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Women in Horror Fiction: What Would Mary Shelley Think?

Miniature of Mary Shelley Frankenstein author by Reginald Easton

 

Any time the topic of women in horror fiction comes up, someone almost immediately mentions Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. It’s a little frustrating to me because usually she’s the only one, or one of a very select few, whose names are repeated over and over, even though there are a wide variety of women writing horror. But I can certainly understand it. She wrote a novel that has resonated with countless individuals on many levels,  reimagined in a variety of media, with varying interpretations. Even people who don’t know who Mary Shelley is and have never read the book are familiar, in some way, with the Frankenstein story. It is that ingrained into our culture. It is an incredible accomplishment that a teenage girl not only had a terrifying vision– we all have nightmares at some point– but that she penned her story with such passion and horror that, if you can get past the clunky beginning, it stirs the reader’s emotions and twists at the heart. In her own words:

When I placed my head on my pillow, I did not sleep, nor could I be said to think. My imagination, unbidden, possessed and guided me, gifting the successive images that arose in my mind with a vividness far beyond the usual bound of reverie. I saw – with shut eyes, but acute mental vision – I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together; I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out; and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life, and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion.

Frightful must it be; for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavour to mock the stupendous mechanism of the creator of the world. His success would terrify the artist; he would rush away from his odious handiwork, horror-stricken. He would hope that, left to itself, the slight spark of life which he had communicated would fade – that this thing, which had received such imperfect animation, would subside into dead matter, and he might sleep in the belief that the silence of the grave would quench for ever the transient existence of the hideous corpse which he had looked upon as the cradle of life. He sleeps, but he is awakened; he opens his eyes, behold the horrid thing stands at his bedside, opening his curtains, and looking on him with yellow, watery, but speculative eyes! I opened mine in terror.

The idea so possessed my mind that a thrill of terror ran through me…

I returned to my ghost story – my tiresome unlucky ghost story! O! if I could only contrive one which would frighten my reader as I myself had been frightened that night! Swift as light and as cheering was the idea that broke in upon me. “I have found it! What terrified me will terrify others; and I need only describe the spectre which had haunted my midnight pillow.”

In The Monsters: Mary Shelley and the Curse of Frankenstein, Thomas and Dorothy Hoobler describe Mary’s life in great detail. At eighteen, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, not yet married to Shelley, was intimately familiar with the creation and destruction of life. Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft died eleven days after she was born, an event which shaped the rest of her life.When her father remarried, she was displaced by a stepbrother. At sixteen, she had already run off with Percy Shelley, who was already married (although estranged from his pregnant wife). Before the summer of 1816, she had borne two children, the first of whom died before she had even been named. By the age of eighteen, Mary was very familiar with how easily life can slip away. Percy Shelley, unstable but brilliant, was fascinated with the supernatural and Gothic and also with science, interests that he did not seem to find at odds. Their companions during the “Haunted Summer” of 1816, Lord Byron and John Polidori, were similarly fascinated with both: Polidori, a medical doctor, also began the story that became the classic horror novel The Vampyre that summer. The idea that science, when bent to the manipulation of creating and animating (or, particularly, re-animating) life, could be as destructive and frightening as any supernatural force, was her nightmare, and she made it ours.

I, Frankenstein, yet another interpretation of the Frankenstein story, comes out in movie theaters this Friday. The reviews I’ve seen haven’t been great. Honestly, some of the other versions of the Frankenstein story that have appeared over the years have moved far away from the waking vision Mary Shelley had on a dark and stormy night. Whatever her other tragedies, and there were many in her life, her creation, and her Creature, has changed and grown, and whatever else it has become, there is no doubt that with her novel, she brought them to life. Would she look upon the many incarnations today the way that Victor Frankenstein did when he first saw his creation come to life? Would she be amazed by the tremendous impact a little novel she had to publish anonymously has had on the world?  What would Mary Shelley think of the way so many people have co-opted her “midnight spectre?”

Women in Horror Fiction: Sarah Pinborough

     

Sarah Pinborough has written in a variety of genres, including horror, crime, YA fiction, and screenplays. Her recent novel, A Necessary End, written in collaboration with F.Paul Wilson, has been nominated for a Bram Stoker Award. Her solo novel Mayhem, an historical horror novel set in the Victorian Era. was released last month. Sarah answered questions posed to her by reviewer Dave Simms about women in horror, writing, and her two newest books. Read Dave’s review of A Necessary End  here, and look for our review of Mayhem coming up!

