Why Do I Write Horror?
Writing Horror For Empathy By Cassandra Lee
Cassandra contributed the story “Don’t Offend A Girl In Love” to this anthology
I didn’t plan to scare people. A professional setback led me to it.
In 2015, I aspired to be the next great mathematics writer and seized an opportunity to write for an emerging publication that reached every school in the city I lived in. This could be my ticket to fame.
A member of the editorial team had more press exposure than anyone else there. Despite being a wallflower, I had read about the benefits of business networking and was eager to connect with the big shots, such as the editor. By being on friendly terms with him, I would open many doors and build my new career more quickly than others in my position.
None of that happened. Worse still, by early 2016, my chutzpah had burned bridges with the entire publication. Little did I know, the series of unfortunate events between us laid the groundwork for my foray into horror.
A year later, my writing group sought submissions for a horror anthology, and I leapt at the chance. At first, I drafted my version of the story, but it didn’t resonate with readers. Reviewing their feedback prompted the question: what if I tried to understand everything the editor went through instead?
That point-of-view change made all the difference.
Cassandra Lee
Despite the intense pressure of living in Hong Kong, Cassandra Lee Yieng finds relief in dark themes in books and films alike. She writes, creates art and music, and works as a data scientist and web developer. Her publications include “Don’t Offend a Girl in Love”, a cybersecurity horror story.
You can find out more about Cassandra by visiting her official website www.leeyieng.com
You can follow Cassandra on Twitter @leeyieng
You can follow Cassandra on Instagram cassandraleeyieng
Whispers In The Shadows
Even when we think we’re safe, our biggest fears can be revealed, our worst nightmares brought to life.
For some, death is inevitable: a suspended detective and killer play a bloody game of cat and mouse; a girl risks her life to save her friends from an urban legend; a doctor’s daughter works to uncover the curse on their wayward ship; and an old lady’s cats are hungry…very hungry.
For others, death would have been an easier fate: a reflection isn’t meant to talk, let alone free itself; a priestess must renew her people’s magic, but that ritual carries a terrible price; and a famous boy rejects a lovesick girl…and lives to regret it.
Through life and death, the only constant is our fear of the unknown: bloody footprints continue to walk around a lighthouse; Grandma’s warnings of the Autumn People are finally heard loud and clear; and a girl moves into a new house to find a bloodstained carpet…that no one else can see.
Keep the lights on and brace yourself for ten creepy tales of horror and misfortune.
You can buy Whispers In The Shadows from Amazon UK & Amazon US
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