Women in Horror Month: Christine Sutton takes over

So, my guest for the day is not just an author whose work I admire, she's also one of my dearest friends. She is a fellow proponent for gender equality within the horror genre and an extremely prolific author as well. Without further ado, I give you the ever-awesome Christine Sutton...

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“But, you can’t do that!”

This is something I have heard quite often in relation to authors. In relation to me as an author as a matter of fact. In relation to me as a female author. In relation to me as a female horror author, specifically. Women are better at writing romance! I may write a romance one day if the mood strikes me!

Le Gasp!

Okay, I probably won’t ever write a romance in all honesty, but if I want to, there should be no problems. If I want to write a balls out, gore filled cannibal story that would make Jeffrey Dahmer lose his lunch, there should be no problem with that, either.

There are still some naysayers that will tell you that women are no good at writing horror.

I call bullshit! So does Snape.

 

Women are great at writing horror. They are amazing at gore, paranormal, thrillers, horror comedy, and anything else they choose to write. Just like men.

I am pleased to see that there is a sharp decline in those naysayers mentioned above. The misogyny is finally dying. It seems that many readers are seeing that women are just as sharp with a pen as their male counterparts. I have one thing to say about that…

Speak it, Leo!

With the commercial success of so many female authors in all genres, people are seeing that no genre is an island, horror included.

Publishers seem to be aware that female authors can be huge money makers, and that is where it all begins.

Money is the root of all evil, evil is the basis for horror, therefore horror equals money, right?

Okay, it might be a stretch. But not much.

Hopefully, with the success of books like Twilight, Harry Potter, Divergent, The Hunger Games, Gone Girl, and yes, even Fifty Shades of Grey the book/movie industry will start to see that maybe women would be a safe bet in the horror genre. When that happens, readers will follow. You just have to get the titles out there. 

If you write it, they will come…and read it. Even that pervert, Betty White.

So, let’s get some more butts in the seats, or eyes on the page, as it were. Women, take up your pens, or your keyboards and let your horror flag fly! Readers, be gender blind and pick up a book because it sounds cool. Don’t pass it by because it was written sans penis.