Horror Beyond the Bestsellers: Recommended Authors

Horrified Reader. Photographer. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016.
quest.eb.com/search/115_2842737/1/115_2842737/cite. Accessed 2 Nov 2017.

Halloween may be over, but we're still feeling spooky! 😨 Are you a fan of  the horror genre? Did you read Goosebumps as a child, or Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories? We're pretty sure every horror reader - and some folks who don't even like horror - are familiar with names like Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, and H.P. Lovecraft. Even many horror films have been based on books - William Peter Blatty wrote The Exorcist, Ira Levin wrote Rosemary's Baby, Robert Bloch is the author of Psycho, and The Haunting is based on The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. But not every horror author is a household name, and the following is a list of some authors you might have missed. We've also included some recommendations to help you find even more new horror after the list! Do you have horror recommendations? Let us know in the comments!

Joe Hill

Christopher Golden

Brian Keene

Stephen Graham Jones

John Ajvide Lindqvist

Nick Cutter

Ania Ahlborn

Kaaron Warren

David Moody

Tananarive Due

Jonathan Janz

Victor LaValle

Ellen Datlow

Thomas Olde Heuvelt

Paul Tremblay


If you're looking for scary movie suggestions, check out Reel Terror: The Scary, Bloody, Gory, Hundred-Year History of Classic Horror Films or Pumpkin Cinema: The Best Movies for Halloween.

Recommended online resources: Horror Writers Association, home of the Bram Stoker Awards; articles tagged "Horror" on LitReactor; This Is Horror, a website which specializes "in horror fiction and the craft of writing," including a podcast, book reviews, news, and more; and RA For All: Horror -  the American Library Association's readers' advisory guide to horror. (RA For All recently featured "31 Days of Horror.") Also make sure to check out our eResource NoveList, which features booklists like "Blood-Drenched Horror," "Creature Feature," and "Classic Chills," or sign up to get a horror newsletter delivered to your email bi-monthly from The Public Library! Free with your valid library card.

Portrait Of Vampira. Photographer. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016.
quest.eb.com/search/115_2842327/1/115_2842327/cite. Accessed 2 Nov 2017.

Movie Remakes: Stephen King Edition

Movie studios love to remake movies. Whether it's a live action version of a Disney movie or a reboot of a horror film, there are plenty of remakes to choose from. Today, I'm focusing Stephen King movies.

The Shining (1980) / Stephen King's The Shining (1997)

Stephen King was so disappointed in Stanley Kubrick's version of The Shining that he remade the movie himself. The remake follows the novel much more closely than Kubrick's version. One of my colleagues and I agree that Kubrick's version is better. As my colleague mentioned, Stephen King's version is instantly forgettable.

Carrie (1976) / Carrie (2014)

Carrie has been remade twice since the original movie came out in 1976. One of the remakes was for TV. TV movie aside, the 2014 remake was a disappointment, mainly because the ending was changed and doesn't follow the book, or the original movie, at all. It's also hard for anyone to fill Sissy Spacek's and Laurie Piper's shoes in the roles of Carrie and Margaret White.

I never watched the entire TV version of Carrie, but I know the ending was changed, too, and for that reason alone, I was disappointed in that remake.

Children of the Corn / Children of the Corn (2009)

I've only seen bits and pieces of the Children of the Corn remake, so I can't say which version I prefer. I'm not a huge fan of gore, though, so I suspect that I would like the original movie better than the remake.

Stephen King's IT (1990) / IT (2017)

The latest Stephen King remake won't be out until September. I imagine it will be hard for anyone to play Pennywise as well as Tim Curry did. So far, it seems like the remake might deviate from the original IT, and maybe also from the book, if photos from the film are any indication. I hope the remake will be good, but I'm trying not to set my expectations too high.

What are your thoughts about Stephen King movie remakes? Let us know in the comments!

Movie Remakes: Horror Edition

Movie studios love to remake movies. Whether it's a live action version of a Disney movie or a reboot of a horror film, there are plenty of remakes to choose from. Today, I'm focusing on horror movie remakes. I'm excluding Stephen King movies, which will get their own post later.

Halloween (1978) / Halloween (2007)

The Omen (1976) / The Omen (2006)

Poltergeist (1982) / Poltergeist (2015)

Let the Right One In / Let Me In

Rear Window / Disturbia

Night of the Living Dead (2000) / Night of the Living Dead (1968) (Images unavailable for both.)

Out of all these movies, the only ones I've seen are the original Halloween and the remake. I prefer the original, though I enjoyed the remake, too.

