How to read horror (sanely) when you have an extremely overactive imgaination!!?

[Mairéad]

I like reading darker books like horrors and thrillers. I also read mostly at night. I have a highly overactive imagination which is both a blessing and a curse.
If the book draws me in and is detailed enough, the characters really come to life for me!
This is great except I start thinking that there is someone outside my window watching me at night or waiting to pounce on me on my way to the bathroom, so often, that sometimes I'm afraid to go. Sometimes I think I'll get shot by someone through our huge kitchen windows if I go down to the kitchen to get some water at night. I live in the country and I know that this is all nonsense but it still happens and it's difficult to shake and keep my cool when it does!

I end up really scaring myself silly!
I can't be alone in this!

How do the rest of keep your cool on not get too freaked out when reading such novels (particularly at night!) ?

I want to stop playing it safe with my horrors and thrillers!

[April]

I'm really easy to scare and this same thing happens to me all the time! My imagination can get away from me a lot to the point of scaring me silly especially at night. I end up grabing a flashlight or my phone right before I turn the lights out then I make a mad dash to bed while singing a happy song over and over in my head.
Sometimes I try not to read/watch horror/thrillers at night.

[Adele, Moderator]

Nighttime is the worst time to read stuff like that. also during a storm. yes it adds to the setting, but when you have an active imagination this can often be the worst time...i'm talking from experience here!

but that was before. try to see the irony in what you are reading/watching. don't be afraid to compare it to others. gamble with the book eg try to guess who the killer is and who survives(it's often not who you think). or even limit yourself to 10 pages at a time(or a chapter).

oooh and try going with the classics first and work your way up to modern horror.

i don't read in bed and i always have a light on when i read, but at least i can read horror at night now.

[April]

Adele wrote: "Nighttime is the worst time to read stuff like that. also during a storm. yes it adds to the setting, but when you have an active imagination this can often be the worst time...i'm talking from exp..."

That's really good advice... Wish I'd thought of doing that when I read "Amittyville Horror" when I was a young teenager... Could barely sleep for a month. Now that I'm an adult, I can handle reading horror a "little" bit better. Will not veer towards the Amittyville Horror series though lol.

[Adele, Moderator]

i have heard so much about stephen kings books i'm still wary of them. i will eventually, but they are not my higest prioity books!

[April]

His Mystery books kind of bore me. But his book "Dreamweaver" is so far somewhat scary. I'm only about 1/4 way into it. I started it a few years ago and can't seem to make myself want to finish it right now. I did see the movie "The Langoleers" and liked it. Not too scary. And the SyFy tv series "Haven", based on his book, "The Chicago Kid" is really good. Even though the book bored me.

[Mairéad]

April wrote: "Adele wrote: "Nighttime is the worst time to read stuff like that. also during a storm. yes it adds to the setting, but when you have an active imagination this can often be the worst time...i'm ta..."

Haha is that any good? Or is it just the shock factor? I thought it was just a movie! It says it's based on true events but that could mean anything, like just the same names and place etc. ??

[Mairéad]

Adele wrote: "i have heard so much about stephen kings books i'm still wary of them. i will eventually, but they are not my higest prioity books!"

Wow I'm EXACTLY the same! People rant and rave about him and my Dad's a huge fan but yes I'm still wary! I've never seen the movie IT but I've seen the trailer and it creeps the sh*t into me....when the little boys paper boat goes down the drain :/ the teeth!! The fact that there is a clown in full make-up and all is totally ridiculous but I actually have a mild fear of clowns now because of it! and people in like rabbit suits...you know where you can't see who it is....and they're meant for kids! Haha

Plus I don't like King's attitude. He's arrogant and mean and pompous! I really don't like the Twilight series but they are successful and so is he, so WHY does he feel the need to publicly insult Meyer? also my Dad, being in his 50's, has been reading King's stuff for years os he's read it all. He told me that he used to be good but then he started going for the shock factor and it just ruined his writing, he thinks!

[Adele, Moderator]

did you know that clown is actually tim curry?
just a random fact for you.

i steer clear of kings stuff. mainly because i know its scary. and twisted. i have enough of that in my life, i don't need to read about it too.

[Mairéad]

Adele wrote: "did you know that clown is actually tim curry?
just a random fact for you.

i steer clear of kings stuff. mainly because i know its scary. and twisted. i have enough of that in my life, i don't ne..."

Haha ditto!
Oh my god Adele that just made that clown scarier! Hahaha oh god because I love the Rocky Horror Show and now I'm freaked out because of how he can morph so well...oh God I'm being so silly! Haha ok well can you enlighten me on the subject of the clown's teeth? They're not Tim Curry's for sure but they don't look fake! ....hmmmmm!
Ya I reckon the guy must be really twisted to write that stuff :/

I mean he named his son Joseph.
As in Joseph King.
Jo King! XD

How considerate aye? Haha

[April]

@ Mairead, "The Amittyville Horror" is actually based on true events! But I think they changed the names to protect the family. I know I would want a name change.