tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32238563385659961972024-03-06T00:30:55.832-05:00Castle Macabre - I delight in what I fear...Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.comBlogger344125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-78564277207035777922024-01-02T05:56:00.000-05:002024-01-02T05:56:01.990-05:002023 I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - Wrap-up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc93aSJeEvLLJ6f3tRGoxcYTP3YOLMxlQjSPf_Ivf_6jZXNVe9XAATwekByXDGB8rF-vKnNjemCEKwa6oMImeq2j6Hd7ZrSiaCJg2dJr_MWqRQReGVM6SWrr9Ts5ThUZYwPALUP7p4MpOde3PRDl27Zufsv_QSA4oahZuDsOc51feMtlzEt0m713prCA8/s2240/I%20Read%20Horror%20Year-Round%20Reading%20Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc93aSJeEvLLJ6f3tRGoxcYTP3YOLMxlQjSPf_Ivf_6jZXNVe9XAATwekByXDGB8rF-vKnNjemCEKwa6oMImeq2j6Hd7ZrSiaCJg2dJr_MWqRQReGVM6SWrr9Ts5ThUZYwPALUP7p4MpOde3PRDl27Zufsv_QSA4oahZuDsOc51feMtlzEt0m713prCA8/w495-h279/I%20Read%20Horror%20Year-Round%20Reading%20Challenge.jpg" width="495" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Year three of the challenge is complete! Once again, I tried for the Chilling level. Didn't quite make it, but only three books shy. Here's what I read:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Book by <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/BIPOC">BIPOC</a> author - <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/04/horror-reviews-black-mouth-loney-my.html"><i>My Heart is a Chainsaw</i></a>, Stephen Graham Jones</li><li>Title with Dead, Blood, or Bone - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/143356629"><i>The Dead Path</i></a>, Stephen M. Irwin</li><li>Horrific cover - <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5119156652">The Vessel</a>,</i> Adam Nevill</li><li>Set in the past - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2908432990"><i>The Green Man</i></a>, Kingsley Amis</li><li>Folk Horror - <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/04/horror-reviews-black-mouth-loney-my.html"><i>The Loney</i></a>, Andrew Michael Hurley</li><li>Winter theme or cover - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5534941455"><i>Subhuman</i></a>, Michael McBride</li><li>Black, red, or white cover - <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/04/horror-reviews-black-mouth-loney-my.html"><i>Black Mouth</i></a>, Ronald Malfi</li><li>Zombies, Witches, Vampires, or Werewolves - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4512546376"><i>Dracul</i></a> by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker (I LOVED this book!)</li><li>Something by Poe - <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/10/gothic-horror-edgar-allan-poes-fall-of.html"><i>The Fall of the House of Usher</i></a> (click the title to read my write up).</li></ul><b>How about you? Share your wrap-up in the comments, or link to a wrap-up post on your blog (or social media, shelf on Goodreads, etc.).<br /></b><br />In case you missed it, sign up for <b>I Read Horror YR 2024</b> is open. Here's the <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/12/2024-i-read-horror-year-round-reading.html" target="_blank">link to the post</a>.<br />I hope you will join me again!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQ0CYlTrZvrKufVRsPLOcoqoy7I0fstV31Qzr3HyK-1wNKj-d0Ei4H3v9EjLYf-nR17VrvX80A12a2LJSF9R4xpNZ-qWKRa8Slodi-LsMk0sVKAYbrVbgkhcbbtusUxRsFMmaZecSQlbHEsUIMmqRYz31zGxZygJ8yKH4vAHi2-Sn790rgIUmNLCPTQU/s2240/2024%20I%20Read%20Horror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQ0CYlTrZvrKufVRsPLOcoqoy7I0fstV31Qzr3HyK-1wNKj-d0Ei4H3v9EjLYf-nR17VrvX80A12a2LJSF9R4xpNZ-qWKRa8Slodi-LsMk0sVKAYbrVbgkhcbbtusUxRsFMmaZecSQlbHEsUIMmqRYz31zGxZygJ8yKH4vAHi2-Sn790rgIUmNLCPTQU/w520-h292/2024%20I%20Read%20Horror.jpg" width="520" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-54541046905359291042023-12-31T15:09:00.000-05:002023-12-31T15:09:24.016-05:002024 I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNf0At9H__5waPlOorR-_63V4Iedh7mE4Qk81_4Ch9an4a7lo1J2YJsmNsiP6Woszz0NYKMkIgXqDjalaxRY_gqB4STAXyrkDnFGladqF_-5piAce1JScJcmvHAmOQiXP61p21Cbx4dACvMje6pOyLW_h9RBQLOQ4KblcfnCy4enejUYGIqHZ7jX3aBU/s2240/2024%20I%20Read%20Horror.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifNf0At9H__5waPlOorR-_63V4Iedh7mE4Qk81_4Ch9an4a7lo1J2YJsmNsiP6Woszz0NYKMkIgXqDjalaxRY_gqB4STAXyrkDnFGladqF_-5piAce1JScJcmvHAmOQiXP61p21Cbx4dACvMje6pOyLW_h9RBQLOQ4KblcfnCy4enejUYGIqHZ7jX3aBU/w592-h333/2024%20I%20Read%20Horror.jpg" width="592" /></a></div><div>It's year four! Here's to another year of great horror reading!</div><div><br /></div><div>Once again, there are 12 categories and 4 levels of participation.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Here are the categories, or themes:</b></div><div><ul><li><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Witch, dark, blood, bone, or body in title</span></li><li><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Nature gone wild (when plants or animals attack)</span></li><li><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Creepy character/object (House, doll, child, etc.)