Horror Aficionados discussion
Group Reads: Guest Author Invite
>
November 2019 Group Read of MIDNIGHT IN THE GRAVEYARD with 25 Guest Authors
Holes in the Fabric - really liked the story - wish it had been longer as I would like to know more about what happened with Norma.Dog Days - spooky read - I have had dogs in the past so I can relate to dogs roaming free in the neighborhood actually before there was a leash law. That would be bad if all the dogs went rabid though. I would dig myself a tunnel to get out of the neighborhood! lol
Drown - it was nice to be reconnected with Jessica from Forest of Shadows. Thankfully I do own the rest of the series on kindle as I have had them for a long time. Didn't know they are no longer available. Great short story with Jessica. Thanks Hunter for writing that one!
Read a couple more stories, and it keeps getting better and better...Ha, just wondered about a more funny story before, and then got 'The Cemetery Man', that one was really twisted!
The two most lingering stories here were 'Join the Club' - I love horror stories with kids, and this one was so cute (in a weird way) - I felt both with Timmy and Tommy, poor kids.
The other one was 'New Blood, Old Skin'.
@Glenn: I wonder if there's a small autobiographical part in it?!
Just started with Glimmer Girls, and the first time I read about the radium I was really shocked. (view spoiler), that's a really sick idea for a story.
@Kenneth (McKinley): Where did that come from?
Elke wrote: "Read a couple more stories, and it keeps getting better and better...Ha, just wondered about a more funny story before, and then got 'The Cemetery Man', that one was really twisted!
The two most..."
Hi, Elke! Glad you enjoyed it. It's certainly sprinkled with bits of my world. The idea started when my son had me draw him a monster. He told me what he wanted and I drew it. He named it "Mr. Beesty" I think we still have the drawing somewhere...
Mod
Ha, just wondered about a more funny story before, and then got 'The Cemetery Man', that one was really twisted!
The two most..."
I agree, Elke. What do they say? The best horror is from real life? It’s true. The idea of The Glimmer Girls came from a real story that I read and, as I was reading it, I was absolutely horrified. There actually was an American company that employed small-handed women from the later part of World War I to the mid 1920s to apply radium paint to the dials of watches to make them able to be read in the dark. The company knew of the dangers and lied to their workers, bought off doctors to falsify documents, and many other shady practices. Almost all of the particulars in my story came from real life including the girls being instructed to insert the tips of their brushes into their mouths. This caused them to ingest the radium, which replaced the calcium in their bones with radium, causing them to become brittle. As I was reading this story in disbelief, it felt like I was watching an episode of Tales From The Crypt, and my twisted mind took it from there. The sad thing is I didn’t have to doctor up the story all that much.
Kimberly wrote: "THOSE WHO ARE TERRIFIED, Elizabeth Massie---LOVED IT! Every last bit! I also read Jason Parent's RUSSIAN DOLLHOUSE last night, and thought it was "perfect"--original take on the "haunted house" sub...""Perfect" is strong praise. Thank you so much for your kind words :)
Russian Dollhouse was inspired by my own childhood - I was one of those kids that went out trick or treating way past the cute ages. My hometown still does traditional trick or treating, and kids, either by instinct or lore, just know which houses to stay away from, which streets not to go down.
And then there were me and my friends. We knew where not to go but dared each other anyway. It usually resulted in a nice old lady handing us some pennies, or a non-answer, or someone in the group playing a prank on the rest of us, or worse - us doing something we shouldn't have been doing in a place we had no business being. (view spoiler)
Shannon wrote: ""Dog Days" was great and I'd also love for it to become a long story. Is there a petition we can sign? Elizabeth, Sir terrified me and that fact that you brought that out mainly through the child..."
Thanks, Shannon - I haven't read them all yet, but yours is one of my favorites (and you earned my brother's favorite spot, too - and that includes mine, lol - so much for family). Just a fantastic, superb, awesome story!
Krystal wrote: "Kenneth wrote: "Hmm, maybe I should consider expanding that story then with so many of you suggesting it. :)"YES! Consider my name on the petition! :D"
I'll add my name, too. great job, Ken!
Thanks, everyone. Glad you all enjoyed the story.
Mod
I could definitely see a longer work with this one!!
