The Horror of...Children's Books?

I have a flash piece entitled "Fuzzy" online at Flashes in the Dark today. This one was inspired by Owen, a children's book by Kevin Henkes about a little mouse-boy who doesn't want to give up his fuzzy yellow blanket. (The book also inspired my oldest son's name.)

How do I decide what to write? I like to steal from children's literature. Well, in Owen, the title character has a blanket he loves very much. So much so, that the blanket goes with him everywhere. The writer in me asked, "What about after death?" (I had just finished Pet Sematary when I wrote "Fuzzy", so there you go...)

The main conflict in Owen revolves around the fact that the little boy is too old for his blanket (going off to school) and his parents need to find a way of separating him from the fuzzy companion. In my story, well...a boy always knows his special blanket. I'll leave it at that.

Tomorrow: A review of The Day of the Triffids. Yes, I take "forever" to finish a book. More on that tomorrow, too.

Pet Sematary: Now That was Depressing

I just finished reading Pet Sematary, and despite the plot speeding away toward an inevitable climax like one of those killer Orinco Trucks on route 15, I enjoyed the book. Depressing as hell, but I enjoyed it. King is at his descriptive best during Louis Creed's walks to the burial grounds; I was really chilled by the fog, the large "thing" (Wendigo?) in the woods, and the marsh lights, etc. He also has a way of crunching the climax together--even though you know it isn't going to go well for our humble protagonist, you still hold out a little hope. He also loves to push the reader over the edge at the last minute...like what Gage did to his poor mother...(yuck).

If/when I read another Stephen King book, it will be a later work. Maybe Bag of Bones.

Thank goodness Obama's inauguration is spreading some hope, 'cause I'm about out after that book.