Byzantium–Just Another Vampire Movie?

For those of you out there that know me well, you know how much I love vampire stories. Yes, I'm one of those people that will probably read/watch something just because it has vampires in it. Do I think vampires are overdone, both in books and film/television? Hell yes. For every good vampire story out … Continue reading Byzantium–Just Another Vampire Movie?

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

The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror: Not Forgotten

Since we're getting in the Halloween spirit around here, with all the talk of haunted houses and creepy books, I'd like to take a few minutes to talk about my favorite anthology series. The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror anthology, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling*, published twenty-one volumes between 1988 and 2008. I remember … Continue reading The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror: Not Forgotten

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

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?

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

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

Free, Out of Print Pulp Fiction

Now that I have your attention: Munseys is a website that has free, out of print pulp fiction... over 1600 volumes and counting. Granted, most of them seem to be of the soft-core or exploitation variety, but there are some gems buried in here, such as a few works by Algernon Blackwood and Robert E. … Continue reading Free, Out of Print Pulp Fiction

Choosing the Right Thread

Last week, Matthew Rettino of the excellent site The Vinciolo Journal, left a comment on one of my articles: [I]t’s a genre that’s here to stay, for sure. One of the reasons being, that most of history is speculation. And fantasy is speculative literature. As someone who is both a student of literature and of … Continue reading Choosing the Right Thread