That Creepy Feeling -- Tips for Writing Spooky Stories

Today at Middle Grade Minded, I'm going to reprise a post I originally wrote all the way back in October 2015 (original post). After all, it's almost my favorite time of year, when skeletons fill the shelves at Target and the moon glows orange amidst ghostly white clouds. That's right, it's basically Halloween, and that means it's time to get spooky!

First, let me say that this is what my average family gathering looks like around the holidays. The poisonous mushrooms steaming up grandma’s crystal platter. The live goldfish flitting about wide-eyed in their bowl, wondering if they’ll be swallowed whole or if cousin Octavia will get a hold of them first. Cousin Octavia likes to play with her food. Then there’s the questionable Jell-o, the stuffed gecko and Aunt Muriel’s bottle of Chanel No 5. Always handy when the still-beating heart hidden under the floorboards starts to smell.

Okay, my real family gatherings aren’t quite so grim, but they would make a good setting for a tummy-turning tale. So what are the secret ingredients to a juicy, brain-curdling yarn?

1. Go with your gut.

Literally. Does a bowl full of dripping eyeballs and nondescript ear bits send that morning’s Greek yogurt streaming up the back of your throat? Does the idea of finding a curly hair lurking at the bottom of your cereal bowl make you want to throw down the Corn Flakes and run? Good, then write that. If your goal is to gross people out, you have to write outside your comfort zone. The farther out the better. If you’re not squirming in your seat, readers won’t be either.

2. Choose the right details.

When you’re writing creepy, you can’t always rely on horrifying, spine-tingling adjectives to freak out your readers. Sometimes, a well-chosen detail, especially one readers aren’t expecting, causes more chills. Take this line from Neil Gaiman’s Click-clack the Rattlebag:

“Well,” he said, sagely, soberly, a small voice from the darkness beside me, “once you’re just bones and skin, they hang you up on a hook, and you rattle in the wind.”

Seriously, that hook is killing me with awesome. And the sound of his skin bag rattling in the wind. Yes and yes! Now what about this gem from Stephen King’s The Stand:

“There were worse things than crucifixion. There were teeth.”

Teeth! Holy smokes, wasn’t expecting that. It’s the perfect detail to set my pearly whites on edge. Finally, consider this line from Larisssa Theule's demented little gem, Fat and Bones.

“In less time than it had taken for Bones to hang up his hat, Mrs. Bald had dissolved into a mass of skin, fingernails, and hair, lying helpless on the floor. Only her eyeballs remained their original shape.”

It’s those fingernails that get me. And the eyeballs, of course. It always comes back to the eyeballs.

3. Involve multiple senses.

We’ve already heard how creepy a skin bag can be when it rattles in the wind. Now imagine what a bag of skin and bones would feel like if you touched it. Dry and peeling? Sticky? Damp? What about the puddle on the floor that used to be Mrs. Bald? That would definitely be sticky, but how would it smell? It’s always important to involve multiple senses for truly titillating descriptions, but that’s especially true when you want to give readers the creeps.

So, the next time you sit down at your dusty keyboard in that forgotten cabin in the woods, don’t forget to employ these three tips to give your sentences that extra shiver.

Review: Guardians of the Gryphon's Claw

I'm excited to share details about a new book, GUARDIANS OF THE GRYPHON'S CLAW that was released on August 29th.

The Description:

A new action adventure series set in our famous national parks! Enter the world of the Department of Mythical Wildlife, where our protagonist, Sam London, is tasked with protecting legendary animals that secretly live amongst our treasured wildlife.

Haunted by a dream of a mythical gryphon, Sam London uncovers an ancient secret that will change the way he sees the world forever. Recruited by Dr. Vance Vantana, an eccentric zoologist and park ranger sent by the government, Sam is whisked away on an adventure that takes him to the farthest reaches of the globe. Along this journey, Sam learns an incredible truth: mythical creatures are real and living among us in our national parks. A special department in the U.S. government ensures that their existence remains hidden. 
But Sam's dream is an omen that the secret may now be in danger. Someone seeks the power to expose these creatures and overthrow humankind--and that power can only be found in a magical talisman known as the gryphon's claw.