 

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1.)      Would you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m an author and screenwriter based in London. I’ve been writing novels for coming up on ten years and have written horror, crime, YA and cross-overs of all of them really. Oh, and some saucy fairy tale re-tellings. Not sure what else to say…that question always sounds like a dating site profile question.;-)

 

2.)     In celebration of Women in Horror Month, who have been your biggest inspirations, past and present? What authors are on your bookshelf, and which women authors would you recommend to others?

Of women, Daphne Du Maurier was one I loved growing up. Currently I think Lauren Beukes and Sarah Lotz (her novel The Three comes out in May– I’ve just read it and it’s awesome) are really making waves with supernatural thrillers. Also Alison Littlewood’s stuff stands out. I also loved Sarah Langan’s Virus.

 

3.)     How do you see the horror community now? Do you feel females command a stronger presence with the emergence of authors such as yourself, Alexandra Sokoloff, Rhodi Hawk, and others?

I don’t really ‘see’ a horror community per se as I straddle so many genres and so I just see a genre writing community. I think women have always had a strong presence in the field. A lot of editors in speculative fiction– in the UK at least– are women, and lots of women are doing well with their writing. I think people have a skewed vision of women in the horror genre, because for a long time the attendance at conventions was very male-dominated. That’s less the case now, and to be honest, lots of people have very successful careers without ever going to a convention. But the convention circuit and various Associations often only see that pond, as it were, and forget lots of people are doing very well who never attend or join. I spend a lot of time in the crime community and they’ve never had to address the gender issue because there are so many successful women working in that field and the festivals tend to be a relatively fifty-fifty split. Also, I don’t think editors pay any attention to gender when reading a pitch or manuscript. They’re just looking for a good story. But, all that said, I think it’s good that the horror genre is becoming more supportive of women’s writing and celebrating it. It might encourage more women to go to events.

 

4.)     What is your writing process like? Do you use music or require total silence? Do you have a specific place or can you create anywhere?

I write in silence, basically because I’m so easily distracted. I prefer to write in the morning – often in my bed with a cup of tea. Then I do some exercise and whatever chores I have to do then do some more in the afternoon or some plotting in a cafe. Have a break for a movie or a book and then maybe do some more in the evening or work on something else. I’m quite a hermit really. I like social stuff but if my diary shows more than two or three things in a week I start to hyperventilate at losing my quiet space.

 

5.)     With Mayhem, you tackle the legend of Jack the Ripper and Victorian London.  Even though the novel is much, much more than just about Jack, what brought you to historical writing?

I had just finished The Dog-Faced Gods trilogy and I read Dan Simmons’ The Terror and that was what inspired me really. I loved the blending of fact and fiction in it, and I always like to try new things. The Victorian Era was a good place to work in because people have an image of it already, so you’ve half-way set your world up before you start. I started searching for unsolved murder cases and the Torso murders came up. When I saw that they were going on at the same time as Jack the Ripper I knew I’d found my case to work with.

 

6.)     You’ve collaborated with F. Paul Wilson on the Stoker-nominated A Necessary End.  Was this process more natural or much tougher than you imagined? Is there anyone you would like to work with?

It was tough for Paul I think, because I was working on several other projects, all with deadlines, and so he often had to wait a while and nudge me when it was my turn to write. It was great fun though and at one point, when our two main characters were having an argument, we went on Googledocs and basically riffed it out – Paul taking on the female character and me the male. The argument went to places we wouldn’t have got if one of us had just written it. I’m not a natural collaborator though because I hate that feeling that someone is waiting for you. But Paul has collaborated before so he was great to work with. I think I’d like to try collaborating on a script at some point, but that would have to be a week away in the same room with someone and hammering out a first draft, rather than too-ing and fro-ing over the internet.

 

7.)     You entered the young adult fray with The Nowhere Chronicles. Do you see yourself continuing in this genre? How much of a  departure was the effort from your “adult” books?

I really enjoyed writing those books and I’m really proud of them. I just wish, on reflection, that they’d come out under my name. I didn’t really see it as a departure – they’re as well-plotted as the Dog-Faced Gods, I think, and once you get in your stride with YA you’re not thinking of it as any different to any other novel – the main characters are just younger. My next two books for Gollancz are YA cross-overs I guess – The Death House and then a teen thriller called 13 Minutes Dead.

8.)      You’ve been a teacher. How has that impacted your writing? Have/had your students read any of your work, critiqued it, or given helpful suggestions? Mine have always wished to be a part of the process and have been the most brutal, but helpful critics.