@Elizabeth Massie - I loved "Those Who Are Terrified"! Wow that was a creepy story! It was so creepy in fact that I had bad dreams from it and I hardly ever have bad dreams from a horror book as it is rare! :) So that is a good thing when you can get into the psyche of your readers and mess with their dreams! LOL :)
@William Meikle - Loved "Cool For Cats"! I have a cat actually and so I loved reading a spooky story about them! Though funny enough my cat won't drink any kind of milk! lol But I enjoyed the story! :)
Mod
Mod
cool for cats was good, an interesting premise, with the house and all.
Sawmill road- a great story, a recollection of a haunting.
Bettor's Edge- very good story. hauntings & addictions done right!
the graveyard- loved this one. good & scary!
Marie wrote: "@Elizabeth Massie - I loved "Those Who Are Terrified"! Wow that was a creepy story! It was so creepy in fact that I had bad dreams from it and I hardly ever have bad dreams from a horror book as it..."Well, that's a huge compliment! You're welcome for the bad dreams...I think! Maybe? Heh! So glad you enjoyed it!
Kenneth wrote: "Elizabeth. I loved the imagery in Those Who Are Terrified. Can you give us a little background on this story?""Those Who are Terrified" has its roots in my childhood. I did live in a small town. My grandfather (a cold, detached man) was mayor for a while and was a realtor. He also owned a large building at the top of the hill and the building had a basement full of every kind of weird shit you'd want to find. My sisters and I once found an artificial leg and it creeped us out, wondering who it belonged to and why it was in the basement. None of us wanted to touch it, but we kicked it around for a while. That was the basis for the story. Then, of course, I ran with my imagination into that dark place called the "cemetery of the mind." :)
Elizabeth wrote: "Marie wrote: "@Elizabeth Massie - I loved "Those Who Are Terrified"! Wow that was a creepy story! It was so creepy in fact that I had bad dreams from it and I hardly ever have bad dreams from a hor..."You are welcome! If I get bad dreams from horror books that is always a good thing for me! Now I have added some of your other books to my tbr and you now have a new follower! lol :)
Marie wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Marie wrote: "@Elizabeth Massie - I loved "Those Who Are Terrified"! Wow that was a creepy story! It was so creepy in fact that I had bad dreams from it and I hardly ever have bad..."Kewl! Thanks!
Mod
Mod
One epic bout of insomnia....I might have decked the Sandman.
This is what anthologies are supposed to be...even the stories that didn't work for me were worth the read.
Jason wrote: "Shannon wrote: ""Dog Days" was great and I'd also love for it to become a long story. Is there a petition we can sign? Elizabeth, Sir terrified me and that fact that you brought that out mainly t..."
Must be something in the Good n Plentys, Jason. :D Thank you!
Latasha wrote: "Ok I’m skipping around now. Last night I read New Blood, Old Skin. That was fun! I enjoyed it. Join my Club. That was a rough one. It broke my heart. And Last Call at the Sudden Death Saloon- that ..."Thanks very much for the mention of "Last Call," Latasha. I was already humbled to be included with the incredible writers in this anthology, and now that I'm reading MIDNIGHT along with everyone else I'm even more grateful. There are some outstanding stories in this thing!
Mod
your welcome. yes, this is the best anthology i have read in years! all of the stories are good, not a bad one in the bunch.
Mod
Latasha wrote: "Ok I’m skipping around now. Last night I read New Blood, Old Skin. That was fun! I enjoyed it. Join my Club. That was a rough one. It broke my heart. And Last Call at the Sudden Death Saloon- that ..."Glad you dug it, Latasha! :)
Kimberly wrote: "THOSE WHO ARE TERRIFIED, Elizabeth Massie---LOVED IT! Every last bit! I also read Jason Parent's RUSSIAN DOLLHOUSE last night, and thought it was "perfect"--original take on the "haunted house" sub..."Oh yes, Russian Dollhouse was also great - a real haunted haunted house :) The ending was sweet!
Glenn wrote: "He named it "Mr. Beesty" I think we still have the drawing somewhere..."Ooh, that is so cute! I bet your son will be suprised when he reads the story and remembers about it...though I guess it's too soon yet for him... I can't wait for my own kid to get old enough for all the great spooky stories on mama's bookshelf ;)
Kenneth wrote: "I agree, Elke. What do they say? The best horror is from real life? It’s true...."Woah, never would have guessed it, that's really shocking...wonder what today's secret radium may be...
Kenneth wrote: "Hmm, maybe I should consider expanding that story then with so many of you suggesting it. :)"Yes please!
