Brazen Folk Horror

Going Rogue

The earliest use of the term is regarding elephants.

There are “elephants” in any room, group, gathering, or social structure.

“There is always a reason why these giant pachyderms go rogue, and here in this report, we seemed to be able to define this one clearly: if then the tusk were growing into the flesh of the cheek or jaw, we must keep a guard day and night, for as the pain grew worse, he would become the killer, taking everything before him in wild stampedes.” —Dallas Morning News, May 17, 1931

Rogue originally meant a violent elephant separated from its herd or injured since 1835. When going rogue was first used, it meant “behaving in an erratic or dangerous fashion.” The expression today is more likely to indicate that someone is displaying some degree of independence or failing to follow an expected script. 

As authors and in the publishing world, it’s desirable to have the validation of peers and connections to your readers. It’s necessary to a point, but can the urge to be part of the “herd,” as it were, stifle creativity?

The ultimate goal for any writer who spends endless hours working at and perfecting their craft is to sell books in a tough market and gain a readership eager for what’s yet to come. But too many try to “write to the market” or follow popular trending themes or tropes, hoping for acceptance rather than digging deep to do the work involving research and creating highly original characters and settings.

We rather pride ourselves on being the “outsiders,” as it were, although we value our connections highly. 

Respect is a word tossed around like a football, but to earn it in our world is invaluable and essential. Maintaining it can be even more challenging.

Along with respecting the deep-rooted wisdom and experience of those before us, Brazen Folk Horror also seeks to establish a respected brand like no other because we both are and have been “rogues” our entire lives. 

Ignoring stigmas and expectations doesn’t mean blatant disregard for tradition but rather weaving our unique words around it as we design our distinctive story-telling style, with the upmost respect of ground-breaking, rule-defying storytellers that have gone before us; our artistic ancestry.

It’s no small feat; we battle sleepless nights and miles between our manuscripts, connected by tech that also goes “rogue” on us!

So, here’s to the rogues, who stand and trumpet on two legs despite it all, and to our continuing progress building “Delevan House.”

We promise it will stand out in any herd. #BeBrazen