Bob!" Bob lowered his head, "Sorry, Master."

Dr. Master began punching buttons, and the contraption began to hum and vibrate. As she did so, Bob leaned in closer to Dr. Master's ear. "You know," he said, "it's a really nice night tonight. There's even a full moon. How about after we finish with the experiment, you and I go out to Lookout Point?" Dr. Master, not really paying attention to Bob, grunted out her reply, "Uh, yeah, sure, whatever." Bob continued, "Great! Then after that, let's elope. I want you to have my children." Dr. Master, oblivious, nodded her head, "Sounds good, Bob. Put that on my calendar, will you?" Just then, the seal broke open on the container.

"This is it!" Dr. Master cried, "My moment of glory!"


~*Bird* ~



 
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Ask & Answer


I received the following fiendish feedback to my last newsletter [#4974] "Quarterly Horror Interview Wrap-UpOpen in new Window. and I'm being blackmailed into sharing it with you.

From: BIG BAD WOLF is Howling Author Icon sent with "Dead Rising: Your StoryOpen in new Window.
Sometimes you have to fight to survive.

I know what you mean - what does an editor have to do to get some interview feedback around here? *Pthb* Thanks for shooting me a note!

A special thanks to Molly Author Icon and Devil's Delight-Cherry Author Icon who sent me private emails regarding last month's newsletter. *Smile*


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