Hey gang, I’m so thrilled to be part of my publisher’s All Entangled Eve Halloween Hop!! There are a shit-ton of great prizes along the way, so I encourage you to hop along with my publishing sisters and visit a bunch! I’m giving away 2 e-copies of my paranormal romantic suspense COME HELL OR HIGH DESIRE so be sure to enter at the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post! 🙂
So what am I talking about today…?
Gutlessness.
Like suspense writers everywhere, I explore the inner psyches of some very demented characters. And like all writers, I have a very active imagination. This is definitely a blessing.
Except when it’s not.
Because there are certain…consequences of having said effervescent imagination.
I’m not gonna lie. I’m a freakin’ pansy. I’m the girl who turns off the lights downstairs and then runs—RUNS—up the stairs because, damn, what if something with glowing red eyes creeps out of the laundry room? Who really cares about being dignified and grown up if you’re just gonna get eaten?
And then when I get upstairs and my hubs is already asleep in bed, I take a running leap onto the covers because I’m an ever-lovin’ child of the 80s and just because a posse of Gremlins hasn’t been under my bed for the last 30 years doesn’t mean they’re not going to show up one of these nights.
Jeezus. TMI? You know you do it, too.
What about all those strange noises you hear in the house when you’re all alone? I swear, I can tell myself every logical hypothesis for what I’m hearing, but instead my imagination kicks it into Mach 4. One day I came home and realized I’d forgotten to lock the front door after one of my kids’ friends had left earlier. Oh God. Who was waiting for me in a closet? Should I check behind the shower curtain (cue Psycho music)? Had they been watching my routine?
Even in what you’d consider serene natural surroundings I spaz and start to think…where would a murderer hide a body around here? In a decomposing, hollowed out tree trunk? Strung up in the tree canopy? Could it be that body disposal class I took has changed me forever? I wouldn’t let myself read the lessons too close to bedtime, or I’d have to pull an all-nighter reading Janet Evanovich just so I could LOL and think about something other than wild hogs tearing apart whatever was left of some poor dumped body.
Dude, word to the wise, I am never going into the Georgia backwoods. Some creepy shit up in there.
Finally, let’s talk scary movies and ghost stories around a campfire. As a suspense writer, I should dig all that, right? Oh, hell no. If I’m a captive audience, I scrunch my eyes and stick my fingers in my ears because sometimes the movie sounds are more disturbing than the visuals. I totally trace this back to second grade when my babysitter let me watch The Exorcist one night. Talk about traumatic. Scarred me for life. My parents were P-O’d.
So why do I gravitate to reading and writing suspense? Maybe it’s because I can control the images I bring to life in my head. That I’m the goddess of that universe, and I determine what happens. Maybe because my subconscious constantly reassures me that it’s fiction. I don’t really know, but it sounds like a disorder, no?
I feel like I need a 12-step program. Hi, I’m Misty, and I’m a chicken-shit suspense writer…
But hey, it somehow works for me. And hopefully, my readers will think it works for my stories.
Do you love to be scared, or are you spineless like me? Anyone have any tips for me to get over my gutlessness?
Click here to enter my prize giveaway!!!
(It will take you to a safe Rafflecopter site.Thanks for playing!)
Are you read to hop to the next blog? If you don’t see the Linky-thingamabob, here’s the Entangled site where you can see all the participating authors. Have fun and good luck!
Misty Dietz + Harley James | intense, emotional romance 
Oh, I LOVE scary movies! I have always loved to be scared, even as a kid. In fact, my favorite thing is a really good scary movie on DVD, the kids gone so I have the house to myself, and then I wait until late at night and turn out all the lights and watch. Love it! Since I have always been that way, I really don’t know what to tell you about being gutless, except just suck it up! LOL!! 😉
LOL! Okay, I finally have someone who has some advice for me…suck it up, huh? But, when you go to bed, don’t you bring those scary images and sounds into your own world? Are you somehow able to compartmentalize that scariness? Because that’s where I have problems I think. I think I just bring it into my own house. Like…yuck. Maybe it would help if I made fun of what I was watching while I was watching it. I’ll have to force myself to try that next time….Anyway, I’m totally happy for you, Michelle, and thanks so stopping by to comment! Good luck and I hope you win a lot of prizes along the hop! 🙂
I am totally spineless. Hate horror movies and not to fond of Halloween either!
