You can leave out the ghosts and give me a derelict, once-enchanted-looking building, and I'd find a story in the remains. I won't complain if there's a haunting, but old houses, churches, barns, asylums, mansions, greenhouses, theatres, and the like are magical places all on their own. I set my creative roots often in settings, and let my imagination take me to the worlds where those old ruins once cast formidable shadows on their inhabitants. Settings become characters. Settings have their own stories locked away in the walls. Sometimes, you find a skeleton[...]
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MidnightSocietyKira
1 I love having friends who know that I'm simultaneously into horror and design. When they find interesting things online, they sometimes send them in my direction. Today was no exception. The "Best of 2014" lists have begun circulating, and the following was passed on to me today in one such collection. The result? An awesome infographic on Gothic Horror from The Guardian. Gothic Horror is a subset of the horror genre that is characterized by a few very special elements, and combines elements of romance and horror. It's thought that the first gothic horror novel w[...]
I've been seeing a few of these "Holiday Buying Guides" floating around, but I have yet to come across something dedicated to horror fans. With twelve days left before Christmas hits, and Hanukkah starting up next week, I figured we Midnighters might very well need a list of our own. I'd like to disclaim this by saying that the number one item on anyone's list ought to be "books" but since you know and I know that you're already asking for "books", I'll spare you the recommendation and jump straight into the cute stuff. For your shopping pleasure, a few holiday[...]
I write horror. This is the usual response I give people (delivered in a flat tone, because it's hard to gauge how they'll respond) when people ask what floats my boat. I've been met with a variety of reactions, but the most frequently recurring are the following: You must watch a lot of horror movies. I do, but I'm a chicken. I often won't watch them alone, and I would prefer to have someone burly next to me whose shoulder I can cram my face against during the scary parts. I often have trouble sleeping for weeks afterwards. You must have some strange stuff in yo[...]
Halloween has come and gone, and already the stores have started stocking holiday items. I hate this feeling -- the one you get when you see tinsel and prefab knit stockings two weeks before the clock strikes midnight on my favourite holiday of the year. I hide at home. Don't go into stores. Try to avoid the red and green and silver. It's too soon, and I'm not ready to let go quite yet. Being November 1st, I'm still holed up in my apartment, still sitting in my Halloween costume, trying to convince myself that's it's not over yet. And you know, it sorta is and i[...]
Hey guys! Long time no see. I've been on vacation, backpacking in Europe for a few weeks, but I'm back just in time to catch the Halloween season as it ramps up. Without further ado, I've collected a few horror events for you from around the globe if you're interested in catching a quick fright as the days get shorter and we approach Fright Night. Just because convention season is over until the spring, doesn't mean you can't get your scares. Keep in mind, these are immersive experiences -- they're not for the faint of heart. Check them out: Halloween Horror Nig[...]
Over the past few days, I've been having the "horror" discussion a few times with a few different individuals. What is it? What makes it appealing? Does all horror fall under the same umbrella? Where do you draw the line between the things that creep and the things that scare versus the things meant to titillate and disgust? I think it's all relative -- we draw from experience and expand the lens on the things that dig into our history both as individuals and collectively. What scares me might scare you, but maybe not. In the effort to overturn a few rocks, to p[...]
You may have noticed that in these parts, we're big fans of American Horror Story. I've been smitten with the show since the first time Tate Langdon stalked through the halls of his high school in Murder House with a full face tattoo. I fell in love when he dragged Violet into the bathtub to stop her from overdosing. With season four gearing up for a big release, the Freakshow is coming to town. Rather than rehash everything that's been said about casting, I thought it might be interesting to look at some possible avenues that might be explored this season.[...]
The older I get, the more I come to realize that the best of my childhood fears offer markers for what I consider entertainment. I'm a monster girl at heart. Fangs, fur, claws, tentacles. I treasure the thing that lives in my closet. The thing that lives under my bed. They have special places in my heart, and often, they need to be fed to be kept happy. When the trailer for The Babadook's Sundance debut began circulating a few months ago, I clamped both hands to my desk, cranked the volume up, and tittered my way through the pounding in my ears. Maybe it's just m[...]
When I started writing seriously a couple of years ago, a few things had to change to support my habit. When you work a demanding day job, and you often stumble out of the office craving a little more than what the nine to five offers, you need to establish certain routines that support the extra shamble home. The people who tell you to exercise and eat right? They've got the right idea. The better shape your body is in, the better likelihood you've got to plant yourself in front of a keyboard for a few extra hours every night and churn some words that don't suck.[...]