Trends in Genre Series: Horror Presented by: Becky Spratford PLA Conference, 2012 [email protected] http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com
Dec 18, 2015
Trends in Genre Series:Horror
Presented by:Becky Spratford
PLA Conference, [email protected]
http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com
Horror Defined
“Horror is a story in which the author manipulates the readers’ emotions by introducing situations in which unexplainable phenomena and unearthly creature threaten the protagonist and provoke terror in the reader.” definition quoted from The Readers’
Advisory Guide to Horror, second edition (ALA Editions, 2012)
Trends in Horror Series
Series in traditional horror are on the rise
The best horror writing in general, series or not, is happening in the format of the graphic novel
The rise of “not quite horror”
The Jake Helman Files by Gregory Lamberson
Dead World Novels by Joe McKinney
David WellingtonHorror series Hall of Fame
Locke and Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez
If you are sick of this?
Try…American Vampire by Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque
No sparkle hereAnd she is one of the “good guys.”
Horror Series Across Formats
Not Quite Horror Series
Can be scary but provoking terror is not the main goal. Story comes before atmosphere Human monsters Thriller/investigative focus with
supernatural characters Dark Fantasy
It’s a porous line that is crossed frequently by readers AND authors; just be aware
Joe Ledger Novels by Jonathan Maberry
Click here for a conversation I had with Maberry about “not quite horror.”
Newsflesh by Mira Grant
Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillory
Links
Handouts with many more series and presentation available on RA for All Including 10 classic horror and not quite
horror series suggestions and many more new series
Horror specific info and conversation over on RA for All: Horror
The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror, second edition out April, 2012. Available for pre-order now.