Monica Valentinelli's Blog: booksofm.com, page 112

Faith, Writing and a Horror Author's Intent

This past week I had an in-depth discussion with my friend and author Maurice Broaddus. Maurice is an interesting writer because he's up front about his faith and infuses it into his writing. I, on the other hand, am pretty private when it comes to my beliefs; they aren't part of my writer's platform. Even though we have different beliefs, both of us write genre fiction and enjoy writing horror.

After we finished our discussion, we both felt that you might be interested in following our exchange and commenting on it. I thought we brought up some good points about our "selves" as authors and what we intend to put into our work.

Our conversation started with my asking him a question about Halloween. While I love the holiday, I've run into several people who don't for religious reasons.

MONICA: As an author who intentionally infuses Christianity into your writing, how do you feel about the recent criticisms that Halloween is a threat to Christianity?

MAURICE: Well, I don't know if I see myself as intentionally infusing Christianity into my work as much as that's simply my worldview and it naturally comes out in my work (at least, that's what I hope is happening).

Halloween is always one of those weird times of year for me. I'm not that into Halloween (which sounds counterintuitive coming from a horror writer). It's just not my thing. On the flip side, it's my wife's FAVORITE (except for Christmas) time of year. The house gets decorated; the planning of costumes is like laying out a battlefield campaign. She's all in.

But we also have to navigate a certain church culture that instinctively reacts against Halloween. This culture reacts to Halloween the same way it does horror: after a cursory glance, it's dubbed an embrace of evil and the satanic. The rise in Halloween's popularity is seen as a threat, but yet they still want to have it both ways. So we get things like "trunk or treat" or "hallelujah night" where we can participate in all of the trappings of Halloween, but not truly partake of Halloween. Because that's not what everyone else is doing – just using the occasion to have dress up parties and beg for candy.

I'm curious, what role does the supernatural, or even the idea of the supernatural, play in your everyday life or is it something to be dismissed out of hand?

MONICA: I tend to look at the world through the eyes of an amateur cultural anthropologist. (I wanted to "be" Indiana Jones when I grew up.) Having said that, I have an insatiable curiosity. I've read a lot of books on a lot of different topics – including the arcane. So, I'm of two minds on the subject. The logic part of my brain says that there's a rational explanation for everything. There's a lot of psychology and sociology that can be found in the supernatural. The other side of my brain says that I shouldn't be so sure of myself all the time. I'm only human. How could I possibly have all the answers? Sometimes, extraordinary things can happen and there's simply no "natural" explanation for them.

So I guess the straight answer is: it depends upon the day and whether or not I'm writing. To get that creative boost, I let my imagination run away with me. Sometimes, when things are clicking, it almost feels like I'm experiencing supernatural so I visualize or get inspired by different muses. Other times, when I can't hear the voices and the world seems flat and gray, then there's nothing there except billions of atoms smashing into each other. That's a place I don't like to visit very often.

Has anyone ever accused you of being non-Christian because you write horror? How do you respond to something like that?

Maurice will be picking up the conversation on his website, too. I'll share that thread with you in a follow-up post. Feel free to chime in!

Related posts: The Other Side of Author's Intent: The Writer's World
My New Series of Horror Movie Articles on Crackle.com
Why this Author will never "Tell"

Free Horror Movies and My Articles at Crackle.com

This month, I had the pleasure of writing for free movie website Crackle.com. Not only did I get to pick whatever horror movies I wanted to write about, I got the chance to watch them for free on their new site.

Movies are available for free either online or through your PS3. If you don't like these films, be sure to check out Crackle.com's Halloween movie collection for some other scary movie options.

Here's a preview of my series entitled, "A Fan's Guide to Scary Movies."

