Confessions of my Past, Present and Future
by
Somer Canon
The Past
Most
of my childhood books were old, tattered hand-me-downs given to me by my
grandma. One of those books was the first book to really ignite the horror
fiend within me. It wasn’t necessarily the story itself that scared me. Even as a Kindergartner I was a hardened
horror fan thanks to never being denied the opportunity to watch some great
horror movies on television.
No,
with The Night the Scarecrow Walked
by Natalie Savage Carlson and Charles Robinson, it was the black, scratchy
illustrations within, giving the book a moodiness that wouldn’t have been there
otherwise.
When
I was learning to read, I was able to dig up some gems in my small school’s
library. The checkout cards to the Crestwood
House Monster Series books were filled with only my name. The book about
shark attacks mesmerized me as well, not only because of the photos of the
survivors but also because of this incredible drawing of a shark chewing
through an anti-shark net, shredding its gums to bloody ribbons.
My
grandma bought me The Sins of Rachel
Ellis by Philip Caveney when I was in the third grade. It was provocative,
atmospheric, and completely weird and I was hooked. I discovered F. Paul Wilson
and Stephen King not much later and it was then that I knew that writing horror
was my dream.
The Present
I
read in many genres. I love biographies, urban fantasy, and fantasy, but horror
is like my old comfortable couch with the butt dents permanently squished into
the cushions. It has its problems and people think that I should throw it out,
but I love it and at the end of the day, it’s my favorite place to be.
There
are some amazing horror writers lurking about today. I haven’t read anything by Jonathan Janz that
hasn’t left me stunned and Matt Serafini has written my favorite werewolf book
of all time. Sephera Giron is the supreme deity of erotic horror and Glenn
Rolfe has one of my favorite voices today. Writers are pushing boundaries and
creating fresh stories while others are revisiting classics and making them
new. It’s a great time to be a fan of horror fiction. There’s amazing talent
out there and these folks really know how to get a reader’s pulse racing.
As a
newly published author, it is my sincerest hope that I can earn even the
smallest place among these mythically talented creatures that we call horror
writers. That I can call some of them my contemporaries and peers pleases me
down to my marrow. Although I try to stifle it, I’m positively aglow with the
giddiness of a fan allowed a peak into the VIP room.
The Future
Hopefully
by 2045 I haven’t faded into permanent obscurity. It would be so great if I
have a catalogue of works published and a small but rabid fan base salivating
over my latest release.
I’d
love to see a real renaissance for the horror genre. The paperback has made a
comeback and teenagers can be found comparing tattered tomes, having contests
over whose book has been reread the most. Bronze likenesses of Stephen King and
Dean R. Koontz hold court in shopping malls and all small children dress up as
monsters and corpses on Halloween as opposed to princesses and superheroes. Horror
shows don’t get cancelled after the third season and every year there’s a
heated campaign to win the John Carpenter Horror Soundtrack Award.
Man,
that sounds awesome. I hope it happens.
Thank
you for having me on your blog, Nev! This was great!
You can buy Vicki Beautiful here:
If you would like to help support Confessions of a
Reviewer, then please consider using the links below to buy any of the
books mentioned in this feature. This not only supports me but also lets
me know how many people actually like to buy books after reading my
reviews.
Thanks.
Somer Canon is a minivan revving suburban mother who avoids
her neighbors for fear of being found out as a weirdo. When she’s not
peering out of her windows, she’s consuming books, movies, and video games that
sate her need for blood, gore, and things that disturb her mother.
Vicki Beautiful is her debut novella.
And for more about Somer, visit her site or find her on
social media:
Website – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – Amazon Page
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