Scary Books, Scary Movies, Scary True History

 

by Kristin Holt

I freely admit I'm not a huge fan of horror, though I Am Legend (2007) rates in my top [out-of-my-typical-favorite-genres] movies of all time. Scared the living daylights out of me. I saw it at least eight years ago, yet I still find myself thinking about powerful scenes, nuances, and the premise.

Poster Design by Crew Creative Advertising. [Source]

Another movie that scared me--and I loved it!--was The Sixth Sense (1999). I don't know that I've ever been so spooked. What a thrill! Remember how YOU reacted upon discovering the shocking twist?

The Sixth Sense, Theatrical Release Poster [Source]

  

Don't we read to experience everything?...all from the safety of an armchair (or commuter train seat or hammock)? Powerful fiction transports the reader to another place, another life, another set of circumstances. I think people read scary stories and watch scary movies to safely experience the thrill-ride of spine-tingling fear.

I can't say I read horror (or scary stories) on a regular basis, though I have read some. Far more often, I come across horrific (and probably true) incidents in my constant research of Victorian-American history.

 

True (at least as far as the viewpoint of the then-current news reporter) history can be every bit as scary, disturbing, nightmare-inducing...and heartbreaking.

The following newspaper clipping, published in Shelby County Herald of Shelbyville, Missouri on October 1, 1890. Yes, some newspaper 'articles' in the late nineteenth century were fictionalized, but this one doesn't seem to be anything but the sad truth--mental illness likely brought on by grief and heartache.

Horrible and sad all at the same time. I think every parent everywhere can imagine the agony experienced by this mother, can identify with her loss...and realize the slip into insanity could happen to any one of us. Isn't that what makes some stories (whether factual or fictional) so scary?

Why do you read scary stories?

Hi! I'm Kristin Holt.

I write frequent articles (or view recent posts easily on my Home Page, scroll down) about the nineteenth century American west–every subject of possible interest to readers, amateur historians, authors…as all of these tidbits surfaced while researching for my books. I also blog monthly at Sweet Americana Sweethearts (first Friday of each month) and Romancing the Genres (third Tuesday of each Month).

I love to hear from readers! Please drop me a note. Or find me on Facebook.

Sweet Romance Appropriate for All Audiences

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Copyright © 2016 Kristin Holt LC

Classic Scary Tales by Lynn Lovegreen

This month’s theme is “Why I read scary books/watch scary movies.” Personally, I am not into horror. I get enough adrenaline in my day-to-day life, thank you. But I do appreciate a good psychological mystery or thriller. Two of my favorite authors in this genre are Edgar Allan Poe and Henry James.

You probably read some Poe in school. I love how he creates narrators that are scary-crazy yet human enough to be believable. The main character in “The Cask of Amontillado,” for example, really expects you to admire his wit and appreciate how he walled up his enemy, but he is intelligent. And I love “The Raven” and how Poe’s word choice creates the perfect tone for that dark night.

Henry James is best known for his literary novels. He doesn’t have a lot of thrillers in his works, but James’ The Turn of the Screw is a great ghost story. He uses his keen understanding of the human mind to create a Gothic novella worth reading on Halloween night.

Cooperstown Graveyard by TheBrassGlass via Morguefile

Some people prefer contemporary authors, but I find myself going back to the classics fairly often. Maybe I’m just old-fashioned—that would explain why I write historical fiction myself! ;-) But I also enjoy the way these authors write. They prove you don’t need blood and guts to scare a reader. I recommend you try one of these the next time you want something to give you the chills. 

Enjoy the season, whether you’re into super-scary or something just a bit spooky!

Lynn Lovegreen grew up in Alaska, and still lives there. Her young adult/new adult historical romances are set in the Alaska Gold Rush, a great time for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com.

I Don't Do Scary Then Why Do I Scare Myself?

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual traditions that nurture the soul.

Genre-istas have been invited to talk about reading scary stories or watching scary movies. I must confess I do neither. A few decades ago I did read romantic Suspense but no more. I’ve never been a fan of scary movies. I remember going to see Psycho with my mom when it first came out and having nightmares for weeks as well as startling at virtually nothing in broad daylight.

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I will admit that one of the scariest things I’ve ever done is learn about indie publishing so I can publish and promote my Sacred Women’s Circle series. Most recently I’ve committed to learn how to build a website so I can manage updates on my own. I’ve also committed to learn about creating a Newsletter to let my readers know what I’m up to. And on my ‘to learn list’ is Photoshop Elements so I can create simple book covers.

I’ve spent a lot of time worrying about my ability to learn how to do these things (not writing the books, that’s the easy part) but the technical stuff? Rigid muscles, tense hands, stressed out brain, headache from the iron bar across my shoulders and my self-talk? One would think I had the intelligence of a — well, I’m not sure what to put in here.