Have you seen any of these movies? If so, which ones did you like best? Let us know in the comments!

The Stephen King Universe: A Guide (Part 3)

In the last post of this series (you can find the first two posts here and here), I wanted to talk about Stephen King books that aren't necessarily related to The Dark Tower, but are connected to other Stephen King books. As always, this isn't a comprehensive list.

Note: This post may include spoilers.

Let's start with IT, because it's connected to several novels.

IT and Dreamcatcher: In Dreamcatcher, there's a plaque that mentions The Losers' Club and main characters, Beverly, Bill, Mike, Richie, Stan, Eddie, and Ben, all from IT. This plaque also mentions Pennywise, the clown from IT.

IT and 11/22/63: Beverly and Richie from IT make an appearance in 11/22/63.

IT and Christine: In IT, the ghost car Belch Huggins drives when he picks up Henry Bowers is Christine.

IT and Misery: Eddie Kaspbrak's mom and Paul Sheldon's family were neighbors.

Misery is also connected to another book, The Shining. In Misery, Annie Wilkes mentions a man burning down the Overlook Hotel; she's referring to Jack Torrance.

IT and The Dead Zone: In a dinner scene in IT, The Losers talk about Frank Dodd, a character in The Dead Zone.

Speaking of The Dead Zone, it's connected to Cujo, which is also connected to other novels. Cujo and The Dead Zone are connected by Frank Dodd, who is mentioned in Cujo. George Bannerman is also a character in both novels.

Cujo is also connected to Pet Sematary; Jud Crandal, a character in Pet Sematary, mentions Cujo. Pet Sematary is connected to Insomnia, as well; Atropos, a character in Insomnia, has a shoe that belonged to Gage Creed, a character in Pet Sematary.

Cujo has two additional connections, one to a novel, and one to a novella. Cujo is connected to Needful Things and The Body (found in Different Seasons) by the character Evelyn Chambers, who is present in all three works. In addition, Needful Things and The Body share a second character, Ace Merrill.

Needful Things is connected to The Dark Half; Alan Pangborn is the sheriff in both novels.

Last, there are some novels that have smaller connections, to only one or two other novels at the most. The first is Dolores Claiborne and Gerald's Game. The two books were going to be part of a larger work, titled In the Path of the Eclipse. The eclipse in Dolores Claiborne is mentioned in Gerald's Game, and the main characters in each story (Dolores Claiborne and Jessie) have a psychic connection, allowing them to share visions.

The second is Firestarter, The Mist, and The Tommyknockers, which are connected by an organization called The Shop, that plays a large role in each story.

Know of any other connections? Tell us what they are in the comments!

The Stephen King Universe: A Guide (Part 2)

In Part One of this series, I talked about the Stephen King novels that are connected to his Dark Tower series. Today, I'm focusing on the connections among those novels. Again, this is not necessarily a complete list; the connections in Stephen King novels are many and complex.

Insomnia and IT -- Both novels take place in Derry, Maine

Black House and The Talisman -- Black House is the sequel to The Talisman.

Desperation and The Regulators -- Desperation and The Regulators are companion novels. The characters in Desperation are twinners of the characters in The Regulators.

Desperation and Rose Madder -- Cynthia Smith, a character in Desperation, is also a character in
Rose Madder. Other characters from Rose Madder are also mentioned in Desperation.

Insomnia and Rose Madder -- A character in Rose Madder, Anna Stevenson, has a framed photo of Susan Day in her office. Susan Day is a character in Insomnia.

The Shining and The Talisman -- In The Talisman, a character named George Hatfield is a student at the Thayer School. In The Shining, Jack Torrance cuts George Hatfield from the debate team. It might be the same George Hatfield from The Talisman.

IT and The Shining -- Dick Halloran, a main character in The Shining, is mentioned in IT. (Halloran served in the military with the father of a main character in IT, Mike Hanlon.)

The Stand, The Eyes of the Dragon, Hearts in Atlantis, and 'Salem's Lot -- Randall Flagg is a character in each of these books.

In the last post of this series, I'll talk about other connections in Stephen King novels--ones that don't relate to The Dark Tower series.

The Stephen King Universe: A Guide (Part One)

The Stephen King universe is vast, and while I've known about many of the connections among his books for years, I never realized the depth of those connections until I started re-reading The Dark Tower series and doing some research. For this series, I'm starting with a beginner's guide to The Dark Tower universe, and how it's connected to the rest of the Stephen King universe.

