New stuff! Shenanigans! Weird things! Welcome to the fourth instalment of Curious Things Found on the Internet. We're taking it eclectic this week, and curating a mishmash of different things from various areas, and different parts of the world. Cat funerals! Tiny coffins! The hotel from Stephen King's The Shining! Hell yes. Let's have some fun, and get those inspirational juices flowing. Curious Things Found on the Internet - Part IV Edinburgh’s Mysterious Miniature Coffins "The “fairy coffins” discovered on Arthur’s Seat, a hill above Edinb[...]
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Stephen King
0 Hello guys and ghouls! This, being the second in the series of Curious Things Found on the Internet (you can read the first here), I'm running with a literary theme this week. The way this works: I offer up an interesting tidbit found in my internet travels along with a book pairing inspired by the oddity, as well as a drink to go with it. Without further ado, let's get to it: 1. Popular Writers: A Stephen King interview In which Neil Gaiman interviews Stephen King. This is an older interview, dating back to 2012, but if I haven't already overstated it: both[...]
For this week's installment of Writing Bloody, I'd like to talk about research. Going on a fact finding mission is imperative to writing a believable story. Some things you can fake, we all know that. But what you can't fake are facts. For example, making up your own name for a specific emergency room tool--like a scalpel-- will NOT work (neither will made up spelling). Can you make up scenery or make your own mad scientist formula? Sure. But still, there needs to be a balance between fact and fiction or your readers won't believe a thing your selling.[...]
Hi again! Today I want to share when horror dreams come true. And no, not those dreams. If the dolls from my nightmare had dragged me down the stairs, I would still be screaming. I'm talking about when your favorite creepy fiction has a basis in reality, for when those two world collide... fabulousness happens. One of my all time favorite scary books is Stephen King's THE SHINING. The creep factor in this one blows me away. I've read it a few times and will never think that a hedge animal is something cute. I also knew that he wrote this book after ha[...]
The strange and dark things that exist in my mind surprise people. I seem so nice. So innocent. Well, not exactly. For my first post here with The Midnight Society (EEEEEEKK!) I want to introduce myself... or more specifically the dark side of myself. The weird, the fantastic, the scary have always drawn me to gaze into the shadows, to look under the bed and in the closet, well, maybe not the closet. Let's not go crazy. There are monsters in there. Seriously, you know that, right? My love of horror began long ago. Books like 'The Spell of the Sorcerer's Sk[...]
I am so in the right mood for Thanksgiving. After seeing a recent post by Brooks Benjamin I decided to follow his lead with a post all my own. And as always with us here at the Midnight Society, my focus will be what horror am I thankful for. 1. American Horror Story As a long-time fan of the show AHS, I am most thankful for this season. First of all, I'm happy to know that there are others out there with crazier ideas than I have. I also adore Jessica Lange. I mean, can any actress out there beat all of the characters she's played over the last few years? AND[...]
Welcome to Odd Sundays with JB! I've got some fun features to kick off in September, but for the next couple of Odd Sundays, we're going to have some fun. As a movie-lover, I use movies to psych me up for different events. This week, I go back to teaching, so I made a list of horror movies to help kick off the pre-Halloween season. The Faculty (1998) The Breakfast Club meets The Body Snatchers. What says, "Welcome Back to School," better than a film that perpetuates the eroding trust between students and teachers? Disturbing Behavior (1998) Footloose meets Step[...]
I am a huge Stephen King fan. I enjoy reading his stories and watching his words come to life on the big screen. But the real reason I have so much regard for Mr. King is because of his ability to take himself and writing so seriously. A few years ago I read his book on the craft of writing aptly named, On Writing. If you haven't read this yet, I implore you to get a copy now. Seriously. I've recently come back to read some advice he gives--because honestly, sometimes writers need to give themselves a good ol' pep talk. Reminding yourself once and a while abo[...]
Do you believe in aliens? If you are any part human, you have at least wondered about the existence of extraterrestrial life. Maybe your idea of alien lifeforms are cute and cuddly, ala E.T. Or perhaps something more along the lines of the monster from the movie Alien. Maybe you gravitate toward the idea that other planetary life might simply consist of plants and micro-organisms. Whatever the case, the possibility that a being who is not human could occupy the universe is both intriguing and chilling. This is what makes alien books, movies, and TV shows so inter[...]
When I first put the call out on Twitter asking for woman horror writers to contact me because I wanted to interview them, I have to say...I didn't expect this turn out. I've learned a lot from these talented ladies. This week's interview focuses on Jennifer Brinkmeyer. She's currently seeking representation for her manuscript: SEED OF BODY. We all wish her the VERY best of luck! 1. What does the word “horror” mean to you? Horror means being scared by the what-if and the what-would-I do-if. A lot of times I’ll make fun of what’s happening in a[...]