I was a high school teacher for a few years but I don’t think it’s impacted my writing other than help when writing teenage characters. Some of them read my early books and one student– whose name I used in The Nowhere Chronicles– read the first one before I sent it in, but I just wanted to see if it worked for a fifteen year old– which it seemed to. None of them critiqued me though– but then I don’t use Beta readers either.

 

9.)       You’ve written straight up horror, historical horror, YA, and suspense/thriller, along with re-telling of fairy tales in dark, witty manner. Which genre has been the most enjoyable to write, or which title?

Gosh, I like them all. The fairy tales were fun because I got to be humorous in them. I like playing around with different types of story-telling but I don’t think I have a favourite, although saying that, I think thrillers with a hint of weird is what I like best.

 

10.)        Screenplays have been added to your resume and an original television series is in the works. What can you tell us about them and how does the visual medium compare to novels and short stories?

The film I’ve sold is called Cracked and is an adaptation of The Hidden, my first book. I also wrote an episode of the BBC series New Tricks. The series is something different entirely but that’s under wraps for now. Screenwriting is an entirely different medium– primarily because so much of it is collaborative– producers and directors all have notes and changes. You don’t own it in the way that you do with a novel. I love it though and I think it’s helped my storytelling and dialogue in my novels. I like doing both.

 

11.)     You began with The Hidden a decade ago.   What’s the most important lesson you have learned about the genre, writing, and the publishing world, since that book was first contracted?

That’s really hard to answer because you learn as you go without realising how much you’re learning. I guess I’d say there’s nothing as valuable as a good agent, editor and copy-editor.;-)

 

12.)      Is there anything else you’d like to share with librarians and readers?

Can’t think of anything! Just keep up the good work – we NEED libraries! And of course, we need readers!

Women in Horror Fiction: Romancing the Groan– A Valentine’s Day Guest Post by Tonia Brown

It’s Valentine’s Day! That makes it a PERFECT opportunity to talk about something problematic for women writing in the horror genre– the categorization of anything paranormal written by a woman, especially if it contains romantic elements, as part of the romance or urban fantasy genres.

Er, no. Take a look at this, inspired by a book written by a woman.

By definition, a romance novel has to have an HEA (happily ever after) at the end.

In spite of the hand holding and the bridal gown, this doesn’t qualify.

Yet it is an issue. In the recent discussion on sexism and horror, sponsored by the HWA, Sephera Giron made this comment:

“It’s always assumed I write romance no matter how much black I’m wearing in a bookstore or convention!!!! Where I said I write paranormal romance in the above post, I actually don’t but people perceived it as such because I wrote six books in a series for Ravenous Romance. The romance people wouldn’t read it because they thought it was horror. The horror people wouldn’t read it because they thought it was romance. It’s really erotica with a coven of witches (hey if you like Coven, you’ll probably like these) but everyone likes to pretend that since I’m a woman, it must be paranormal romance. I’m not sure I’ve ever written a happy ending yet.”

Can horror contain romantic elements? Absolutely. Psychology Today tells us that love is addictive, obsessive, and makes us prone to recklessness. We see plenty of all of that in horror fiction, from The Phantom of the Opera to Married With Zombies. And horror with romantic elements is hardly limited to women writers. Phantom was penned by a man, Gaston Leroux.  and adapted into a musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. If you’re looking for a more recent example, well, there’s this book called Lisey’s Story

 

So on that note, here’s a guest post by horror author Tonia Brown, that touches on just this topic. Warning, it’s NSFW.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Romancing the Groan

By Tonia Brown

    It only took a few seconds of prompting for Coil’s lust to kick his worry in the ass and take command. He pushed her to the couch again and continued toying with her. 

“If I wanted a gentleman,” she whispered, “I wouldn’t have worn my naughty undies.”

Coil growled in approval.

“Do you want to see ‘em?” she asked.

“Oh yeah,” he said and leaned back.

Laura  fluttered her dress over her hips, flashing him an eyeful of pink lace before sliding the fabric in place once more. “What do you want to see now?”

“Your naughty undies.”

“Again?” Laura grabbed the hem of her dress, ready to flash him a second time.

Coil snatched up her hand and shook his head, his grin as wild and mischievous as that of a horny teenager. “I wanna see ‘em, all right. I wanna see ‘em on the floor.”

Laura matched his smile with one just as dirty. “That’s more like it. Come here, you.”

Coil fell into her seduction with a joyful ease.

He considered it an hour well spent.

