The Paranormal Thriller

I make a differentiation between horror and paranormal thriller.

Horror is plot driven and a paranormal thriller is character driven. Take our beloved Night of the Living Dead. That is horror and it is plot driven. Yes, it scared the hell out of us, but we really didn't know any of the people. What did we know about the blonde in the cemetery? Hmm... she had a brother and they were visiting some dead relative's grave. Now the black guy, he was a tanker truck driver. Let's see, let's go to the basement. Nope, don't know anybody down there. There was a couple of in-love teenager, but we really didn't know them either. Therein lies the difference between horror and paranormal thriller.

Anyone who wants a clear example of what the hell I'm talking about should pick up a copy of Devil Glass, but be forewarned, readers have put this novel in a special category: Nightmare Producer. The reason it produces nightmares is because the reader is offered an emotional bond with the characters. When they accept the emotional bond they are pulled into the story to experience it first hand. Oh, yeah, when the reader get to loving my characters it is nightmare time.