GUEST
POST
by Horror
Author
Thomas
M. Malafarina
Horror author Thomas M. Malafarina is currently on tour with Ravenswood Publishing. The tour stops here today for a guest post by the author on his reasons
for writing horror. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Guest Post by the
Author
Why I Write Horror
I am often asked to explain why I choose to write horror fiction. I mean,
it’s not the most popular form of fiction and I can attest it’s not the most
financially lucrative genre in the world either. So why write horror? Usually
this question, if asked in person, is followed by an expression on the
questioner’s face similar to that which one might have upon stepping on
something foul on a sidewalk, such as a slug, a worm, a dead squirrel, or
perhaps the contents from the backside of a less than considerate dog.
Looks of revulsion aside, the question is actually a fair one; one which
I might be inclined to ask myself if I were the inquirer and not the inquiree.
Thinking logically, why in the world would anyone want to write horror fiction
stories, especially those terror-filled stories which tend to lean toward the
gruesome and emotionally disturbing variety that I write? Seriously, what’s the
motivation?
I suppose the simplest answer is, I write stories about what I like. I’m
sure that doesn’t help make anyone exactly feel warm and fuzzy. You see, I’m a
life-long fan of the horror genre and, as such, writing horror fiction is
something which comes as naturally to me as breathing. (Ok, maybe breathing is
not a good example, since breathing is an involuntary function - luckily for
me, as I would likely absent-mindedly forget to breathe otherwise.) But I
digress. That being said, I have been a fan of all things horror-related for as
long as I can remember, which means at 59 years old … well that’s a long time.
Regarding the type of horror I strive for in my own writing, I generally
prefer to write a strong story that features monsters, demons, ghosts, or other
such fantasy creatures based completely in the world of imagination. I enjoy
taking regular, everyday sorts of characters and putting them in completely
impossible situations, things which in a normal world could never happen.
For the most part, I tend to stay away from human-on-human violence, such
as serial killers. There are plenty of other authors out there who regularly
travel down that literary road. It’s just not one I prefer on most occasions.
This is not to speak negatively about such work; it's just not what I choose to
write. That being said, I should point out the hypocrisy in the last sentence
of the previous paragraph. You see, I am a major fan of cop TV shows, detective
novels and murder mysteries, so I do enjoy the genre immensely, but as a
consumer not as a writer. Anyway, there is plenty of murder and mayhem of the
human variety in those works, without my adding to the mix. And if I really
want to have the crap scared out of me I just tune into the evening news.
People genuinely frighten me. Keep in mind, the only qualification to be a
member of the human race is a pulse.
But regarding human violence, as long as I am coming clean, I should
point out that in my first short story collection published by Sunbury Press
called 13 Nasty Endings I actually did write a short story entitled "Retribution"
involving a man driven mad by grief and who subjected his victim (a really bad
character) to unmentionable tortures. I had originally had twelve stories ready
for the book; then my publisher, Lawrence Knorr, had an idea for the title and
I needed to come up with an additional story to make it thirteen. I had written
"Retribution" as an experiment simply to put the idea down on paper.
I once thought it might make a good novel but decided a short story would be
bad enough. I was extremely reluctant to submit it as it was not one of my
typical works, but I did so nonetheless, and it became the last and thirteenth
story in the collection. (Unlucky 13?) It still makes me uncomfortable to read
it. As I said ... not really my thing.
I should also mention that my personal horror movie collection is chock-full
of slasher, mangler, hacker, ax murder, and other similar types of movies as
well; some of them quite well-known and popular while others might be
considered more obscure. And yes, I do watch them too; I watch all types of
horror and sci-fi movies. In doing so, I’ve been fortunate to see some really
great classic horror films and unfortunately I've also had to endure some real
bottom-of-the-barrel virtually unwatchable crappola as well. If I had a dollar
for every time in my life I’ve watched a horror movie and said, "I would
have written that much better" (or at least much differently), I would
probably be able to afford to pay someone else to type all of my manuscripts.
But I digress (yet again). So, as my collection of bad horror movies grew, so
did my frustration with pitiful story lines.
In fact, it was that very overabundance of bad horror movies which
motivated me to stop talking about writing horror stories and actually take the
leap into writing. For example, my first novel 99 Souls started out as a screenplay back in like 2005 or 2006. I had an idea for
a really scary and horrible scene, and so I wrote it down. Then it evolved into
several scenes, then to a complete story. Since I had never written a
screenplay before, I had it spilling over with detailed descriptions and set
directions; I quickly learned it did not quite fit the design of a typical
screenplay. (Apparently, film directors like to give direction rather than take
them – hence the name director.) As such, I decided the story would have a
better life as a novel, so in 2009 I rewrote it and it eventually became my
first published book. It also ended up being my maiden voyage onto the
tumultuous seas of serious horror writing.
After completing 99 Souls the novel, I started shopping it around to publishers for about a year
or so, and in my spare time wrote a number of short stories as well as started
on my second novel, Burn Phone. Then lo and behold in 2010, a small publisher from Mechanicsburg,
Pennsylvania, Sunbury Press, liked 99 Souls and wanted to see some of my short stories. They liked them and
suggested publishing a collection. Then when I pitched Burn Phone I was blown away to have them offer me a 3-book contract. Within several
months, we published 99 Souls, followed by 13 Nasty Endings, then Burn Phone.
After that, I was hooked (and still am). I started writing like a maniac.
