title: Writing Horror
author: Mort Castle
description: Oftentimes how-to books fall short because they spend too much time with the basics and not enough time explaining the nuances of their subject. <i>Writing Horror,</i> by the Horror Writers Association, doesn't fall into that trap; the authors of the 39 articles in this anthology assume you can write, and thus they concentrate on getting the most out of working in the horror genre. The result is more like an inspirational guide than a how-to book. Of specific interest is the small section on writing horror comic books, featuring essays on E. C. Comics by Dan Chichester (who has done several Clive Barker adaptations as well as a well-received run on <i>Daredevil</i>), and "Breaking All Codes" by David Quinn (who broke all sorts of taboos in his bloody and sexy <i>Faust</i>). Other authors include Joe R. Lansdale, Joyce Carol Oates, and the one and only Harlan Ellison.
zlib_text: ![](index-1_1.jpg)
  
  
  FOR LIZ, WHO WANTED SKY CASTLES
  
  
  ![](index-3_1.jpg)
  
  
  ![](index-3_2.jpg)
  
  
  Castles in the sky sit stranded, vandalized.
  
  
  —“A Dustland Fairytale,”
  
  
  by the Killers (written by Brandon Flowers)
  
  
  ![](index-4_1.jpg)
  
  
  ![](index-4_2.jpg)
  
  
  CHAPTER
  
  
  1
  
  
  HALLOWEEN
  
  
  Weaving down the hall, Cole avoided a ninja, a witch, a pirate, and a zombie
  bride. He paused when a
  
  
  sad clown in a trench coat and fedora waved at him. “Dalton?”
  
  
  His friend nodded and smiled, which looked weird since his mouth was painted
  into a frown. “I
  
  
  wondered if you’d recognize me.”
  
  
  “It wasn’t easy,” Cole replied, relieved to see that his best friend had worn
  an elaborate costume. He
  
  
  had worried that his own outfit was too much.
  
  
  They met up in the middle of the hall. Kids streamed by on either side; some
  dressed for Halloween,
  
  
  some not.
  
  
  “Ready to score some candy tonight?” Dalton asked.
  
  
  Cole hesitated. Now that they were sixth graders, he was a little nervous that
  people would think