Sumiko Saulson's Blog, page 34
May 10, 2015
Interview with blogger Daryl Wor of The Pit of Ultimate Dark Shadows
The Blogger
Daryl Wor is an actor/writer/comedienne who creates the podcast, audio-drama and writes the blog for a (mainly) 1960’s multi-fandom creation: The Pit of Ultimate Dark Shadows. Having worked on original material prior to this, also delving into several spooky or supernatural worlds, combining many beloved screen characters of the darker but fun variety is a challenge but manageable. The fandoms involved are numerous but the main ones mixed in are day-time drama Dark Shadows, two characters from several comedy skits on The Kids In The Hall, Wadsworth from the film Clue (which took place in 1954), The Ghost & Mrs. Muir television program, The Addams Family, and Lily from The Munsters.
Previously a vision-therapist and a high-school teacher for a special education program with emotionally-disturbed students requiring therapy, problem-solving by example is nothing new to her. The Pit of Ultimate Dark Shadows, as well as a vampiric and erotic marriage novel related to the audio series, has become her full-time “employment” for which, because it’s fanwork, she can only get paid in discussion and commentary. Having discovered many fans of Dark Shadows aren’t always easy going this work has been one more often of stress than enjoyment. She is currently married to, who is known in four podcasts as, “Daryl’s Husband” and their relationship has spanned 22 years. Neither drive which leaves them quite isolated from many loved ones and friends.
The Interview
Q. What inspired you to start “The Pit of Ultimate Dark Shadows”?
A. I’ve always loved the spooky and I looked into Dark Shadows here and there, but being a stickler for continuity I didn’t want to delve into it until I knew I had enough to get the entire gist. In the middle 2000’s we looked into Netflix to see if they had enough. Their collection started about the time Barnabas Collins came into the picture and I knew from research he was Mr. Big Cake for the series. I’m careful with what I imbibe in media due to extreme sensitivity to more modern and over-stimulating material. A 1960s supernatural soap-opera would be just the thing. I also was falling into a numbing depression so many of the painful aspects were only affecting me slightly.
Being a major problem-solver to release myself from many bad relationships, family included, I could identify with what all the characters were going through. With the rush of production time back then I was amazed by how crisp and dynamic all the characters and performers were. There was even humour in many moments which I’d never seen in a soap-opera before. But, as such a show is likely to do, it spirals downward and many tragic things occur for which there is often no cure except being distracted by the next pile up of terrors. The 1795 period with Barnabas and Josette brought out so much longing and desire. I could see why Barnabas Collins became the intense mourner he is for Josette. The rest of what the witch Angelique did to him and his loved ones created someone who would turn very foul from being left to that exposure then lying in a coffin for 170 years.
The crux of my project came when I saw signs that Maggie Evans was the reincarnation of Josette Dupres. I’d thought it might be Victoria Winters but I couldn’t find the evidence for that. Maggie Evans father, Sam Evans, is a down-to-earth philosophical artist and painter who is known for drinking like many a tortured-artist. When the series came back into the 1960s he was cursed to lose his vision and then eventually was killed off. That was the last-straw for me and I combed what Dark Shadows fanfiction I could in order to find a relief-series where he survives. This would put all the components into place as I was naturally seeing that would end up for all the characters to find happiness and work-a-day contentment. During a five-year study of what fanfiction I could find there was no such relief series created for Dark Shadows. So I started taking notes for my own.
Q. How does the Dark Shadows fandom differ from other fandoms?
A. Other supernatural daytime-dramas have come and gone but Dark Shadows stands out as the highlight after all of these years. However, soap-operas are, or were, created for house-wives but Dark Shadows was on late enough that the younger generation of the 1960’s were running home from school to make sure they didn’t miss it. This was a completely new and different occurrence on what was being presented and what audience was being reached with it. The program lasted from 1966-1971 and lifted story lines from many well known Gothic books like Jane Eyre, Picture of Dorian Gray and Turn of The Screw.