A Fan's Guide to Scary Movies: 13 Ghosts – The opening credits for 13 Ghosts really grabbed me. There's groaning, there's moaning, and there were thirteen ghosts rolling right down the screen. Immediately after the credits, William Castle popped up with a message to the audience about a "ghost viewer." At different points in this primarily black-and-white film, the audience was encouraged to use a pair of glasses to either see or avoid the ghosts by looking through red or blue lenses.
A Fan's Guide to Scary Movies: The Blob (1988) – The Blob portrayed is pretty interesting to me. It's more than just pink goo that slithers its way across town. It's an amoeba that can ooze, twist, digest and grow. Sometimes it's fast and other times it's slow. Since this life-form has the properties of a thick liquid, it can get beneath you by worming its way through the sewers or drain pipes, too. The thing that I thought was pretty cool was that it can also spontaneously generate. Separate a piece of The Blob from the rest of its mass, and you have micro-blob!
A Fan's Guide to Scary Movies: Mary Reilly – Mary Reilly is the type of horror movie that takes you by the hand and draws you into the bleak time period from the very beginning. Since this movie was based on a familiar story, the film's perspective is told from a servant who lives in Dr. Jekyll's house. This technique really worked for me. I felt like I was standing on the top of a long, winding stairwell and every minute that went by brought me closer to the bottom of a dungeon. The suspense here resonates through the oppressive lifestyle of the master-slave relationship; the wealthy doctor's staff has a big impact on the plot. In a way, every servant in that house gives the doctor whatever he needs by handing him his desires through an invisible wall.
A Fan's Guide to Scary Movies: Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters – Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters is what I would describe as a "mosaic" movie that's driven by fast-paced, ass-kicking action. Set in seventeenth century rural China, there are several different characters and plots that keep the fight scenes fresh. The main storyline is about four, suave martial artists with over-the-top names like "Thunder." Together, they and their wise master hunt down a king vampire. Only problem is, their trusty vampire compass leads them to an estate where nothing is as it seems. Things quickly slide downhill from there.

Related posts: My New Series of Horror Movie Articles on Crackle.com
Read my Guest Post about Dracula on the Crackle.com Blog
Hone your Writing Skills – Take a Free Class!

Have a Nice Internet Day! Wed 10-27-2010

From kids committing suicide to nasty political ads and general snarkiness, the internet can be pretty negative some days. That's why, I'm calling for a moratorium on nastiness for one day. I don't care if you're always nice to people online or not. This idea isn't just about "you." After all, every writer knows that all words have power. Even if they're not your words. If they are? Then knock it off. For one day.

The idea is simple: Fight back with smiley faces. That's right. Smiley faces. For every crappy comment, flippant retort and mean accusation, besiege others with a grin. If you're following along on Twitter, the hashtag will be #haveaniceinternet.

Let's turn the internet YELLOW. The smiley face in this post is from this link on Stock.xchng and is okay for public use.

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The One Thing That Cripples Writers Is…

…fear.

Over the years, I've talked to many people to hear their stories and find out what makes them tick. The people closest to me know that, in many ways, I'm the type of writer that studies human nature. The one thing that most writers have in common is this: fear.

"I'm not good enough to submit my story to a magazine."
"Even though I tell people I'm working on a novel, I'm going to talk about writing or grab all the writing advice that's out there. Maybe then it'll put my fears to rest."
"I can't say what I think because I'm afraid my readers will come after me."
"I will defend my work to a bad reviewer because deep down inside, I'm worried that they're right."
"I'm going to stop writing until I hear back from this agent."
"I will whine to a proofreader for editing my work because I'm worried they'll think I'm a crappy writer."
"I'm afraid that people won't like my work."
"I just submitted a novel and I'm going to wait to hear what people think before I write anything else."
"I can't write unless I have the right software."
"I won't edit because I don't know how and I'm afraid to admit it."
"I'm going to communicate poorly with an editor because I don't trust them to improve my writing."
"I'm worried that my stories won't be as good as my favorite author's."
"I'm going to keep submitting my novel to an agent even though I've gotten the same feedback from multiple people because I've convinced myself that they're wrong. I'm scared that they're right."
"I'm scared that my story won't be unique enough. So, what's the point of writing it?"
"I feel like if my story gets rejected, it's an editor's way of saying that I'm not good enough as a person."
"I have an author that feels like he needs to compete with whatever I'm doing. He's intimidating me."
"I'm going to keep editing my short story/novel/novella because I'm afraid that even after the twentieth pass, it's still not good enough.
"I'm concerned that if I write a bad story, it means that I'm a terrible writer."
"I'm afraid of being successful and don't know how to deal with people."

There are hundreds of ways that fear manifests in a writer's life. Hundreds. Some of us might stop writing altogether. Others might hang out at conventions with authors or get caught up in reviewing books. Being around other writers doesn't help you write.

So, what does?

