In Laymon's Terms

Regina Mitchell

ICK LAYMON WROTE stories like nothing I’d ever read before. They were fast, bloody, and violent—but most of all they were fun. His writing was a huge influence, and most of the lessons I learned were from simply reading his fiction.

I learned that characters in fiction were allowed to be real, to speak and act like real people. I learned that old ideas can be reworked into fresh, exciting ones—if you give them a personal touch. I learned that a book doesn’t always have to end the way you think it should.

I also learned that not all famous writers are jerks. They can have families and be pleasant. They can write blood-soaked fiction and still be nice guys.

I only met Dick Laymon once, and I was too scared to do more than stammer “Hello” and shake his hand. I was too embarrassed to ask him to sign any books for me, but I did get up the courage to send him an email or two later. To my surprise he answered me. And later that year he sent me a hand-drawn Christmas card.

I’m sorry that the next generation of horror writers won’t have the same chance I did, to see that a great writer can be a great person as well, but I’m thankful that others may see the huge influence he still has over many of us and that they, too, may read his work and be inspired.