Like Star Trek, the fanbase was strong and fanzines began with stories of further adventures with its characters. The difference being that Star Trek had less episodes, a shorter run and usually maintained character accuracy in its fanwork. Dark Shadows did as well until later on. Many fan work creators of Dark Shadows will state, as if fact, that fan-fiction is tacking on the names of characters and telling any story you want whether or not it conflicts with who the characters are or how they might behave. My theory is this was caused by lack of access to the full run of Dark Shadows which had over 1,200 episodes and much more going on in terms of continuity that linked everything together. Other television programs as beloved didn’t have that complexity. (Continuity flaws abound as well, and that might make a ton of fans throw up their hands and cry, “Anything goes!”)
Q. What other dark/spooky materials did you work on in the past?
A. I have a ton of work set on the back-burner. My big one being a series that also incorporates a wealth of supernatural elements, mainly vampires. The plan is still for a three volume work in which the protagonist loses her most beloved and later on finds herself on “The Other Side” to heal from her own damage before returning to the mortal realm and continuing her journey of self-discovery. She encounters ghosts, Banshees, other creatures of spirit and myth as well as old vampire friends. Witchcraft is studied later on to ground her back to Earth. The layers of history and the supernatural were deeply complex which is kind of funny considering Dark Shadows has that same complexity and I hadn’t watched it yet.
I also tried a hand at creating ghost stories or campfire stories in the same light as urban legends, and studied those heavily trying to find the best. I recently found an old story for Bloody Mary I wrote years ago and posted it to fictionpress. https://www.fictionpress.com/s/3250078/1/Bloody-Mary-s-Delight I’d forgotten how good it was as it mentions other great ghost stories in it and also the best method for telling spooky stories in groups. (We used to hold a monthly event called Ghost Story Night in our home to encourage that old tradition with our friends.)
I also did many audio book performances for librivox.org [Sumiko? Should that go into the bio?] my first and favourite being the spookiest, “At The Sign of The Jack O’Lantern” by Myrtle Reed. https://librivox.org/at-the-sign-of-the-jack-olantern-by-myrtle-reed/
Q. What other shows besides Dark Shadows does your blog get into?
A. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir from the 1960s, as well as The Addams Family, and definitely The Pit of Ultimate Darkness hosts from The Kids In The Hall. Lily Munster comes up quite a bit. Mostly I started the blog because many pen friends wanted other news and I didn’t have any so I felt I couldn’t talk to them about what was happening. I write up all of my struggles, discoveries and what little fun I could have as I build the audio episodes and re-write the marriage novel of what the radio-drama’s goal is gearing up to. Some have told me when they read entries they are fascinated how much I can write about, but the key component comes from maintaining correspondence and letter-writing most of my life. Somewhat similar to what Robert Fulghum writes about but mine is more in themes with what I’m doing and… I do vent.
Q. I met you on a Goth forum – how much do you think goth culture and horror fiction fandom crossover or intersect?
A. It totally depends on the individual. I like spooky, but I steer towards fun spooky. My Mum introduced me to Roger Corman’s film “The Raven” as I adore Vincent Price and always have, as well as Bela Lugosi, Peter Lorre, and Boris Karloff. I watched that often and thought that was how spooky worked. Then I got into horror and I was entertained for a while but it usually left me feeling sour. Others adore horror from the thrill, but what I often see is people watching horror films or bad horror films for something to heckle and enjoy in that light.
It’s a hard question to answer. Some love the gothic culture for the romance of darkness and moonlight, others for the fun of dressing up, other for the music or it’s a combination of everything, including horror. Goth culture has so many facets which is likely the reasons it’s difficult to pin-down to something simple.
Q. What are the challenges you face when putting together a podcast?
A. The knowledge that what will usually happen when the links are shared on facebook is that I will get nothing but a like-click from people and that’s it. *laughing sadly* Some people like-click out of habit so you don’t even know if they downloaded and listened or not. More technical challenges are whatever I’ve been ruminating that I feel is important to say either about an upcoming episode or what I’m seeing in people’s online behavior or fandom behavior, some of which is good. I’ll type up a monologue of ideas that are striking me and I will leave that alone for a while so that when I do the podcast I’m speaking with more of a conversational tone rather than droning out a reading, and I will also vary from that monologue quite a bit. Then I have to see what music or effects to add, do the noise cleaning and what not, blending in everything. Cutting out “ums” and “y’knows” is one of the worst procedures.
