Two Questions With . . . Halloween Edition~ Anne Raven

I’m thrilled to start off this Halloween edition of Two Questions With . . . super special guest author, Anne Raven.  

Thank you, Pat, for hosting me on your blog today as we start our “Two questions with... Halloween Edition” blog tour series. I’m Anne Raven, and I write romance, anything from suspense to paranormal.

*sets broom and pointy hat down beside the table*

Now to kick off our bewitching questions...

Q: How do you define Horror?

A quick internet search will bring up definitions like, “painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay”, “aversion or repugnance”, and “an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting”.

I confess, I’ve never been a horror fan. Mostly because I define horror as something that’s often excessively filled with lots of gore—think the Sawmovies. I know it’s a huge industry, probably one of the biggest even, but I’ve never understood the willingness to read/watch something purposely designed to repulse you. I’m assuming it has something to do with an adrenaline rush, but sadly, it’s not my thing. Also, I have a highly active imagination, so I tend to be more fearful of what my own brain will conjure up post-horror movie. And I daren’t ever try to read a horror book because I’d likely never sleep again—thank you, imagination.

That said, I love dark and twisty things, and I have enjoyed a few horror movies over the years, but they’re generally more of a psychological horror which I’d probably class as more of a thriller… which leads to question number 2…

Q: Is there any difference between Horror and Thriller? If so, what is it?

I truly believe there is a major difference between Horror and Thriller. I dislike Horror, but I LOVE Thriller!

Again, a quick internet search provides definitions like, “a high degree of intrigue, adventure, or suspense”, “an exciting and frightening story”, and “surprise, anticipation and anxiety”.

So, while Horror is designed to repulse, Thrillers are meant to, well, thrill. They’re exciting and make you think. They take you on a suspenseful journey through twists and turns, and if done well, they’ll surprise you with something at the end. Sure, there are overlaps, but I think in general there can be a clear distinction between the two genres.

Anne Raven was born and raised along the windy coast of South Africa, and can assure everyone there are no lions roaming the streets—unless you count the feral cat next door. When not reading or writing, you’ll find her being bossed around by her adorable niece, taking freshly baked goods from the oven, or drinking too much coffee. Her romantic suspense IN THE NAME OF THE MOTHER was showcased in Pitch Wars 2017. Anne is represented by Amanda Jain at BookEnds Literary Agency.

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Look for more harrowing fun at: K Bird Lincoln's What I Should Have Said, R J Theodore's website, Ken Schrader's It's All In My Head, Anne Raven's Ramblings of a Writer, and Janet Walden-West's Blog--as well as mine, Pat Esden's Mythmaker Blog.