Eight Stories About Liminal Spaces
by H.J. Dutton and Reese Hurd In 2019, a user on 4chan posted an eerie photo of what seemed like an empty office or retail space referred to as “The Backrooms.” The post states that this space is not of our world but an alternate dimension, categorized by the stench of old carpets, mono-yellow walls,
The Contemporary Gothic: A Study in the Films of Robert Eggers
by Reese Hurd Gothic horror seems to have made an odd comeback, particularly in modern film adaptations of classic gothic literature. I have a great passion for gothic literature, so I’m definitely in favor! I’d love for this kind of filmmaking to flourish. Personally, my favorites are films directed by Robert Eggers. His recent works
Five Horror Stories About Spores, Lichens, and Fungi
by H.J. Dutton What is it about the horror genre and fungi? Fungal blooms and infestations pop up throughout horror history–fungal horror is perhaps prolific enough to be considered its own subgenre. A foundational work from the early 19th century is Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” (1839), in which fungus
Ten Classic Folk Horror Stories
by H.J. Dutton Folk horror, in general terms, centers around folklore. More specifically, “folk horror” includes any horror story that derives its unease from folk tales, mythology, superstitions, and rites/customs outside mainstream social norms. While the term “folk horror” is relatively new, its roots in modern horror reach into the early 19th century, with literature
Miraculous Interns, or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Accept Unpaid Labor
by L. Andrew Cooper I got an email from a guy who wanted to work for me at Horrific Scribblings, LLC, at which I was (and I technically still am) sole employee and proprietor. Since my company loses money and doesn’t pay me a dime, paying another person isn’t an option, but this guy wanted
After Chambers: Three Stories Featuring the Yellow King
by H.J. Dutton Clocking in at over 11 million viewers, season one of True Detective (2014) was HBO’s most successful show to date and a major turning point for television as a medium. Its ambitious plot, literary depth, and cinematic quality changed the gameboard, proving that high-brow, hard-to-sell concepts could become massive commercial successes in
Five Christmas Ghost Stories
by H.J. Dutton Merry Christmas, everyone! In preparation for the 25th, this week I’ll discuss a niche yet increasingly popular subgenre. Recent holiday horror films such as Krampus (2015), the second Black Christmas reboot (2019), and this year’s reboot of Silent Night, Deadly Night would have audiences assume that the subversion of holiday cheer in
Interview (Part II) with L. Andrew Cooper, Publisher and Editor, Horrific Scribblings
My first interview with Andrew focused on all things Horrific Scribblings, chronicling the past year or so of his publishing journey. Afterwards, I realized that I wanted to rewind the tape a bit and get some insight on what led him there—his early interest in horror, his Ivy League education on the topic, and how
Interview (Part I) with L. Andrew Cooper, Publisher and Editor, Horrific Scribblings
Using a self-publishing company left a bad taste in Cooper’s mouth, so he decided to just… do it himself! I needed to know more, so I spoke with him about his motivation to start Horrific Scribblings, what it took to get it done, and his thoughts about skinning someone alive (a totally natural segue). Check
Stephen King Needs Better Security
In case you haven’t heard, someone—no, some thing—nearly broke into his house by maneuvering itself underneath the infamous iron gate, sprinting across the lawn, and bounding up the steps to the front door. It’s partly my fault, because as it turns out, the culprit is Sebastian Stotch Shannon, who was discovered at the scene by