For the October Frights Blog Hop, I’ve been sharing a tale I wrote a long time ago, that has never been published.
Why?
Because I kill kids.
Not gruesomely, but two babies die.
In Dark Fantasy, and even in Horror, killing children and pets is verboten, or at least, is considered serious taboo. Just ask my friend David B. Coe, who killed a dog in one of his books.
Here is my problem with this rule, and why I still wrote and published on this blog, the terrible story of Abby Campbell. Serious psychological horror has to be willing to look at everything.
My friend, John Hartness, wrote his ‘scariest story‘ and it is indeed scary. But it is frighting from his perspective. It didn’t even ping my buttons. He’s not a woman, and he’s not a parent, and my nightmares are quite different.
With Abby, I hoped to bring some sympathy to a main character in a psychological horror who is suffering from delusions, severe mental illness, and living in her own hallucination, a hellscape that none of us could withstand.
Tomorrow, read the end of The Tragic Tale of Abby Campbell.
Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.
Other blogs participating in the blog hop: http://afstewartblog.blogspot.ca/2017/09/join-october-frights-blog-hop.html
It could be your story hits a bit too close to reality as well. Makes it more disturbing. I’ve written one or two stories where kids die (independently published) and didn’t get a negative reaction (yet). But they were wrapped up in serial killers, werewolves and demons so it may have softened the blow.
You make a good point, Anita.
I’m looking forward to this. 🙂
Barbara of the Balloons