Why do I do this to myself?

The answer is in a concept I came up with over my decades of watching people including myself.

Public and Private learners.

Public learners just get out there and do it. They expect a learning curve. They expect to make mistakes. They expect to fall or fail. It doesn’t bother them if they stumble, fall or make a mistake because they are learning. They get back up, dust themselves off and start over again. Most babies are public learners. When they are learning to walk, they keep trying until they get it right.

Private learners are just the opposite. They may expect the learning curve and to make mistakes but they become very creative not to do any of that in public. They want to have mastered at the very least, the basics, before they do anything other people can see. I’ve seen some babies who are more private learners. They don’t talk until they can say phrases if not complete simple sentences! And they don’t walk independently until they know they won’t fall.

With those two concepts, which type of learner do you think I am?

If you guessed private learner, you are correct. And because I am a private learner, it’s even more difficult for me to try something out in front of other people. Funny, it isn’t that I’m afraid of people reading my books – nope it’s learning the techie stuff to make them available.

Sneak Preview of website

My new website, one I’ve created myself with the help of iPower’s (my hosting company) Concierge service will be available the end of October. I want to coordinate its launch with my new blog header, and Newsletter. All of these details take time!

I'm working at the 2016 Fall Home and Garden Show this week. Checkout my Judith Ashley blog on Monday for my take on the Show. I participated in the Spring Show earlier this year and had a fantastic time.

Hope you’ll check back for the Big Reveal Announcement about my website. I'm curious to know what you think of my efforts! And while you’re there, sign up for my newsletter. I’m hoping to get my first newsletter out in late October or early November. I’ve another techie learning curve coming up in order to send it out.

In the meantime, consider your own take on the world. Are you a public learner or are you a private learner?

You can learn more about The Sacred Women’s Circle series on my website.

Check out my Windtree Press author page.

Follow me on Twitter: @JudithAshley19

I’m also on Facebook

© 2016 Judith Ashley

First in Fright

By Robin Weaver

Anyone who knows me knows, in my formative years, my grandfather was my favorite person.  He told the best stories—usually by the fireplace, and being frugal (later termed cheap) sans lights.

One night, he started the tail of the Giant Toe. Okay, he really said “Giant Toad,” but being four, I only knew about frogs. Toad was an alien concept—thus my preschool brain converted the term to Toe.

As I sat on Gramps’ knee, and my brother squirmed on our grandfather’s other leg, this giant toe came to life. He created all sorts of mayhem and I gripped Gramps’ bicep with all the strength in my four-year-old body. Gramps had included many scary creature s in his tales—the big bad wolf, Rumpelstiltskin, Briar Fox, and evil opossums. For some reason, none of those villains caused any fright, barely a bleep in my make-believe world. But the Giant Toe? That thing was the substance of nightmares.

The evil appendage hopped toward the farmhouse—in my mind, he headed toward our place, in search of children to eat. While the thought of being dinner for a Giant Toe scared the be-geezus out of me, I also pondered how a toe could hop, especially one the size of a silo. Did the toe have legs? Or springs. (Okay, confess, you now have that image in your head, too. Right?)

Anyway, while I pondered the great mystery of the bouncing toe… BAM! BAM!!!

The entire house shook. Had the Big Toe arrived?

I thought so. And wet myself. And my grandfather’s leg.

Being the good grandpa, Gramps only laughed. Although I suspect he had to wash his overalls a bit ahead of his normal schedule.

So what actually happened? As with most seemingly supernatural stores, there was a logical explanation. One of the big sows broke out of the pigpen and ran under the house, hitting a rafter with her three-hundred-plus pounds.

My mother’s younger sisters—twins who at that time were still in high school—took great pleasure in retelling the story. For years and years and years. I was in my thirties before I found any humor in the incident.

The Giant Toe was by far the scariest thing I’d ever heard, but I continued to read horror stories (once I learned to read, of course). Or at least I continued until I read William Peter Blatty’s The Exorist.

What’s the scariest thing that’s happened in your life?

Styrofoam Corpse is currently available via Windtree Press and Amazon.com.

Casey Randolph hopes to follow in his deceased father’s footsteps, serving the community with a star on his chest.  He’s a shoo-in to win the election if he can hide his necrophobia—fear of dead bodies.  As a young deputy, his condition posed no issues.  Drunken NASCAR fans and fistfights over the Duke-UNC basketball rivalry were the extent of criminal activity.  No more.  Growing like kudzu, the Charlotte metro-area has invaded his sleepy little county, which now boasts a quarter-million people.  The body count, both living and dead, keeps increasing.

All the skeletons in Casey's closet dance on a very public stage when a body is discovered in his new girlfriend's pool.  With no sign anyone but Shannon can be the murderer.