It is hard to write about horror fiction right now.

In the past two weeks my kids and my community have been exposed to increased antisemitism and cruelty.

When it’s a direct comment from a student then we can report it and hope there will be consequences. When an anonymous person stuffs mailboxes with hate-filled flyers or shares embarrassing photos on social media, there isn’t much that can he done.

Horror gives us a chance to see it is possible to fight and overcome or even defeat monsters. Fiction gives us control and allows us to close the covers when the contents are more than we can handle. We have the option to walk away.

Hate and cruelty are things you cannot walk away from. They’re like polluted air, you can’t help but breathe it in even when you do your best to keep it out. As my son described it, it feels slimy.

Earlier this year, elsewhere in my county, the library board attempted to move any YA novel with any kind of sexual content (among other criteria) to the adult section, supposedly to protect the children.

You can’t protect children from some things, you can only try to prepare them. Moving books around doesn’t keep kids from having to live with and experience cruelty and hate. You can live in a lovely community surrounded by generous and caring people but somehow, it worms its way in.

I wish I had the ability to close the book on it, especially for my kids.

Kirsten Kowalewski