The Bazaar of Bad Dreams: Stories - The short story "UR" mentions the actual Dark Tower that Roland is on a quest to find in The Dark Tower novels. Low men, who appear in Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, and The Dark Tower, also appear in "UR." Finally, the magical Rose that is part of The Dark Tower series is mentioned in "UR."

Black House - Several characters from The Dark Tower series are mentioned in Black House: Blaine the Mono, Ted Brautigan (who makes appearances in other Stephen King works, as well), Jake Chambers, Eddie Dean, Susannah Dean, Roland Deschain, and Patricia the Mono. Jake Chambers may also be a twinner of Jack Sawyer (a twinner is a doppelganger in a parallel universe). (Note: Black House is the sequel to The Talisman.)

Cell - In The Waste Lands, Jake Chambers purchases a picture book called Charlie the Choo-Choo. Roland, Jake, Susannah, and Eddie see a train that looks just like Charlie the Choo-Choo in Gage Park. Charlie the Choo-Choo shows up in an amusement park in Cell. Charlie the Choo-Choo is also Blaine the Mono's twinner.

Desperation - CAN-TAH AND CAN-TOI, which appear in Song of Susannah (CAN-TAH and CAN-TOI) and Wolves of the Calla and The Dark Tower (CAN-TOI), also appear in Desperation.

Everything's Eventual - Three characters from this short story collection are either mentioned in The Dark Tower novels or play a part in the series: Dinky Earnshaw, Mr. Sharpton, and Skipper Brannigan.

The Eyes of the Dragon - The main connection to The Dark Tower series is in the character Randall Flagg. Flagg is a sorcerer who has the ability to move among worlds. He is a villain in The Eyes of the Dragon as well as in The Dark Tower novels. Additionally, King Roland in The Eyes of the Dragon is Roland Deschain's twinner.

From a Buick 8 - One of the owners of the Buick 8 was probably a low man, and the car may have been a portal to todash spaces from which monsters escape (a todash space is a void that exists between worlds and is filled with monsters).

Hearts in Atlantis - A few characters in Hearts in Atlantis show up in The Dark Tower novels and vice versa: Ted Brautigan, Roland Deschain, The Crimson King, Randall Flagg, and the Low Men.

Insomnia - The Crimson King is a major player in Insomnia. Patrick Danville, a character in Insomnia, shows up in The Dark Tower, traveling with Roland. Roland is also mentioned in Insomnia by Ted Brautigan.

IT - The concept of deadlights is mentioned in IT; it's a concept that is shared by Pennywise and The Crimson King. Bill Denbrough's nickname in IT is Stuttering Bill; in The Dark Tower novels, there's an Asimov robot named Stuttering Bill. There's also a magical Turtle in The Dark Tower novels that shows up in IT.

Lisey's Story - The Territories, which are mentioned in The Waste Lands, are also mentioned in Lisey's Story. A term used commonly in Lisey's Story, "bool," is also used by The Man in Black in The Gunslinger.

The Mist - The monsters in The Mist are likely monsters that came from Todash through a thinny that was opened during a government experiment. Thinnies play large roles in Wizard and Glass.

The Regulators - Regulators is another term for Low Men; it is also another term for Big Coffin Hunters. It is likely that The Regulators may be Low Men and/or Big Coffin Hunters, though neither of those terms is used in the novel.

Rose Madder - LUD, which is the setting of The Waste Lands, is mentioned in Rose Madder, and Rose Madder is mentioned in Song of Susannah. 

'Salem's Lot - One of the main characters in 'Salem's Lot, Father Callahan, is a major character in Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, and The Dark Tower (where he is known as Pere Callahan). In Wolves of the Calla, Pere Callahan recounts his experiences after leaving 'Salem's Lot.

The Shining - Danny Torrance is referred to in The Dark Tower novels, while Jack Torrance is mentioned, but not directly named.

The Stand - In Wizard and Glass, Roland, Susannah, Eddie, and Jake find themselves in the Topeka, Kansas, of The Stand, where they see a newspaper article that discusses the superflu from The Stand. Mother Abigail, a key player in The Stand, is an enemy of Randall Flagg, who is also a key player in The Stand.

The Talisman - A major setting in The Talisman is the Territories; the Territories are mentioned in Wizard and Glass. The White, which is in The Talisman, is the force of good in The Dark Tower novels.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Many characters and settings from Stephen King novels are mentioned in The Dark Tower series without playing actual parts in the series. Some of the books listed here are also connected to each other, which I'll explore in the second part of this series. The last part of this series will focus on Stephen King book connections that are unrelated to The Dark Tower series.

