Let's Talk with Maggie Toussaint
Scary this and scary that
October 23, 2025
When you were a child and heard the words “Once upon a time,” did you sit up straighter or maybe even move to edge of your seat? I certainly did. I loved fairy tales (and still do). I worried about Rapunzel held captive in that tower, worried even more about the poor guy quaking in his boots when the giant said, “Fee Fi Fo Fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman.”
Those stories were magical to me, entrancing, entertaining, scary, and mind-broadening. That’s right. They encouraged me to think in a way that was outside of my everyday life. I was as physically active as any child, building forts in the woods, climbing trees and roofs, and swimming in the creek. But my mind was always filled with stories.
Some of my relatives had “second sight,” and they spoke of ghosts and spirits as if everyone saw them. I never saw anything, but from the way they talked, I was certain they saw something. And even more certain I did not want to see it. Heck, if I could manage it, I’d still leap into bed to stay out of reach of monsters under the bed. (Fortunately, we had the foresight to build a platform bed that only anorexic dust bunnies can slide under.)
All of this story information lodged in my head through my education, early years of marriage, child raising, and employment. Then I began writing stories for myself, but my grown-up perspective wasn’t the same. I didn’t see things in the same dreamy light my eight-year-old self did. Undeterred, I wrote in different genres, searching for the perfect story vessel for my muse.
The early death of a sister stirred a desire to write paranormal mysteries. Scary, but not too scary was my planned approach, or I’d sleep with my both eyes wide open.
I wrote of an amateur sleuth who saw and heard dead people in her dreams (Dreamwalker Mysteries). Then I wrote another series (Magic Candle Shop Mysteries) about a “friendly or good” energy vampire who helped others and solved crimes, with my latest being FLAMED OUT.
Imagine my surprise to discover that some readers considered my lightly paranormal stories to be scary. I studied on that conundrum for a bit and decided that the reason my paranormal books weren’t scary to me is that I was in control of the story, and I knew that whatever happened, my amateur sleuth would triumph.
To me, scary things were roller coasters, bad drivers, hurricanes, tornadoes, and rip currents. These were powerful forces outside of my control. And then came the light-bulb moment. Being out of control is the quintessential element of scary. Your list of scary may vary but the defining element is that “scary” equates with things out of our control.
Even those who seek thrills like seemingly death-defying amusement park rides, racing cars, parachuting from planes, owning big snakes, etc., have things that scare them.
So, I conclude that humans experience scary in different ways despite the adrenaline rush. I also believe that daredevils think they’re in control of the situation, until they aren’t.
However, there are few if any daredevils in the readership of cozy mysteries. I hope these valued readers (like you) trust in my ability as a multi-published and award-winning author to tell a paranormal cozy in a way that guarantees the amateur sleuth comes through the experience in one piece. Older, but a great deal wiser. Like us.
After all, as survivors of life, we have sense enough not to push our physical boundaries all the time, instead preferring to do it in fiction. I love fellow armchair travelers, and I adore a well-crafted story.
For a chance to win my latest book, FLAMED OUT, written as Valona Jones, answer this question in the comments below: what level of scary suits your reading preferences? This book is available in print and digital format, though print book will only be available to those with US mailing addresses. Winner will be posted next Tuesday, so check back to this post. Prize must be claimed within a week.
Do you want to know more about our author Maggie Toussaint aka Valona Jones? Visit her WEBSITE.
Posted in Let's Talk, with Maggie Toussaint • Tags: adrenaline rush, daredevils, Maggie Toussaint, paranormal cozy, paranormal mystery, Scary this and Scary That, Valona Jones | 16 Comments
Really not sure but will try at least each level of scary at least once just to see if I like book this book looks like it would suit me fine
Book looks like a good read looking forward to reading a print copy of this book so I can review it
HOPE I WIN
It’s a good idea to try new things to find out if you like them. Wishing you good luck in the drawing.
Congratulations on another book! Thanks for the chance. I don’t like vivid descriptions of gory scenes. That is too scary. I don’t want those images in my head.
Me either, Carol. That’s why the cozy lane suits me so well. No deaths are on screen, just the puzzle of solving the killing.
Maggie, having read all the books in this series, I think you outdid yourself on this last one! Brava!
Thanks for that tribute, Lois. I think we’ve had this discussion before, but for this book, I abandoned my hybrid method of plotting (writing to known key points with everything else developing as it happens) and instead created an in-depth outline. The change was prompted by needing to tie up several series subplots and not wanting to leave anything out. In my pre-publication days, once I had and outline, the story didn’t feel fresh as I wrote it. I tried straight out pantsing and nearly had a heart attack every day as I stared at the blinking cursor. Then I hit upon the hybrid route. Now I’m either mature enough to outline or I got very lucky!
I would call your books suspenseful, although this latest one is scary toward the end. Interesting comment you made about people being scared of different things. This can range from being afraid of serial killers or rollercoasters to spiders or even having blood drawn for lab tests. Even the brawniest and bravest hero has something that scares him. Good reminder! Palmetto bugs are on my list…
I think a person would have to be an entomologist to love Palmetto bugs! They move so fast and can slip under or into anything sliver of space. It’s been said they will likely be here long after humans are gone… I’m happy to call my books suspenseful.
Congratulations on another new book! I love this series.
Thanks times two, Cheryl! It has been a true pleasure to create this series and to incorporate landmarks and real places in Savannah. Even though I’ve been going to Savannah for about 40 years, I still researched everything so that I wouldn’t muck up reality within my fictional world.
Book sounds great! My level of scary varies but it leans more to the low to mid range. Congratulations on the new book!
Thank you, Marcia. If you’re anything like me, I bet you know within the first few pages (or first few minutes of a TV show or movie) if you’re going to like the story. For me, life is too short to read or watch something I don’t like. There are way too many good books out there!
My preference is zero level of scary hahaha I really do not like that feeling. However, I take your point about different things being scary to different people and, due to my belief system, I don’t tend to think of paranormal activity/events as scary unless there is a malevolent aspect to them. I tend to trust authors of “cozy” stories to keep any scariness on the mild side, so I will brave those 😉
So many things are scary, and its not all that big cinematic scare that gets me. Everyday things can be more terrifying if there are life and death stakes. That’s the job of the writer or scriptwriter. To shape a credible story world and give people a chance to experience it. I love cozies for their rules, but I can’t help but break a few every now and then. Thanks for commenting, Maria.
Congratulations on your book! I like to read a little scary but not a lot
Thank you, Nancy! I am still feeling the glow of having a new book release. Sometimes it’s scary to end a story world, because often the next thought is what will I do next? And if you have NO CLUE that can mess with a person’s head. But new starts always bring new characters to fall in love with, new settings, and new experiences. Best of all, it gives an armchair traveler like me a chance to go somewhere without ever leaving home.