Michelle Scott's Blog, page 4

The Origins of Friday the 13th

Is it unlucky to celebrate Friday the 13th? I’m not especially superstitious, but certain things make me pause. I’ll pet a black cat, but I won’t walk under a ladder (this seems prudent, in my opinion). I also don’t think I’ll get seven years of bad luck from breaking a mirror, but opening an umbrella indoors seems like nothing but trouble.

I’ve always been curious as to why Friday the 13th is bad, so I did some research to dig deeper into this superstition.

Unlucky 13

Several sources pointed out that the number 13 is considered unlucky. So much so that some buildings don’t have a 13th floor. They’ll skip it all together! Why? According to legend, Judas Iscariot was supposedly the 13th guest at Jesus’ last supper. And because Judas betrayed Jesus, the number 13 has been considered unlucky.

Norse mythology has its own reason for the number 13 being bad. According to that legend, Loki (the god of mischief) was a party crashed a gathering in Valhalla, making the number of guests 13. According to CNN, “Deceived by Loki, the blind god Hodr was tricked into shooting his brother Balder, the god of light, joy and goodness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow, killing him instantly.” Bad news for the gods of Valhalla!

The last source I checked mentioned that there is no 13th rule in the famous Code of Hammurabi (one of the earliest books written). That, apparently, makes the number very unlucky.

What about Friday?

That leaves the issue of Friday. What makes this day of the week so terrible? If you’re familiar with Holy Week, you’ll know that Good Friday actually marks the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. It’s also believed that Eve handed Adam the infamous cursed apple on a Friday. And that Cain killed his brother Abel on a Friday as well. Therefore, if you combine 13 with Friday, you get a very unlucky day.

Friday has been historically considered unlucky. It’s even mentioned in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. He wrote, “and on a Friday fell all this mischance.” According to the BBC, Friday was also known in Britain as ‘hangman’s day’ since that’s when public hangings took place.

And then there’s the Friday the 13th movies…

Yes, we’re all familiar with Jason and the Friday the 13th franchise. I have always enjoyed this horror franchise. The hockey mask is iconic! Although I don’t believe that I’ll be facing a machete-wielding maniac like Jason Voorhees, I do believe that I’ll be watching at least one of the movies today.

Which brings me back to my original question—is it unlucky to celebrate Friday the 13th? I guess I’ll find out!

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Is PG13 Horror as Good as its R-rated Counterparts?

As 2023 starts, I am already eagerly awaiting new horror movies. One of the flicks I’m most looking forward to is M3gan. A recent article on Screenrant, argues that PG13 M3gan would better serve horror fans if it included the cut scenes in order to give it an R rating. According to the article, more blood = more quality movie. I disagree.

Unlike a lot of genres, horror encompasses a wide range of experiences. Movies like Arachnophobia or Krampus offer thrills without a lot of gore. On the other hand, movies like Susperia are not for the faint-hearted. There are dozens of Reddit threads devoted to debates on what viewers dare (or dare not to) watch. Some viewers refuse to watch anything that includes sexual assault or animal abuse while others will watch anything and call it tame.

Personally, I walk a middle line between the tame and the grisly. I love ‘fun’ movies like Poltergeist. On the other hand, I recently watched Possession, which has probably scarred me for life (even thought it was an amazing art film).

My point is that PG13 horror movies are just as valid as their R and unrated counterparts. There is no shame in avoiding intense, bloody movies, just as there is not necessarily any honor in enduring the horrifying ones. Everyone has their limits, and knowing them is important.

As a horror junkie, I want to share my love of the genre with other people. When someone asks me for a recommendation, I’ll happily offer suggestions ranging from Beetlejuice to Triangle (a movie that scared years off of my life). I will also recommend potential viewers examine the parent warnings posted on IMDB. I firmly believe that viewers should know what they are walking into before watching.

True horror lovers are those who enjoy a good scare, whether it be giant earthworms like in Tremors, or blood-soaked body parts, like Texas Chainsaw Massacre. My advice: enjoy what you enjoy and don’t let others tell you what to watch.

What thrills do you enjoy? Let me know in the comments!

Read the first three chapters of my latest book for free!

If you like PG13-rated horror, let me recommend my own thrilling stories. My latest, The Demon in the Tower, is a Gothic-inspired tale of a haunted college campus, earth magic, and a little romance.

You can read the first, three chapters of The Demon in the Tower for free!

Read the first three chapters for free!

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Horror Movie Props that Scare me the Most

Warning: Some Spoilers

Over the holidays, I watched quite a few movies with my family, one of which was Barbarian. I’ve seen it before, but what struck me on the second viewing were the horror movie props of the mattress, the bucket, and the camera.

