Going back to your core.

I've stated in the past that a writer should step outside their comfort zones in what they read and in what they write. It is how we grow and mature in our craft. But, when times are tough, we need to find our center.

Last week, I wrote about setting the mood for work. Often, when we're tired or unhappy, we go back to our core. To those things that have always held our interest.

I've always been a fan of horror movies and novels. I was fascinated by Clive Barker's Books of Blood, by "The Exorcist", "The Fury", "Halloween", and I never missed a film that featured one of the top five monsters: Werewolf, Vampire, Mummy, Frankenstein, Zombie.

I love ghosts. Stephen King, Bag Of Bones helped me deal with my brother's death from cancer. I love witches. Anne Rice, The Mayfair Witches, was an incredible work of fiction; and I've had the pleasure of spending time with the Wiccan author/practitioner Silver RavenWolf.

Life can be tough, but, whatever my mood, I always find my way back to my core.

I imagine that's why I loved the Showtime series Penny Dreadful, which hosted an elite group of "monsters". I imagine that's why I subscribe to Horror Block. I imagine that's why I'm writing "My Dead".

The story behind "My Dead" is unique. I've set the story in Brettinger, Tennessee, the fictional town I created for "Shadowman", and have used as the setting for "The Hospitality Girl" and "The Box Collector".

I'm including a click here at the end of this post with another excerpt from "My Dead".

Everyone has a core, whether romance, literary fiction, biographies, or histories. Work your craft to the best of your ability. Let your prose sing and your poetry flow. Be the best you can be, and, no matter what else, keep writing.