When I began discussing fear on the blog recently, I stated that I don’t scare easily. I do startle easily—this quiet lifestyle lends itself to startling hard at the slightest movement or sound. For this reason, while I enjoy horror films, I’m not very tolerant of ones that rely heavily (or solely) on “jump scenes” that startle the viewer with noises or sights that usually turn out to be innocuous.
I relate more to the kind of fear I feel when I realize that a situation or event is somehow not right. This is what appeals to me as a writer and reader. It’s the sort of fear I felt in this true experience I related last Halloween, and the time we heard screams coming from the beach. And, the night I heard The Noise in the forest . . . . Continue reading