Today, as part of his virtual book tour, it is my pleasure to welcome horror author Gordon A. Kessler, who has a great new release, Jezebel. Gordon is giving away a $50 Amazon gift certificate to one lucky blog tour poster--the more blogs you post at, the better your chances of winning--so make sure to leave a comment.
Thanks for stopping by The Cerebral Writer, Gordon!
Thanks for stopping by The Cerebral Writer, Gordon!
Thanks for hosting me on your blog, Lisa!
I’ve been asked to write about meshing horror with romance. Well that’s not only a potent mix but a perfect one! How appropriate that we discuss Jezebel with such an assignment. As many of you know, I wrote Jezebel while going through a divorce—hence horror without romance. But writing is great therapy, and I think Jezebel helped me through the tough times.
Romance, humor and horror all need a build-up—suspense—to draw out the most entertainment/emotional value of the target scene. Crafting any of these elements require similar techniques, even though the writer is looking for very different results. Whether looking for a sigh and a warm heart, a chuckle and a smile, or a frightened, wide-eyed start, a seed or plant is needed early on. This is done by simply placing something in the story in an early scene to be built on in later scenes. With the interest of not getting off track, I’ll just give a couple of simple examples: for romance, it might be a glance or a coincidental meeting of the soon-to-be, romantically involved characters; for horror, it might be the door that hasn’t been opened for twenty years or the spooky alley that must be passed every night.
I’ve been asked to write about meshing horror with romance. Well that’s not only a potent mix but a perfect one! How appropriate that we discuss Jezebel with such an assignment. As many of you know, I wrote Jezebel while going through a divorce—hence horror without romance. But writing is great therapy, and I think Jezebel helped me through the tough times.
Romance, humor and horror all need a build-up—suspense—to draw out the most entertainment/emotional value of the target scene. Crafting any of these elements require similar techniques, even though the writer is looking for very different results. Whether looking for a sigh and a warm heart, a chuckle and a smile, or a frightened, wide-eyed start, a seed or plant is needed early on. This is done by simply placing something in the story in an early scene to be built on in later scenes. With the interest of not getting off track, I’ll just give a couple of simple examples: for romance, it might be a glance or a coincidental meeting of the soon-to-be, romantically involved characters; for horror, it might be the door that hasn’t been opened for twenty years or the spooky alley that must be passed every night.
So, after seeding the romance, readers begin to identify with the characters and find empathy with them more easily. But they become interested in not only the romantic couple, but also in the romantic subplot that develops. This adds a depth and complexity to the story, as well as the feel of realism. Then, when one or both of these lovebirds find themselves in jeopardy, talented fictionists will be able to convey the tension and suspense quickly and hook the readers.
In Jezebel, Tony Parker loves his wife, that’s obvious. She’s the mother of his children, his high school sweetheart—she keeps him grounded. But Tony’s going through that stage common to us all when we realize we aren’t the young, attractive person we used to be—he’s having a midlife crisis. Ripe and ready for the picking (and very willing) is his beautiful and seductive young assistant. Working closely with Sarah isn’t easy for a man who feels the need to prove to himself that he still has a little coal in furnace, yet who is also a moral family man who loves and appreciates his wife and family. This is especially true since he seems to be coming down with more than just a little cold virus or flu bug. Something inside his head is gnawing away at his thoughts, making him do things he wouldn’t normally do.
With the huge black Great Dane loose and terrorizing the city at night, dogs attacking their masters for apparently no reason, and the sexual tension between Tony, his wife Julie, and assistant Sarah, the action clips along at a very fast pace. Then, when Jezebel seems to be stalking Tony, his friends and his family, that rapid pace goes into overdrive.
With the huge black Great Dane loose and terrorizing the city at night, dogs attacking their masters for apparently no reason, and the sexual tension between Tony, his wife Julie, and assistant Sarah, the action clips along at a very fast pace. Then, when Jezebel seems to be stalking Tony, his friends and his family, that rapid pace goes into overdrive.