Radio drama episodes in audio for the show are incredibly more difficult to do. I have to act out all the parts of so many characters from so many shows as hiring anyone is out of the question. (Though I have been jovially urged to call Jon Astin. My Gomez Addams impression needs work.) Then alter how everyone sounds depending on who they are and what my voice couldn’t do. Adding sound effects and music in the correct areas and hope they give the listeners the idea of what’s going on because I’m not always happy with the sound effects I’m left with for certain actions. Picking the length of silence between lines and scenes is also difficult.
Q. What advice would you give other podcasters?
A. If you’re looking for communication with your audience? Don’t expect any. Podcasting as a hobby is much safer than doing it as a passion or calling. Device technology has made more people into takers rather than talkers. If you have solid friendships of people who are interested in your work and will write commentary for it that is the best way to go. Everyone needs support but we’ve gotten into this every-man-for-himself idea which neither enriches us or the work. You might believe what you are communicating is clear but if the listener isn’t paying attention you’ll get some very confusing responses.
Q. What advice would you give to other bloggers or writers in general?
A. Don’t post every single day. Wait until you have something good and solid to relate. For writers in general? Listen to your Muse. Keep blank books and save everything. People have different things that work for them. Some people prefer a schedule that is closer to school or work, some are better when the inspiration or information hits them. Find what is best for you.
If you have someone who comes in and comments rudely do your best to explain where you are at as gently as possible, and don’t be too alarmed if you have a random person writing random things in your comment boxes. Some people flutter around online, see a comment box and just start getting strange. The comment doesn’t need to be posted if it has nothing to do with you or your content.
Q. Do you have any other projects you would like our readers to know about?
A. I realized that because people are using device technology and can’t download the show or write commentary about it for me, but want the friendships I’m looking for, I have The Pit of Ultimate Dark Shadows care-package plan. I want conversation on the episodes to boost me to keep going, but I also want to bring back correspondence so we can be pen pals as well. I have CDs to send and questions to answer for fun. The online world is very distracting and alienating. We need to look at it more in tandem with the other forms of communication. Many of our elders bemoan the loss of the ways they grew up with, but there are a ton of people out there, many young adults and college students, who love what is now called snail-mail. Anyone wondering how I got into the gothic community? It was pen pals.
And I’d enjoy discussion on the librivox books I made. I still love almost all of my work there but never hear a great deal about it. I even shot for a Joan Bennett impression for a character in Spyri’s book “Veronica” as I was building demos for The Pit of Ultimate Dark Shadows and Joan Bennett plays Elizabeth Stoddard on Dark Shadows.
April 22, 2015
Come meet us at BayCon 2015!
I am so excited to be a part of this!
Originally posted on horroraddicts.net:
Come meet Emerian Rich, H.E. Roulo, Laurel Anne Hill,
J. Malcolm Stewart, Loren Rhoads, Sumiko Saulson, and Lillian Csernica at
BayCon 2015
May 22nd-24th
Hyatt Regency
Santa Clara, CA
Program details coming soon, but don’t wait to buy your tickets.
We will be having a big HorrorAddicts.net BOF and
release party for our book:
Horror Addicts Guide to LifeDon’t miss the door prizes, favors, and your chance to see all these amazing horror personalities together in one place! :)
Books will be on hand for signing and purchase.
April 17, 2015
Vox Day says his totally-not-racist comments have been taken out of context. In context they’re even worse.
Vox Day would like you to know he’s not just some racist! He’s also sexist and colonialist as hell, and would appreciate it if all the wimmens and colored people would stop trying to ruin Sci-Fi and Fantasy by writing it and get back in the kitchen and make him a sammich.
Originally posted on we hunted the mammoth:
Guys, wait up!
