Part 1

“And it’s really the only horror fiction worth
reading.”
My editor did not like this last line because
he thought it would alienate readers of
Stephen King or Laurel Hamilton or others.
Perhaps it does, but within the style of my
book, this line was necessary, I believed.
The truth is, I spent a lot of time debating it
with myself.
My editor was right. It would alienate some
readers.
Did I want to lose readers in Chapter 12?
Did I want to cater to the crowd?
In the end, I believed — and still do — that
the book would have lost a lot of its personality
if I had eliminated this and other lines because
some people might not like them.
So, the editor isn’t always right.
Often, he or she is, though, so keep an open
mind.
I know that’s not easy with your baby, your
very own book.
It’s important, though, because you will not
be the only one reading it.
Consider this chapter just a little unasked-for
advice.
It may help you get things straight with your
Shawn M. Tomlinson • Page 22