Here There be Monsters...

   I've always been fascinated by 'monsters'. I don't care for the human kind; I don't want to spend too much time contemplating the psychological and moral failings that create such a beast. But I love legends and tales about such creatures as Bigfoot, the Wendigo, the Manitou, Champ...you get the idea. I also find myself being quite interested in stories of the supernatural. I do enjoy watching 'crime' shows on TV, but I usually find myself busily doing something else while the actual crime is occurring, and only become engaged when the solving of the crime begins. I love how the pieces fit together to solve the mystery. I love trying to put it together for myself, even though it is within the artificial world created by television. Maybe I love monsters because of the mystery they represent.

    I guess I like them too, because I can believe in them...or not. I have to admit, though, it's much more fun to believe that they exist. There is something exciting about the idea that there are things around us that we are unaware of or could never understand. Actually, I think it is MORE likely that we are unaware of much of what exists, and that our perception of reality is exceptionally limited. I think it is sheer hubris that allows us to believe we have an accurate bead on things.

   I like the mystery in the world. I like knowing that there is much yet to discover, that there are many more interesting and surprising developments yet to come. It's just cool. So as much as I like to keep a positive outlook in my 'real world', to fill it with bright sun and warmth, I love to explore the darkness and write about mysterious and spooky things. I like to create worlds in which these things actually DO exist, where they do go bump in the night, and where we get a glimpse into the mindset and reality of such creatures. In a world where the monsters actually ARE monsters, people can be human. The best side of human nature can be highlighted as all pretense is stripped away in favor of survival against a terrifying beast.

   I'm not saying that there won't be a character or two that bears a striking resemblance to someone who is a real-life thorn in my side. And I'm not saying that those characters will not meet an untimely end. I'm just saying that it's more likely to result from an encounter with the long and sharply-curved claw of an unknown creature than a psycho with a knife;-)

   In any case, I prefer to see monsters on the OUTSIDE of people...unless...