</span></li><li><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Holiday horror (Christmas, yule, etc.)</span></li><li><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Short story anthology or collection</span></li><li><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Takes place during Halloween season</span></li><li><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Winter theme, or winter on cover</span></li><li><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">A book that is also a movie</span></li><li>By <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/BIPOC" target="_blank">BIPOC</a> author</li><li><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Classic horror novel</span></li><li><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Dark Academia novel (here's a list on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/dark-academia" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>)</span></li><li><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Gothic novel</span></li></ul></div><b>Levels</b>:<br /><br /><i>Spooky: </i>Read 6 books from 6 categories<br /><i>Chilling:</i> Read 12 Books from all 12 categories<br /><i>Frightful:</i> Read 2 books from each category for a total of 24 books<br /><i>Horrifying: </i>Read 3 books from each category for a total of 36 books<br /><br />Challenge runs from January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. Cross overs with other challenges count. Short stories are allowed if you're reading an entire collection or anthology. Books must be over 100 pages (one book under 100 pages is permitted). You do not have to pick your books ahead of time, but you can if you want.<br />Hashtag for social media:<b> #IReadHorror</b><br /><br />Grab the button and spread the word. Thanks!<div><br /></div>
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<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a></div>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-61901096996049956402023-11-02T02:34:00.000-04:002023-11-02T02:34:04.112-04:00Stephen King's If It Bleeds Read-Along - If It Bleeds and Rat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulIpj1lftUYOEMFilQYn0_uMyqGtSrG2QlVdrIgN-LGgD4G6ftqm5ADjiDMs2ebnDiq1zZg5_WYutWyaDATkaHyYjPSY-MKsCs0qShjhsbmvycxINvKNjFs9FmNIb0fr1mpeIEZSCiqicydJzjWddVzdWnYpdsEUuQhTJTTAvbVsM-xFnj8w7Mm-OldY/s2132/54304137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2132" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulIpj1lftUYOEMFilQYn0_uMyqGtSrG2QlVdrIgN-LGgD4G6ftqm5ADjiDMs2ebnDiq1zZg5_WYutWyaDATkaHyYjPSY-MKsCs0qShjhsbmvycxINvKNjFs9FmNIb0fr1mpeIEZSCiqicydJzjWddVzdWnYpdsEUuQhTJTTAvbVsM-xFnj8w7Mm-OldY/s320/54304137.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">This is a read-along so be aware of possible spoilers ahead.</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>I apologize for having to combine the final two novellas in one discussion. October flew by, and I couldn't keep up. I enjoyed both of them very much. I hope you did too!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>News flash: <i>The Life of Chuck </i>(the second novella in this collection) is being made into a series and the series creator is none other than Mike Flanagan. Pretty exciting, as Flanagan's work is always good. Not sure what network it will stream on yet.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><i>If It Bleeds</i></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div>Let me first say that Stephen King's <i>The Outsider</i> is one of King's best, in my opinion. I was riveted through the entire book, and I really enjoyed the HBO series as well. I also agree with King about Holly Gibney. She is one of my all time favorite characters. (Still need to get my hands on his new novel all about her.)<br /><br />It's intriguing how SK came up with the premise for this story. Not the part where this being is similar to the one in <i>The Outsider,</i> in that it can change it's appearance (skin-walker comes to mind), but how the idea was sparked by seeing the same reporters reporting on all the disasters on the news. Genius! In this case, it is relatively harmless...its only negative trait is thriving on disaster. It's when it starts <i>causing</i> the disasters that we (Holly) have a problem.<div><br /></div><div>The reason I think Holly is such a great character is her quirkiness, yes, but also how she has persevered through so much, and is carrying on healthy relationships with friends, and achieving success. She still has her moments of anxiety and self-doubt, but she thinks back to those who have taught her and helped her along the way (Bill Hodges, Ralph Anderson), and relies on her friends who care so much for her. These things help her stay grounded so she can do what she does best - catch monsters, save people, and protect her friends. </div><div><br /></div><div>That ending had me on the edge of my seat, and also wondering if there are more "skin-walkers" in Holly's future. I can't wait to continue on with what SK has cooked up for her next.