The horrors persist but so do I
Writing horror as a processing mechanism
Trigger warnings - Trump, Gaza, Ukraine, Congo, UPFs, Citric Acid.
Wow, that list could have been a lot longer.
How does one pick the worst things from the plethora of “current events” we are collectively dealing with, some of us in a more personal way than others.
I don't know the answer and I don't think we should be measuring it. I'm not going to discuss any of the list above, I wanted to set the tone and wanted to encourage you to consider it too. The tone. Your tone.
The battle for headlines and attention is ongoing and increasing. Check your sources. Cross reference your information. Use your discernment.
I've written dystopian worlds, but it's never been something I've wished for. These are the painful, heinous last grabs of dying regimes.
My way through this is to push on and keep creating. Even when it feels pointless. Especially then.
Writing through these horrors is my way of dealing with these horrors. I'm hugely empathetic and take on others feelings and emotions easily. Learning to process them, channelling if you like, through writing has kept my head above water. It's why, when people meet me they are amazed how someone so jolly and smiley can write such dark stories. “Oh, but you seem so nice!” is something I've had a lot.
It's because I'm always processing, always composting. I hope my stories somehow help others process their own horrors, or allow someone to feel those feelings that they once locked away to stay safe. Perhaps their story is too much to remember fully, but my fiction helps them access it bit by bit. Then deal with it, chunk by chunk in a safe way, through the pages of a book.
📚🌊 If you want some short stories to read on the move, my ebook of Dark Is The Water is currently discounted at my store.
☠️🫀 Following the theme of Trigger/Content Warnings, I created a page on my site with a list of my books and their themes. Side note- I never used to believe in trigger warnings for horror, because, duh, it's horror, but I changed my mind.
🍄🟫🍄 Don't forget to join the waiting list for my next book, The Dark Beneath Us.