I loved the conversation between Tess and Keith when Tess is trying to explain how terrified she is of that room, and Keith can’t seem to understand her fear. He can’t imagine anyone being scared of a mattress, a bucket, and a camera. In part, I feel that this is a divide between men and women, with women understanding the terrifying implications of such a setup while men might not grasp the fears these things instill in us. (Either that, or Tess has watched a fair bit of horror, and Keith hasn’t.)

In any case, there are several horror movie props that terrify me on a visceral level. Just viewing them puts me in a horror mood. Here are my top four.

Horror Movie Props 1—Stained Mattresses

Stained mattresses make an appearance in many horror flicks. The one that comes immediately to mind is the one in the original Hellraiser movie. Not only do I think of blood-stained mattresses as disease-ridden and gross, but it’s always a question of how the mattress got that way in the first place. Then there’s the American Horror Story Hotel idea that something (or someone) is stuffed inside that mattress. If I spy a dirty mattress in a movie, I know something bad is about to happen.

Horror Movie Props 2—Old Cribs

Going with the bed theme, the next item of fear is a broken-down crib. Cribs are supposed to be sweet, carrying the promise of innocence. But when those cribs are neglected-looking, you know there’s a story behind it. I used an old crib as an image in the cover for my book Restless Spirits because I thought it captured the essence of the ghostly manor. In other places, cribs have showed up in classics like Rosemary’s Baby. Sometimes, they’re posted in passing, such as in Deadstream. The broken-down cribs lend a lot of great atmosphere.

Horror Movie Props 3—Bathtubs

Bathtubs full of water promise all kinds of terrible things. The bathtub scene in Nightmare on Elm Street carved itself into my brain and made me fear taking a bath for quite a while. But at least that water was clean! If you’ve seen Deadstream, you’ll not forget the bathtub full of noxious, vile ‘water’. I had a strong suspicion of what was about to happen when I saw that evil thing, but watching it play out made me very squeamish.

Last but not Least—Chains

Okay, I’ve saved the scariest for last. For some unknown reason, chains scare the life out of me. Especially chains hanging from the ceiling (bonus points if the room is a warehouse). I don’t have a lot of personal experience with chains, other than the winter kind that go on tires, but when I see them in movies I get chills every time.

This atmospheric prop shows up in so many horror movies. Whether it’s Freddie’s lair in Nightmare on Elm Street, or the hanging of Jason Voorhees, chains provide a terrifying backdrop to every scene they’re in.

So what do you think? What horror props scare you the most? Let me know in the comments.

If you’d like to read more of my ramblings or simply catch up on what I’ve been writing, consider signing up for my newsletter. I generally send them out twice a month, and they’re full of freebies and news. If you sign up with the link, you can receive a free copy of my novella, The Devil’s Door.

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Mexican Gothic – Book Review

If you’ve been following my blog, you know how much I love a good Gothic thriller. Not only do I enjoy writing them, I love to snuggle up with one. Preferably on a cold, snowy or rainy afternoon. (It’s even better with a cup of tea and a cookie.) That’s why my favorite read of 2022 was Mexican Gothic.

Over the Christmas break, I indulged with a truly unique Gothic thriller, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Just like many of my favorite Gothics, Mexican Gothic has all the mystery of Jane Eyre and the haunting atmosphere of Wuthering Heights. Plus, there is plenty of horror ala Stephen King.

Mexican Gothic tells the story of Noemi Taboada, a young socialite, who goes to visit her ailing cousin, Catalina. Noemi soon discovers that Catalina is trapped in a tumble-down mansion called High Place on a misty mountainside. Catalina’s only companions are a frightening collection of relatives and servants. When Noemi tries to rescue Catalina, she soon finds that the secrets of High Place run deep, and it may be too late for her to escape a similar fate as her cousin.

This story does a great job of putting a fresh spin on old tropes. A haunted mansion, misty mountainsides, and a family curse pair off against a medicine woman, a silver mine, and a some of the most horrific nightmares I’ve ever read about. I also really liked Noemi. She was feisty and flirty without being insincere. She was also smart enough to figure out the clues without putting herself in unnecessary danger.

Although I read a lot of wonderful horror novels in 2022, Mexican Gothic was one of my favorites. I’m also eager to read more from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, including The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, which was published last year. Don’t you love discovering a new author? Let me know what your favorite read in 2022 was.

The Demon in the Tower—an occult thriller

If you love ghosts, demons, and Gothic horror, give The Demon in the Tower a try. It’s free on Kindle Unlimited, and also available in the Kindle store.

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My Favorite Horror Movies of 2022

My Four Favorite Horror Movies of 2022

2022 was a great year for horror movies. Alongside the franchises and familiar faces were quite a few new movies. I was quite pleased with the offerings. Here are my four, favorite horror movies of 2022.

