When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies With Killer Animals

The definitive horror movie guide for fans of killer animals and “nature strikes back” movies.

When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals provides a fascinating and entertaining insight into the cinematographic world of animals on the rampage. From well-known predators such as sharks and lions to unusual killing machines like turkeys, elephants, frogs, cats, and rabbits, there is no shortage of the species on display in this book.

Leading horror writers and filmmakers present their favorite “animals attack” films through in-depth essays. Some of the films are touching, some are repulsive, and some are just plain silly. Not all of these horror movies line up with the critical consensus, yet they have one thing in common: they have made the heart of the writer beat faster with excitement.

Seventy leading horror authors, bloggers, and filmmakers have contributed to the book. To name a few: Paul Kane, Alex J. Cavanaugh, Christine Rains, Jonas Govaerts, Aaron Christensen, Warren Fahy, Matthew House, Stuart R. West, Kate Larkindale, Doug Lamoreux, Michael McCarty, Mark McLaughlin, Beverly Gray, Chris Hewson, and many others.

 Buy the book now at:

Amazon US * Amazon UK * Amazon FR

Add the book to read on Goodreads.

I'm so excited to be a part of this amazing collection. I don't often write nonfiction, but this was right up my alley. I love horror movies, especially with creatures. I wrote about Snakes on a Plane, and just thinking about the movie makes me grin.

A huge thank you to Vanessa Morgan for putting this together. I'm honored to be part of it. Click on over to her blog. She's having a celebration giveaway!

Wicked Wednesday - giving your readers the creepy-crawlies

Giving your readers the chills is a tough thing to do. There's only one Stephen King. As for the rest of us, we have to use all the tricks at our disposal.

- When I think creepy atmosphere, I think setting. Graveyards, haunted houses, empty streets. Just placing your characters in an ill-lit room will help immensely. Yet it doesn't have to be a horror stereotype. If you're good, you can make any setting spooky. The reader is going to expect something out of the ordinary even if you place the scene in the ladies' restroom or a wig shop.

- It's in the details. Don't over do it with lavish descriptions of dusty cobwebs, the wind blowing the drapes, and something lurking in the shadows. Drop a chilly detail here and there. Something that might be normal but isn't quite. Something that will make the reader wonder. A writer's best tool in creating a spooky scene is the reader's imagination. The reader will always imagine something horrible and help to give themselves goosebumps.

- Part of the creepiness of a story is in creating suspense and tension. You want the reader on the edge of their seat. An effective way of doing this is through the characters' reactions. Don't let your text be filled with too much thinking. Describe what they're seeing, hearing, smelling. Use all the senses. Write their physical reactions. Spooky stories are about showing rather than telling.

- Even with paranormal tales where things are out of the ordinary, try to keep things as realistic as possible. What scares people the most is if they start thinking something like that is possible. Hit on the things that frighten people the most and use them to help build up the tension.

What tricks do you use for creating a spooky atmosphere in your stories?

(Note: I've been a little busy lately. So these tips are reposted from a post I did in 2011. I've been doing Wicked Wednesdays that long? Wow.)

Click on over to the spooky Untethered Realms and find yourself an enchanted drink. We have the recipes! Even one from Jezebel.

Friday Five for October 9, 2015

1. If you missed it, I was featured earlier this week at Yolanda Renee's blog with some Halloween fun. Find out what creepy super power I'd want and why Halloween is my favorite holiday. Also, check out Yolanda's blog all this month for scary interviews with other authors. We all were given the same start for a story. Read all the different ways we finished it!

2. My mom's been visiting this week. We've had lots of fun. It's going to take at least a week for me to catch up on my online stuff!

3. I ate way too much.

4. I had a breakthrough for settings in a new story. Yes!

5. Maybe some pumpkin patch fun this weekend. And a nap. I really just need a nap.

Have a great weekend!

#IWSG for October 2015

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

The awesome co-hosts for this month will be TB Markinson, Tamara Narayan, Shannon Lawrence, Stephanie Faris, and Eva E. Solar!

It's that month of things that make us squirm, give us chills, and frighten us to death. For writers, that's every month when it comes to our insecurities.

 

Just remember...

You are not alone. Don't pull a horror movie faux pas and go off by yourself. We can survive if we stick together.

Creepy Freebies

It's that time of year again.

Time for some spooky treats!

Creepy Freebies is the brilliant idea of Milo James Fowler.

Because what's better than candy or having your brain eaten by zombies?

FREE BOOKS!

Milo will be giving away a couple of his creepy story collections.

But this isn't a one house treat fest.

All these awesome authors are giving away free reads!

Cory Cone

James Garcia, Jr.

Anne E. Johnson

Simon Kewin
Michelle Ann King

Mary Rajotte

Kay Theodoratus
Erin Cole
Rhonda Parrish

 In celebration of my favorite time of year, and the one year anniversary of The 13th Floor Complete Collection, I'll be giving away a bunch of  treats!

One lucky US winner (sorry, shipping costs are huge!) will win a signed print copy of the collection. It's the last one I have on my shelf to give away!

Three international winners will receive a digital copy of the book.

Don't forget that I also have three novellas that are perma-free:

The Marquis

Fearless

L'il Gal Al and the Zombies of Amarillo

Be sure to visit all the authors and collect your treats!

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