Saturday, April 28, 2012

2012 World Horror Convention - Friday Seminars


STEPHEN KING: (Rocky Wood, Jason Brock, Michael R. Collings, Blake Casselman-moderator).

Points brought up:
-SK is the access point many people have to twentieth century literature. 
-SK is also a key voice in Western literature.
-SK stories are fun to read and you don't always notice the writing because the stories  pull you in.
-SK shows the degeneration of a character vey well and he makes us look at ourselves. 
-SK received praise for Gerald's Game.  Michael thinks that he got favor for writing  something atypical and not what the general public likes the most.
-Critics did not like Buick 8 because it didn't have an ending.
-Even though the endings of his stories are not always strong, SK's stories are mostly  about the characters.
-As a writer, SK sees what happens as opposed to writing it.  (ex: In Bag of Bones, he  didn't know Maddie would die until George drove by in the car.)
-Rocky feels that It is one of his greatest works and stated that the novel is in the same  camp as Dracula, a group against evil (such as in The Stand and The Dark Tower).
-Michael feels that The Shining is the most teachable. 
-Blake feels that SK emerged as a different writer after his accident.
-Rocky found The Dark Tower cycle to have a perfect ending.
-Look for Easter eggs in his books!

Cool quotes: "Shakespeare is the Stephen King of his time." Michael R. Collings
"Steven King is American horror."
"Most of his monsters dehumanize humanity."

My favorite part: Rocky Wood's humor.


(l-r) Blake Casselman, Michael R. Collings, Jason Brock, Rocky Wood. 

(l-r) Michael R. Collings, Jason Brock, Rocky Wood. 

UNDERSTANDING THE MIND OF A SERIAL KILLER: AN EXPERT LOOK AT WHAT MAKES A KILLER KILL:  (Dr. Al Carlisle, PhD) This presentation was about Dr. Carlisle's interviews with Ted Bundy. 

Points brought up:
-Bundy always called everyone by their first name.  He was very  friendly, superficial and  secretive. He only wanted you to know what he wanted you to.
-There are steps that people take in their pysche to becoming a serial killer.
-The steps are small, but they can take you the wrong way.
-The more little things the serial killer gets away with the more confident he feels.
-The serial killer delves deep into a fantasy and it is "protection against inadequacy."
-The serial killer spends so much time in deep fantasy, relationships may not work.
-If something happens that the killer is unprepared for, it could touch him deeply  because they think they plan so well.
-The serial killer is trying to covercome his insignificance by "restoring" himself.

Cool quotes: n/a.

My favorite part: I just thought it was cool that the room was absolutely silent while Dr. Carlisle spoke.  We wanted to hear every word as he discussed Ted Bundy, his life and his interviews with him.


Dr. Al Carlise.

Dr. Carlisle addresses an enraptured audience.

SHERRILYN KENYON:  A Q&A WITH THE QUEEN OF PARANORMAL FICTION:

Points brought up:
-Her mother looked like Jackie O. but loved gore and horror and would try to scare her  and her siblings by wearing masks.
-Sherrilyn started out writing hardcore horror.
-Her books have been moved around in the bookstore from the horror, to the sci-fi and  now the romance section.
-She's a "pantser."
-She does not want to write Kenyon said that she does not want to write a standalone  because she thinks the best stories are series.  And because by the time she fleshes it  out she has put so much work in creating a world.
-She also advises writers to listen to their readers because they know the series and will  give you insight and details you may have overlooked.
-She is part Cherokee.
-Her writing process differs book to book.
-Sometimes she knows some events 4-5 books ahead of time. 
-She first hit the bestseller list writing a pirate book under the name of Kinley McGregor. 
-She never knows what her characters will do or what their stories will be. 
-She reads everything!  Jim Butcher, Clive Barker, Chaucer, etc.
-She advices to respect your own process.

Cool quotes:  "Honey come meet my mother, you're an amateur." ~Sherrilyn when dealing with a negative review.

My favorite part:  Her sense of humor, kindness and approachability.

Sherrilyn Kenyon. 


WOMEN IN HORROR: SOME OF THE TOP WOMEN IN THEIR FIELD TALK ABOUT BEING FEMALE IN THE HORROR INDUSTRY: (Ellen Datlow, P.N. Elrod, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lisa Morton, Kim Richards-moderator).

Points brought up:
-Kim had never seen it as a problem until others did and admits she actually has more  problems with being a Christian and a horror writer than a woman and a horror writer
-Ellen thinks there are simply more male writers and it is just the perception.
-Lisa, who works in small press did a survey and reported that only 7.07% of publishing  companies publish woman, and in 2010 Cemeteray Dance did not publish any women,  but she does not see it as deliberate.
-Lisa also feels that many women may be intimidated by writing horror.
-The panel discussed that some editors want to throw women writers into the romance  genre and if editors should reach out.  Perhaps there are just more men submitting.
-There may be an underlying perception that men write "serious" and women write "chick  lit." However, Mary Shelley started women in horror and in the 1800's a lot of ghost  stories were written by women.

Cool quotes:  "Women have a responsibility to take care of themselves." ~Ellen Datlow.

My favorite part:  Just listening to the entire discussion. 

(l-r) Ellen Datlow, P.N. Elrod, Kim Richards. 

(l-r) Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lisa Morton, Ellen Datlow, P.N. Elrod, Kim Richards. 



WHAT A HORROR AUTHOR NEEDS TO KNOW TO WRITE YA: (Derek Clendening, Lynne Hansen, Dan Wells-moderator, Jacob Ruby)

Points brought up:
-Jacob said that he doesn't see YA as a genre but more as an aspect. 
-When something is classified as YA, it's usually because the protagonist is younger.
-Sometimes it's just a matter of the publisher. If a publishing house does not have a YA  line or "branch" the book may get classified as something else.
-A lot of so called YA horror can be categorized as paranormal romance.
-When Lynne Hansen started writing YA because she was told her voice is younger.
-Lynne likes writing YA because she feels she can delve deep into the character and  teens are so emotional.
-Dan said that kids are much more capable of reading and dealing with darkness than
 parents are willing to admit.
-Dan never once had a kid contact him about being questionable, only parents.
-Even Peter Rabbit is violent.
-Lynne pointed out that kids are critical readers too.
-Derek feels that dread and loss are very powerful horror emotions.
-Adults still respond to teen issues.

Cool quotes: "Sometimes there's nothing scarier than growing up." ~Derek Clendening.  

My favorite part: I just enjoyed the realization that this genre is relevant and growing.



Lynne Hansen & Dan Wells.

(l-r) Jacob Ruby, Derek Clendening, Lynne Hansen, Dan Wells. 

(l-r) Jacob Ruby, Derek Clendening, Lynne Hansen, Dan Wells. 



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