Monday, April 5, 2010

Going to the Dark Side

Happy Manic Monday! Grab a cup of virtual coffee and pull up a comfy chair. There’s some Easter chocolate on the table. Please have some or I’ll eat it all. What out though, some of those foil covered eggs are dark chocolate.


You gotta watch out for the dark ones. They look harmless and tasty yet once you taste some it’s hard to stop. Next thing you know you’re writing becomes darker and you’ve penned ‘the end’ to a piece of work from a dark side of your soul.


All from chocolate? No, I guess not but where did it come from?

The things I’ve put my heroine through. Heck, the things I put myself through since I’m there every step of the way with her. This is the darkest thing I’ve ever written and it makes me wonder who I am. My outer shell isn’t something that corresponds to this type of story. I’m a soccer mom. What shadows lie within? Well, wait until the PTA gets their hands on this book. LOL


I know most paranormals have a touch of murky gloom but when is it too much? I love suspense and when a writer sends chills down my back. I can’t read horror anymore since I’m alone at night sometimes, left with my imagination is more than enough. Sometimes following a character to the pits of personal hell and accompanying them on their journey to salvation just hits the spot. Maybe they remind me how good I really have it.


How dark do like your stories?

12 comments:

Rebecca Royce said...

Truthfully, it can't be too dark for me. Unless there is no redemption in the end. Just recently read a book where they really destroyed the heroine and at the end it was all just fine, no remorse, no apologies, just fine. Hated that. But as long as a sufficient amount of reckoning takes place, it can't get too dark for me.

Sasha Devlin said...

My first great love is murder mysteries and I still enjoy horror a great deal, so there's no such thing as too dark when I'm reading. (And I LOVE dark chocolate!)

But my latest project is much darker than anything I've ever written. I console myself by repeating "Yes, but there's a HEA in the end!"

Destiny Blaine said...

Great post! I think it really depends on the story. If I'm reading a vampire story, the darker the better.

Hugs,
Destiny

Sandra Sookoo said...

I don't really go for the dark stuff. Life's depressing enough. I'm a humor girl with most of my own pieces. And that's what I gravitate toward in my writing.

Hailey Edwards said...

I enjoy dark fantasy and paranormals. I've had to stop along the way and assure myself "I can read this" to get through to the ending, but it has been worthwhile.

I think my writing style wants to be dark. It just ends up being a sweeter milk chocolate instead. lol

Ambrielle Kirk said...

I really enjoy reading a dark paranormal. Especially ones with lots of world-building that allow me to "live in the character's worlds" if only for a moment. Romance and HEAs have to be present because I'm a sucker for love. Great topic :)

Shannon Leigh said...

I love just about all paranormals, but I have to agree, when they're dark, they give you more than 1 kind of chill. Those are definitely the best.

J Hali Steele said...

Can be as dark (and bloody) as it wants to be in the beginning and the middle--as long as there's a happy ending--I'm good!

Anonymous said...

OOH, gotta love those DARK stories! And I think the darker the hero, the more a reader is caught up in reading, in hopes that he's redeemable in some way before the end!

hugs, Kari Thomas, Paranormal Romance Author, www.authorkari.com

Savanna Kougar said...

I've surprised myself with how dark I've written recently. Though, it isn't dark compared to a lot paranormal/urban fantasy stories.
As I look at, I believe one reason for all the dark, darker and darkest paranormals being written ~ it's a sign of the times. And will continue as a strong trend.

On the other paw... yes, I write shapeshifter stories... humor will also take center stage. Believe me, lots of folks need that happy relief.

Annie Nicholas said...

Well it's good to know that dark is acceptable.Thanks for dropping by everyone.

Dawné Dominique said...

I love the dark, but I also like a little redemption. The darker and scarier the better. : )

*smiles*
Dawné