Racist, woman-hating fantasy author Theodore Beale (aka Vox Day) is upset that people are calling him racist. I mean, it’s not like he called all black people “savages,” he objects; he merely called one black woman — speculative fiction author NK Jemisin — a “half-savage” in a portion of a blog post that, he complains, has been taken out of context. Indeed, he sniffs,
the fact that the same ungrammatical excerpt chopped out of the middle of a sentence keeps being trotted out again and again should alert the dialectical mind to the probability that there simply isn’t very much, if any, there there.
Ah, context! A lot of shitheads who say terrible things complain, when others point out these terrible things, that their words have been taken out of context. So I thought I’d do Vox a little favor here and provide the context to…
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April 10, 2015
Does Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula Stay True to Bram Stoker’s Dracula?
Maria is a writer interested in comic books, cycling, and horror films. Her hobbies include cooking, doodling, and finding local shops around the city. She currently lives in Chicago with her two pet turtles, Franklin and Roy. You can follow her on Twitter @MariaRamos1889.
Dracula as a monster has been around for a long time, yet he still has the power to influence modern pop culture media. Everything from hit books and movies like Twilight to popular television shows like The Vampire Diaries owe a little something to this classic tale of blood-lust and evil. The vast majority are not drawn directly from Bram Stoker’s novel. Underrated, but also very similar to the novel, is Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula which is being rerun this month on the El Rey network (check here for listings).
I thought it would be fun to do a little comparison and maybe settle this debate once and for all. Coppola’s version of Dracula is not an exact reproduction of Stoker’s novel. One of the most telling differences between the film and the novel is the addition of a love story. The original Dracula was not a lovelorn warrior who damned religion for his lost love. The Count came across as more soulless and unloving of anyone. The basis of the movie is Count Dracula’s search for Mina Harker, a woman who reminds him of his lost love. The original tale followed Dracula as he attempted to help spread his undead curse to England and beyond.
This added romantic aspect also gave way to more back-story on Dracula and his becoming a vampire. Stoker’s original novel hinted that it was unknown, even to the Count, how he became the monster he is. Coppola’s movie draws a clear parallel between the true-life figure of Vlad the Impaler and our fictional Count Dracula during this added back-story.
Another major difference is the much more sexual tone of Coppola’s movie. This has been widely thought to be more a case of what was allowed into print when Stoker’s tale was first published, but it also stems from an urge to make the Dracula character more human. This added sexual aspect changes some character portrayals, such as Lucy Westenra having a strong sexual appetite and being more susceptible to Dracula’s charm and prowess.
Now let’s look at some of the similarities between Coppola’s Dracula and Stoker’s classic Gothic tale. One thing that many filmmakers have left out of their big-screen adaptations has been the use of various narrators. Stoker used diary entries, letters and even newspaper clippings to tell his dark tale. This use of multiple narrators is present in Coppola’s vision, and he even manages to change protagonists throughout the movie – a feat that is hard for many filmmakers to pull off.
Stoker’s book also told of the fateful voyage aboard the Russian ship Demeter, upon which the entire crew is gradually murdered except for the captain. While this scene is commonly thought not to add much to the overall story, Coppola recognized it for what it is. This one scene helps set the dark and creepy tone that is seen throughout the novel and film.
Being fans of the original novel, Coppola and screenwriter James V. Hart also choose to keep in several characters that are usually thrown out of the films. These characters, while not making or breaking the movie, are used to help keep the romantic element alive. Lucy’s suitors Arthur Holmwood and Quincey Morris, for example, are featured in the film.
While it is true that Coppola’s Dracula took some creative liberties with Stoker’s story of Dracula, the overall tone and premise of the tale is still alive and well, in a manner of speaking. Overcoming the difficulties of moving from one medium to another, Coppola managed to produce the finest adaptation of Stoker’s novel to date.
