Finding God's Glory in the Scariest Places

My mom and I were driving in the car the other day. Out of the blue she feels the need to note, “You know, I’m not sure how I feel about raising possibly the next big name in Horror Fiction.” I thought for a second then asked, “Because of the ‘next big name’ part or the Horror part?” She promptly assured me she meant the fact that I was interested in Horror Fiction. Apparently it kind of “weirded” her out.

It’s not that she’s doesn’t support me; she’s definitely one of the most supportive mothers I’ve ever met.

But that question still lingers in the back of everybody’s mind…Can you uphold your faith, keeping right in the eyes of God, and find enjoyment from the eerie world of Horror?

Personally, I find no conviction when I read through a good scary novel. I do struggle sometimes with the idea of it being wrong to enjoy Horror as a Christian. But I still don’t feel a strong conviction when I read my favorite genre. So recently, when my mom Facebook messaged me an article by Jared Moore titled, “How to Watch a Scary Movie Unto the Glory of God” I was pretty psyched.

The article discusses how movies and novels exploring the more edgy side of things can be appreciated without the fear of losing the Lord’s love. Moore explains ways to “enjoy the Lord” while watching Horror movies or TV shows. He gives a list of things such as admiring the gift of the authors, directors, and actors; finding joy in the fact that most show the good guys winning over the sources of evil; and recognizing that yes, some shows do contradict the Lord, and we have to remember that God is meant to be our security, hope, trust, and life.

Moore also goes into how, as Christians, we DO need to be careful when watching stuff like this. He presents five things that Christians must keep in mind.

“How to Watch a Scary Movie Unto the Glory of God” encourages me. Reminds me to continue doing what I love, but not just because I love it, but because in everything I do, there is a way to honor Jesus Christ. Even if it involves a movie or novel which may or may not give me nightmares. It also serves as a good reminder to keep my eyes where they should be and to keep my heart in line. While it is okay to find enjoyment in a good scare, it is equally important to remember that I am human and apt to sin.

No matter my love for Horror Fiction, Jesus Christ and His truth should still be the center of my focus. If I do stumble upon something that’s going to encourage me or tempt me to sin, as a Christian, I need to be aware of the fact and stay away from it.

So for those of you who also gather a few odd looks from suspicious bystanders, I encourage you to read the article. As for me, my mom may still be a bit "weirded" out by my peculiar pull to this side of fiction, but I see a world of scares and thrills, good over evil, and a place to show the glory of God in drastic and radical ways. 

The choice to participate in this strange genre remains a personal choice that is not so black and white. But the article just might help in figuring things out.

To read this article you can follow the link below: http://jaredmoore.exaltchrist.com/2011/03/09/how-to-watch-a-scary-movie-unto-the-glory-of-god/.

Crafting the Creeps through Fiction: Questions for the Authors Who Do It Best

I have read and reviewed two of Mike Dellosso’s novels. Yes, I did give mixed reviews on my opinions of the stories, but I do not dismiss the one most important fact: Mike Dellosso can write. As any author, as he continues to produce thrilling tales, his writing improves as well. Which is exciting for me, because I’m young and will have plenty of time to enjoy the masterpieces he’s bound to write.

Dellosso has written six books so far: The Hunted (loved it!), Scream, Darlington Woods, Darkness Follows, Frantic (have it, cannot wait to begin reading it!), and his newest Rearview (hmm…I’ve got to pick that one up…).

Now, some of you may have an aversion to Dellosso’s work because of the blunt use of Christianity. But I urge you to read his stuff, wherever your faith lies, Mike Dellosso is good at what he does. Writing effective horror/thriller fiction.

Recently, I have been thinking of ways to expand my blog. I’ve begun sending out questions to the various authors I review. I have a series of questions and pick a different four for each author.

I’m happy to say that Dellosso was the first to respond:

1) What book were you most nervous or afraid to publish?

         “My latest novella, Rearview. It was my first time writing a novella which is a little different and I think more challenging than writing a full-length novel and I was writing it as part of a series with six other accomplished authors. When the story was finished I wasn’t sure I was totally happy with the final product. But it’s been getting awesome reviews so I guess it turned out okay.”

2) What’s your least favorite interview question?

         “ ‘Tell us about your latest book.’ My stories usually have a lot of characters and the plots usually have a lot of twists and turns. I find it so difficult to summarize the story into just a few paragraphs. I always second-guess my answer and never think it makes my book sound very interesting. So, thanks for not asking that!”

3) What character surprised you the most with something they said or did?

         “Harold in FRANTIC. He was not supposed to turn out the way he did at all. It was never my intention. I had him going a totally different direction and then he just kind of did what he wanted to do. It was weird but I’m glad it happened.”

4) What is your earliest memory of being afraid?

