¿¿Biggest Surprise So Far??

I would have to say that, since starting to write seriously, my biggest surprise has come in the form of the content I write. I used to write a lot of literary, general fiction stuff but not so much this time around. I never would have guessed it but I love writing horror. 

I've been a super chicken-shit ever since I can remember. Seriously, I was like 10 when I stopped sleeping with the light on and waking my sister in the middle of the night by dropping textbooks on her from the top bunk.  

I blame my over active imagination. I remember, once, being absolutely convinced that the floor was going to swallow me whole because I had just watched an episode of "The Outer Limits" in which a house eats people. I swore I could even feel the floor moving, priming itself for it's next meal (and first since technically we hadn't lost anyone yet to our hungry house).

Later, when I eventually learned that hearing a scary story does not in turn, make you the next victim, I started reading horror books. And I loved them!! Maybe because I knew I could just put them in the freezer if they ever got too scary. My favourites are "The Shining" and "The Haunting of Hill House", incase you're ever in the mood for a good fright. 

I still wasn't down with movies though. Even now, I don't think I've ever watched a scary movie by myself. I never watched them, period, until a few years ago when I moved in with my husband (then boyfriend, as it goes nowadays). Feeling braver curled up next to him, I found that I actually enjoyed terrifying flicks. Unfortunately, I think my husband hates them now. I know he doesn't relish me screaming in his ear (I wish I was exaggerating), kicking him in the head (I no longer rest my feet on the back of the couch) or flinging hot soup at him. 

Even though I liked scary movies, I didn't expect to write horror. It had just never crossed my mind. But as I came up with different story ideas or concepts, my mind would always go to the same place: Wouldn't it be cool if there was a ghost? Soooo simple...sigh

It was surprisingly easy once I got started though. Maybe it's because I spent so many years being terrified of things that go bump in the night (or really anything that made any kind of sound in the night), but I think I have a real knack for giving goosebumps. 

If nothing else, I know I can scare the shit out of myself on a daily-basis.