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Rat</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, so I'm a writer, and I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but there's a little writing challenge that goes on every November called <b>NaNoWriMo</b> (Google it if you're not familiar) and I'm participating. I'm not so sure this was the story I should be reading right about now. </div><div><br /></div><div>SK sure knows how to write about something that may seem perfectly mundane (a writer who loses his shit every time he tries to write a novel), but for those of us who write, it is horrific. Although I will say that I kept thinking "Dude, get over it." So maybe I'll be okay. lol </div><div><br /></div><div>I'll admit, when the rat spoke, I jumped a mile. Was it real, or was Drew's fevered mind playing tricks on him? Was the death of Al and his wife truly just an accident, or was it truly the fulfillment of Drew's bargain (wish) with the rat? SK leaves it open for our interpretation because, even when the rat shows up again, we still don't know for sure if Drew is still imagining it. I'm coming down on the side that the whole thing was real, and I certainly would never trade finishing writing a novel for someone's death, terminal (supposed) cancer or not. Having made that choice, I can certainly understand why Drew decides to never write another novel.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>So what did you think about these two novellas? Share your thoughts on the two novellas in the comments, or leave a link to a post. </i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div>I'd like to thank those of you who joined in on the read-along, and <b>Something Wicked Fall</b>. We will be back next fall with more scary and another read-along. Until then, happy horror reading!</div><div><br /></div><div>This post is a part of...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7BnuK1iTCcSe4nehdQSU1QGDjpZNswsDRA552HYdDrluMll2EO4kZRXmxon1pfJ__t4EtDedUOhdkzYPS3ksxE4ad0LYn13AirczuwDA_Nu4hS7hAegoV8IFxGf1MESmhHV4xtCCvrKTg7hcesh3q7K-IS5-Mr2CZc9WOuZpe3UXti6j-gBShCOXalw/s1920/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1579" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7BnuK1iTCcSe4nehdQSU1QGDjpZNswsDRA552HYdDrluMll2EO4kZRXmxon1pfJ__t4EtDedUOhdkzYPS3ksxE4ad0LYn13AirczuwDA_Nu4hS7hAegoV8IFxGf1MESmhHV4xtCCvrKTg7hcesh3q7K-IS5-Mr2CZc9WOuZpe3UXti6j-gBShCOXalw/w329-h400/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" width="329" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a></div>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-18100683658276842392023-10-23T14:35:00.000-04:002023-10-23T14:35:25.953-04:00National Horror Movie Day - The Night Slayer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSi1m-V4DxI7x31Dzl8idTFu0pr-yNXprhCNSW-m_Z0rFUdaBKNAk9XquEH45cV-5LO85pnRsnzrcvWomKeAzAAUvyg2-oKvITq4AcvJMAyZdn6rKetlM9LM-o9bLMZ2qoLVXXJYtBUjWyiu94UU8rMR3Ytrd9qRGIyVwahP555SGaDHl7EgTciLdM5GU/s1920/Demon1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSi1m-V4DxI7x31Dzl8idTFu0pr-yNXprhCNSW-m_Z0rFUdaBKNAk9XquEH45cV-5LO85pnRsnzrcvWomKeAzAAUvyg2-oKvITq4AcvJMAyZdn6rKetlM9LM-o9bLMZ2qoLVXXJYtBUjWyiu94UU8rMR3Ytrd9qRGIyVwahP555SGaDHl7EgTciLdM5GU/w479-h269/Demon1.png" width="479" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Today I'm featuring the upcoming 2024 release, <i>The Night Slayer</i> from creator Michael McQuown. </div><div>Below is a Q & A with the creator. Be sure to check out the trailer at the end of the post.</div><div><br /></div><b>HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE STORY?<br /></b><br />Just before graduation from college in spring of 1990, a couple I knew wanted me to call their single female friend in the fall as both of us were moving to DC. About a month after arriving in DC, I hadn’t called her yet. I think I misplaced her number as this is pre-cell phone time.<br /><br />One night I met two college buddies at an irish bar in Capital Hill. It was a weeknight and very slow. The entire time they were talking about people from work, none of whom I knew at all. After about 30 minutes of boredom, I did something I almost never do. I went up to a woman sitting at the bar by herself. We talked for quite awhile without exchanging names. Suddenly, it hit me. I said your name is such and such. She looks at me shocked. Turns out it was the woman I was supposed to call.<br /><br />A few nights later, while trying to fall asleep, I thought what if she disappeared after that night. The police would never believe my story in that a city of 700,000+ that I randomly talked to the one person I was supposed to call (without even knowing it was her!).<br /><br />So that’s the genesis of this murder-mystery. A guy talks to a woman that mutual friends are setting-up who then vanishes. Of course the police would suspect him. Over the course of many sleepless nights I pieced together the details of the story and plot way back late in 1990.