Third Novel finally completed!

Alas, another page turned in the fascinating life of a writer! I have just completed my third novel "Homage to Baphomet". One thing that captures my fancy is how similar in length this particular book was in relation to my two previous ones. And just like the other two, it basically wrote itself. From the beginning to the the end, the whole process was a complete mystery for me yet the theme of the book, an actual historical object that the Knights Templar were accused of sacrilegiously worshiping, continues to inspire me. One thing is definite, when one makes the decision to write a novel and carries with that decision all the way till the end of it speaks volumes about their fortitude. For any writer knows, an easy partaking it is not! The demands of everyday living alone are enough to throw such a project by the wayside for some time unless you are completely resilient! One thing that works for me is simply consistency. I try to make sure that I take at least three to four hours everyday to work on it no matter what else is going on around me.
Now, another question begs to be asked: 'What happens now?' and the answer to that remains a mystery at least for me.

 

Almost 13,000 views!

Salutations and gratitude to you all! I am grateful to say that the page views on my blog are only a bit under 13,000. When you consider that the average blog only gets somewhere between 50-500, that number is astronomical! I do hope I have been able to entertain you with my own expression of the BEST genre in anything, Horror!! I also wish to prod forward with my darkened vision to give to you all the very purpose why I started writing in the first place which is to nominally trump the masqueraders and keep the tradition of horror very much alive. It is my goal to make sure that one day Horror is as popular a genre as comedy, action, drama, or any other times ten. And I truly appreciate all of you who are assisting me with that passion!

Rituals

Rituals are a subject that have beyond fascinated me my whole life. So many questions abound about them: Where do they originate from? Do they really work? What are they key elements in performing them? Do negative influences occur while performing them?
Though I can't answer all those particular questions, I believe they were a key part of life for ancient man. A direct emphasis was placed on pleasing what man believed were Omnipotent beings, Gods if you will. How most people perform them today, I feel, dates back to the Ancient Romans and Egyptians. For example: The black shrouds and repetitive chanting many Neo-Pagans and Occultists adhere to comes from ancient rites the Romans used to garner favor from their vast array of Gods. Sacrificing animals was also part of their ceremonies. The use of Altars for rituals probably dates all the way to Ancient Sumer, the very first civilization. Egypt, I feel, was unique because they adopted a more scientific approach in both worshiping their Gods and the way they buried their dead.
Today, even though most would disagree with me, I feel they have just as much to offer in terms of human assistance than they did back then. Essentially, they are pageantry used for the attainment of some sort of worldly material, or assistance with the outcome of some sort of event.
I, myself, am not sure what are the best methods for them. I feel they, like everything else, are subject to interpretation. Whatever one believes will work for them just might deliver the goods. And that, I feel, is the one key element man must provide to make them work: Belief.

Priorities, Priorities

In the world of writing, I've noticed the priorities of us are definitely not all the same. The vast majority of writers I have come across always misconstrue the order in which any form of success comes to them. It's my honest opinion, even though I'm absolutely not what I, myself, would consider the pinnacle of success, that results always start with the creation of interest, interest creates demand, and demand dictates success. You cannot experience the sort of success so many writers seek(world travels, millions of adoring fans, limitless funds, exuberant lifestyle)without adhering to such a principle. I find it quite laughable when I see so many would-be writers live as if they are beyond what it is they seek without so much as one hundredth of a result provided. I see them indulging in substances, procrastinating, and touting their own ego as if they've already outsold the greatest of our own generations. Priority usually balances out such disastrous choices. If it's fame and fortune(the main reasons so many of us write in the first place)one wants, work must come first. Where would DaVinci be if he decided 'Mona Lisa' wasn't at the top of his priority list, or Michelangelo not keeping the Sistine Chapel his number one focus point?
 It's usually very simple to tell the difference between great writers and mediocre ones: One has only the principle of passion as their guide, the others want the rewards that sort of passion provides.

   

Horror Critics should be Horror fans!

I, myself, am extremely wary of critics, especially when it comes to critics of horror. I have heard several times of books of certain genre's being reviewed by those who, in fact, were not even fans of the genre. I find the whole notion of such an opinion biased to say the least. Only horror fans should be able to properly judge any work of horror! And why such people waste their time giving their exaggerated opinions is beyond anyone's comprehension. Perhaps the genre they favor has no time for their point of view, therefore, such judgments are indeed worthless!
If anyone is to lower themselves to the position of critic, which is one of the few positions which anyone, and I mean ANYONE, can achieve, it would do well for them to at least achieve it in a genre they actually can find favor with.
Those critical of horrors works should be horror fans themselves!