Romance in a horror novel—I can’t think of a better way to really ramp up the tension. But I write mystery and sci-fi thrillers, as well. I feel romance plays a very important role in all of my novels for the same reasons I have explained. I hope you check out my stories and let me know if it works!
Please, give me your comments; what makes a good scare for you, my dear bloggers?
I have other blogs and websites for writers. You can tweet me at www.Twitter.com/gordonkessler, friend me at www.Facebook.com/gordonkessler1 and link with me at www.LinkedIn.com/in/gordonkessler.
And you can always find my books at any online bookstore, including Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Nook, etc. All three of my thrillers are currently on sale in eBook formats for only $.99—trying to get those sales numbers soaring! Of course, you can find them in traditional paperback and hardcover at reasonable prices, as well.
Here’s how to find out more about my work: the book trailers on YouTube for Jezebel at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zHD9pmHOzk&feature=related; and Brainstorm at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eDjWJFbRdI.
Then there’s my blog at www.WMxBlog.com and my websites at www.GordonKessler.com and www.ReadersMatrix.com.
Thanks again for hosting me on your blog! Happy reading!
Please, give me your comments; what makes a good scare for you, my dear bloggers?
I have other blogs and websites for writers. You can tweet me at www.Twitter.com/gordonkessler, friend me at www.Facebook.com/gordonkessler1 and link with me at www.LinkedIn.com/in/gordonkessler.
And you can always find my books at any online bookstore, including Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Nook, etc. All three of my thrillers are currently on sale in eBook formats for only $.99—trying to get those sales numbers soaring! Of course, you can find them in traditional paperback and hardcover at reasonable prices, as well.
Here’s how to find out more about my work: the book trailers on YouTube for Jezebel at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zHD9pmHOzk&feature=related; and Brainstorm at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eDjWJFbRdI.
Then there’s my blog at www.WMxBlog.com and my websites at www.GordonKessler.com and www.ReadersMatrix.com.
Thanks again for hosting me on your blog! Happy reading!
About Jezebel:
Sleep lightly tonight…
A madman has come to town seeking a diabolical revenge and large dogs begin attacking their masters for no apparent reason and with heinous results.
Animal Control Director Tony Parker must find out why and stop the murderous attacks. Meanwhile, Jezebel, a huge black Great Dane has killed her master and is loose, terrorizing the city and stalking Parker and his family. Parker and Sarah Hill, his beautiful and seductive young assistant, attempt to unravel the mystery and stop the terrible carnage while dealing with their own demons and lusty desires.
The attacks must be stopped. Jezebel must be found-and soon, you see--there is one other complication. Parker seems to have come down with an annoying little virus. No, it's not one of those irritating summer colds. It's certain death.
She's a murderess, huge and black as a hell-bound night.
Beware. Jezebel is on the loose!
Sleep lightly tonight…
A madman has come to town seeking a diabolical revenge and large dogs begin attacking their masters for no apparent reason and with heinous results.
Animal Control Director Tony Parker must find out why and stop the murderous attacks. Meanwhile, Jezebel, a huge black Great Dane has killed her master and is loose, terrorizing the city and stalking Parker and his family. Parker and Sarah Hill, his beautiful and seductive young assistant, attempt to unravel the mystery and stop the terrible carnage while dealing with their own demons and lusty desires.
The attacks must be stopped. Jezebel must be found-and soon, you see--there is one other complication. Parker seems to have come down with an annoying little virus. No, it's not one of those irritating summer colds. It's certain death.
She's a murderess, huge and black as a hell-bound night.
Beware. Jezebel is on the loose!
Excerpt:
Hill went to the front door and watched Chin’s van make a U-turn at the corner and head down the street. The headlights flashed in Hill’s face, momentarily blinding her. She winced. The light burned her already blood-shot, weary eyes.
A silent moment passed before a sound came from outside. The back yard. Scratching. Something was climbing over the fence.
The rifle. It was still next to the back door. Hill moved quickly toward the kitchen. As she made it to the hall, the dog port began to open. Hill stepped to the side, out of sight, before seeing what was coming through.