Hi Ann, glad to know I’m not alone! I’ll be sure not to wish you a Happy Halloween! 😉
I really get this, Misty! LOL! You are never going to find me in the Georgia backwoods either. Word.
Ha! That’s awesome, Liz, meet me on a beach somewhere, though? 😉
Anytime, hon!
I love to be scared. If it’s a haunted house or any other thing I want to go.
I’m in awe of people like you, Pam! I suppose chicken shits like me make you laugh. If I go in a haunted house will you hold my hand? 🙂
don’t like to be scared
Same here! I don’t even like it when my kids wait behind a door and pop out, though I try not to be a scrooge about it. LOL 🙂
I LOVE scary books; I can read them when I’m alone or in a crowd. It’s really not a big deal. Now a few have made me a bit jittery, but I just sleep with the lights on. HOWEVER, I cannot watch scary movies if I’m alone. I must have someone else at home with me or I get seriously creeped out. My advice is always make sure someone watches the movie with you who does NOT mention your fear or tease you in any way. The person needs to just enjoy the movie with you and then you need to watch something else, or read something NOT HORROR before you try to rest. This is necessary to cleanse “imagination palette” if you will. That’s all the advice I can give you. Of course, take it with a grain of salt. I’m still afraid of the dark. michelle_willms(at)yahoo(dot)com
Hi Michelle, thank you for the sound advice – I will *maybe* work up the courage to give that a try…if I can wrangle my hubby to accompany me. I know he wouldn’t make (too) much fun of me. LOL. Your advice reminds me of my body disposal class – I had to do those lessons early in the day so I had lots of other distractions before bed.
Good luck in the drawing and thanks for visiting! 🙂
I don’t like being scared. Even my “spooky” Halloween decorations have happy faces.
Hahaha! I can totally relate to that! My jack-o-lanterns always have smiles. 😀
You and I are the same. There are down sides when you have hyperactive imagination.
Hi Jothee, I guess we have to take the good with the bad, right? 🙂
I am a scaredy-cat. I can’t get over my fear, so im not really qualified to give advice on it. 😀
That’s okay! I think being a scaredy cat adds to my personality! (Did I mention the besides being gutless I am an eternal optimist?) 😉
I like a good scare — but only around Halloween for some reason. When something gruesome is about to happen in a movie, I just close my eyes and peek a little and hold my breath waiting for the scene to be over soon.
Hahaha! I can relate to the peeking between your fingers. I think it’s super interesting that you like scares around Halloween…you must be a super fun and festive spirit! Thanks for visiting! 🙂
I love scary things but hate how scared I get after everything’s said and done and I’m alone in a dark room. These are the nights I sleep with my secret night light and favorite stuffed animal.
I hear you on the night light, Jessica. When my hubby’s gone I have one on, too. LOL 😀
I’m okay with sci-fi scary movies. I sometimes find them hilarious and root for the monsters. I absolutely hate scary movies that could be real like the Saw movies. I say stick to things like sci-fi. Your less likely to be looking behind your back for Freddie Krueger or Predator.
Now there is some good advice, Karen! Yes, I LOVE sci-fi. Why should I even have to try to like something (like brussel sprouts or horror movies)?! 🙂
I love to be scared I love love horror films all things that go bump in the night and honstly best way to get over the fear is to embrace it.
Oh, Beverly, but I don’t wanna embrace it! Though I know you’re probably right (dammit!)… lol
love being scared and scary movies, just not into gore
Ooo, yuck! I’m not into gore in any way, shape or form either! Thanks for visiting my site, Daniel! 🙂
Hi! Happy Halloween! I hope your having an awesome time! This hop is a blast! Great post! I do like being scared, but only when going to haunted houses and watching scary movies! Thanks for sharing and for the awesome giveaway!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
Hahaha! You are too cute! Glad you’re enjoying the hop – there are some awesome authors participating! Good luck, shadow! 🙂