Most times, new characters are born rather beautifully. They come with rich back-stories and have a deep family history. They speak to me for hours about who they are, where they live, what they do for a living, etc. Other times, they burst forth kicking and screaming.
They’re wearing straight-jackets and slamming themselves madly against my psyche. They’re roughly cut from raw emotion, they know very little about who they are, where they came from, or who their families are. The only thing they know is their desire to have the same chance at life as the aforementioned.
While I do so enjoy the company of my more ‘fleshed’ out characters, mainly because they are familiar to me, like family or good friends, I find myself oddly drawn to these new beings. They want the same things that we all have, that which has come so easily to their cousins; a life of their own. They are like children, in a way. They don’t know what’s behind them, nor do they have a clue what’s ahead of them. They must learn, through my guidance, of course, what they like or do not like.
Sometimes I can control the process. Sometimes, I can even help form them into something appropriate enough to tell a story about. This isn’t always the case, however, and any writer can tell you that it isn’t always going to be a good thing.
You’re not always going to have a ‘good’ character. Every so often, as I am helping this character come to life, we discover that he or she isn’t so savory a person. Maybe said character is a villain? Or maybe, something much, much, worse. I don’t always like telling the story of these characters, but again, as a writer I don’t always have a choice. They desire a chance at life. They demand that their story be heard. And as a storyteller, I am compelled to share.
Perhaps what awaits in the end is poetic? Or, perhaps not. It isn’t for me to decide. You see, much like the character types I have described, so too do the stories exist as well. Some lay in wait, ready to pounce my thoughts without a moment’s notice. Other times, they are a rough gem that needs worked into something you may or may not appreciate.
Just as is the case of the character, some stories may be beautiful designs that inspire you to continue turning the page. Others might be an atrocious train-wreck that forces you to turn the pages until you reach the end. This isn’t to say that they aren’t very good.
It’s a tricky subject; horror.
What one person may consider good, might be another’s kryptonite. I may have written the most descriptive decapitation in such a way that you have never seen before, but what may make one jump out of his/her seat in excitement, might have another turning their head in disgust.
Such is life.
By now, I hope that my readers have come to expect a certain style to my writing. You’ve survived the first two tales of John Rizzerio and are eagerly waiting the finale, or you have been keeping up with my webseries and are looking for the next post to appear. You know that I don’t always pull the punches.
Some of my characters may seem like somebody you could run into on the street. Others, a friendly neighbor or work acquaintance. Then there are those, like the protagonists of ‘She Has A Pretty Face Though’, and ‘The Box’, who each have their own issues to resolve. In the end, was their story worth it? Was it poetic, or did you enjoy following their journey?
Of course, you’ll have your own opinions that I would LOVE to hear! But, in the end, I will still continue to tell the stories as they demand to be told, in their own entireties. While I depend upon you, my faithful readers, to help guide me down the path of your interests, I hope that you continue to stick with me as I share with you my creations. They are a labor of love, a part of myself in much the same way that my children are, and it gives me great pleasure to be able to introduce you to them.
They are family, after all.
Beneath The Headstone 