Wednesday, July 6, 2016

The Allure of Romantic Horror



Whether you're a vampire literary snob,  or you just love any dark piece of romantic horror, you're no stranger to sultry scenes mixed with heart-pounding and nightmare wielding storylines.

Personally, I love romantic horror -- and even horror erotica -- but it's a genre that gets an unfair label by writers and readers who don't understand it. I've heard everything from 'cheap smut' to 'evil perversion,' and some of these works were written by the likes of Bram Stoker.

Perversion -- or beauty-- is truly in the eye of the beholder.



I wrote Rapture because I think the scariest stories make us question our deepest roots of faith. And if you're religious, there is nothing more frightening than facing evil that doesn't care what you believe in...and that doesn't respond to any religious conviction. So often we use religion as an order of protection, and as a safeguard against the unpredictability of life. So when it's turned so wickedly in seemingly innocent places (like a school), it exposes a very real vulnerability.

Romantic horror, by proxy, highlights our greatest fears and greatest desires. A school possessed by a demon, a lover turned into another being, or a child abducted by something unholy -- whatever the extreme horror, it unleashes our own sense of doom. Our own sense of self and self-worth is suddenly doubted. And inhibitions that were always kept caged are released. Fear and seduction are mixed. There's an amazing rush of adrenaline that hits the reader during those storylines.

Again, it's all in the eye of the beholder. If you're intrigued at all, though, there's some great news. The rebirth of the novella is in full swing, and everything from the classics to more modern works are up for grabs (and they're great for those who are time restricted).



One of my favorites is Carmilla. This may actually be the very first vampire thriller, and it's just so smooth and beautiful. It's not blatantly sexual like most modern books, but deeply sensual and romantic...with a dark twist. You can grab a copy here.

Before the end of the year, I'll have a couple more projects out. In the meantime, feel free to check out Rapture here (as well as an excerpt). It has much more blatant sexual themes (reader beware).

And maybe keep your lights on...

Happy HORROR reading!

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*I do not own rights to graphic covers.*

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