Think I've missed a connection, or know of a connection you'd like to see in this series of posts? Let me know in the comments!

Featured Author: Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson, who died 50 years ago this month at the much too early age of 48, left behind a solid literary opus anchored in two indelible works: the iconic short story “The Lottery” and the classy ghost story novel, The Haunting of Hill House (turned into the equally classy movie chiller, The Haunting, starring Julie Harris and Claire Bloom). On the basis of these much-loved works of fiction, we tend to remember Jackson for her dark, if wry, vision, but as a new collection of her previously unpublished and uncollected stories, essays and occasional pieces reminds us, she—and her work—were so much more.
~Robert Weibezahl, "Well Read: Beyond 'The Lottery'", BookPage August 2015

Shirley Jackson (1916-1965) "was viewed in the 'Mad Men' era as a mere female scribbler" - her husband, Stanley Edgar Hyman, brought home the bacon as a New Yorker staff writer while Jackson wrote around household duties, including raising four children. She had "occult tendencies", including an interest in tarot and poltergeists and a collection of grimoires, so it's perhaps no wonder that her fiction tended to depict the "domestic nightmare".

This year saw the release of Shirley Jackson's  Let Me Tell You: New Stories, Essays, and Other Writings. Many of the essays are observations of family life which Jackson contributed to "women's magazines"; the stories generally explore the creepiness of everyday life; Library Journal* praises it:

Remember the chilling excitement of reading Jackson's "The Lottery" for the first time? You'll have that same experience over and over again with this new collection, which offers more than 50 unpublished and uncollected works drawn from Jackson's papers at the Library of Congress and coedited by two of her children.

Publisher's Weekly* also recommended it:

Not every piece equals the artistry of "The Lottery," the controversial 1948 story that became an anthology and textbook staple, nor do all the pieces prove as haunting as The Haunting of Hill House. Yet together they are a multifaceted portrait of the artist as wife, mother, commentator on the comfortable middle class, and pioneer who explored a world of inexplicable, occasionally frightening phenomena. Writing about her kitchen, she describes its feuding forks, preening glasses, and sarcastic eggbeater. Jackson suggests (rather than delves into) that which is unnerving, writing in a smart, sharp, clear voice. 

And what better time to revisit the writings of the woman who was "an inspiration to writers from Stephen King to Joyce Carol Oates, [and] dared to look on the dark side and imagine the unimaginable"* than Halloween? Probably you've heard of The Lottery and Other Stories and The Haunting of Hill House (and perhaps you've seen one of the movies based on the latter, The Haunting [1999] and/or [1963]), but though Jackson's life was short, there are many other works to consider, many (but not all) of them spooky and unsettling. Here's a list of Shirley Jackson items in the library catalog:

The Sundial
Before there was Hill House, there was the Halloran mansion of Jackson's stunningly creepy fourth novel, The Sundial. When the Halloran clan gathers at the family home for a funeral, no one is surprised when the somewhat peculiar Aunt Fanny wanders off into the secret garden. But then she returns to report an astonishing vision of an apocalypse from which only the Hallorans and their hangers-on will be spared, and the family finds itself engulfed in growing madness, fear, and violence as they prepare for a terrible new world.*

Hangsaman
Seventeen-year-old Natalie Waite longs to escape home for college. Her father is a domineering and egotistical writer who keeps a tight rein on Natalie and her long-suffering mother. When Natalie finally does get away, however, college life doesn't bring the happiness she expected. Little by little, Natalie is no longer certain of anything--even where reality ends and her dark imaginings begin. Chilling and suspenseful, Hangsaman is loosely based on the real-life disappearance of a Bennington College sophomore in 1946.* 

Just An Ordinary Day
A collection of new and previously unpublished stories.* 

Life Among the Savages
In her celebrated fiction, Shirley Jackson explored the darkness lurking beneath the surface of small-town America. But in Life Among the Savages, she takes on the lighter side of small-town life. In this witty and warm memoir of her family’s life in rural Vermont, she delightfully exposes a domestic side in cheerful contrast to her quietly terrifying fiction. With a novelist’s gift for character, an unfailing maternal instinct, and her signature humor, Jackson turns everyday family experiences into brilliant adventures.**

We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Taking readers deep into a labyrinth of dark neurosis, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a deliciously unsettling novel about a perverse, isolated, and possibly murderous family and the struggle that ensues when a cousin arrives at their estate.**