Finished!!! This was only my second 5 star rated anthology - I checked my shelves, and the only other anthology that made it was another HA group read from last year around the same time...so I guess I will stick with that MO for the future :)From the last batch, I especially loved:
Haunted World - I would really love to see that one made into a movie with all the ghostly apparitions!
Ghost Blood - that was really icky, poor guy. And when I thought that was creepy enough for a plot, the story took an even more bloody turn - great!
The Putpocket - I enjoyed the historical setting and the premise that this ghost was not such a bad one. A rather sad story.
Portrait - had no idea where that could possibly go, but the ending was awesome! This was a very visual story that played out full-color in my mind.
I'm still overwhelmed by the high above average quality of each of the stories included here. Now I have to let it settle for a bit before writing my review...
Holy hell I am glad that this whole entire thing exists! I've been reading these stories on the side, in between some longer works and WHAMMO!! I am loving each one that I've read and this line-up of authors is like a frigging ALL-STAR team! --Jen from Quebec :0)
Jen from Quebec :0) wrote: "Holy hell I am glad that this whole entire thing exists! I've been reading these stories on the side, in between some longer works and WHAMMO!! I am loving each one that I've read and this line-up ..."Well said!
Usually, I also put in a story or two between longer reads, but this kept me reading on and on without taking a break! Now I feel totally stuffed and in need of a break to properly digest all the goodies.
I just got done with Cool for Cats ... had a tough time with the protagonist being a horrible person! But then, I was also hoping she encountered some nasty surprises! Fellow readers, do you prefer your horror story protagonists to be good guys or bad guys?
Krystal wrote: "I just got done with Cool for Cats ... had a tough time with the protagonist being a horrible person! But then, I was also hoping she encountered some nasty surprises! Fellow readers, do you pref..."
Both are fine, as long as the story works.
Jon Recluse wrote: "Question for everyone:I've heard imprinted memories, assorted forms of ghosts, and demonic entities blamed when hauntings are discussed.
I've always been fascinated by an entity mentioned by such..."
I love this idea. And would like to go further to suggest you could erect a building with no reaction at all, but the energy that moves in later may be the provoking element...
Mod
Not a "bad" story in this batch, with quite a few way above the average.
I read DOG DAYS and Drown yesterday evening and loved them both, but most especially DOG DAYS, because I loved HOW the story was told. This anthology is stellar so far!
Mod
Krystal wrote: "I just got done with Cool for Cats ... had a tough time with the protagonist being a horrible person! But then, I was also hoping she encountered some nasty surprises! Fellow readers, do you pref..."
Interesting question, Krystal. I'd say I'm more comfortable rooting for the protagonist, but, I appreciate the creativity of the alternative. The change of pace is fun and sort of a challenge for me as a reader.
Elke wrote: "And another general question to both authors and fellow readers: what is your favorite ghost short story (not from Midnight...) that you would recommend?Smoke Ghost by Fritz Leiber
One that's been with me for an awful long time. In the early '70s, I was reading Leiber mainly for his science fiction, but stumbled upon a collection that contained this, and was immediately unnerved. Smoke Ghost, written in 1941, was an early attempt to bring ghosts into the modern age, and it works perfectly.
There is a thing here haunting city alleys, roofs and railway lines, a thing of tattered cloth, old newpapers, oil and smoke, a thing of the city's dispossessed and lost, that is as effective a haunting as anything ever put down on paper, and all the more scary for its modernist trappings. If I'm ever pressed for my favorite short horror story, this is the one that usually first comes to mind, for that thing of scraps and oil haunts me yet, and I've met it in my dreams.
Finally here. Sorry I'm late but I had an unexpected hospital stay and I"m recovering from major abdominal surgery. Don't make me laugh -- I might split up the middle.
Elke wrote: "The Putpocket - I enjoyed the historical setting and the premise..."I'm glad you enjoyed the story. In my nearly decade-long research for the Jack the Ripper Victims Series, I've learned so much about the Victorian London environment that I just decided to use what I knew for the setting of my ghost story. Thanks for reading it!
Latasha wrote: "ok i'm a bit behind on my updates. cool for cats was good, an interesting premise, with the house and all.
Sawmill road- a great story, a recollection of a haunting.
Bettor's Edge- very good sto..."
"The House" in Cool For Cats is one of a series of such houses that I'm exploring in a whole cycle of novels, novellas and stories that make up a loose Meikle "Sigils and Totems" mythos.
It’s a simple enough concept.