My Take on the Book:

A rollicking adventure with twists and turns and great heart. It's rare that the adults are so finely developed in middle grade novels, but Todd Calli Gallicano does an excellent job of making us care for Vance Vantana. 

Sam's character is utterly lovable. We feel his confusion, his fear, and his overwhelming sense of duty towards the Gryphon, .

Any book with a Yeti is a book for me, especially one who likes to cook.  

Kids are going to love this book and be clamouring for a sequel!

Want to know more? Visit Todd's fun website!

https://www.mythicalwildlife.com

Things that leap from the shadows

My husband and I have made a few trips “down island” lately, most recently yesterday afternoon. Driving back up island just after sunset, we settled in for a couple hours of extreme vigilance. See, there are a lot of deer on the island, and that early-evening, waning-light time of day seems to draw them to the roadsides, where they graze on the dry grass and leap out at random to cross the highway.

We may not have quite this many... ;)

My hubby hit a deer a couple years ago, on this same drive (the deer lived, but the car had over $2000 damage and was in the shop for a week), and he and I have both had close calls at other times. So, we’re cautious, doing whatever we can to prevent an incident that, at best, would result in minor damage to the deer and our car, and at worst, would be…well, much worse. We reduce our speed, avoid that hard-to-see time of day when possible, use the high-beam lights, and constantly scan for deer.

This morning I’m thinking about vigilance—not for dangers of the wildlife-encounter sort, but for dangers that can leap from the shadows along our publishing journeys and completely derail our writing. But what dangers are there, and how can we guard against them?

1. Comparison. Comparison is a joy-killer, a confidence-killer, a creativity-killer, an all-round nasty villain. We have got to remember that we are on our own journey, that someone else's path is not our path. When we're tempted to compare timelines, numbers of rejections, size of advance, sales numbers, or any other "measure", just...don't. And on those days when that stuff keeps landing in front of our face, let's turn comparison on its head, and instead of feeling bitter or jealous or defeated, let's choose the “rising tide lifts all boats” mindset. Another person’s success does not take the place of our own…it may even pave the path and open the door. Those celebrity deals and blockbuster sales? They allow the publisher to afford to offer deals to debut authors, to take a financial risk on unknown writers. And those I’m-happy-for-her-but-she’s-got-what-I-want situations when another writer finds success? Let them motivate us to improve our craft or finish our work, and let them remind us that it is possible, that good things do happen to struggling writers. And then cheer and be thankful to witness their success, letting it buoy us up along the way.
   
2. Ill-conceived goals. It's always discouraging when we fail to achieve a goal, but when our goals are "ill conceived" in the first place, we're really putting ourselves in harm's way, setting ourselves up for a major crash. Ill-conceived goals are ones that are based on things largely out of our control. We cling to them, but we may be confusing goals with dreams. We can dream of a six-figure deal, or signing with a great agent, or winning an award, but beyond writing the very best book we can and sending it out into the world, this stuff of dreams is mostly out of our hands; but the writing, the revising, the seeking feedback and improving our craft, the sending it out, and sending it out again…that’s in our control. So let's base our goals on those things: finish a draft by x date, write x number of words per day or week, research and query half-a-dozen agents on our next day off from the day-job, brainstorm ten new story ideas, participate in NaNoWriMo this year, finish and polish our WIP in time for the next Pitch Wars, save enough money to attend a nearby conference. These goals may not sound as fabulous as the dreams, but we can only hope to someday reach those dreams if we put in the hard work to achieve those building-block goals.
   
3. Negative self-talk. We often tell ourselves things we would never dream of telling a friend or critique partner: your writing will never be good enough; you’ll never get a book deal; you may as well give up now. And even after we’re published, imposter syndrome has us continuing to send such messages: you’re a fraud; your success is a fluke; you’ll never be able to write another book. Those messages can sap our creative energy in no time. I’m not suggesting we should be cocky writer-brats, but we do need to believe in ourselves and in the value of our work. If our story matters to us, it will matter to someone else. Somebody out there needs the stories only we can tell. So tell them. Tell them the very best way we know how, in the way that is uniquely ours, and send them out into the world. The world needs what we have to offer.
   
