I grew up reading the suspense novels of Mary Higgins Clark.
Her books are fun, suspenseful, and scary. She’s a master of the page-turner, a
master of raising all these questions in your head so you want to keep reading
to find out what happens. Her heroines are likeable and sympathetic, people you
want to root for. And her books are clean. No worries about gore,
foul language, or sex scenes. Sometimes the villains or stories are pretty
creepy, as you might expect in suspense novels, but the stories are never
gruesome or stomach-turning or graphic—just fun, spine-chilling reads. Mary
Higgins Clark is one of my author heroes.
Despite the fact that Mary Higgins Clark creates creepy
situations and villains, I don’t remember it ever occurring to me that Clark
herself—not her books, but the woman—was creepy. She was simply an author skilled
at writing suspense—an elegant woman with her hair swept up and classy jewelry
(she has awesome back cover photos). I loved her creepy stories, but didn’t
think that she was creepy. Or twisted.
Or had a “dark side.” But on multiple occasions, I’ve gotten comments along these lines from readers of my books.
Naturally, if someone says something about my creepiness,
I’ll just smile or joke, ha ha, yes, I’m so scary, or what have you. I assume they don't mean it in a bad way . . . I hope. It might even be a compliment on the book--what a creepy, twisty story! You must have a twisty mind!--but it’s
happened enough that it’s starting to . . . um . . . bother me a little. What
exactly do people mean when they say I
have a dark side or a twisted mind? Do they think I’m a scary person?
That behind the smiling mommy/stake girls camp director/amateur
violinist/professional procrastinator façade that I’m . . . what? Sacrificing
cats?
Since the comments tend to come from people who know me
personally, I’m guessing they just find it . . . I don’t know . . . surprising?
Odd? Scary? . . . that I can come up with these creepy stories, since I seem
like . . . um . . . a person who wouldn’t be able to come up with creepy
stories? Help me out here. Is it because I’m a Mormon mommy that I get these
comments—is this an unusual business for a Mormon housewife to be in? (And for
anyone unfamiliar with my work who is now sitting there scandalized wondering
what type of horrors I’m writing, this is LDS fiction, folks. Clean stuff. My
92-year-old grandfather enjoys my books).
I guess the thinking is that to come up with scary stories,
you must have a scary mind, just as, um, quilting requires a quilting sort of
mind, and taking care of toddlers involves a large section of your mind labeled
“sticky things and loud noises.” So I guess I am creepy. That would explain the people fleeing in terror when I utter those spine-chilling words, "Go do the dishes, kids."
I've never thought of you as creepy. I've always thought of you as a talented writer with a good imagination. And, if it makes you feel any better, people flee in terror when I tell them to do the dishes too.
ReplyDeleteI hit the wrong key and just lost a long comment. Be grateful.
ReplyDeleteI love your books, and it's never occurred to me that you're creepy. It takes a gift (and imagination) to get into the head of creepy characters and make them seem like normal people. MHC gets lots of her book ideas from the news. It's not like there's not plenty idea possibilities out there in real life.
It's a little crazy where book ideas come from in our minds. People always ask me, How did you think of that? I'm like, I don't know, I just did. But if I was judged by the characters in my books, I'd be a pretty messed up person!
ReplyDeleteHave you read much Mary Stewart. She was sort of the mother of the romantic suspense novel. Nine Coaches Waiting is--I think--her best.
I think you're creepy and if I was your kid I would be doing those dishes FAST! haha, just kidding. Sort of. ;)
ReplyDeleteJanice and Donna--thank you! I feel better :)
ReplyDeleteJulie D--well said. I hope I'm not getting judged by my villains! And thanks for the book recommendation. I haven't read it; I'll look for it.
Julie B . . . sigh :)
How creepy must Stephen King be?
DeleteIt's interesting that you bring up Mary Higgins Clark - I definitely got a little of her vibe in your book.
Sweet :) The more MHC vibes I have, the more books I can sell! I wish . . .
DeleteI definitely don't think you are creepy, in fact, you made me feel right at home at my first Storymakers. My current manuscript is far darker than what I normally write, so I've wondered what people will think when they read it. I bet I'll be in the same boat as you.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, Mary Higgins Clark rocks. Good taste.
Thank you, Wendy! Are you coming to Storymakers this year?
DeleteI love MHC, and I could totally see her as an inspiration for your books-you have very similar styles! I have never thought of you as creepy, or having a creepy mind-just incredibly creative and inventive. Your picture is very sweet and classy looking-maybe, just for fun, you should pose with a sacrificial cat next time...just to see what happens!
ReplyDeleteI must say I found this post very inspirational!
ReplyDeleteI am a writer, but I struggle with what people will think of me if I let them read any of my thrillers. I've always dreaded the idea people might think I have a 'dark side' or a 'twisted' imagination. But after reading through your blog, and most particularly this post, I realize that even if I write my thriller and let others read it I'm still going to be normal me.
This post is exactly what I needed to see today and I am very grateful to you for your example.