April 5, 2015
Interview with David Watson, editor of “Horror Addicts Guide to Life”
David was born in the Quad Cities on the Illinois/Iowa border in 1971. He graduated from Western Illinois University with a degree in Communications. Now he lives in Milwaukee Wisconsin with his wife and kids. His interests include reading (all genres, especially horror), music (hard rock, heavy metal and industrial), power yoga, bike riding, baseball, hiking, and Broadway musicals. He also has an unhealthy addiction to surfing the net, listening to podcasts, and diet soda. Find David’s reviews at:DavidWatsonThe Book
Do you love the horror genre? Do you look at horror as a lifestyle? Do the “norms” not understand your love of the macabre? Despair no longer, my friend, for within your grasp is a book written by those who look at horror as a way of life, just like you. This is your guide to living a horrifying existence. Featuring interviews with Midnight Syndicate, Valentine Wolfe, and The Gothic Tea Society. Authors: Kristin Battestella, Mimielle, Emerian Rich, Dan Shaurette, Steven Rose Jr., Garth von Buchholz, H.E. Roulo, Sparky Lee Anderson, Mary Abshire, Chantal Boudreau, Jeff Carlson, Catt Dahman, Dean Farnell, Sandra Harris, Willo Hausman, Laurel Anne Hill, Sapphire Neal, James Newman, Loren Rhoads, Chris Ringler, Jessica Robinson, Eden Royce, Sumiko Saulson, Patricia Santos Marcantonio, J. Malcolm Stewart, Stoneslide Corrective, Mimi A.Williams, and Ron Vitale. With art by Carmen Masloski and Lnoir.https://horroraddicts.wordpress.com/horror-addicts-guide-to-life/
The Interview
Q. Whose idea was the Horror Addicts Guide to Life?
A. It was mine, when I first came on staff five plus years ago, I had heard of a book that was a goth guide to life. I liked the concept of a group of people who see the world the same having a lifestyle manual. Right away I thought: “I’m a writer for horroraddicts.net, this is a website/podcast that looks at horror as a lifestyle so why not have The Horror Addicts Guide to Life.”
I brought up the idea to Emerian Rich four times and on my fourth try she decided it was a good idea and we should work on it. I wanted this guide to show people who make horror part of their everyday life by watching movies, listening to music, reading and dressing up. There are a lot of different aspects to the horror lifestyle, and hopefully we did a good job touching on all of them.
This book has a horror almanac, horror-themed recipes, articles on horror writing, party planning, healthy eating, advice on surviving the zombie apocalypse and so much more.
Q. Several of the articles seem to be gothic in nature. What do you think the connection is between goth life and horror addict life?
A. I think goths and horror addicts are pretty similar, they have a lot of the same interests, they like things that are dark and different and they look at the world in a unique way.
Q. What is a horror addict?
A. I think a horror addict is someone who loves horror books, movies and they want to share that passion with others. They like to talk about the latest scary movie that just came out and when Halloween comes around we like to plan out scary costumes and decorate the house to show our love of the genre. To take it a step farther I think they also look at the world in a specific way. They look in the woods and wonder if there is a werewolf lurking there, they look at an abandoned building and wonder if a coven of vampires is living there. There not scared by the idea, they just have an active imagination and like to believe that there are things in this world that we don’t understand.
Q. Much of the content focuses on movies. Do you think film is the primary source of horror for the addict, or are literature and music and visual arts equal outlets?
A. I think when most people think of horror they think of movies before anything else but true horror addicts also like to find horror in fashion, literature. music and even food. I think movies are the primary source because they are the most visable. You see ads for horror movies, you can find them on TV a lot and you can usually find one playing at a theatre near you.
Q. There are also great sections about horror writing, art, music.. even an article about manga. Do you think anything was left out?
A. It would have been nice to have a few more articles about haunt actors, people that are into horror cosplay and people that go to horror conventions. That being said we do have some good articles on fashion such as Back To Black by Mimielle here and one on Halloween haunts called October Dreaming that are really good.
Q. The horror party tip section is quite extensive. Do you think horror addicts are big party animals?
A. I think so. Horror fans love to have a good time, they like to dress up in costume and have horror themed snacks. We have a couple of good horror themed party articles here. One is Pumpkin Patch Party and Recipes by Dan Shaurette and Hosting A Creepy Crawly Party by Chantal Boudreau. Horror Addicts are creative people and they like to party with style.
