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From the Desk of Duncan Smith: Less Scary
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The articles in this issue discuss how many readers view the horror genre -- as something to be read once a year (around Halloween) or as something to fear. I just want to say that I'm in the "afraid of horror" camp. If you are like me, then you should read this issue of RA News from front to back!
Jessica Zellers, in "Horror Then and Now," points out doppelgangers for several horror classics proving that the themes of this genre have staying power. Seeing The Historian in her article reminded me that I should really go back and read the original Dracula.
Lesley James' "The Many Flavors of 'Scary'" is a wonderful short course not only in why people enjoy horror, but a quick tour of why many of us read at all.
Lauren Havens points out that today's horror novels are not the ones your mother read. And vampires and werewolves who are also romantic heroes is not the only change. Like the Mummy, horror is not staying locked up. It is appearing as a theme or element in more and more genres -- think Sookie Stackhouse for example.
Finally, John Charles gives some sage advice for any of us who are working with horror readers -- especially those readers like me who are definitely scaredy cats when it comes to this genre.
In his book An Aesthetics of Junk Fiction, Thomas J. Roberts divides genre readers up into several groups. He argues that some readers are exclusivists. These readers will only read one genre. At the opposite end of the spectrum are the allergics. These readers will not read a particular genre at all. What this issue of RA News has done for me is move me from being allergic to horror to at least being an occasional reader.
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In This Issue
Horror Then and Now Horror for Scaredy Cats Around the Web The Many Flavors of Scary NoveList Bookshelf Mirrored by Monsters
LibraryReads
LibraryReads compiles a list of the top ten books published each month that librarians across the country love.
Five Ways "Power Users" Search NoveList
The search box at the top of every page in NoveList is a versatile tool. Check out these five examples of how people who really know NoveList content (a.k.a "power users") use the search box to find exactly what they need.
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by Jessica Zellers
For some of us, it's always horror season. We celebrate Christmas as the time for ghost stories. We expect our beach reads to deliver a high body count. When we hear "Saint Valentine's Day," we silently add the word "massacre." For others, horror season is a short-lived window of opportunity right around Halloween. These poor souls...
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by John Charles
For some readers, the horror genre can be a truly terrifying place. If you aren't trying to stay one step ahead of brain-hungry zombies desperate for a little snack, you find yourself trying to elude blood-thirsty vampires who just want one little sip. With so many scary monsters lurking in the dark corners of your horror fiction, it is no wonder...
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Each month Jessica Zellers adds a few items to your web-surfing itinerary. Take a look at these lists, articles, reviews, and the best of new RA materials and advice.
Over the past few years I've been reading more nonfiction generally and more memoirs in particular. Should this fact ever arise during an annual review, I will be able to answer, truthfully, that I feel it's important to push myself out of my reading comfort zone; there's more to life than medieval fantasy novels. I'll just forget to mention that I've been consuming these memoirs in the form of audiobooks, meaning that my mind kept wandering...
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by Lesley James
"Do you have any scary stories?" This request is easier to handle when the person asking is a child. For starters, you can pick up one of Alvin Schwartz's books, which are literally titled Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. When the patron is a teen, however, you might have to stop and think: What scares teens these days? More importantly: What scares this particular teen standing in front of me.
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by Lauren Havens
Vampires, witches, and all other non-human creatures used to be considered the embodiment of evil -- or at least of something to be avoided. After all, reality doesn't describe good and evil in black and white terms, so why should fictional characters -- even monsters -- be so flat? Characters, both good and bad -- who are written in such a way as to show their struggles, failings, and accomplishments allow readers to see...
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