         “Probably six or seven. We lived in Baltimore in a home that we later believed was ‘haunted.’ Fear would grip me at the oddest times, mostly in the basement. Nights were bad too. I’d find myself sleeping in the bathtub with the lights on just to ward off the fear.”

If you are interested in getting more information on Dellosso or his work, you can follow him on either his blog, Facebook, or Twitter account.

Blog: www.mikedellosso.wordpress.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mikedellosso

Twitter: www.titter.com/mikedellosso

Not My Cup of Tea

Ever since reading The Hunted, Mike Dellosso has become a top pick of mine in the horror world. Darlington Woods, while many found it extremely well written and executed and it does have a strong sentimental value to Dellosso, just didn’t quite do it for me. While I enjoyed it, and it was a good story, it just wasn’t my favorite of his.

At first glance, the story and plot line appeared exciting and unique; I hadn’t heard of a book quite like it. I loved the idea behind it. I guess, for me, the fault falls within the details. The way Dellosso actually played out the plot line.

However, I am overjoyed to tell you that I can’t say one thing about any detail I did or did not like. One slip of my tongue and the entire book is ruined. Leaving you no reason to go out and buy it yourself, consequently supporting one of my most-liked authors. I love books like that. They leave you with that certain temptation to tell your closest friends exactly what happens, coupled with that gratifying agony of knowing you can’t say a word.

I will indulge and relay a short summary: Robert Shields just lost his wife and son about three months before the beginning of his story. The two were kidnapped at a local fair. Eventually the detective finds the body of Rob’s wife; shortly after, a body is found and identified as his son. Rob now suffers from hallucinations of Jimmy (his son) that slowly convince him Jimmy is still alive somewhere, waiting to be rescued.

We see Rob’s determination incessantly rebuild over and over again as he takes hit after hit, trying to make life normal again. Along with Rob’s mental battles, Dellosso throws in some spiritual warfare to top it all off. As I said, I can’t go much father into detail, one fatal mishap and it’s all ruined. Sounds enticing doesn’t it?

As Rob’s quest to find Jimmy continues, he’s introduced to Julianne (Juli for short), who was easily my first choice for best character. Juli’s sarcasm had two main functions, 1) a trustworthy source of comical relief and 2) acting as a constant reminder to think of the characters as actual people. It had an additional function as common ground where I could personally relate to her, being so sarcastic myself. I thought Rob displayed everything you would expect a man to after losing his wife and supposedly losing his son. Take for example, his blur between reality and self-comfort, his overwhelming desperation to find his son, and his willingness to go to any length at any risk.

I appreciated the fact that being a quick read didn’t hamper the story. However, my adoration and love for this book only runs so deep. Which results in my being quite confused on how I truly feel about Darlington Woods.

My confusion lies in this: realistic and reliable characters, a plot line with outstanding potential, and a talented author behind it all. Yet, still, with all these pros, something just didn’t work for me.

Some scenes became too “classic” (I guess that’s the right word) for me. Sort of like when you’re watching a horror movie and you see a scene or a twist that’s been done so many times it no longer has the original intended effect. I’m not saying the story has been overdone, not at all. More or less what I mean is that every now and then a specific scene would come along that tottered between the lines of too classic and totally new.

Almost as if he didn’t make EVERY scene is own. (Which is extremely vital in my opinion.) It’s not his writing that’s at fault; instead, he seemed to not take full advantage of each scene.

In Darlington Woods, Dellosso uses a ton of “special effects”. As they played out in my head, some just came across as too cheesy. Hopefully, you see that this flaw could be completely my own; not everyone’s going to picture it the way I did. (Hah! Another pro!) Each person who reads Darlington Woods will fill in the gaps; no one can picture exactly what Dellosso intended. No two people will see the same image or perceive the same sense from the same page. In my case, I automatically saw them as I would see them in a movie; a cool though, but a tad cheesy in production.

I’m not going to say it was a terrible book; it really wasn’t at all. I’m not going to tell you to boycott it and never even think about picking it up. Like I said, Dellosso has become a preferred author in my eyes. It’s simply not my cup of tea this time around.

Miss Your Chance?

To all Mike Dellosso fans, and to those who have yet to venture into his terrifying writing,

Here's your chance!

Visit Dellosso's blog (http://mikedellosso.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/oh-no-christian-fiction/) and find out how you can win a free copy of his book Scream. It went free for Kindle and other e-book readers a couple weeks ago; now he's decided to giveaway a free copy to one lucky winner.

Really, all you have to do to enter is leave a comment on the blog post. Winner is going to be announced Thursday, so leave your comment before time runs out!!

Last Day!

I just saw Mike Dellosso twitter that today is the LAST day to get his book Scream FREE on Kindle, NOOK, or as a plain e-book! Check out the links in the top right hand corner to see where!