<br /><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OT00ITBo_ISjp376esVLtUyi7wS1HEqb3BtrUP8TWr_n4HrYuaX-Ax81uE5peJI-jMCn4c2vCpyzaUNI8tsUlDN3_ImypHyHCaYm6JrX5cYdvDTPhtichRMsm9emfcak0oi3bFD9fZTWTO8pfoTYRrmqa2wN2Py9J3XP7_7nP46svpijZ8K1xqe0kHM/s1920/News.Article.2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OT00ITBo_ISjp376esVLtUyi7wS1HEqb3BtrUP8TWr_n4HrYuaX-Ax81uE5peJI-jMCn4c2vCpyzaUNI8tsUlDN3_ImypHyHCaYm6JrX5cYdvDTPhtichRMsm9emfcak0oi3bFD9fZTWTO8pfoTYRrmqa2wN2Py9J3XP7_7nP46svpijZ8K1xqe0kHM/w520-h293/News.Article.2.png" width="520" /></a></div><br />HOW DID YOU END UP SHOOTING FOR 30 YEARS?<br /></b><br />I am pretty sure <i>The Night Slayer </i>is the only narrative (that is, non-documentary) film shot with the same actors over multiple decades. The shoot was mostly done on and off from 1993-1995. And then I shot additional footage with one of main actors, Paul Webster, in 2023. So for 26 of the 30 years there was no filming.<br /><br />I made a cut in 1998 to show agents and managers, but no one would sign me because of an upcoming WGA writers strike. So it’s ironic that now it’s finally done in 2023, we are in another WGA strike! During the 2000’s, I thought maybe I could put the film on YouTube or something like that. But after reading about Neural Reconstruction and what early A.I. could do during COVID lockdowns, I realized we had a plot point that would justify the look and style of the film.<br /><br />I got in touch with Paul Webster after many years and drove up to his house in Delaware from Florida to shoot the 2023 footage over two days. The 90’s footage I had a crew of one – just producer Melissa Robison and myself. The 2023 footage I shot with no crew, just myself.<br /><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbG2KN4KDVrEX0FaJHmS0peiQDMCxCDbPsC4Hrbz2kZoiY9bPBW1vDL093pmD1rYrKM3yC29xXye3IHO9KBjy-BTZVW8cGO2KoDTRJMBAuuA6JbLzfPJ2ID8xwGhG6jA_y1wdGTsty5b5Fxbaiv2ZnzgHv4dtddo065pX2AGZanjMzrH2KntEvbG6eXQ/s1920/Joe.Demon_.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbG2KN4KDVrEX0FaJHmS0peiQDMCxCDbPsC4Hrbz2kZoiY9bPBW1vDL093pmD1rYrKM3yC29xXye3IHO9KBjy-BTZVW8cGO2KoDTRJMBAuuA6JbLzfPJ2ID8xwGhG6jA_y1wdGTsty5b5Fxbaiv2ZnzgHv4dtddo065pX2AGZanjMzrH2KntEvbG6eXQ/w521-h293/Joe.Demon_.png" width="521" /></a></div><br />WHAT EXACTLY IS "NEURAL RECONSTRUCTION" IN THE FILM?<br /></b><br />Neural Reconstruction is a real-world science that is, for lack of a better descriptor, mind-reading by a computer. Since 2011, computers have been able to interpret with increasing accuracy, fidelity and resolution what you seeing into still photos and now video by analyzing brain scans in real-time. They can also synthesize speech accurately that you are just thinking, as well interpret stories from what you are listening to. <i>The Night Slayer</i> uses this as a plot point for the 1990’s footage.<br /><br />What we shot in 2023 hypothesizes that in 2024 you can be hooked up to a portable Neural Reconstruction scanner that will output something like a grainy, surreal, independent art-house-like movie. Paul Webster, playing the same character I shot him as in the 1990’s, is now being paid in 2024 to read a script about events that happened to him 30 years ago in 1994, the idea being if it really happened to you then the computer will reconstruct a more accurate video output.<br /><br />With this concept, I now had a reason why the footage of the 1990’s looks the way it does, as well as the use of tilted dutch angle camera shots, jump cuts, mixed media like 8mm film, 16mm, video, etc. etc. (See bottom of this page for links to real-world articles on Neural Reconstruction)<div><b><a href="https://thenightslayer.com/faq-press-notes/" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> and scroll to the bottom of that page for the links mentioned.</b><br /><br /><b>HOW DID YOU USE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (A.I.) IN THE FILM?<br /></b><br />Just like how we shot over 30 years, I am pretty sure <i>The Night Slayer</i> is the first completed narrative feature to make significant use of A.I. shots. There have been plenty of shorts made in 2023, but nothing that I have seen implemented into a feature film.<br /><br />We used mostly Gen-1 from Runway.ml, which basically completely changes something you shot. For example, one of the characters in mid-motion changes from the actor into a demon and the interior of what shot changes into something most would think is hell.<br /><br />We used a bit of Gen-2, which is creating a shot out of nothing except a text prompt like you can do with A.I. generated stills. Both types further added to the surreal nature of the film and go along with the plot line that the 1990’s footage is a computer algorithmic interpretation (Neural Generation) of what someone is thinking. In generative artificial intelligence video anything can go, and with <i>The Night Slayer</i>, it certainly does too.