11-22-2009, 04:03 PM
I think a lot of times it's the "tone." Now, I'm not trying to make this all about me, but here's a good example . . . .
My first (and only, to date) mass-market novel, published in 2004, was MIDNIGHT RAIN. Ultimately, MIDNIGHT RAIN is *not* a horror story -- in fact, I'd describe it more as a dark coming-of-age/suspense tale (think STAND BY ME meets DISTURBIA, I guess). It's about a boy who witnesses a brutal murder committed by his hometown sheriff, and he doesn't know where to turn with this information. Things get worse and worse, until eventually he knows he has to do the right thing . . . .
Not horror, right? But a lot of horror readers loved this one, called it their favorite book of 2004. No kidding.
I think it's all about the dark tone. The "mood." Because, like I said yesterday in a thread on this forum about THE MIST, I think that the things *people* are capable of are so much scarier than any atrocities fictional characters might suffer at the hands of zombies, werewolves, etc.
Just my $.02.
J.N.
My first (and only, to date) mass-market novel, published in 2004, was MIDNIGHT RAIN. Ultimately, MIDNIGHT RAIN is *not* a horror story -- in fact, I'd describe it more as a dark coming-of-age/suspense tale (think STAND BY ME meets DISTURBIA, I guess). It's about a boy who witnesses a brutal murder committed by his hometown sheriff, and he doesn't know where to turn with this information. Things get worse and worse, until eventually he knows he has to do the right thing . . . .
Not horror, right? But a lot of horror readers loved this one, called it their favorite book of 2004. No kidding.
I think it's all about the dark tone. The "mood." Because, like I said yesterday in a thread on this forum about THE MIST, I think that the things *people* are capable of are so much scarier than any atrocities fictional characters might suffer at the hands of zombies, werewolves, etc.
Just my $.02.
J.N.
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