Although I do pay attention to movie ratings and other people’s opinions, I generally like to make my judgments and prefer to go into new movies unbiased. So far, this has served me well. However, it also means that I don’t always agree with prevailing opinions.

This year, I give the spot of my number one favorite horror movie of 2022 to Barbarian. I’ve written about it before on this blog, but I really did enjoy that movie. It was unique, it had a lot of unexpected twists, and it even took place in my old stomping grounds. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it. The haunting setting, compelling narrative, and exciting ending make it a must-see.

Number two in my list of favorite horror movies of 2022 is Black Phone. Black Phone didn’t offer the most unique plot, but it did work really well as a new lens for an old trope. I particularly liked the character arc for Finney, the main character. Like I said, there honestly isn’t much of a plot, but the characterization and acting were all very good.

That brings us to number three which really isn’t a horror movie so much as a very intense historical thriller: The Northman. I’m a huge Robert Eggers fan. To me, this director does a fantastic job of setting a dark, chilling mood. In that regard, The Northman didn’t disappoint. This is an intense, harrowing movie with a lot of violence and gore. It’s one of those slipstream movies that are kind of horror like but at the same time not. Even if you are not inclined to watch historical fiction, I recommend this.

The last of my favorite horror movies of 2022 is a dark, psychological horror movie called Speak No Evil. The question underlying this movie is, “How far would you go to be polite?” It’s a simple premise on the surface, but as events unfold, this question becomes more and more pressing. I’ve been watching and reading horror for years, and there is very little that gets under my skin. However, the ending of this movie slayed me. If you have watched and enjoyed (?) movies like Funny Games (1997), then Speak No Evil is not to be missed.

I realize that top four is a strange number to pick. Usually, lists go for top five. However, these were the movies that stuck out to me, and I figured that I would highlight my favorites rather than dilute the list. In my next post, I plan on identifying my four least favorite movies of the year.

What about you? What were some of your favorite movies this year?

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A Free Christmas Horror Novella

I’ve always had a fondness for holiday stories, especially Christmas horror stories. Don’t get me wrong. I love the traditional celebrations as much as anyone. Decorating the tree in silver and red, mulling wine and cider, even cooking the perfect Christmas meal always warms my heart. At the same time, I can’t help but enjoy a good holiday scare as well.

I’ve written about my vampire hunter series, Bit Parts, before. However, I don’t think I mentioned that I also wrote a novella based on the characters. In light of the holidays, I’m offering this holiday novella for free.

In my mind, stories of vampires and sexy vampire hunters never go out of style. I’ve always had a fondness for stories of people who go up against supernatural baddies, like demons, ghosts and vampires.

One of the things I like best about this Christmas horror story is that it takes place in one of my favorite Detroit landmarks, the Whitney restaurant. The Whitney is a converted mansion, and it offers timeless elegance and delectable food. I wanted the vampires’ Christmas celebration to be held in a place with an old-world feel, and I know the Whitney fit the bill.

If you haven’t yet read the Bit Parts series, A Christmas Peril is a great place to start. Chronologically, it takes place between the first and second books. However, it is a stand alone.

Think of this as my Christmas gift to you! Have a great holiday however you celebrate.

Download A Christmas Peril Today

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Holiday Gifts for Horror Fans

Every year, I fight the same battle: what presents do I get for my loved ones? My family and I don’t go in for a lot of gifts, but I always want to give something personal and fun. This year, I thought I’d help out with ideas of holiday gifts for horror fans.

Books They’ll Love

I’ll start with an easy one. Most horror fans love to read, but in my experience, a lot of libraries don’t have an extensive horror sections. This means that we horror fans have to dig into our own wallets to purchase books in our favorite genre. Therefore, books are always appreciated. My favorites include historical horror by authors like Alma Katsu and Dan Simmons. Another great book I read this year was Jackal by Erin Adams. Whatever your horror lovers’ taste, there are plenty of titles to choose from.

Movies to Thrill Them

Alongside books, horror movies are the best. If you have a real horror fan on your hands, I recommend getting them a subscription to Shudder, Shudder is a streaming service for horror films and series, some of which are Shudder originals. There are hundreds of videos to choose from which, at $4.75 a month, is an excellent deal.

Shop Small Businesses

Etsy has become my new obsession. Personally, I sell digital planners and junk journal ephemera in my shops, but I am always scanning the site for new and creative gifts. I’m never disappointed! I searched ‘horror gifts’ and came up with a huge array of t-shirts, cups and mugs, and candles. My favorites were a collection of bath bombs in the shapes of characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Another fun gift was a cement planter in the shape of Michael Myers’ head. (Michael Myers being the OG serial killer.) Plus, who doesn’t love succulents?

And Finally…

This last gift might be my favorite because it involves a board game. I’ve played Last Night on Earth with my family, and it’s just like being in a B movie. It’s a lot of fun, even for those who don’t like horror. If you like outrageous board games, and you love spending time with friends and family, I recommend giving Last Night on Earth.