The Bird's Nest
Elizabeth is a demure twenty-three-year-old wiling her life away at a dull museum job, living with her neurotic aunt, and subsisting off her dead mother’s inheritance. When Elizabeth begins to suffer terrible migraines and backaches, her aunt takes her to the doctor, then to a psychiatrist. But slowly, and with Jackson’s characteristic chill, we learn that Elizabeth is not just one girl—but four separate, self-destructive personalities. The Bird’s Nest, Jackson’s third novel, develops hallmarks of the horror master’s most unsettling work: tormented heroines, riveting familial mysteries, and a disquieting vision inside the human mind.**

Come Along With Me: Part of a Novel, Sixteen Stories and Three Lectures 
This eclectic collection goes beyond her horror writing, revealing the full spectrum of her literary genius. In addition to Come Along with Me, Jackson's unfinished novel about the quirky inner life of a lonely widow, it features sixteen short stories and three lectures she delivered during her last years.**

9 Magic Wishes (J)
A child meets a magician who grants eight wonderfully fantastic wishes, with one wish left over. 


Also consider Private Demons: The Life of Shirley Jackson, a biography by Judy Oppenheimer, and Shirley by Susan Scarf Merrell, a psychological thriller in which fictional young couple spends a year at Bennington in 1964 with novelist Shirley Jackson and her husband.


*quote taken from the library catalog
**quote taken from Amazon.com

Horror: What is it?

Since I've been reading nothing but horror books this month, I was interested to read the posts Kelly Jensen, of Stacked Books, has written about it. I've never given much thought to what makes a horror story--does it have to include paranormal elements? Or is it something that could happen in real life? If someone asked, I suppose I would say horror needs to include a paranormal element, based on the fact that so much of Stephen King's novels could never happen in real life.

But then I read the Horror Writers Association's definition of horror fiction, which to summarize, is any fiction that elicits a painful or intense fear, dread, or dismay in readers. As the Horror Writers Association goes on to mention, this means horror fiction doesn't have to be limited to just one thing. It's not just supernatural stories, like a ghost story. It can be anything that elicits the emotions, so it could be a story about a serial killer. According to author Ellen Hopkins, horror has the possibility of being something like peer pressure (though in an interview, she stated she's not sure if peer pressure can be horror fiction, though it can be horrifying to teens).

Since reading some of these ideas, I've been thinking about what horror is to be. Can horror fiction be supernatural? Absolutely. Any ghost story written with the intent to scare is horror. Stories with serial killers can also be horror, but not all of them are--some are mysteries. To some people, maybe that's the same thing. What I think is interesting is that some people think a series like Barry Lyga's I Hunt Killers is horror, because it deals with a protagonist whose dad is the world's most notorious serial killer, and the dad wants the protagonist to be exactly like him, but to me, the I Hunt Killers series isn't horror at all. For me, it's a mystery series.

As some people, such as Kelly Jensen, have suggested, horror fiction is getting harder and harder to define, and I agree with them that it's in part because what elicits intense fear in one person is different from what elicits intense fear in another person. It's such a personal thing that it might not be easy to define what is horror fiction and what isn't, hence the blurring of boundaries.

What is horror fiction to you? Whether it's just a definition of what it means, or a list of some books that you consider horror, let me know in the comments!

Young Adult Horror

It's been about three months since I've read any young adult fiction, and now that it's October, I've found myself finally wanting to read it again. It's perfect timing, too. This month's reading theme is horror, and there are plenty of young adult horror novels to choose from. Here's what I'll be reading this month. All book summaries are from the library's catalog.


MARY: Unleashed by Hillary Monahan: Jess McAllister's summoning obsession has turned into a deadly haunting since the ghost of Mary Worth will not rest until Jess has come undone, so now it is up to Jess and her reluctant friends, Shauna and Kitty, to stop Mary for good.

The urban legend of Bloody Mary has always fascinated me, and I was thrilled when MARY: The Summoning was published last year. While it wasn't the best horror novel I've read, it kept me interested, and I was happy to see that it was the first of a series.

Thirteen Chairs by Dave Shelton: When Jack enters the deserted house in his neighborhood, he finds a group of people who invite him to take the thirteenth chair in the room and share a story--in the house where the ghosts meet.

I love ghost stories, and this one sounds different enough from the typical ghost story that I couldn't wait to check it out.