Well, that's different for everyone. Me? I have quite a few things that I do to keep me motivated and help me focus on my writing. I use a timer. I set goals. I visualize. I do something bold. I paint. I write poetry. I review old stories and commit them to my morgue.

The one thing, though, that I never want to do — ever again — is stop writing. I did, because I threw everything into a full-time career and it didn't pan out. Yes, writing fiction that may or may not pay is something that all writers have to balance with their paying gigs, but really? Really? I know several successful authors that deal with a lot more than I do. Five kids. Cancer. Bankruptcy. Unemployment. Rabid fans. And that's just to name a few.

In the end, while our fear may manifest in different ways, the only way to move past it is to get your butt back in that chair and keep writing.

So stop being a chicken. Seriously. Be bold. Be Brave. Just write. Write, submit, edit and then do it all over again. What? You want to be a writer, don't you?

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Author Paul Jessup Interviewed Me

Just wanted to drop by and mention that author Paul Jessup, who is celebrating the release of an illustrated journal called WEREWOLVES!, interviewed me for his website. He's been very supportive of my e-book THE QUEEN OF CROWS and has had nice things to say about it.

Here's one of the questions he asked me:

Did your experience in RPG game design help influence how the end product looked/felt?

It did. I knew that DriveThruHorror.com could handle an enhanced e-book format because of its sister site, DriveThruRpg.com. The DriveThru sites have been offering digital e-books and enhanced PDFs for years before the rest of the publishing industry even thought about embracing e-books. All of us — me, Shari and Leanne — had experience in the gaming industry. That perspective heavily influenced the design and layout. It wasn't until after we offered the e-book for sale that we realized the limitations of some of the other e-book sites are. Images are still pretty tough for them to render.

To read more, be sure to check out the rest of the interview at PaulJessup.com.

Related posts: Special Thanks to Author Paul Genesse
Follow Up from OddCon: Writing Panels and Author George RR Martin
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Semantics, Word Choice and Personality

Lately, I've been obsessing about semantics, how we choose our words, and what effect a personality type has on both. Take self-promotion just as an example. To tell an introvert to get out there and "Sell yourself!" might make someone feel uncomfortable. Turn that around for a second and say something like, "Help someone know more about you." Same thing. Different words.

No, this idea isn't new. It's a different take on the old adage, "Doesn't matter what you say, just how you say it." There's two sides to the application of this powerful idea. There's the writing side, where we have to make decisions about the words we use. There's also the semantic side, where we interpret meanings of words that may illicit a response or a reaction.

For one example, consider the dreaded "critique." I don't know one writer who doesn't love to write. I do know, however, a lot of writers who have no idea how to critique or receive criticism — especially when it's a rough draft. If you've experienced this, you know what I'm talking about. They nitpick the placement of a comma. They argue with you about how you feel when you read your story. They write one draft and think it's finished. Here, too, semantics and word choice come into play. There's a huge difference between saying, "I did not care for this story, but someone else might." versus "This story sucked." Sure, different people critique poorly for different reasons; they're insecure about their own work, they're envious, they're inexperienced, etc. It may be hard, but I find you have to balance "what was said" with "what they meant." In most cases, I find the reason why someone gives you a bad critique is because they don't understand the difference between a critique and a review. Of course, you have to mull over comments in a way that doesn't drive you insane. After all, you have to have confidence in your work or you wouldn't write.

A lot of writers are introverts by nature; I'm guessing this affects how we react emotionally to words and what we write. I feel that it's tough to be an introvert simply because there are so many words associated with this personality type that have negative connotations. We're loners. Outcasts. Freaks. If you're a writer trying to pursue a professional path, though, we're often forced to be both. (I am an introvert by nature and an extrovert when I have to be.) Sure, my writing changes depending upon what mood I'm in. What's fascinating to me, though, is experiencing this simple idea from the reader's viewpoint.

By being able to understand what their personality type might be, our writing functions as an emotional catalyst for our readers. Yes, marketers do this all the time, but this idea doesn't just apply to ad copy or non-fiction. Often, the most popular stories aren't the ones that are written the greatest; they're the ones that can reach a reader on an emotional level. Maybe, for the rest of us to do the same thing, we just have to find the right words to do it. Maybe, for us to do that, we have to ask ourselves what touches us.