Holiday Gifts for Horror Fans

So there you have it! I hope you’re able to find something fun and useful for your favorite horror fan (or maybe even yourself!) Most of all, I wish you and yours a very happy holiday season.

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Barbarian Movie 2022 Review

I started hearing about Barbarian a few weeks ago. Soon, the trickle of news became a flood, and I knew that I had to watch it before the inevitable spoilers were released. The movie was much different than I had expected, but it was a thrill ride nonetheless. My Barbarian movie 2022 review is also somewhat biased, since it takes place near where I lived for the past thirty years: Detroit, Michigan.

Barbarian starts with a simple premise: a young woman named Tess rents an Airbnb which is already occupied. It’s a dark, rainy night in a bad neighborhood, and Tess finds herself with a decision: take up a strange man’s offer to share the house, or sleep in her car for the night. With this simple premise, the surprises keep coming.

What I liked most about this movie was that it always went in unexpected directions. Just when you thought you knew what was going to happen, the narrative changed and delivered something else entirely. I had thought that the movie would be a kind of Hostel remake, but that wasn’t true at all. Instead, the audience is taken on a thrilling roller coaster ride that gets more and more out of control.

Everything about this movie is delightfully creepy. The house, the characters, and the neighborhood all play a part in making this one of the most engrossing movies I’ve seen in a while. Barbarian preys on fears of being alone with a stranger, being alone in a bad neighborhood, finding evidence of a horrible crime, and so much more. There are jump scares here, but the real terror comes from discovering how things can suddenly go from bad to worse.

In Barbarian, evil comes in all forms. Yes, there are monsters, but a lot of the damage comes from ordinary humans. The barbarian in the title could be anyone.

All in all, this was one of my favorites of 2022. For my Barbarian 2022 movie review, I give it five out of five stars.

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Reading Nook Redo

As I said in my last blog post, I might be a writer but I‘m an even bigger reader! Just today, my daughter said, “You’re always reading!” She knows me so well! And just like every other reading addict I know, I love a good reading nook.

My favorite way to read is to be off in a quiet corner with a cup of tea (or iced tea). I need a place that’s comfortable and prefer somewhere with a pleasing view. This is why I generally do my bird watching when I’m on the couch in the living room.

But sometimes, it’s even nicer to have a change of scenery. That’s why I turned my sights to the attic.

I’ve had my eye on this hidden nook upstairs for quite a while. The problem was that I didn’t want to invest a lot of money into the project. After reading articles about the downsides of ‘fast furniture’, I decided that whenever possible, I would decorate my home with things that I’d thrifted, been gifted, or crafted.

So when my friend showed me the rug and rocking chair she was going to donate to Goodwill, I saw my opportunity. My friend and I have been trading things for years. Clothing, jewelry, and books exchange hands very regularly. She was more than happy to send her unused items to me! And thus my vision for a little reading nook in the attic was brought to life.

My nook (and my home) is far from being Instagram or Pinterest worthy, but I love how comfortable everything is. I also love sitting in that very comfortable rocker and looking down at the creek below. As far as views from our house go, I think the reading nook has the best one!

I’m so excited over this that I’ve been spending more and more time upstairs sipping tea and reading. As if I needed another excuse to turn another page!

What about you? Where do you like to read? I’d love to know in the comments.

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Coffee Shop Books – My Alter Ego on Instagram

Coffee Shop Book Reviews

I’ve always held to the belief that you can’t be a writer without reading as many books as possible. I learn so much about the craft of writing from reading and studying other authors’ works. And not just the horror writers! That’s why I created my book review page, Coffee Shop Books.

I’ve been reviewing novels on Coffee Shop Books for about five years. I got the inspiration for the name from, you guessed it, writing reviews while working in a coffee shop. Surrounded by people and the white-noise hum of conversation, I enjoy a hot latte while writing my reviews.

Although I write horror, I generally review thrillers and mysteries. I like the fast-paced rhythm of a good thriller. Some of my favorite authors include Ruth Ware, B.A. Paris, and Gillian Flynn. I’m especially fond of novels set in England. I think that’s because I’m an anglophile at heart!

In any case, I enjoy sharing my reading addiction with other reading addicts. On Coffee Shop Books, I don’t review books in order to criticize them. What I really want to do is share my love of certain books with other readers. When I find a book that thrills me, I simply have to tell everyone about it!

Although I do share my reviews on GoodReads, I primarily post on Instagram. (Or, ‘bookstagram’, as book lovers call it.) If you’re interested in reading my reviews, or seeing random pictures of my life, then consider following me on Insta. I’m always interested in sharing new books and book-related conversations with other bibliophiles.

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