<br /><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvtzPxOAkO74lbiky7N6wJDf_nXLp5S5dBEl6PgpTzBIUy2gDrg2s5kZsIxvO8nqZqp_csezYZPtVwDGSe9hRJqrvaiHmZk8JXmg_LVFjn5e08wFqJx_eBcAAP1VAtXDj383HyYBcjnlscN93UMDS1RM5KyRLMo_Chkrq-WkhFwaCAKdC5uC4oBFJEzw/s1920/Parent.AI_.Fight_.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvtzPxOAkO74lbiky7N6wJDf_nXLp5S5dBEl6PgpTzBIUy2gDrg2s5kZsIxvO8nqZqp_csezYZPtVwDGSe9hRJqrvaiHmZk8JXmg_LVFjn5e08wFqJx_eBcAAP1VAtXDj383HyYBcjnlscN93UMDS1RM5KyRLMo_Chkrq-WkhFwaCAKdC5uC4oBFJEzw/w512-h289/Parent.AI_.Fight_.png" width="512" /></a></div><br />HOW DID YOU GET ALL THE LOCATIONS FOR THE FILM?</b><br /><br />A good chunk of the movie takes place in two locations. The Main character Michael Jacobs’ apartment and the police interrogation room. We actually shot those at the same place, which was the apartment I was sharing with lead actors Fred Zelinka, who plays Michael Jacobs, and Victoria Gallegos, who plays Kristin Thomas. Fred had experience constructing sets while he was acting in Los Angeles, so he built a portable two-way mirror wall we could set up and take down easily. By moving some furniture and replacing a light, we could change a corner of the apartment into the police station. We also converted the apartment into the scene with nightclub owner Nicholas DeBarge.<br /><br />The next major portion of the movie takes place in various locations at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. One scene is in a fundraising call-center phoneroom. That was the phoneroom I was the manager of at age 25-26 and those were my callers in the background. The chase scene was through the bowels and side stages of the Kennedy Center, and we also shot in the box seats in the Concert Hall as well as the main lobby just as a show was getting out with 100’s of people nearby. I asked my bosses if I could shoot and they said fine, so we took advantage of the place at nighttime.<br /><br />Everyone in the Washington D.C. area that we asked to shoot at said yes and didn’t even ask for money. We shot at two nightclubs while they were open, an adult shop, an abandoned school, my younger brother’s apartment and more. In public places we didn’t ask, we just showed up and shot, like in DuPont Circle, various parks, the US Capitol Steps and more. I don’t think with today’s security you would get away with shooting on the Capitol Steps and Congressional Offices unannounced and without permission like we did back then. But again, it was just myself, producer Melissa Robison as the crew and 2-3 actors.<br /><br />The flashback scenes were shot in Beach Haven New Jersey in a small cottage during the off-season when no one was there so the yelling and screaming would not bother anyone.<br /><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9qGasAiGOj4reRtcUsYos4-GpaVqv9INzm3ZFri7VO4S_GS99YFcLilGjOQua0VWamCcd2ThLRk5j0vBX4BIesCI4rHx9hSPlH5JN84cS953ntlkfGKYBgt6Jqi48heYMUUM9-vWFkx9KyOeh5HHOhDksG4AMYs8XptzfBIYmpVm1kkLEcmgljA-uYw/s1920/Bed.Float_.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9qGasAiGOj4reRtcUsYos4-GpaVqv9INzm3ZFri7VO4S_GS99YFcLilGjOQua0VWamCcd2ThLRk5j0vBX4BIesCI4rHx9hSPlH5JN84cS953ntlkfGKYBgt6Jqi48heYMUUM9-vWFkx9KyOeh5HHOhDksG4AMYs8XptzfBIYmpVm1kkLEcmgljA-uYw/w477-h268/Bed.Float_.png" width="477" /></a></div><br />WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL WITH THE NIGHT SLAYER?<br /></b><br />With all the firsts that the film contains, combined with its unique stylized look and a murder-mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end, I am convinced that there is a significant audience for <i>The Night Slayer.</i><br /><br />Although this was a film shot for only $14,000 with a two man crew, myself being one of them, I think everyone did a great job and we have a solid movie. And now that I have a reason for the way it looks (Neural Reconstruction) combined with the latest A.I. tools that weren’t available until 2023, plus all the post-production plugins you can use to clean up/change/enhance your shots and sound, the film is something that should garner attention. It’s ironic that the footage in 1990’s wasn’t distribution worthy, but 30 years later we have the tools to make it so. I bet other people in the next few years will be able to resurrect projects like this.<br /><br />While it is nothing like 2022’s horror film Skinamarink, that film would be a good example of how something creative and unique can find an audience. My hope is that The Night Slayer will do so as well and can reward all the hard work everyone put into it.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.thenightslayer.com" target="_blank">www.thenightslayer.com<br /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5GM8a7i0zxk?si=hS8Cbt_GEHSFPjOj" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This post is a part of...