She trembled, backing up to the wall next to the large window that was painted shut. She could run for the door, but by the time she reached it, she’d be seen. No way out. Hide. Where? There was no place. Behind the sheer curtain, maybe. In the dark, she might not be seen if she was quiet and didn’t move.
She pulled the curtain around her. She could see through it, but it made the already dim room even dimmer. The blowing fan was the only noise. Nothing moved except the oscillating shadows of the fan blades beating the stale air through the room. The green flash of the clock on the CD player caused an eerie, strobing light.
A dark shape slowly emerged from the hallway and moved into the room. Large. Huge. Black.
Author bio: Gordon A Kessler is a former US Marine parachutist, recon scout, and Super Squad team leader, with a bachelor's degree in creative writing. He is a Master Instructor for Johnson County Community College, National Academy of Railroad Sciences, and the BNSF Railway. He has taught novel writing for Butler County Community College, English Composition for Hutchinson Junior College and has previously indie-published the thriller novels Brainstorm and Dead Reckoning, and a book about the novel-writing craft, Novel Writing Made Simple.
He is a founder and current president of the Kansas Writers Association and tries to stay connected to writers and the writing industry by doing speaking engagements at writers conferences and for writers organizations, and does his own "The Storyteller" seminar in Wichita, Lincoln (Nebraska), Kansas City, and other Midwestern cities based on his Novel Writing Made Simple book.
His websites, http://www.WritersMatrix.com and http://www.IndieWritersAlliance are landing pages for writers to help them in their writing endeavors. His author website is http://www.GordonKessler.com.
Other links:
http://www.ReadersMatrix.com
http://www.Twitter.com/GordonKessler
http://www.Facebook.com/GordonKessler1
http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/GordonKessler
Hill went to the front door and watched Chin’s van make a U-turn at the corner and head down the street. The headlights flashed in Hill’s face, momentarily blinding her. She winced. The light burned her already blood-shot, weary eyes.
A silent moment passed before a sound came from outside. The back yard. Scratching. Something was climbing over the fence.
The rifle. It was still next to the back door. Hill moved quickly toward the kitchen. As she made it to the hall, the dog port began to open. Hill stepped to the side, out of sight, before seeing what was coming through.
She trembled, backing up to the wall next to the large window that was painted shut. She could run for the door, but by the time she reached it, she’d be seen. No way out. Hide. Where? There was no place. Behind the sheer curtain, maybe. In the dark, she might not be seen if she was quiet and didn’t move.
She pulled the curtain around her. She could see through it, but it made the already dim room even dimmer. The blowing fan was the only noise. Nothing moved except the oscillating shadows of the fan blades beating the stale air through the room. The green flash of the clock on the CD player caused an eerie, strobing light.
A dark shape slowly emerged from the hallway and moved into the room. Large. Huge. Black.
Author bio: Gordon A Kessler is a former US Marine parachutist, recon scout, and Super Squad team leader, with a bachelor's degree in creative writing. He is a Master Instructor for Johnson County Community College, National Academy of Railroad Sciences, and the BNSF Railway. He has taught novel writing for Butler County Community College, English Composition for Hutchinson Junior College and has previously indie-published the thriller novels Brainstorm and Dead Reckoning, and a book about the novel-writing craft, Novel Writing Made Simple.
He is a founder and current president of the Kansas Writers Association and tries to stay connected to writers and the writing industry by doing speaking engagements at writers conferences and for writers organizations, and does his own "The Storyteller" seminar in Wichita, Lincoln (Nebraska), Kansas City, and other Midwestern cities based on his Novel Writing Made Simple book.
His websites, http://www.WritersMatrix.com and http://www.IndieWritersAlliance are landing pages for writers to help them in their writing endeavors. His author website is http://www.GordonKessler.com.
Other links:
http://www.ReadersMatrix.com
http://www.Twitter.com/GordonKessler
http://www.Facebook.com/GordonKessler1
http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/GordonKessler
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