Dreams are a huge source of inspiration for me. (That includes nightmares.) Every morning, I try to spend a few minutes in that in-between place, half awake, reviewing the night’s new material. I sift through what I remember, hunting for potential stories, any good imagery. If there’s something good, I’ll chew on it until I get to my laptop for the…
Tag: horror
Haunting Reads for Ghost Pokemon: Lavender Town and My Love of Writing
I’ve played Pokemon since I was about 10 years old. I remember hiding under my blankets at night with a flashlight and a Game Boy Color, burning my batteries down. When I played, I didn’t just see pixels. I could smell that knee-high grass, and the caves had dank, sticky air like the storage unit…
EYES: Horror & Sci-fi Books, Art, and Other Strange Content
I see you . . . Okay, no I don’t. But who knows what might be watching? I like to think we’d sense something if there were watchers. Eyes have a way of touching without touching, raising goosebumps and tickling the back of your neck. But then again, maybe we’d sense nothing at all. I…
APPLES: Scary Books and Other Strange Content
This May, we’re focused on APPLES. What a weird, tempting fruit. Shiny skin. Juicy flesh. Reliant on a period of icy dormancy. Did you know planting an apple seed won’t yield a tree with the same apples? The seeds of an apple are a combination of its parent tree’s genetics and a different apple tree’s…
Introducing Haunted Houses in Writing
I love haunted houses. I love their mystery, their poetry, the way they stand in for how we’re haunted ourselves. One of my favorite moments is when we “meet” the haunted house. Go on, give me mile-long, absurdly detailed descriptions. Use adverbs. Use “too many” adjectives. Tell me exactly what those gutters look like and…
CAVES: Scary Books and Old Art in Dark, Deep Places
Another month, another themed list! Thanks in particular this month to the “Spooky Book Club” and “Horror Books” Facebook groups for caves-themed book recs. If you like what you find here, sign up for my newsletter! I always include a little extra for subscribers. Got any theme-related stories? Books or games set far underground? Music that…
NEWSLETTER LAUNCHED
This January, I launched an author-oddity newsletter! What’s it about? First and foremost, it’s a way to boost other creators, especially small ones still trying to find their audience. If you like the odd and eerie, subscribe! On the 5th each month, you’ll learn what the month’s theme is. On the 25th, I’ll send a…
SNOW: Scary Books, Art, and Mysteries in Snowy Settings
Every month, for my newsletter subscribers, I do a themed list of oddball items: books, indie games, art, weird facts, creepy internet rabbit holes… If you like what you see here, sign up! The newsletters always include little extra. If you’ve got more chilling theme-related oddities or recommendations, don’t hold out. Drop ’em in the…
CHIRAL MAD 5
My flash fiction “Seeds” is in CHIRAL MAD 5! This illustrated horror and science fiction anthology includes Stephen King, not to mention Josh Malerman, Victor LaValle, Zoje Sage, and multiple other award-winning authors. Michael Bailey, a Bram Stoker Award–winning editor, has made a beautiful product for the fifth and final installment of the series. Seth Brown created…
Ms. Wolownik’s New Assistant
Here’s my entry for the Official Kidlit #FallWritingFrenzy! Writers select one image to inspire a 200-word story. My image is below! Ms. Wolownik’s New Assistant Ms. Wolownik’s house looks like a rotten potato. It’s brown and white, and nobody can tell mold from paint. Its roof sags. Vines from overgrown plants spill out the windows….