4. Looking backward. All writers—even those “overnight bestsellers”—have been rejected, disappointed, discouraged. We’re allowed to feel those things. They’re hard, and they hurt. But when we dwell on them, wallowing for far too long, we’re robbing ourselves of joy and stomping on our creative spirit. Who can write when we feel that lousy? I say, limit that shit. Allow ourselves to feel the sting for an hour, or a day if we must, but then move on. Learn what we can from the experience, then leave it behind.  Onward!
   

There are other dangers--distraction, procrastination, being closed to learning, and other things that can derail our writing--but this post is long enough already! I'd love to hear your perspective and any tips you have to share. Tell me, in your experience, what is most likely to derail your writing? What helps you avoid that danger?

Review: Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls by Beth McMullen

When Abigail's mother tells her she's sending her to boarding school, Abby thinks she's being punished. When she finds out the school uniforms have little blue whales on the skirt, her life is over. But what Abby didn't expect was to learn her school is really a front for a secret spy ring that trains young girls. And, as one of the center's top spies, her mother is in on the whole thing. But when Abby's mom goes missing, the headmaster wants to use Abby as bait to find her mom. With little spy training, Abby faces one villain after the next, all in an effort to get her mom back. And something that seemed crazy at first, quickly becomes a game of life and death for Abby and her mom.

The voice of Abby is the first thing that grabbed me and reeled me into this story. Abby is such a fun character to follow around. But beyond the voice of the story is an adventure full of action and surprises that keeps the reader guessing at every turn. In addition, Abby has fantastic cast of supporting characters. There's everyone from her school friends who she has to lie to about becoming a spy, to the stern headmaster, to the nerdy boy Toby, who is a tech wizard and unlikely ally to Abby.

The story overall is great journey in learning who Abby can trust and how to power through new experiences in unconventional ways. Abby is such a strong character. She leaps off the page and into your heart. You can't help but want to be friends with her.

All in all, this story was so fun and engaging. I enjoyed it so much I couldn't put the book down, but I also didn't want it to end. This book was so amazing, I hope to see more stories with these characters in the future. I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy action-packed, fast moving stories with butt kicking heroines and a small side of sass.

ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Guest Blog: Christina Soontornvat on Oral Storytelling

Telling Tales: Strengthen Your Novel Using Oral Storytelling

by Christina Soontornvat

I can’t write a book until I tell it out loud to someone else first.

As with many of my odd habits, my kids are to blame. I have two daughters who have always hated being in the car. I quickly discovered that the best way to keep the whining to a minimum on our commute to school was to tell them a story.

When they were little, I told classic fairytales like The Three Little Pigs or Rumpelstiltskin. But as they got older they wanted something longer and more interesting. And so one day, when I had run through every fairytale and folktale I could think of, I started telling them a story of my own.

That story was the seed for my first novel, THE CHANGELINGS. At the time, I had only written the

first draft. As first drafts go, it was a complete mess. There were too many characters, it was too long, and the plot was all wonky.

When I told the story out loud to my daughters, I found myself fixing those problems in real time. I was killing off characters, adding tension, cutting unnecessary backstory, and I was doing it all on the fly. It was magical. I still had a ton of rewriting to do (like, years’ worth!), but much of what eventually got published was ironed out during those car rides to school.

Since that experience, oral storytelling has become my go-to tool for drafting and doing early revisions on my novels.

Here are some of the benefits I’ve found to using storytelling as part of my writing process:

• The stakes are low. The story exists between me and my listener, and nowhere else. That means that if it completely stinks, it doesn’t matter. I don’t have to move 1,000 words to the trash folder on my laptop (gut-wrenching!). Just forget about it and move on.