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYo6FDLI4XjawKRYtTgULpvN5sXL54HWmvRucMlhUyYMI3XuQ8OjWSfoO8VdjhkFzSyGF2pUPlFjMFUQNr3ZpfB7px0Fi_PXVGu9oVYG3ZzNPN4rbTj8j2QROOWYCZjdd4l85LPewKVhrW_fW8Je2KqJja-8sHspuhRpylM9q7WH6L5XwAZ0RLaOsch0/s1920/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1579" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYo6FDLI4XjawKRYtTgULpvN5sXL54HWmvRucMlhUyYMI3XuQ8OjWSfoO8VdjhkFzSyGF2pUPlFjMFUQNr3ZpfB7px0Fi_PXVGu9oVYG3ZzNPN4rbTj8j2QROOWYCZjdd4l85LPewKVhrW_fW8Je2KqJja-8sHspuhRpylM9q7WH6L5XwAZ0RLaOsch0/w362-h440/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" width="362" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a></div></div>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-56738681500040713412023-10-14T02:15:00.000-04:002023-10-14T02:15:14.295-04:00I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - 2023 Third Quarter Check-In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdaDrhL_PWjdDDnQYT-eO1Wulfq0h9XVsh84T4s93pU7fStGTQrfe8_wIZj58amELKEPnIMp9BkoM5LYzaUq1-mQ-3kOYFEXYFSI1qlzMkNq9B6g1bBIko2sPzzeHZuE_EC4W_3W2uTxDPio1l7fXwau0VIYEmFeIJkJjkxd1WsyU6LMoDnU9D7bWgjM/s2240/I%20Read%20Horror%20Year-Round%20Reading%20Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdaDrhL_PWjdDDnQYT-eO1Wulfq0h9XVsh84T4s93pU7fStGTQrfe8_wIZj58amELKEPnIMp9BkoM5LYzaUq1-mQ-3kOYFEXYFSI1qlzMkNq9B6g1bBIko2sPzzeHZuE_EC4W_3W2uTxDPio1l7fXwau0VIYEmFeIJkJjkxd1WsyU6LMoDnU9D7bWgjM/w528-h297/I%20Read%20Horror%20Year-Round%20Reading%20Challenge.jpg" width="528" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>So sorry I'm late with this check-in! With all the scary events going on, it completely slipped my mind. </div><div><br /></div><div>How are you doing on the challenge?</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's my progress on the Chilling level (12 books in a year)...</div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Book by <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/BIPOC" target="_blank">BIPOC</a> author - <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/04/horror-reviews-black-mouth-loney-my.html" target="_blank"><i>My Heart is a Chainsaw</i></a>, Stephen Graham Jones</li><li>Title with Dead, Blood, or Bone - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/143356629" target="_blank"><i>The Dead Path</i></a>, Stephen M. Irwin</li><li>Horrific cover - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5119156652" target="_blank"><i>The Vessel</i></a>, Adam Nevill</li><li>Set in the past - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2908432990" target="_blank"><i>The Green Man</i></a>, Kingsley Amis</li><li>Folk Horror - <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/04/horror-reviews-black-mouth-loney-my.html" target="_blank"><i>The Loney</i></a>, Andrew Michael Hurley</li><li>Winter theme or cover - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5534941455" target="_blank"><i>Subhuman</i></a>, Michael McBride</li><li>Black, red, or white cover - <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/04/horror-reviews-black-mouth-loney-my.html" target="_blank"><i>Black Mouth</i></a>, Ronald Malfi</li><li>Zombies, Witches, Vampires, or Werewolves - <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4512546376" target="_blank">Dracul</a></i> by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker (I LOVED this book!)</li><li>Something by Poe - <i><a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/10/gothic-horror-edgar-allan-poes-fall-of.html" target="_blank">The Fall of the House of Usher</a></i> (click the title to read my write up).<br /></li></ul><div>All I have left are three categories and I already have planned reads for them. I'm hoping to get to them this month, but we shall see. Planned reads...</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Fairy Tale Retelling -<i> Gretel </i>by Christopher Coleman</li><li>Written by a woman - <i>Hummingbird</i> by T.C. Parker</li><li>Debut Horror - <i>Awake in the Night</i> by Shauna McEleney</li></ul></div><b><i>I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.).</i></b><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;"><i>Important</i>: I'll be working on next year's challenge soon and I want you to help me come up with the categories. If you are actively participating in this year's challenge, please post your category in the comments. Thank you! I can't wait to see what you come up with. </span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Happy Horror Reading!<br /></b><br /><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a></div>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-62950055104465010422023-10-09T03:53:00.000-04:002023-10-09T03:53:55.912-04:00Gothic Horror - Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher<div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt19-3CYeX8LznLBuJhzyP6PgOUAVmbfA9pfGMqtm_savnFxzWZas0k2SrFz8u7XD7XmexiQv0lJ0W66i_kdpX79WtG_UESL_BCfdaF0ULB1R6sthaGi54XGLqsvWQ_8pL8GMu4D3vnR6LBW6zHk5ukmeWSfUXybQbBnaJrO5OSOpyJzlb87oa3qNvGwg/s1000/81n6yGQNQCL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt19-3CYeX8LznLBuJhzyP6PgOUAVmbfA9pfGMqtm_savnFxzWZas0k2SrFz8u7XD7XmexiQv0lJ0W66i_kdpX79WtG_UESL_BCfdaF0ULB1R6sthaGi54XGLqsvWQ_8pL8GMu4D3vnR6LBW6zHk5ukmeWSfUXybQbBnaJrO5OSOpyJzlb87oa3qNvGwg/w248-h400/81n6yGQNQCL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I've decided to do away with the Gothic and Horror Master posts, as no one (including me) utilizes them. For a wider audience's sake (if I have a wide audience...lol), I will do individual posts and anyone is welcome to discuss in the comments and/or share stories you've been reading.