March 23, 2015
March 21, 2015
Review: Somnalia
As usual, David Watson’s review is thoughtful and informative. If you haven’t finished the first book Happiness and Other Diseases yet, this comes with a SPOILER ALERT for you.
Originally posted on horroraddicts.net:
Last time we saw Flynn and Charlotte in Happiness And Other Diseases things were not going well for the young couple in love. In Sumiko Saulson’s Somnalia things have gotten worse for them and the gods of the underworld. With Brash the god of erotic nightmares gone, Phobetor the god of nightmares is looking to expand his kingdom. He tries to win the trust of Flynn and Charlotte, while another god releases two dream demons in the form of children into the real world to wreak havoc. Chaos reins supreme in the land of dreams and in reality. Earth’s only hope is in the hands of two lovers who have been separated after making a supreme sacrifice.
The best part of this book for me was the interactions between Phobetor and Flynn. The early scenes with these two were like a therapy session and as the book goes on, you…
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March 9, 2015
Friday the 13 through St Patrick’s Day Spookathon
Friday the 13 through St Patrick’s Day Spookathon
If I were a television programming director, I would probably be planning a Friday the 13th and Leprechaun movie marathon this weekend. Five full days are sandwiched between Friday the 13th and St. Patrick’s Day, what could be more perfect? Well, I’ll tell you what could be more perfect! My birthday – that’s March 20th – on the first day of spring, the Vernal Equinox just three days later. Guess what there will be then? A total solar eclipse. Are you creeped out yet?
Trilogy of Terror
Even more perfectly frightening? The fact that I have an In Store Appearance with fellow horror divas Crystal Connor and Lori Titus at the largest horror bookstore on the west coast, Dark Delicacies, on Saturday, March 14th. That’s right! But that is just the middle of a whole weekend full of fun filled frightening activity for the terrible threesome, the Trilogy of Terror, Crystal Connor, Lori Titus and Sumiko Saulson.
All three of us are black women who write horror. I met Crystal Connor when I interviewed her for 60 Black Women in Horror, but this is the first time we will be meeting in person! I am so excited! I interviewed Sunday, March 15th.
The three of us will appear at $10 or Less Bookstore for a signing and reading in-store event.
Astroblackness
Friday, March 13th we will be down at Loyola-Marymount for Astroblackness where we will meet our friend Kinitra Brooks for the first time and speak with her about her upcoming scholarly work on black women in horror. She is also interviewing many women from 60 Black Women in Horror. I will have a limited number of copies of the book with me, in case you want to pick one up and get it signed by some of the women in it who will in attendance.
Somnalia Release Date
You know what else happens Friday the 13th? The official release of my book, Somnalia! If you are in LA, you can see me in person for the release, or pick up a copy at Dark Delicacies or $10 or Less. If not, join us online on my Facebook author page for giveaways and fun!
Warmth Giveaway
In honor of the Trilogy of Terror tour this weekend with Crystal Connor and Lori Titus, and the upcoming Re-Release date for “Warmth,” June 18, 2015, I am making the current incarnation of “Warmth” available for FREE from Friday, March 13, 2015 through Tuesday, March 17, 2015!
That’s right! Friday the 13th through St. Patrick’s Day!
Valjeanne Jeffers is working on re-editing the book right now, and is already three-quarters of the way through. Josh Bisher put together new cover art for Warmth. This is a SNEAK PREVIEW of the re-release that is coming out in June.
February 27, 2015
The Trouble with Romance
“Will love conquer all, or is the world’s only salvation a god with an iron fist?”
As February comes to a close, we prepare to leave Black History Month, Women in Horror Month, and the cavalcade of hearts and flowers and an insultingly diminished Greek God, Eros, who you may know as Cupid, behind.