Related posts: Writing Exercises #1: Learning Word Conservation
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To Kill a Story

Some writers refer to their unpublishable work as "trunk novels" or "trunk stories." For my broken stories, I kill them and then send them to my virtual morgue, which is a folder on my computer.

So what qualifies as a dying story in my book?

Honestly, I think that the decision to kill a story is a personal one that should be left up to each individual writer. Only you can decide whether or not your broken stories can be fixed. (Of course, I'm talking about the stories we write before we submit them to an editor or publication.)

Sometimes, the stories that I kill are heavy on characterization and have little to no plot. A couple of times, I've killed stories intentionally after I've written them, like my "warm up" stories that flex my fiction writing muscles, or my more experimental works. There was also one story that I killed because of the way it was structured; I felt it would have made a better screenplay than a narrative.

It sucks sending stories to my morgue, but I feel that it's all part of being a writer. No writer sits down at a keyboard every day and tells excellent stories every time they type. Writing, like learning how to sing or play piano, requires regular practice to keep those skills sharp. Sometimes, your performances will be awesome. Sometimes, they won't. When they're not, I review them to see if they're salvageable. If I feel they cannot be fixed, then I commit them to my morgue, grieve for a few minutes and then start writing the next one.

The good news is that I still use what I've created by reviewing interesting concepts or taking pieces of characters or prose that I like. (I literally looting the corpses. Hah!) After all, getting the words onto my screen is only half the battle, because sometimes a page of words doesn't make a great story, no matter how many times I revise it.

And that, dear readers, is why I have a morgue.

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Don't be Afraid to Write like Crap

My New Series of Horror Movie Articles on Crackle.com

While every day is Halloween for me, this time of year brings out the best in a lot of free television and movie websites like Crackle.com.

This week, I delivered a series of articles about horror movies for Crackle.com from a fan's perspective. Today, you can read about the classic horror film 13 Ghosts, which was produced by William Castle. For those of you who have seen the modern remake starring Tony Shaloub, I highly recommend you check out the original in black-and-white.

If you're interested in a sneak peek, be sure to check out this paragraph. Here, I'm talking about the very first time I saw the Zorba's new house in 13 Ghosts:

The first time I saw their new house, I remembered what I love about black-and-white horror movies. To me, haunted houses give a filmmaker the opportunity to really emphasize its towering windows, hidden passageways and heavy draperies using shades of black-and-white. Of course, the somber housekeeper really added to the mood, too. The second I saw Elaine Zacharides, I thought, "That has to be the Wicked Witch of the West." And, it was! Played by Margaret Hamilton, Buck even accused her character of being a witch when he first saw her. — SOURCE: A Fan's Guide to Scary Movies: 13 Ghosts

If you're a horror movie fan, I would like to invite you to check out A Fan's Guide to Scary Movies: 13 Ghosts.

What's new for next week? Stay tuned and find out!

Related posts: Read my Guest Post about Dracula on the Crackle.com Blog
MLV Writes Movie Reviews
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Monthly Newsletter Subscription for mlvwrites.com

Hi everyone,

I am pleased to announce that I will be launching a monthly newsletter for mlvwrites.com.

This newsletter will be tailored to your interests, so feel free to check off which topics you want to read. Some of the content will be quick summaries of content that is published throughout the month here at mlvwrites.com. Other links and tips will be related to projects I'm working on or relationships that I've been developing.

The first monthly newsletter will be sent toward the end of October. To join my mailing list, simply subscribe to the mlvwrites.com monthly newsletter.

Hope you will find my newsletter valuable!

- Monica

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[Resource] Creating a Promotional Trailer for Your Book or Game

After creating several promotional videos using the tools I have available, I wanted to share with you how I do it. This is a low, low budget version that requires a little bit of creativity and a lot of puzzle-making skills.

Here's a qutoe:

After seeing some of the trailers that I've created, a lot of people ask me how easy it is to create a book trailer and whether or not it's worthwhile. A lot of people are claiming that one easy way to promote your books is to offer a video book trailer through YouTube! or your website. While the jury is still out as to whether or not sales can be attributed to someone watching a video book trailer, they can help spread the word and, for horror, can allude to the theme of the work. — SOURCE: Creating a Promotional Trailer for Your Book or Game on FlamesRising.com

Hope you get the chance to check out Creating a Promotional Trailer for Your Book or Game on FlamesRising.com!

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