What We Knew by Barbara Stewart: "When I was little, I imagined a monster: Scaly hands. Pits for eyes..." When Tracy and her best friend, Lisa, were kids, stories about a man -  a creep who exposes himself to little girls - kept them out of the woods and in their own backyards. But Tracy and Lisa aren't so little anymore, and the man in the woods is nothing but a stupid legend. Right? But someone is in the woods. Someone is watching. And he knows all their secrets, secrets they can't tell anyone - not even each other. "Monsters don't exist." Lisa's just being paranoid. At least that's what Tracy things. But when a disturbing "gift" confirms her worst fears, ti sets the girls on a dangerous journey that takes them beyond the edge of the woods. But reality is more terrifying than the most chilling myth, and what they find will test the bonds of friendship, loyalty, and love. "Once upon a time, two girls were lost in the woods." In Barbara Stewart's What We Knew, Tracy and Lisa can't destroy the evil they'll face, but can they stop it from destroying each other?

A creepy monster living in the woods? Yes, please!

Don't Stay Up Late: A Fear Street novel by R.L. Stine: Ever since a car accident killed her father and gave her a severe concussion, high school junior Lisa has been plagued by nightmares and hallucinations, but when she accepts a babysitting job in hopes it will banish the disturbing images, she faces new terror as she begins to question exactly who--or what--she is babysitting.

I have to admit, I'm only reading this one because it's R.L. Stine. I never read the original Fear Street series, but I loved Goosebumps, and now that Fear Street is back, I thought I'd give it a try.

Return to the Dark House by Laurie Faria Stolarz: Ivy Jensen escaped the Dark House--but the haunting memories of the friends she left behind remain. As the trail for the killer grows cold, it's up to Ivy to end the nightmare. Forever.

I loved Welcome to the Dark House. It felt like I was reading a horror movie. I love horror movies, and I would love to see this book turned into one. It was creepy without being too terrifying, and I couldn't help but read it in one sitting. I can't wait to dive into the second book.

Slasher Boys and Monster Girls, edited by April Genevieve Tucholke: Inspired by classic tales and films, a collection of fourteen short stories ranging from bloody horror, to psychological thrillers, to supernatural creatures, to unsettling, all-too-possible realism, by acclaimed YA authors of every genre.

Ask the Dark by Henry Turner: Billy Zeets has a story to tell. About being a vandal and petty thief. About missing boys and an elusive killer. And about what happens if a boy who breaks all the rules is the only person who can piece together the truth. Gripping and powerful, this masterful debut novel comes to vivid life through the unique voice of a hero as unlikely as he is unforgettable.

There are also a few adult novels and short story collections I'd like to read.

Hawkes Harbor by S.E. Hinton
Christine by Stephen King
The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe


I don't know that I'll be able to get through everything, but I love this time of year. Fall perfect for reading (I love curling up in bed with a cup of hot tea and a good book!), and October is even better because with the holidays coming up, everything is starting to feel festive and fun, and there's no better time to read a scary story than that.

Will you be reading any horror novels this month? Let me know in the comments. Happy reading!

Women in Horror Month: Horror Titles To Check Out!

Women in Horror Month is celebrated every February. However, it doesn’t stop there - we work toward our mission all year long.
~from the website

Are you a fan of the horror genre? Did you know this month is Women in Horror Month (WiHM)? The goal of WiHM is "female genre artists in gaining opportunities, exposure, and education through altruistic events, printed material, articles, interviews, and online support." There are events: blog series; performances; podcasts, and more. There is a blog, Ax Wound, where you can "[r]ead about the horror filmmakers/artists you love and discover new talent all year round."

With this in the works, we thought this would be a good time to celebrate women horror authors! Here's some titles from the library catalog you might not know. Some of them are horror fiction by women, and some are story collections featuring pieces by recommended horror authors. Would you like to recommend any authors or titles?  Let us know in the comments!

Dread in the Beast by Charlee Jacob

Come Closer by Sara Gran

The Mysteries by Lisa Tuttle

Mistification by Kaaron Warren

The Vampire Tapestry by Suzy McKee Charnas [local author]

Blood Colony by Tananarive Due

The Forgotten by Tamara Thorne [eBook]

The Restorer by Amanda Stevens [eBook]

A House Divided by Deborah LeBlanc

We Will All Go Down Together: Stories of the Five-Family Coven by Gemma Files

Blood Oranges by Caitlín R. Kiernan writing as Kathleen Tierney

Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia 

White Space by Ilsa J. Blick [YA] 

Don't You Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn [YA] 

Lovecraft's Monsters edited by Ellen Datlow   

Vampires: The Recent Undead edited by Paula Guran

Teeth: Vampire Tales edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling [YA] [eBook]

Searchers After Horror: New Tales of the Weird and Fantastic edited by S.T. Joshi


Links


Horror Roundtable: Sexism in Horror [Horror Writers Association]

Top 25 Women Horror Writers You Probably Haven't Heard Of (But Should Know) [Hellnotes]

Women in Horror Month: Get Involved!

