Horror
It's interesting that Horror and Romance both share the same pre-eminent appeal - an emotional appeal --although quite different emotions. Text outlines emotional reactions as Terror, Horror, Gross-out--state of physical revulsion! Seeks to inspire fear, to frighten the reader! Don't give me a horror novel at midnight!
Author says not necessary but many people identify Horror with monsters, supernatural, vampires, hauntings, demonic possession - so is this characterization or frame?
Text says Stories typically begin with an eruption of chaotic forces into a previously ordered existence and conclude with restoration, however tentative - of that order. Seems like something similar to SF but not exactly to me.
The fact that the author sees the demographic for most readers as males from 12-30 doesn't surprise me but his discussion of why was fascinating and new to me: Horror seen as deviant and teens sometimes feel seen as deviant any way and that issues of adolescence resonate with storylines in Horror. He mentioned Carrie for example.
The number of sub-genres was interesting and I'll have to consult the text for these when I'm doing Horror RA. We have other Horror RA titles: Hooked on Horror and Read On . . . Horror Fiction. I found Hookend on Horror helpful in placing my Stephen King novel (Girl . . . Tom Gordon) in the psychological horror sub-genre.
Now I have to decide if I want to read horror at other than Halloween times. I think I'd like more of Stephen King and/or psychological horror -- I can see how psychological horror appeals to a mystery reader like me.
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