I, Empath: Why I Cannot Enjoy Gore NOTE: I have temporarily shelved my middle grade horror WIP. While that project festers rests, I am preparing a non-fiction book proposal about my short-lived but life-changing experience as a PhD student. So, to jump-start the academic part of my memory, I am writing this post as a proper academic paper in APA formatting, more or less. In the remainder of this Introduction section, I will over-explain what happens in the remainder of this post. DOUBLE NOTE: To any college or graduate students who may be reading this: Stop usi[...]
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MidnightSocietyErica
4 It's Gothic Horror month so I'm taking the duration of this post to consider both (BOTH) of things I know think about Gothic Horror: Ann Radcliffe is the mother-king of the Gothic Horror novel. Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey is a love letter to Ann Radcliffe. While Jane Austen's isn't exactly known for horror, she is my home girl. But I know little to nothing about Austen's home girl: Ann Radcliffe. So I did some digging. I spent the entire last quarter of an hour Googling Ann Radcliffe. And I am fascinated: Top 13 Things I Now Know[...]
Based on the true story behind how I started writing ghost stories [with headings brought to you by Florence + the Machine as performed by the Capital Children's Choir]. Regrets Collect Like Old Friends Picture it: Williamsville, NY, 1991. I was in fifth grade at a small Catholic school with the same dozen-and-a-half classmates I'd been with since kindergarten. We were more like indifferent siblings than anything but we were a decent group. Quiet. Silly at times. Competitive to a fault. And then, there was our teacher. Let's call her: S[...]
I grew up on Reist Street in Williamsville, NY. The neighbors across from us were dead. Probably why I do not love basements. Think about it: In my house, when I went Down To The Basement, I'd be on the same level as Them. The Across The Street Neighbors. It was not a very wide road. It wasn't until first grade that I discovered the power of a ghost story. My class was climbing the library shelves when the Librarian corralled us in to read us a godawful chapbook called 'Happy Little Pumpkin Goes Trick-or-Treating or S[...]
As Halfoween approaches, I'm thinking about the menu for my Halfoween Party and what I might do besides calling it "Potluck". I was looking up recipes, testing some things out... And then the horror house that is my body thought it would be great to give me an allergic reaction to-- --NO. Can't. I'm not ready for this. It's too hurtful to even type. Betrayed by my own flesh. If my hunch is correct--this is how my world ends. Mourn with me, dear Reader:
There are only 21 days left until Halfoween. While you do have three whole weeks to decide what YOUR Halfoween costume will be, it is never too soon to get inspired by mine. For your convenience, here is a definitive ranking of my top 18 Halloween costumes to inspire what you could be for Halfoween. Remember: The key to successful Halfoween is to dream big and go cheap. You. Are. Welcome. A Definitive Ranking of My Halloween Costumes: LAST PLACE. Halloween 1989, Williamsville, NY: "Mac Tonight" - That disturbing McDonald's mascot. I[...]
In keeping with our Horror House theme for March, here is some of my research for my manuscript concerning obscure horror house things because this world is a big beautiful bag of weird (all images courtesy of interwebs). Z is for ZARF Y is for YEW X is for XANTHIPPE W is for WIDOW'S WALK V is for VOMITORIUM U is for UCALEGON T is for TILBURY S is for SOLARIUM R is for RUINS Q is for QUARTREFOIL P is for PORTICULLIS O is for OCCULUS N is for NATATORIUM M is for MOTHERHOOD HELPER L is for LANTERN K is for KEWPIE DOLL J is for JIGGUMBOB I[...]
Ken Lamug's THE STUMPS OF FLATTOP HILL brings a long-overdue disturbance to the picture book arena. The cover alone promised me things that I was desperate for the story to keep. And keep them, it did. THE STUMPS OF FLATTOP HILL is an otherworldly cautionary picture book in which dear little Florence accepts a dare to face perils unknown but ends up Doing Something Else And That Is All I Will Say On The Plot Because Reasons. If you want more, go here or here. What I love about Lamug's storytelling is that it's done in fluctuating rhythm[...]
Instructions From Teacher: Compose a poem with 10 - 20 lines in the body to honor a poet from the approved list you received in Homeroom. Type the title of your poem IN ALL CAPS LIKE THIS above the body. Include a photo of yourself for our Poets Bulletin Board. Student's Name: Erica Davis Class: Poetry Assignment: Homework #1 ROBERT FROST IS STILL DEAD SO TEACHER MADE ME WRITE A POEM by Erica Davis Whose head this is I think you know. His shins are in the forest, though. You did not see me stopping here. Just help me lift this last torso. You[...]