Scary Stories

  Freak me out!!! Do you love scary stories?

  There’s a wide gamut from ‘round the campfire chills that end in “Boo!” or eerie mind teasers to chain saw gore. I admit that I don’t care for the latter, but who doesn’t like to be scared sometimes—even just a little bit? The relief afterward feels soooo good. This tension and release element is a tool to master in any genre of writing. You don’t have to write Horror to make your readers hope and fear for the life of your main character. That’s plain, good writing!

  If you’re looking for a good scary story that still lets you sleep at night, I’d like to recommend the Dan Wells series I Am Not a Serial Killer, Mr. Monster, and I Don’t Want to Kill You. It starts out with fifteen year-old sociopath John Cleaver (love the last name—it reminds me of what J.K. Rowling does with her character names) explaining his job in the family mortuary and his detachment to relationships. I found the first hundred pages interesting but not hooking. Another reader promised me it would be worthwhile to continue. She was right. The story gets better from there and so does the writing. Admittedly, I skipped the middle book because the third one landed in my hands instead. It captured me from the beginning but I found the ending to be amazing—full of twists and thrills with a sacrifice that reflected Christ archetypes and turned the tide for John’s normalcy. Loved the ending!

  What scary stories have you loved?