• Those low stakes give me the freedom to be more creative. Holding back, self-editing, second-guessing: all of these things kill my creative spirit during the drafting process. But when I’m talking out loud, I don’t have time to edit myself. Words and ideas flow. I have had my wildest, most interesting ideas while I’m telling a story because I’m in a purely creative zone, and not fussed about writing the perfect sentence.

• I get instant feedback of what works and what doesn’t. If my daughters start singing and looking out the window while I’m talking, I know that part is pretty boring. Similarly, if they’re wide-eyed and asking questions, or cringing, or screaming out, “Oh no!”, I know that we’ve gotten to an exciting part.

• I’ve learned so much about pacing, plot structure, “cliff-hangers”, and plot twists by having to utilize them in real time. These elements are a story’s rhythm and heartbeat and it’s easier for me to explore and understand them when I’m speaking than when I’m staring at a jumble of words on a screen.

But what if you don’t have two kids and a long commute? Or what if you’re not ready to tell your own story out loud?

• If you’re not ready to tell your own story, tell someone else’s. You can learn so much by narrating a favorite middle grade book (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory makes for a killer retelling) or a favorite movie. My daughters are too young to see Wonder Woman, but man did they love hearing about it. And that film has a seamless 3-act structure that I didn’t recognize until I told it out loud in the car!   

• If you don’t have young (or old) listeners in your life, try recording yourself telling your story (this is different from reading what you’ve written out loud!). Even if you are the only person in your audience, you can still get many of the benefits of switching off your inner editor, learning the rhythm of your story’s structure, etc.

• All writers have heard that we’re supposed to read widely in the genre we write in. But I have also found so much inspiration from experiencing other forms of storytelling as a member of the audience. Music, film, theater, dance – experiencing any of these will strengthen your storytelling muscles.

The thing I love most about storytelling, though, is more primal and less practical than what I’ve mentioned so far. There was a time when human beings learned everything about their history, beliefs, and culture, from stories passed down person to person. Storytelling is a craft and a hallowed art form still practiced in much of the world. As novelists, we’re part of this remarkable tradition, but most of the time we don’t get to share in the experience with our readers. Our writing and their reading of it are usually separate things. And so I love the human connection that happens when I tell a story out loud. And if it makes a long car ride more bearable, that is even better.

About Christina:

Christina Soontornvat is a middle grade and picture book author who lives in Austin, Texas. Publisher’s weekly called her middle grade fantasy, THE CHANGELINGS, “both magical and terrifying”. The sequel, IN A DARK LAND, releases in October 2017 from Sourcebooks. Learn more about Christina at www.soontornvat.com and follow her online at @soontornvat.

Book Review: BEYOND THE DOORS

There’s a long tradition of middle grade stories in which characters find themselves needing to work together to solve their problems without the help of adults. Some of these stories are grounded in reality, and some are defined by exaggerated silliness. Many open up readers to unexplored realms of fantasy.

BEYOND THE DOORS by David Neilsen aims to be a part of that last category. A new middle grade fantasy coming in at just over 350 pages, it's a book for voracious readers looking for a story they can spend time inhabiting.

The main characters are four siblings — Janice, Zach, Sydney, and Alexa. It’s hard to call any one of them a main character since the author changes perspective from child to child. As the story shifts between them, the written voice is personalized just enough to reflect the perspective of each in turn. Just like real siblings, the four kids constantly rotate between being great friends and completely angry with each other.

When disaster strikes the family, the kids find themselves moving in with their eccentric aunt Gladys, to live in her even more eccentric house. The only way in is through a drawbridge-type entrance. The only food is boxes upon boxes of her favorite cereal. The only doors found anywhere are found in piles, with none mounted to keep the rooms separated. Not long after moving in, the kids discover their aunt has some unusual habits and activities, and even apparel, as she seems to disappear for lengths of time and is seen walking around in what looks like a beekeeper’s outfit with heavy gloves. Once they discover their aunt’s secret room, the one place where a door is actually intact, they get caught up in adventure (some more willingly than others) that not only threatens the state of their family but puts the personalities of themselves and the ones they love in serious jeopardy.