 

The above section is a snippet from my novel Sundowners. From the clip, you could imagine the book to be an erotic romance, or an urban romance, or even a period romance. Steampunk romance? Romantic comedy? The point being, one may assume it is a romance. But wait, here is another snippet from the same novel:

 

She took up the razor and turned it on herself. Naomi cut away her fair share with a few determined slices, not to mention a whole lot of wincing and hissing. Using the corner of the razor, she peeled back the edge of her square, just a bit. She grasped this loose end of flesh and yanked, pulling along the guidelines she had worked into her own calf. The bloody square came away in one piece, then slipped from her trembling fingers with a wet slop to the floor. No bother. A little dirt wouldn’t make it any worse for wear. She planned on washing the whole quilt when she was done anyway.

Lightheaded and nauseated, Naomi picked up her needle and went back to work.

The voice guided her tired hands, assuring her that this was the right thing to do.

For the community.

 

Wait up now? How can the first part be sexy and this be … horror? Simple enough, it is a horror novel with romantic elements. Two of the characters rekindle an old passion and end up exploring those feelings as well as each other all across the pages. Feelings? Romantic sex? Love? Those aren’t elements of horror! What are you thinking, woman!

When folks envision horror, they often forget that romance can play an important element of the story. Yet, many characters in horror novels are driven by romantic intentions. Whether it’s a young man trying to rescue his lady love from the undead, or a wife seeking her husband’s soul in hell, romance can be a valid and powerfully driving plot point. Regardless of this, there is a notion somewhere in the horror community that romance has no place in horror. As if you stop feeling just because there is a nameless terror chasing you down, ready to tear your heart out and eat it. If anything, you feel harder at these times. It is common knowledge that battling stress brings folks closer together, and when folks get close, they can easily develop feelings for one another. Just replace the word ‘stress’ with words like ‘demons’ or ‘zombies’ or ‘Cthulhian nightmares’ and you see how this can work.

More importantly, a romantic subplot brings you, the reader, closer to the characters. Romance brings out the vulnerability of a person. You think it’s hard to escape from the undead? Try opening up to a living person, trusting them with your heart and soul, much less finding the bravery it takes to get naked with them! When a writer gives a hard bitten, zombie fighting, gun slinging guy a romantic interest in the midst of his badassery, it creates a whole new dimension to his makeup. He isn’t just a gun toting killing machine anymore; suddenly he possesses real depth and emotion. Romance humanizes characters. Real people fall in love, why wouldn’t characters who are trying to be real?

Of course there are those who say that as a female writer it is inevitable that I add romance to a story. Believe it or not, I have been told that many, many times before. Recently someone said about my work, “You are a woman, so no surprise there is romance in the book.” It is true many women use romance in horror as a plot point or a driving emotion for their characters. In fact, the list Popular Horror Romance Novels on Goodreads is dominated by women. Authors such as Anne Rice, Karina Halle, and Poppy Z Brite. But romance in horror isn’t exclusive to females. Many male authors work love into the pages of blood soaked terror. Consider Stephen King, the Mack Daddy of horror. He often includes romantic elements in his tales. ‘Salem’s Lot featured a pretty hot and heavy romance between Ben and Susan all while they are battling a master vampire and his thrall. Hell, Lisey’s Story is a love letter to a happy marriage.

My point with all of this is to encourage readers to seek out romantic horror, and encourage other writers to explore romantic subplots.  Real characters deserve real emotions. We don’t stop loving when our lives get difficult. Why would they?

 

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Image of Tonia Brown   Tonia Brown is a southern author with a penchant for Victorian dead things. She lives in the backwoods of North Carolina with her genius husband and an ever fluctuating number of cats. She likes fudgesicles and coffee, though not always together. When not writing she raises unicorns and fights crime with her husband under the code names Dr. Weird and his sexy sidekick Butternut.

Tonia Brown’s short stories can be found in such anthologies as Horror Library, Vol. 5 (2013 Cutting Block Press), D.O.A. Extreme Horror Anthology (2011 Blood Bound Books), Best New Zombie Tales (Vol.3) (2011 Books of the Dead Press), and Bigfoot Terror Tales Vol. 1: Scary Stories of Sasquatch Horror (2012 Coscom Entertainment), among others.  Her novels and novellas include Badass Zombie Road Trip (2012 Books of the Dead Press), Lucky Stiff: Memoirs of an Undead Lover (2010, 2013 CreateSpace), the Railroad! Collection, and the Triple Shot collection.

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Interested in learning more about Tonia? Visit Tonia Brown’s Amazon page, her blog,  www.thebackseatwriter.com, or make friends with her at: www.facebook.com/backseatwriter.