Spooky Young Adult Reads

It might only be September, but as I've been preparing one of my October young adult book displays, I've been thinking about all the things I love about fall, and all the spooky books I want to read during October. Some I've read before, but there are plenty I haven't read yet. Today, I have a list of my favorite scary young adult books (whether they're actually horror novels or just mysteries/thrillers), and the ones I can't wait to read.

What I've read

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Christine by Stephen King (This isn't a YA book, but Stephen King truly is the master of horror, and he certainly appeals to young adults.)

I Hunt Killers and Game by Barry Lyga

What I can't wait to read

Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga

MARY: The Summoning by Hillary Monahan

Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

Feral by Holly Schindler

Do you like to read scary books during October? If so, which are your favorites?

Books to the Small Screen: TV Shows Based on Literature

The old argument is "Is the book better than the movie?" Now, there are so many TV shows based on books that we can ask "Is the book better than the TV show?" Here are some new and returning TV shows that are based on literature...and some related titles you might enjoy!

New Shows

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Set in the "Marvel Cinematic Universe", this TV show follows the adventures of the agents of Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.  You can read more about S.H.I.E.L.D. in The Marvel Comics Encyclopedia: A Complete Guide to the Characters of the Marvel Universe, edited by Alastair Dougall.

Dracula

The library catalog features many Dracula titles, inspired and/or related to Bram Stoker's original novel. How about: Who Was Dracula?: Bram Stoker's Trail of Blood by Jim Steinmeyer; Dracula In Love: The Private Diary of Mina Harker by Karen Essex; Bram Stoker's Dracula: The Graphic Novel adapted by Gary Reed; or Stoker's Manuscript by Royce Prouty?

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland

This series will be based around Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, but is set in a "present-day Wonderland". Those interested in Wonderland might want to check out The Alice Behind Wonderland by Simon Winchester; The Mystery of Lewis Carroll: Discovering the Whimsical, Thoughtful and Sometimes Lonely Man Who Created Alice in Wonderland by Jenny Woolf; and All Things Alice: The Wit, Wisdom, and Wonderland of Lewis Carroll by Linda Sunshine.

Sleepy Hollow

Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman are relocated to Sleepy Hollow, New York, circa 2013.  Ichabod must team up with 21st century police to help them catch the Horseman. If you like Washington Irving's story, put him in perspective with The American Fantasy Tradition anthology, or read about America's "first man of letters" in Original Knickerbocker: The Life of Washington Irving by Andrew Burstein, or find out more about his era with Explorers, Fortunes & Love Letters: A Window on New Netherland edited by Martha Dickinson Shattuck.

Returning Shows

The Carrie Diaries

Based on the young adult novel by Candace Bushnell, a prequel to Sex and the City. Want to know what it used to be like in New York City?  Try The Forbidden Apple: A Century of Sex & Sin in New York City by Kat Long, but though racy it's probably more for the history buffs.

Elementary

A contemporary update of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, set in the United States. If you love Holmes, you might be interested in Mastermind: How to Think like Sherlock Holmes by Maria Konnikova.

Once Upon a Time

A drama series that sets characters from fairy tales in a "real" town in Maine. The characters have forgotten their lives before due to the Evil Queen's curse, and only the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming can break the curse. Philip Pullman's Fairy Tales From the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version might give you some helpful backstory; Fractured Fairytales are always fun to revisit; and there are more fairy tale retellings available for kids and adults. Or just check out Once Upon a Time: Shadow of the Queen by Dan Thompson and Corrina Bechko, based on the TV series!

The Vampire Diaries

Based on the original young adult series by L. J. Smith.  Check out Love You to Death: The Unofficial Companion to the Vampire Diaries by Crissy Calhoun [eBook] if you are a fan!



Inspired by the article "The 2013 Fall TV Lineup: Shows Based on Books" from Book Riot.

National Zombie Awareness Month

In case you were not aware, May is National Zombie Awareness Month. How can I celebrate, you wonder?


Consider organizing a game of Humans vs. Zombies ala Survive Norfolk. You can read the rules at the Humans vs. Zombies organization page.

Visit Chaco Canyon National Historical Park, site of suspected Zombie Plague. Plan your trip or read more on the subject with these library sources.

