2 Book Lovers Reviews
Every person behind their shining smiles, bright, happy eyes, and playful personality hides a demon. Something deep and dark, only found in the depths of their soul, which paces around like a caged animal just begging to be released. In most people, they continue on with their lives and they bury the key to this dark cage.
They never release that demon.
However, in my case, and most writers for that matter, we spend our entire lives hunting for the key. Something niggles at our mind. Tells us there’s something worth discovering. It promises darkness and bitterness and anger. But it also promises freedom—a way to release the emotions that hide within the depths of our souls.
I knew I’d always loved tales from the dark side. My love started when I became obsessed with books by R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike in the sixth grade. I’d scoured every shelf in the library and checked out every book they had to offer in the genre. As I grew older and my tastes developed, I craved more. It was to my delight that authors like Stephen King and Dean Koontz existed. And I devoured every book they’d written. I’d found my happy place.
Then, a romance reader’s phenomenon happened. Christian Gray, with his scarred chest and twisted mind, stole the naughty hearts of women worldwide and I became curious about romance. It didn’t take long to become obsessed with the genre and when it came time to write, it was what I felt most comfortable with.
Writing romance was fun. I started my journey writing the sappy, sexy love stories that made people happy. My stories provided readers with the happily ever after they desperately craved. And I indulged them. For almost two years I did this. I tested my capacities and practiced my art. The ideas flew from my mind and I recorded them as quickly as possible. With each story, I grew braver and more confident in my story telling abilities.
But then one day, I woke up. There was a dirty key in my hand and I was curious to know what hid behind the dark door of my mind that kept rattling from time to time. Did I, the sweet, likable blonde that bent over backwards for anyone and everyone, have a dark side? Was there something dark and sinister begging to be released?
So when the proverbial key sat in my sweaty palm and the door rattled with an intensity I’d never experience, I became curious. I opened that door and was shocked at what had been hiding all along. Despite the disturbing content that lived there, I wanted to nurture and grow it. I wanted to feed the darkness and analyze its limits.
Blue Hill Blood came to me very easily once I opened that door. I made a vow to myself at that point. I was no longer writing to make people happy. I wasn’t writing so I could provide them with a happy ending. Instead, I wanted to let my characters do the writing. I’d handed over the leashes to which I’d easily had kept them from crossing any lines of taboo and let them run wild.
And they did.
My characters grew into their own entities in Blue Hill Blood. They did awful, terrible things. Each one of them was flawed and human. They were ugly and bad.
And I freaking adored them.
It was a more difficult pill for my beta readers to swallow for they’d just been on the happily ever after romance road paved with hearts and flowers with me. When I changed gears, wrote without fear or rules, and changed the game completely, I scared them. They questioned my sanity and even suggested I hold my crazy in a little bit.
But, I laughed and assured them everything was going to be just fine.
People will love the darkness, I had explained. They’ll understand it and in some sick way enjoy it, I told them. And now, despite the shock, my beta readers appreciate and love my dark side. Some even encourage the demon within by calling me Satan.
I knew writing from the dark parts of my soul, there would be no containing what lived in my mind. So, I decided to take on a pen name. That way, if I stepped a little too outside the box, I wouldn’t upset my current readership. And so far, I’m thankful for the divide. I can play happily in the land of the twisted as Elizabeth Gray but then turn around and gush over a new romance with my next breath as K Webster. The double life of this writer is one where I can indulge in all of my creative fantasies and deliver the best to each genre.
So, next time you’re sitting in the carpool line to pick up your school age kids, listening to your two-year old watching Daniel Tiger on the iPad in the backseat, and scrolling through your kindle for your next enticing read, I might be behind you.
I’m the crazy one. The scary one. The
one with a twisted, dark mind that writes of
murder and mayhem. I’ll be the one dressed all
in black and sharpening my bloody claws.
Or will I?
In actuality, I’ll be the bubbly blonde in
the four-door sedan behind you, jamming out to
Justin Timberlake and holding the hand of her
good-looking, supportive husband in the seat next to her as she waits for her adorable kids to climb into the car so they go down to Walmart and pick up the newest Disney release on DVD.
I won’t look crazy at all.
In fact, I’ll look just like you.
Are you curious about your key?
Elizabeth Gray - October 7th, 2015
October Month of Horror - Guest Post
About Elizabeth Gray
Elizabeth Gray is the author of the psychological thriller Blue Hill Blood. When not spending time with her husband of twelve years and two adorable children, she's active on social media connecting with her readers.
Her other passions besides writing include reading and graphic design. Elizabeth can always be found in front of her computer chasing her next idea and taking action. She looks forward to the day when she will see one of her titles on the big screen.
Elizabeth Gray also writes under the pen name K Webster where she is the author of dozens of romance books in many different genres including contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, and erotic romance.
Connect with Elizabeth Gray
2 Book Lovers Reviews
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2 Book Lovers Reviews