I currently have eleven books published through Sunbury Press including; 99 Souls, 13 Nasty Endings, Burn Phone, Eye Contact, Gallery Of Horror, Malafarina Maleficarum Volume 1, Malafarina Maleficarum Volume 2, Fallen Stones, Ghost Shadows, Undead Living, and my latest, Dead Kill Book 1: The Ridge Of Death. In addition, I have a
collection of bizarre single panel cartoons called Yes I Smelled It Too: Cartoons For The Slightly Off-Center. I’m currently
finalizing another short story collection for Sunbury and working on the second
book in the Dead Kill series. Oh yeah,
I'm hooked big time alright.
Another reason I love to write horror is that I discovered something
interesting and exciting about the writing process itself. Instead of wasting
my time watching bad horror movies, my stories have become my own personal
movies of my mind. When I am writing a story, I'm attending a movie screening
inside my head. Often three quarters of the way through a novel or short story,
I have no idea how it will end. When I am writing, it's just like watching a
horror movie for the first time, with me being as eager to learn the ending as
any of my readers might be. And the cool thing about it is, unlike a bad movie
where you are stuck with a crappy ending, if I write something I don't like I
can just rewrite it until it is what I like. I realize that sound a bit strange,
if not self-serving, but that's how it works for me. I write for my own entertainment,
assuming if I enjoy it being my own worst critic, then maybe someone else will
enjoy it as well.
I am also a musician and artist so when I am writing a story, I am
painting my scenes with words, and if I do a good job, then the reader should be
able to see the scene played out in his mind, exactly as I meant for it to be
visualized. If I do an exceptional job, the reader might even be able to
imagine a horrifying musical score to appropriately accompany the scene. Ok,
maybe that’s asking for too much with the whole music score idea, but a vivid
imagination is a wonderful thing which, in my opinion, knows no bounds.
This sort of descriptiveness and mood setting is extremely important for
horror fiction because, as an author, I’m asking a lot of my reader. Think
about it for a minute. I’m expecting the reader to buy into a completely
impossible set of scenarios. Unlike other forms of fiction, most of what I
write is not only fiction but is impossible fiction; something which the reader
knows from the beginning can absolutely never happen. Accepting this is quite a
major commitment to expect from a reader because, before they can truly enjoy
the story, they must first change their rational, logical mindset to one
capable of accepting the possibility of the impossible - if only for the time
they are reading the work.
It’s like when someone starts telling you a joke about a priest, a hooker,
and a gorilla walking into a bar. If you’re not willing to accept the
possibility of those three unlikely companions entering a drinking
establishment together, in other words if you can’t accept the premise of the
joke, then there is probably no point in listening to the rest of it. Likewise,
with horror fiction, if you’re not willing to buy in to the premise and also be
willing to free yourself from the confines of reality and jump headlong into
the abyss of terrifying darkness, then what's the point? Again, if I do my job
well, the reader should be able to easily leave the world of day-to-day reality
and comfortably (or uncomfortably, as the case may be) step into my special
realm of unimaginable terror.
One way I can tell if I've earned my keep is when someone tells me they
were disturbed for hours or even days after reading one of my stories. Or even
better than that is when they tell me they had nightmares about something of
mine they’ve read. Then I truly know not only was I successful, but they did their
part as well and bought into my premise. And that means that, for a short while,
two complete strangers were able to share and enjoy the experience of horror
fiction together. What a great symbiotic relationship!
My website carries my horror fiction slogan, "Embrace The
Fear". That’s a credo, which I feel is useful in explaining how I like my
readers to approach one of my stories. When you are reading my work, don’t
fight it, don’t hold back, and don't allow reality to get in your way. Instead,
let go, relax and enjoy the roller coaster ride of terror which I have provided
for you.
And that, my friends is another reason why I write horror fiction. When
it works, it can be an amazing experience, and I do my best to make it work
every time. Sometimes I hit a home run, sometimes a single. But regardless of
the level of success, I don’t want you to ever be disappointed. My goal is to
stir emotion. It might be terror, it might be frustration or it might even end
up being anger. Regardless of what sort of emotion I manage to stir within the
reader, I don’t want it to be complacency. I would rather have a reader furious
or disgusted with something I’ve written then to have him say, "It was ok."
Many people think that buying a book is the greatest gift a reader can
give to an author but, in my opinion, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
I feel the greatest gifts a reader can give are his time and his emotional
commitment to the work. Nothing is more valuable than our time and, if I spend
a year writing a novel, I want to make the reader feel the time he gave up to
read that novel was time well spent.
About the Author
Thomas M. Malafarina is a horror fiction author from the South Heidelberg
area of Berks County, Pennsylvania. He was born July 23, 1955 in Ashland,
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, where he lived until moving to Berks County in
1979.
Many of Thomas's stories take place in his native Schuylkill County and
also in Berks County settings. Thomas's books are published by Sunbury Press of
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
Thomas's novels include 99 Souls, Burn Phone, Eye Contact, and Fallen Stones. His short story collection are 13 Nasty Endings, Gallery of Horror, Malafarina Maleficarum Volume 1, Malafarina Maleficarum Volume 2, and Ghost Shadows. He also has a collection of single-panel cartoons called Yes I Smelled It Too. In addition, Thomas's stories appear in many
anthologies currently on sale on Amazon.
Thomas has had a life-long love of the horror and monster genre in all
its form of books, movies and art. Annually, Thomas creates works of horror
art, props and scenery, which he donates to a local non-profit Halloween Barn
Of Terror.
Thomas lives just outside of Wernersville, Pennsylvania, with his wife
JoAnne. They have three grown children and three grandchildren.
Links
