Getting Down with Your Dark Side

I don't consider myself a bad person, as I'm sure most of us don't, but man do I have a dark sense of humor sometimes.

For those of you who've been following this blog for a while, this may surprise you because I'm generally cheerful and genuinely enjoy things like YA Romance and cute pictures of kitties.

However, I have been known to laugh like a maniac during movies like MACHETE or PLANET TERROR where there is ridiculous, over-the-top blood-and-guts violence. 

I also recently discovered that I love dark thrillers and horror novels.

Does this mean I'm a sicko, and I have to hang up my Nice Girl badge?  Or can I be a nice girl who likes a bit of sex and gore now and again?

These are questions that demand answers!

Should I trade in my pink cashmere sweaters for leather pants like Sandy from Grease?  Or even better yet, should I get an eye patch or machine gun leg??  That would actually be pretty sweet now that I think about it...

I've recently been working on a 2nd Veronica Grim story to go with "No Rest for the Wicked," and I swear, I'm loving getting down with my dark side.  I'm only on page 5, and bodies are piling so high, I can barely see my main character.

And you know what?  I find it sort of liberating.

I think sometimes we have to shake it up, let loose, and wave our freak flags.  Sometimes my inner geek needs to step aside and let my inner Dexter go nuts for a while.

What do you guys think? 

Are there ever times when your dark side surprises you?

Do you feel mixing it up can make you a better writer?