There are houses like this all over the world. Most people only know of them from whispered stories over campfires; tall tales told to scare the unwary. But some, those who suffer, some know better. They are drawn to the places where what ails them can be eased.
If you have the will, the fortitude, you can peer into another life, where the dead are not gone, where you can see that they thrive and go on, in the dreams that stuff is made of.
There it is in a nutshell. There are houses where people can go to get in touch with their dead loved ones.
But this gives me lots of things to play with. To even get inside a room, you need a sigil; a tattoo or carving on your skin, and a totem, a memento of your loved one. Then there’s the fact that your loved one might be a parallel universe version rather than the one you actually know.
And where do these houses come from? What’s behind the walls? How do they work? Why do they work? And who chooses the concierges who run them? Or fixes them when they don’t work? .
So I’ve got all that to play with, plus the fact that the houses can exist anywhere, at any time. They’re like lots of boxy, multi-faceted Tardis, spread across space time, places and situations into which I can hook in characters and stories.
More info for anyone who wants it here -->
https://www.williammeikle.com/aboutsi...
As for personal ghost experiences... I'm Scottish, of course I have :-) We bought a townhouse in an old Scottish market town in the early nineties. Several times, downstairs at ground level, we'd hear an old mechanical till ringing a sale, and an old woman's voice saying things like "that'll be threepence please". Found out later it used to be a sweet shop.
I saw my old Gran the night after she died. She told me she had been to see my mum, and was going to see my sister. Mum later told me that Gran told her she was going to see me, and my sister told us that Gran told her she'd been to see us.
Quite a few more, from a Viking longboat sighting off Orkney on a moonlit night, a hooded monk in the ruins of St Andrew's Abbey, and a dead man in a cell in Edinburgh Castle's prison that had me leaving quickly for the nearest pub.
Also had a lot of auditory happenings -- children singing, strange voices in the night, that kind of thing.
And we have a spectral black cat here in the house in Newfoundland that both of us have seen several times
Mod
Hope your feeling better! i just got a collection of Fritz Leiber. i'll have to check if that one's in there.
i'm interested in hearing about this viking long boat sighting & the monk.
Latasha wrote: "@Willliam- Hope your feeling better! i just got a collection of Fritz Leiber. i'll have to check if that one's in there.
i'm interested in hearing about this viking long boat sighting & the monk."
Much better, thanks. First week after surgery wasn't much fun, but now I'm healing well, and just resting up for a while until it's safe to start doing stuff again.
The longboat sighting was back in '79 off Stromness on Orkney. We were camping, I got up in the night to have a pee off the edge of the shore, looked up and this fecking boat was gliding silently past me. Real and solid, but empty, no Vikings (thankfully, or I might have shit myself as well as peeing). Then I blinked, and it was gone. Whole thing lasted maybe 3 seconds.
The monk was late evening, near sunset, about 15 years ago in St Andrew's. I was having a walk through the abbey grounds on my way to a pub. Spotted a deeper patch of shadow, stepped forward for a closer look as it confused me...and the shadow turned around, revealing a monk with a hood pulled over a bowed head, the face just a black hole of shadow. Again, definitely a solid figure - I could see the folds of his robes, and again only for a few seconds, then the sun moved,more shadows fell and the 'monk' was lost among more darkness. I didn't look any closer, and walked quickly away for a much needed drink.
Mod
Do you believe that some people are more susceptible to ghost sightings than others, say mediums or artists, writers, etc?
Kenneth wrote: "Glad to hear you’re on the mend, Willie. Your ghost experiences got me thinking and I have a question for everyone:;Do you believe that some people are more susceptible to ghost sightings than ot..."
I tend to think it's something genetic... it certainly runs in my family, mainly through my mum's line, all of Celtic lineage, a hotch-podge mixture of Scots, Welsh and Irish.
Mod
Do you believe that some people are more susceptible to ghost s..."
I'll go along with this. My Aunt Anne was first generation Irish American, and I believe she, and other female members of her family really could see things.
You can't describe the things they told stories about unless you've seen them. There's a story she told about a girl driven to suicide looking for someone to brush her hair that still gives me bad moments.
Horror Aficionados
Books mentioned in this topic
Until Summer Comes Around (other topics)Witches with Bonus Witches II Apocalypse (other topics)
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women (other topics)
Sinister Entity (other topics)
Blood and Rain (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Hunter Shea (other topics)Hunter Shea (other topics)
Hunter Shea (other topics)
YES! Consider my name on the petition! :D