Guest Post: Lee Allen Howard

However Crazy, Honor the Idea

Lee Allen Howard

If there’s anybody who knows about crazy ideas, it’s Armand Rosamilia. A gun that turns people into zombies? Crazy! But cool.

Such a crazy idea was the inspiration for DEATH PERCEPTION, my latest supernatural thriller tinged with horror and peppered with dark humor. Way back in 2003, I got this wacky idea that wanted to use me to become a novel. It was about a guy who could psychically discern the cause of death of the corpses he cremates—by toasting marshmallows over their ashes. Laugh or say, “Ewww!”, you gotta admit it’s a zany premise.

Nineteen-year-old Kennet Singleton lives with his invalid mother in a personal care facility, but he wants out. He operates the crematory at the local funeral home, where he discovers he can discern the cause of death of those he cremates—by toasting marshmallows over their ashes.

He thinks his ability is no big deal since his customers are already dead. But when his perception differs from what’s on the death certificate, he finds himself in the midst of murderers. To save the residents and avenge the dead, Kennet must bring the killers to justice.

I actually spent an afternoon at a funeral home crematorium learning the process and taking copious notes. And I worked on the book many years. (It was my thesis project for SetonHillUniversity’s Writing Popular Fiction master’s program.) Now, a decade later, it’s available in trade paperback and electronic formats.

What if I had tossed out that pesky idea 10 years ago? I wouldn’t have a book today.

What are your favorite reads based on absurd ideas? Aren’t you glad they were published?

If you’re a writer, what idea keeps coming back to you, the one that will not let you be? Maybe you should honor it, however crazy. It could become your next big seller.

DEATH PERCEPTION is available in trade paperback, Kindle (.mobi) and Nook (.epub) at http://leeallenhoward.com/2013/05/15/book-release-death-perception-by-lee-allen-howard.

Lee Allen Howard writes horror, dark fantasy, and supernatural crime. He’s been a professional writer and editor of both fiction and nonfiction since 1985. His publications include The Sixth Seed, Desperate Spirits, Night Monsters, “Mama Said,” “Stray,” and DEATH PERCEPTION, available in various formats at http://leeallenhoward.com.

You can keep in touch with Lee on his Facebook author page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lee-Allen-Howard-author/117844011639457. Follow him on Twitter @LeeAllenHoward.