</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">BEWARE OF SPOILERS AHEAD</span></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>This is one of my favorite Poe stories. Probably in large part due to my love of Vincent Price and having seen the movie long before I read the story (I've read this many times). Of course, I can also credit Price with sparking my entire love of and fascination with Poe's works. I've read and reread so many of his stories, and my favorite poem of all time, <i>Annabel Lee</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYyiHXVhjpi75zSH2FhGYi4iYwiBkYC4DgtnxyW4JOjqRfRhKUWCU8Q2VVFpr6__g19oafuih-C2DP5GGg0M5xocATLdqN4hlrv-YOdT4iEoSl61JzmA_ao8gjG-Xy_4PLbPWETnfjj3NRQi_vSHtQglg4LGlAZ9eJhVr5ZHDNE3p8Fx80I5HvFrmNwk/s510/headerphoto2278211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="510" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYyiHXVhjpi75zSH2FhGYi4iYwiBkYC4DgtnxyW4JOjqRfRhKUWCU8Q2VVFpr6__g19oafuih-C2DP5GGg0M5xocATLdqN4hlrv-YOdT4iEoSl61JzmA_ao8gjG-Xy_4PLbPWETnfjj3NRQi_vSHtQglg4LGlAZ9eJhVr5ZHDNE3p8Fx80I5HvFrmNwk/s320/headerphoto2278211.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>At the center of this story, in my humble opinion, is mental illness, and some of the factors that can bring about "madness" as they called it back then. Fear, dread, guilt. All are apparent and so expertly illustrated in Poe's Gothic tones. Also, the fear of being <a href="https://burialsandbeyond.com/2019/03/27/buried-alive-a-short-history-of-premature-burial-and-safety-coffins/" target="_blank">buried alive (Taphophobia),</a> which was prevalent in the days before modern medicine. So much so that in the 18th and 19th centuries there were "Safety Coffins." William Tebb and Edward Perry Vollum even published a book titled <i>Premature Burial and How It May Be Prevented. </i>There were coffins affixed with a string attached to a bell outside the grave. If a person found themselves buried alive, they could simply ring the bell (surely not so simple, and how many of those bells were actually heard...yikes!). Later inventions were more elaborate. (<a href="https://burialsandbeyond.com/2019/03/27/buried-alive-a-short-history-of-premature-burial-and-safety-coffins/" target="_blank">Read the entire article on Tebb's book and the various inventions here.</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">SPOILER</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #ffa400;"><br /></span></b></div><div>So, why am I talking about premature burial? Precisely because that is what happens to Usher's sister. But for her there is no escape because she is not buried in a grave. She is entombed in a vault in the donjon keep! There is no bell for her to ring, or some other apparatus to make someone aware. Yet, when she somehow finally breaks free from her tomb, we learn that Usher had heard her..."I heard her first feeble movements in the hollow coffin. I heard them--many, many days ago--yet I dared not--<i>I dared not speak!</i>" Why did he not speak up? Was it the guilt of burying her alive in the first place? Who knows, but she does manage to break out and the state of her, of what she endured, scares Usher to death. As Usher's friend flees, the house literally cracks apart and falls into the ground. A metaphor for the destruction of mental illness, and the fear of death? Those are my thoughts anyway. </div><div><br /></div><div>The reason I wanted to read this story again is because one of my favorite horror (TV) series creators is bringing a new take on the story to Netflix. Mike Flanagan, the mastermind behind <i>The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor</i>, and <i>Midnight Mass, </i>does it again with "<i>A contemporary horror series based on multiple works by Edgar Allan Poe. To secure their fortune — and future — two ruthless siblings build a family dynasty that begins to crumble when their heirs mysteriously die, one by one." <br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Here's a short trailer. Get ready to watch...the series premiere is October 12. </div><div><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ViSfLCnM2Hw?si=rnjFJildiYmaFnoE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This post is a part of...