Friday, March 4, 2016

THE MIRROR PEOPLE

Meet another winner of the 
IWSG Anthology
Parallels: Felix Was Here

Crystal Collier

***

5 Reasons NOT to Be a Psychopath


I don't normally write about psychopaths. (And why not?--you might ask. They're so fun!) Quite frankly, it's because I don't want to be mistaken as one, but sometimes they write themselves like in THE MIRROR PEOPLE. My research for this story led me to believe:

5. Psychopaths suck. Let's face it. Turns out the business world is full of them--cut-throats who think there's nothing wrong with breaking a man's spine to climb the company ladder. (Proverbially or literally.) It's been tested and proven that they are cut out for managerial work.

Source
4. They have a poor sense of smell. I admit, I don't have the best nose, but a study done in Sydney, Australia shows that psychopaths couldn't identify smells very well due to low activity in the orbital cortices of the brain (the part that controls impulses, long term plans and smell).

3. Empathy--what's that? Not only can't they experience/understand fear, they also find it easy to flip that inner switch and cut off all emotion. You know, everything that makes you human? (I suppose that's why they make such great antagonists.)

2. They populate prisons in abundance. You read that right. I have no desire to be in prison. Do you?

1. The FBI will find you. I admit, if the FBI came looking at my browsing history, I might be in a tight spot. But like Jak in THE MIRROR PEOPLE, once they find you, they won't bury you. No sir. They'll offer you a fat paycheck, stick a gun in your hands, and send you to work. Let's face it, who wants to rely on government benefits? No thank you.



Despite all that, psychopaths are a blast to write, even if you don't want to be one--just like it's fun to read about prehistoric times but living with Dinosaurs would be downright awful. (That's a discussion for another day.)


Coming May 3, 2016
Preorder HERE

PARALLELS: FELIX WAS HERE!

The Mirror People

Every day I look into the eyes of a stone-cold killer. Sometimes he’s straightening his tux bowtie before a fancy shin-dig. Sometimes he’s grinning madly while brandishing a knife. Sometimes he’s spattered in blood.

The point is, it’s my job to look into his eyes, day after day, unable to raise the alarm or warn his victims—like the middle aged woman he’s just finished off—because I inhabit the world on the other side of the mirror.

I’m Jak Ralston’s reverse identity, also known as Jak Ralston. His prisoner.

He wipes his blade clean having already sheared off his trophy, a finger, and turns away from the mirror to the mess of a hotel room. I relax. My shoulders ache from the tension. He is always intense. Always serious. Always angry. But not the explosive kind of angry, the cool, I’m-going-to-rip-your-eyeballs-out-in-your-sleep kind of angry (while he tells you how lovely you look in gray). He’s calculating. Terrifying.

I stand on the other side of the mirror, mimicking his movements like my life depends on it, because it does. Mr. Murder is my twid (twin identity), me in another realm, and if I break from being his reflection while anyone is watching (including him), we’ll both keel over and die. No matter how much I despise him, I’m not ready to die—like Susan, the mirror woman he’s just murdered in my realm. Facing her now, it’s all I can do not to slam my fists into the mirror and scream, but destroying myself won’t bring her back...


Coming May 3, 2016
Preorder HERE

Crystal Collier is an eclectic author who pens clean fantasy/sci-fi, historical, and romance stories with the occasional touch of humor, horror or inspiration. She practices her brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, four littles, and “friend” (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese. You can find her on her blog, FacebookGoodreads, or follow her on Twitter.




Thanks, Crystal!
 Congratulations!

Who is your favorite psychopath in literature or TV?



16 comments:

Shannon Lawrence said...

The Sociopath Next Door is a good read when it comes to study sociopathy. And I've never been so happy to have an insane sense of smell. Sometimes it's the bane of my existence, but at least I'm not a psychopath!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Poor sense of smell? Crap, that's me. Promise I'm not a psychopath...
The Mirror People was a great story.

L.G. Keltner said...

I enjoyed The Mirror People very much! The horror of having to see everything horrific a psychopath does would be torture. My search history probably makes me look like a psycho too, but I think that's common for writers. You're not alone there.

Crystal Collier said...

Right? Something to be grateful for. That sounds like a fascinating read.

Crystal Collier said...

But Alex, they seem just like everyone else. ;) (Thanks!)

Crystal Collier said...

Thanks! So basically, when the FBI drags me in I'll see at least one familiar face, eh? ;)

Julie Flanders said...

I can't wait to read The Mirror People. I've been chomping at the bit since first reading about it on your blog. Interesting about the sense of smell and psychopaths!

dolorah said...

Psychopaths can be fun to write, but I agree, I'd never want to be one either. Prison just wouldn't suit me, lol. Can't believe a person's sense of smell is controlled in the brain by the same impulse control thingy. Weird.

Congrats on getting chosen for the anthology Crystal.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

I swear. You guys are making me spend entirely too much money. My hubby gave me a big fat Amazon gift card for Christmas, and I've already blown through most of it. Oh well. (sigh) I just pre-ordered the book. Might as well, right? How ELSE will I find out how that story of mirror people plays out...?

Anything involving neuropsychology is particularly fascinating to me, so your research tidbits are great. (Good to know my over-developed sense of smell might keep me from turning into one of the bad guys.)

My favorite psycho? Gotta be Hannibal Lector, hands down. (Although I HATED that Clarissa ended up being with him in the last book. She would NOT have done that, unless she was a psycho herself.)

Pat Hatt said...

Damn, my smell sucks. I better get a secret bunker to hide from the FBI lol

Elizabeth Seckman said...

I have a very sensitive nose. Now I can consider that a good thing!

Crystal Collier said...

My work here is done. ;)

I found that tidbit completely completely fascinating as well, and somewhat scary.

Crystal Collier said...

Thanks so much! I'm right there with you on the prison thing. Definitely not for me.

Crystal Collier said...

Now there's a gift card well spent. :) My husband has a great nose too, but my sense of smell is pretty weak, unless I'm pregnant. They say that women are more prone to insanity rather than psychopathy.

Crystal Collier said...

I'll be hiding in my secret basement when they come, and with any luck, that darn teleportation device will be working.

Crystal Collier said...

I have an audio hypersensitivity, so I get what having an overactive sense is like.