Author: cjcasey

Writer, Reader, Traveller, Knitter, Eater

Movie Recommendation: Hansel and Gretel (2007)

No, I'm not going back on my rants against Disneyfucation of good folk and fairy tales with this review. That's something I can't ever see happening. No, this time I'm here to tell you of a regrettably little-known Korean horror film, Hansel and Gretel (헨젤과 그레텔). If you enjoy anything like the other surreal science … Continue reading Movie Recommendation: Hansel and Gretel (2007)

Novel Writing as TV Competition

5 Comments

Davide Mana's avatarKaravansara

And so the Italian state TV, RAI, decided to do what everybody said would be a bad idea – a talent show for writers.

They gathered 5000 “aspiring writers”, who submitted 5000 manuscripts, and then they did the classic reality/talent routine.
They set up a judging panel of three popular novelists, and let the circus begin.
For the winner, a promised print run of 100.000 copies through a major publisher.

100.000 copies, in a country in which the average citizen reads 0.73 books per year, and 5000 copies are considered an solid success for a well-established author.

The show is ugly.
Granted, a reality show is probably supposed to be vulgar and simplistic, but here we go a lot farther than usual along that road.

View original post 259 more words

Movie Review: We Are What We Are

This is a day or two after Hallowe'en, but I don't recall ever thinking that we had to limit ourselves. Horror, the unknown, the supernatural, the all-too-natural... all of that happens year-round. Segregating horror to one month a year, or the eight dark hours of the day, sometimes makes it easier to deal with and … Continue reading Movie Review: We Are What We Are

New (to Me) Blog: The Days and Nights of kashmirgirl1976

I discovered this blog this evening, after she discovered us. She has a nice write-up this month of horror movies, and I recommend checking it out. Though I'm not sure I can trust her... she says that there might be "an adequate amount" of Sherlock/Benedict Cumberbatch on her page, and frankly, I don't know if … Continue reading New (to Me) Blog: The Days and Nights of kashmirgirl1976

Laugh While You Can… That Means You’re Still Breathing

1 Comment

The Land of Laughs was lit by eyes that saw the lights that no one's seen. Jonathan Carroll, The Land of Laughs In my irregular series on creepy books in honor of the impending autumn, I present to you one of the funnier ones. To a point. This book reads like a light surreal comedy … Continue reading Laugh While You Can… That Means You’re Still Breathing

The Best Haunted House Novel?

5 Comments

No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, … Continue reading The Best Haunted House Novel?

The 50 Scariest Books of All Time

2 Comments

From Flavorwire. I have issues with a few of the books on this list (particularly when I think there are more frightening books by a featured author) but I've read at least three-fifths, and those books were all quite good. Anyone want to write a short blurb/ review about your favourite on here? The List: … Continue reading The 50 Scariest Books of All Time

The Phantom Tollbooth

Apparently, they've released a documentary film about the making of The Phantom Tollbooth. My life is more or less complete, now. -- CJKC (Thanks to Boing Boing for the tip.)

The Detective with a Funny Hat

Reblogged from Stark Writing Crazy: This has become shorthand in some writing circles for character traits that are just pasted on like they were cut out of construction paper and glued to the guy at the last moment. These traits don’t actually affect anything in the story, but the author, and some readers, are convinced … Continue reading The Detective with a Funny Hat