I will spend the last days of February editing Somnalia, the sequel to Happiness and Other Diseases, which incorporates all of these things… even president’s day, as you can see in the story’s back cover blurb:
Turmoil consumes the Underworld when the death of a god leaves a power vacuum. Phobetor, the stern and ambitious god of Nightmares seeks to fill the gap at any cost. Murderous nightmare daemons escape to the mortal realm, placing all of mankind in peril. In the midst of the unrest, star-crossed lovers yearn for one another across the void, one disempowered and bound to the earth, the other trapped in the land of dreams by a grave sacrifice. Will love conquer all, or is the world’s only salvation a god with an iron fist?
The Somnalia series, from which Happiness and Other Diseases was birthed is a dark fantasy with a love story running through it. The transgressive tale of the lovers Flynn and Charlotte is not a romance that can stand on its own outside of the earth-shattering, humanity-threatening activities of Charlotte’s immortal relatives, who include among their ranks the aforementioned (and quite meddlesome) Eros. It is more like the River Lethe that runs through the land of dreams, the Demos Oneiroi.
The river runs through the entire land of dreams and nightmares, and casts its sedating effect on those who are near it, especially those who are in it. It makes them forget. It doesn’t encompass all of the land, though. It is a feature.
Love is like that… a calming feature in a tumultuous world.
The stressing factors present in Charlotte and Flynn’s world are a lot more supernatural than ours, but I think their need to find comfort in one another is something we all can relate to.
Fantasy vs. Reality
I wrote first drafts of all three books in the Somnalia trilogy last year. While I was busy crafting Charlotte and Flynn’s epic romance, and quite a few less-epic little love stories that exist in the Somnalia universe, my own love life was rapidly deteriorating.
Almost as if to rub salt in the wound, a half-dozen elated and certainly well-meaning fans interpreted the emotional depth I imbued my characters with as a reflection of some sort of my real life. My writing teacher at Berkeley City College, Mary Webb, quite frequently reminds students not to assume that the works of their fellow writers are autobiographical. Yet, it is a thing many readers do – presume the characters reflect real events in a writer’s life. That is not necessarily the case. In fiction, quite often these very active figments of a writer’s imagination are just a part of her rich fantasy life.
The glue holding fantasies together is sometimes the longing of the daydreamer. I would think that much would be patently obvious, but apparently it is not. This is not always the case in writing, even romance writing. However, it can be… and lack of fulfillment can certainly be a motivating factor.
I am single now. My relationship, with all of its myriad flaws, came to an end.
Now I am floating around in the flawed world of dating and single life. I am flying past guys who associate creativity with drugs, and dudes who think it’s a good idea to start off a date with a half-ass critique of my half-read novel. I am kicking the dust off my shoes, but I am also pouting because a guy I like won’t commit to seeing me on any specific date or time.
If I am honest about my feelings, a dozen strong women will pound their chests in my general direction and chide me for my silly, girlish notions. I will be told that I am a strong, independent woman and I don’t need all of that hand-holding I crave.
Now I won’t even say “a man” here, because it doesn’t have to be a man, just somebody.
I could be like Val Kilmer portraying Jim Morrison in the movie The Doors, talking large shit like, “I’ll be the poet, and you’ll be my muse.” I could be like David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust, making love to my ego. I could quietly lose touch and run away into the Demos Oneiroi with my imaginary lover, but only for a little while.
There will be no one to rub my feet. Hugs and hand holding will be rationed.
When I wake up, there will be tons of editing left to do.
#Chooseyourhorror
The latest Eden Royce writing project is Chose Your Own Horror, what do you think of that?
Originally posted on Eden Royce - The Dark Geisha:
So, I’m crazy.
(According to my mother, since I think I am, I must not be. Cold comfort, but I digress.)
A writer friend of mine, Nicole Kurtz, approached me and asked what I was doing for Women in Horror Month this year. I hadn’t decided anything at the time and she suggested a collaboration. I agreed.
Then came the time to decide on the project. We both wanted to write something horror centered, but different from any other work we’d done. Not thinking it would fly, I suggested doing something in the old school Choose Your Own Adventure style. And Nicole thought it was a great idea.
My #chooseyourhorror banner.
Aww… so cute!
Not long after that, I came across an article of how difficult these types of books are to write. Then I looked at my list of projects that need to be finished in 2015 and I…
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