With its quirky comedic voice, relatable characters, and layers of fantasy elements, BEYOND THE DOORS is the kind of book the will appeal to readers who enjoy stories that activate the imagination.

6 Strategies to Encourage Reading (bonus: 2 MG booklists!)

Summer is almost gone (summer break, anyways). In some places, it already is. My kids started up school this past Wednesday. And with the excitement (dread?) of a new school year, new schedules, and the gearing up of sports and music practice—not to mention homework—recreational reading can easily take a backseat.

So here’s a list of some great MG reads to tempt even the most reluctant readers, along with strategies for fitting reading into the busy lifestyle of the modern middle grade reader.

Classic MG Faves 

These timeless tales invite readers into amazing new worlds, whether through fantasy, harsh wilderness, futuristic society, or the depths of Metropolitan Museum of Art. Each weaves deep meaning into an entertaining narrative, leaving readers grappling with questions and inspired to triumph in their own lives.

•    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

•    The Chronicles of Narnia

•    Bridge to Terebithia

•    Island of the Blue Dolphins

•    Jonathon Livingston Seagull

•    Hatchet

•    The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

•    The Giver

•    Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

•    The Borrowers

Modern MG Faves

These modern favorites entice readers with wizardry, magic, action, and adventure, yet at the same time, provide a surprising amount of intellectual stimulation and fascinating facts.

•    Harry Potter series (of course)

•    Percy Jackson series (and spinoffs - The Heroes of Olympus, The Kane Chronicles)

•    Diary of a Wimpy Kid series

•    Big Nate series

•    Septimus Heap series

•    Fablehaven series

•    The Sisters Grimm

•    A Series of Unfortunate Events

•    Wonder

•    I Survived series 

Strategies to Encourage Reading

To wheedle, bribe or beg? Whatever the approach, we all know reading is important. Some kids take to it like fish to water, but others require a little convincing.

•    Let them see you read. This may sound simple, and it is, but kids are great imitators. When they see the enjoyment their parents and older siblings find in books, that can intrigue them and help them view reading as a fun, interesting activity. At the very least, their curiosity will be piqued. Our family unofficially adopted a young boy a couple years ago. He detested reading. As the months have gone by, he has grown interested in books and often asks me about what I’m reading. He has blazed through the I Survived series, and though he is still somewhat reluctant, he is much more open to the idea of reading than before.

•    Read to them. This one is a no-brainer for young children, but I’ve found that reading to my family (even teens!) is a great way to promote family unity as well as to spark their interest in fiction. A great MG book that spans all ages is Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes. Take turns reading it or just let them sit back and listen. Either way, you’re nurturing a love of reading, feeding your family’s creativity, while carving out precious family time in your busy schedule.

•    Visit the Library. There’s nothing more empowering for kids than choosing their own reading material and checking it out with their own library card. What’s more, libraries often have special reading challenges and programs to entice people into the world of reading.

•    Provide lots of options. I’m a big fantasy fan. Much to my shock, some of my family are not. Some of them are not even fans of fiction. My nephew, even at a young age, preferred reading nonfiction. One of my adoptive sons would only read about football. Several of my kids light up over factual information about dinosaurs, space, or sea creatures. One of my sons inhales comics. Whatever their preferences, they’re reading and learning. Once they find a series or genre they enjoy, it’s a lot easier to keep them going.

•    Treat Reading as a Family Requirement. Some things are required in our family. Learning to read, learning to swim, learning to ride a bike. Of course, there’s more. And every family will insist on slightly different skills and habits. But recreational reading can be one of these. Insist on a little reading before any screen time or friend time. Or set aside dedicated reading time in your schedule.

•    Beg, wheedle, and bribe. Yep, we’re back to that. Create fun incentives to encourage reading. This can be special time set aside with Mom or Dad. Enlist friends or extended family, too, if that helps. It could be ice cream, a sleepover, a new book, or a new app. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Remember, sometimes the best reward of all can be sharing a new interest along with your encouragement and approval.

What are some of your favorite MG reads? How do you encourage reading in your home or classroom?