The Creep Factor

Oh yes! The Creep Factor is important to my writing. I worried that I wouldn't find it in my new home in Florida, but all I had to do was look around. I'm very visual. Lush foliage is everywhere. It's beautiful--I love it... Of course there's a "but". It's in the density of the bushes and the types of critters they hide. Sometimes it has to do with the presentation. For instance, my husband and I went on a paddle boat ride in a nearby park. Pretty tame, huh? I wasn't expecting to be spooked. That's when it's the worst--when you least expect it. In the middle of this sweet little pond/lake we came across a chilling sight. 

Well, maybe chilling is a little strong, but I thought it was spooky with all those roots tangled in the water and the moss dripping from the trees, sometimes touching the roof of the boat. There was even a raven-like bird watching us.

That was it. That was all it took to get my muse back into action. I simply changed the sunny day to a moonlit night and added some eerie sounds to give me a nice backdrop for a lively little horror story.

I love when some place or some thing arouses my literary interest. Usually I find the fodder for my unholy stories on the internet. Plugging in words like strange, unusual, or weird will bring up the most amazing stories . For instance, this: http://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/creepy-clown-scares-wisconsin-city-41139952

This picture could give me a nightmare!

I keep these stories in a file, ready to use when I need to jump-start something I'm writing or add a little excitement. Sometimes, inspiration comes from a photo. Case in point, Creep Clown above. 

Whether you're into the bizarre or the mundane, look around you. Inspiration is everywhere just waiting to be found.

Enjoy the research, and remember, keep writing! 

THE MOVE!

Whew! I have a moment to breathe. My husband and I are in the

middle of a move from MA to FL. It’s been crazy! Picture a little blue Prius with a black canvas rooftop carrier and two stressed individuals scanning the road for turnoffs. In the back, you can see the seat folded down to accommodate a large black animal carrier, dishes for food and water, and a box with kitty litter. Wait a minute. Where are the kitties? If you stretch your imagination just a bit, you can hear the sound of two terrified felines mewling underneath my seat.

The trip lasted eight days, five of which were spent trying to drag the cats back and forth from the car, a tricky exercise at best. At the very beginning, not 15 minutes into the 1400 mile event, we discovered we were missing one cat. On the last day, that same cat, Sammy, dug his claws in. almost taking out the rug under the bed. They were not happy campers, although they now seem content in the place we rented. Of course we haven’t told them that it’s only temporary. Hopefully, Sammy (color of midnight) and Jasper (our Maine Coon boy) will survive one more

trip.

We’re presently in limbo, living between two places. A break in unpacking at our new house gives me time to squeeze in some much-needed writing time. One of my first Florida purchases was a new desk, and here I sit. It feels good to relax and write for a bit. All alone. Not even the cats. Mmm.

My mind has been in turmoil with all we have to do for this relocation, but one day at a time we are getting things done. As I prepare to write this, just me and my laptop, I feel a little lost. My buds, my pals, my trusted friends—the people who make up my writing group are back in Massachusetts. No more cozy discussions on Friday night at Barnes and Noble. No more brainstorming plot, character arc, motivation. No more caring critiques. Okay, we can still email, but it won’t be the same. How am I ever going to find a new writing group? It hurts to think about it.

So, the move to Florida has been tough, but, did I mention the heat? No more snow! I love the swimming pool, and there’s plenty of room for me to ride my bike (no hills). We’re both retired now, so no deadlines. We’ve met quite a few really nice people, and we love our new home. That brings me back to being able to breathe.

Right now, I’m looking out the window in my soon-to-be office. The fan that’s whirring above my head feels heavenly, and the view fills me with comfort. I can feel my Muse grinning. 

Time to write.

Does Geography Affect Writing?

If it’s scary—nerve endings screaming, heart banging against your chest, cross your legs to keep from wetting yourself scary—I want to write about it. I’ve penned stories about ghosts, physical possession, mind control, demons, black magic, psychic powers, and even fairies. And, most of the fodder for the dark places in my mind has originated with stories about the area where I grew up. For instance, a ten minutes’ drive from my home brings me to Salem, MA. No reason to think anything dark or scary ever happened there!

Then there are the stories. I’ve grown up hearing

all kinds of stories about haunted happenings in Salem as well as my own home town, Marblehead. Ideas percolate as I drive through the neighborhoods, where some old house with multiple gables will pique my sense of horror. I can absolutely believe that something unsavory existed or still exists inside. Sometimes, the sight of a creepy house or place will trigger my memory about some old ghost story. And my imagination is off!