Free E-Book Downloads!

Hey, all you who read my blog!

I'm spreading the awesome news about one of Mike Dellosso’s books! Scream (2009), is about a man named Mark Stone. Mark starts hearing blood curdling screams which seem to be personal alerts of terrible deaths. Mark begins to feel the responsibility of saving the next victim. I have yet to read this one but I’ve already downloaded it to my Kindle and can’t wait to start!

If you haven’t noticed already, there are links to three websites in the top right hand corner of my blog. Follow either one of those if you want a FREE e-book copy of Scream. It’s only for a little while, so I thought I’d give Dellosso a hand in getting the word out. Whether you have a Kindle, Nook, or just want the e-book to read, it’s all FREE!

Check it out while it’s still available!

Why'd They Have To Die?

Sometimes I forget I'm reading a horror novel.

I've become so desensitized to most of it. Sometimes I fail to remember that it’s supposed to gross you out. Books like these are meant to make you wonder about the mental sanity of the author.

I'll tell you, Mike Dellosso is perfectly sane. (Well, as sane as anyone is. I’ve never met him personally, but I’m thinking he’s not too bad, haha.)

The Hunted by Mike Dellosso most definitely qualifies as Horror Fiction. I’m not sure what it’s been officially labelled, but in my book, it’s pure horror. The Hunted has all the essentials for success, including probably the most important of all; it extracts empathy. As you read the story, the characters swarm your mind and you begin to feel what they feel. Your emotions begin to echo theirs. You actually start to care for the fictional people now residing in your imagination.

This fact, this feature alone, is what makes a reader ask, “Why’d they have to die?”

I ripped through The Hunted, trying to consume every detail, every clue I possibly could obtain. As I did so, I grew a connection to the small-town characters. I wanted to keep reading to hear that they were going to be okay, to look for the happy ending. (By the way, a good bit of advice, if you want to make it through a horror novel without feeling anything, don’t get attached to ANY character. No one is safe…This also happens to be something Dellosso knows quite well.) But as all good horror author will note, happy endings have to be desired, but as far in the distance as can be. Dellosso achieves this with menacing beasts, graphic gore, and incessant havoc, all inflicted over the innocent spectators of a ancient town secret. One thing after another with no end in sight.

So I know I’ve just described a book that seems it should only be read by people of a certain age. But honestly, this is the stuff that makes horror…well…Horrific. Terrifying. Exhilarating. Exciting. Addicting.

As the age-old, concealed secret gets exposed more and more to the light, questions of supernatural, demonic forces come into play as Joe Saunders fights to save himself, his family, and his hometown. If you are a fan of a good plot, twists you can’t perceive, and a little bit of nonsensical death, you’ll love The Hunted.

BIG NEWS!

So, it was probably pretty obvious that I had entered the Mike Dellosso Book Giveaway, for the daily giveaways. I didn’t think anything was going to happen, I don’t tend to win many contests. But this morning I got that beautiful e-mail. I was chosen to receive a free copy of Mike’s new book Frantic!!

I'm so excited to read this book. Mike is a fantastic writer! Plus, now it’s another book to practice my review skills on!

Don't give up!

Just because there have already been 3 winners, doesn’t mean you’re out of luck! The book doesn’t release till the 7^th, so there are still a few days left to win! ALSO! If Mike’s Facebook author page reaches 700 likes he will giveaway 5 MORE free copies on the release date!

If you want to be one of the lucky few to win this book, leave on comment on this page http://mikedellosso.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/frantic-giveaways/

THEN go to his Facebook author page (http://www.facebook.com/MikeDellosso) and like it to be entered to win! Spread the news to reach 700!

MIKE DELLOSSO BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Dear Mike Dellosso Fans,

Well, okay, anyone who’s looking for a good fright. Mike Dellosso, author of The Hunted, Darlington Woods, Darkness Fallows, and Scream, will be releasing a new book titled Frantic releasing February 7th. One week.

However, since Mike Dellosso is all about getting his book to his fans he has started a giveaway! Every day until the release date, one lucky winner will win a free copy of Frantic. Then on the 7th, Dellosso is going to give away five MORE free copies.

Sounds too good to be true huh?

Actually, it isn’t.

All you have to do to enter is go to this link: http://mikedellosso.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/frantic-giveaways/. There, you just leave a comment each day to be entered for the daily giveaways.

To win one of the copies on February 7th, you just have to like his author page on Facebook! (http://www.facebook.com/MikeDellosso) If you already have liked it, you’re automatically entered into the contest.

Mike Dellosso is a fantastic writer, I’ll probably be reviewing one of his books for this blog later on. I encourage all Horror fanatics to check out this opportunity and to look up his other novels.