Create a zombie preparedness plan for a future zombie attack. For an example of what should be included, try the University of Florida's plan.

Stage a zombie walk, where you, and as many people as you can gather, dress up like zombies and have an organized march. This can also include sychronized dancing to Michael Jackson's Thriller or can be arranged to benefit a charity.

Read a zombie book.

Watch a zombie movie.

Monsters are Invading the (Literary) World!

"Monster Lit" -- Classic Works, Now with Added Monsters!

Some people think it all started with YouTube.

The video sharing website that encouraged users to "broadcast yourself" made it easy to post videos. Off-the-shelf software made video editing simple, and people discovered that they could easily cut together video footage from two different genres -- say, Star Trek and Love Boat -- and get something possibly very entertaining. Thus was the video mashup born.

But mashups have been around long before that term was coined. In the world of literature, they are called pastiches: works that include characters or elements from other works, either in homage or as satire. A popular form of pastiche is for an author to write in the style of a famous author. Another popular pastiche is to put characters from different series or genres together -- a literary "culture clash."

The literary mashup went a new direction with the release in 2009 of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, by "Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith." The work took Jane Austen's text and added "ultraviolent zombie mayhem!" The book was a surprise success, reaching the New York Times bestseller list. A followup prequel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith, also went bestseller.

And thus the monster mashup was born and now no favorite work, no matter how revered, is safe from the army of the undead and supernatural beings flying, running, swimming, and shambling toward the classics shelves. The mashups range in style from the original text with interjections of monster action, to entirely new works that give fresh insight into the characters and the cultures they lived in.

Publishers like monster mashups because they don't have to pay for the rights on the classic book -- once a work is in the public domain, anyone may legally use the text and characters.

Authors like mashups because they get to have loving revenge upon works that they had to write reports on in high school, and nowhere they take the story can be too outrageous.

And readers like mashups because -- they're fun! It's a matter of opinion whether mashups are hilarious or horrific (people sometimes mutter the word, "sacrilege") but no one can argue against the fact that monster mashups take beloved characters in entirely new directions.

Jane Austen was the first victim of this monstrous invasion, but the Bronte sisters, Louisa May Alcott, Lewis Carroll, Leo Tolstoy, and many other famous writers were soon assaulted, as well as some of the great figures from history.

It seems as though there are new mashup coming out every week.

Visit the Monster Mashups LibGuide to learn more about the

wide wild world of the monster mashup.

Featured Author: Steve Hockensmith

(Cowboys + Mystery Fiction) x (Zombies + Romance Fiction) = What Next?


Author Steve Hockensmith is making a name for himself with entertaining, genre-blending fiction series.

First in the saddle is the Holmes on the Range series, cowboy mysteries set in the 1890s. Cowboy brothers Otto “Big Red” Amlingmeyer and Gustav “Old Red” Amlingmeyer are just two more cowhands drifting between jobs, until the fateful night when they read something new around the campfire: a Sherlock Holmes story. Old Red finds a purpose in life, starts "detectiving" (with Big Red as his Watson), and their lives will never be the same as they pursue mysteries amid stampedes, rustlers, Holmes-hating English aristocrats and a cannibal named “Hungry Bob.”

The series follows their adventures as they seek to mix cowboy wisdom with Holmes's methods in a time and place where justice was often swift, sometimes arbitrary, and most folks just didn't have a clue what a clue was.

Holmes on the Range (2006)

On the Wrong Track (2007)

The Black Dove (2008)

The Crack in the Lens (2009)

World's Greatest Sleuth (2011)

To see how other authors are working with Arthur Conan Doyle's legacy, visit the Sherlock Holmes Universe LibGuide.

Hockensmith went another direction in 2010, proving himself a master of the mashup (a current term for pastiches that blend several genres) with the release of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls, the followup prequel to 2009's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by "Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith." Both titles were New York Times bestsellers.



His next installment in these monstrous adaptations of a classic is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After, wherein the new Mrs. Darcy is faced with the problem of having to deal with husband Fitzwilliam being bitten by an "unmentionable." This third book promises to be as popular as the first two. Visit Steve Hockensmith's website for information on these works and what mashups he might be tackling next.

See what other (non-monstrous) authors are doing in the Jane Austen Universe.

More monstrous Jane Austen mashups:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance -- now with ultraviolent zombie mayhem! by "Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith"

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by "Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters"

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange

Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford -- featuring Jane Austen herself as a deathless bookstore owner!