Writers like Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft have also been a huge influence on my horror and paranormal writing. Again, both men wrote about the North Shore where I live, so I have no problem believing that the unbelievable here could be real.

I’m a very visual writer. Before I write about a setting, I have to be able to picture it in my mind. The houses in my stories are usually based on actual places or a mixture of places I’ve seen. My choices are endless. But all that is going to change, soon. My

husband and I are moving to Florida! Southeast Florida! We’ve driven around the neighborhoods looking at real estate for sale, and have even found some we love. My dilemma? Have you ever looked at a villa, condo, or home in Florida and gotten chills? Goosebumps? A feeling of being watched? Don’t think so. And I’m not a light-hearted kind of chick. What will happen to my writing?

I went online looking for help. Where were the creepy places in Florida? Swamps! All kinds of creatures live in swamps. I found some stories about a Swamp Skunk, like a smelly Big Foot. That didn’t really get my fingers twitching, although a story with dark humid bogs of muck might work. Or, graveyards. I can always get a few shivers about graveyards. Okay, but wait. There was also something about St Augustine and the most haunted hotel. That sounded promising. Picture an old hotel flanked by trees dripping with moss. Imagine what might happen there in the dark when souls are helplessly asleep. Oooh! Redemption?

Maybe all I have to do is travel a bit and find a new horror channel for my mind. Once I see a few places and connect them with creepy stories, I might be able to come up with ideas. Of course, I know that any place can be a conduit for mind-altering terror. That's always a possibility. And, if that doesn’t work, I guess I

can always go to my heroes Edgar and H.P. I’ll just picture them sloughing through the sand with a beach chair and umbrella. Wherever they land, can horror be far away?

If you know of any places in Florida where I might get inspiration, please let me know. In the meantime, keep writing!

Writer’s Friends—Conferences and Contests

Yikes! It’s a new year and I’ve been so busy editing that I’ve neglected this wonderful blog. Never mind. I’ll bring you up-to-date. I finished off the year with a writing conference. Every writer should avail herself or himself of the chance to mingle with like-minded individuals, and published authors who offer educational insights as well as personal advice. Some conferences for 2016

Crime Bake!

Once again, the November conference put on by Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America was wonderful. Elizabeth George, the guest author, proved to be witty, friendly, and happy to share her writing knowledge and experience. All the authors made themselves available and the panels were informative and humorous. The Master Classes provided up-to-date information on a variety of subjects and made time for Q and A. It was also a great time to catch up with all those writers I haven’t seen for a while.

Conference Opportunities: One of the perks of conferences is pitching your manuscript. This year, Crime Bake held a pitch slam or the chance to pitch to multiple agents. What an opportunity. Two agents asked me to send in partials. Another perk is a manuscript critique. I had an excellent twenty-page critique with Lucy Burdette, who gave me an in-depth review and a written assessment.

Contests: For the Crime Bake Flash

Words contest, a story having to do with crime, and no more than 150 words with 10 chosen from a list of 20 (ashes, blood, body, careless, consequences, death, deception, edge, enemy, evil, hiding, memory, missing, murder, payment, pursuit, shadows, traitor, vengeance, witness).  I was a winner for the fourth year in a row. What an exciting moment, especially sweet after reading all the other excellent submissions. Here is my winner:

Sweet Thing

I was at the River’s Edge Café when he spoke to me—the same chilling words that dogged my nightmares, “Hey there, sweet thing.”

Memories flooded my mind. I was thirteen years old, hiding to spy on my sister and her date. She’d always been careless about boys, and Mom had warned her of the consequences. That night, payment came due, and I was the witness. From the shadows, I’d listened. I’d listened as she laughed. I’d listened as she died. Since her death, I’d thirsted for vengeance.

I blinked and looked at him. The fire in his eyes almost undid me. His honeyed tongue dripped evil. “I was just headed outside for a smoke. Care to join me?”

I sucked back the fear and followed him. Tonight would be different. Tonight I was the one with the gun and the badge to back it up.

###

I’m beginning the new year on a high note with a Submission. On the heels of Crime Bake, I sat down and began re-editing my manuscript, Trace of Evil, to send in to a Ghostwoods Books, as they were accepting submissions until the end of the year. That done, I’m working on a synopsis for the same book to send to RWA’s Golden Heart contest. Once that is out (before 1/11/16), I will work on the changes one of the agents suggested in “Watcher Clan”. Some excellent free writing contests 

This is the year! I'm going to be published. All I have to do is keep on writing.