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJAU9ze79kWyFoROQDGMVck68PGTuHbbrHJV23TgaM_lLfj6ahTkzlM44pnBLfmdYLI5yoWBGcbJYdvhyphenhyphene3J-ntafsneutP-E1PDrkqu1b4S3qB7DqoSU1RuNRspoW7pC1VzpVxNrFyf3Bku9Qqo2lLKy4pAEauGogWGVuhFmDaFpRxpNuTDqZruTpus/s1920/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1579" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJAU9ze79kWyFoROQDGMVck68PGTuHbbrHJV23TgaM_lLfj6ahTkzlM44pnBLfmdYLI5yoWBGcbJYdvhyphenhyphene3J-ntafsneutP-E1PDrkqu1b4S3qB7DqoSU1RuNRspoW7pC1VzpVxNrFyf3Bku9Qqo2lLKy4pAEauGogWGVuhFmDaFpRxpNuTDqZruTpus/w329-h400/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" width="329" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-71343629186959883542023-10-01T22:48:00.000-04:002023-10-01T22:48:16.076-04:00Stephen King's If It Bleeds Read-Along - The Life of Chuck<div><span style="color: #ffa400;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrd1ToI0dvXG_DWmBZ-T9Y52yNHXKJBH_rSdR3sz9pdzWSPwyRBJwCPomubOzl1R4h0rbgUDkpqNiY_Urof5310FUYY-1n3E5rlWrj-kvn2BiRzRtGsb0chvdvQJmWQl-wpsQlcReVvHEhBp5AAw5VF6ncJukQw0QmmtAoMkhDcPJRKOVZxpv-xzphZU/s2132/54304137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2132" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrd1ToI0dvXG_DWmBZ-T9Y52yNHXKJBH_rSdR3sz9pdzWSPwyRBJwCPomubOzl1R4h0rbgUDkpqNiY_Urof5310FUYY-1n3E5rlWrj-kvn2BiRzRtGsb0chvdvQJmWQl-wpsQlcReVvHEhBp5AAw5VF6ncJukQw0QmmtAoMkhDcPJRKOVZxpv-xzphZU/s320/54304137.jpg" width="210" /></a></div></span><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">This is a read-along so be aware of spoilers ahead.<span><br /></span></span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Here we go again with one of King's talents, but it has to be said...he knows how to write about the (supposedly) coming apocalypse. I found myself feeling very uncomfortable, and also a bit scared, as I read disaster upon disaster in the first part of the story. It was all bad of course, but it was the sink hole that really got me. I am not fond of the fact that sink holes actually exist. Seriously though, what an interesting way to take the story. I was not expecting it at all. "I contain multitudes"...so this world that was slowly blinking out was a part of Chuck's mind...mind-blowing! lol</div><div><br /></div><div>I also found it interesting about what the man Yarbrough said about the 24 hour day. That the earth's rotation was slowing down and his theory that what was happening was larger than environmental degradation. I'm no climate change denier, but it is an interesting theory. </div><div><br /></div><div>What a sad story too. The ghosts in this story are scary because they let you see the future, specifically when someone dies/is dying. So, it's the waiting for it to happen, as his grandfather said. There's a message here too, at least in my opinion. We are better off not knowing when it's going to happen, or the exact way it will happen. I would have to agree. </div><div><br /></div><div>Once again, this isn't really a scary story, in the normal sense of the word. But there are different kinds of scary, and King always knows just how to convey them. The dancing was nice too. </div><div><br /></div><b><i>Share your thoughts on this novella in the comments, or leave a link to a post. We'll be back October 16th to discuss the next novella, If It Bleeds. If you need the <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/09/something-wicked-fall-2023-featuring-if.html" target="_blank">reading schedule</a>, find it <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/09/something-wicked-fall-2023-featuring-if.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /></i></b><div><br /></div><div>This post is a part of...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Np9dLkvTugEy6yMrQLTlTZXzCr4kpISoEdkmQf76BxB5vS_KB2EC9zKMQFKJIywFtw-wEGxwqG2Aq38ssyf0VsmaeHiAqs1z9Ck0sACNU-Mi_K3CDgrNpyZug34JwIMGttiZM2flF_Uy42RvWX446OLJG-lIzNrYjRtyNQV1-q7qohYIsDHJIBCMQSo/s1920/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1579" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Np9dLkvTugEy6yMrQLTlTZXzCr4kpISoEdkmQf76BxB5vS_KB2EC9zKMQFKJIywFtw-wEGxwqG2Aq38ssyf0VsmaeHiAqs1z9Ck0sACNU-Mi_K3CDgrNpyZug34JwIMGttiZM2flF_Uy42RvWX446OLJG-lIzNrYjRtyNQV1-q7qohYIsDHJIBCMQSo/w329-h400/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" width="329" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-51461331402694482542023-09-16T21:17:00.000-04:002023-09-16T21:17:01.046-04:00Stephen King's If It Bleeds Read-Along - Mr. Harrigan's Phone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpYbf3d75a890WIhdI6b4XiUZY2vLttvxduskqyWsYvVpcRdqezg2pUDtwe2Dgb0_MLNXVnH11Php_x57qxPnhPzJszXjqrKcXPb5Eu1U96ZbTceH0SI9ItjqYhs0OD6QXOG4I4v5OfMTHzlzd9JKSWZxm8pRR8vTkRGpunGEipSUiF6Au88NTyrWouo/s2132/54304137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2132" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpYbf3d75a890WIhdI6b4XiUZY2vLttvxduskqyWsYvVpcRdqezg2pUDtwe2Dgb0_MLNXVnH11Php_x57qxPnhPzJszXjqrKcXPb5Eu1U96ZbTceH0SI9ItjqYhs0OD6QXOG4I4v5OfMTHzlzd9JKSWZxm8pRR8vTkRGpunGEipSUiF6Au88NTyrWouo/s320/54304137.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">This is a read-along so be aware of spoilers ahead.</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>One of the things Mr. King does best, besides the chilling and creepy, is coming-of-age themes. This theme is very clear in <i>Mr. Harrigan's Phone</i>. The befriending of Mr. Harrigan at first leads one to believe that something creepy is going to happen in that house (as Craig waters plants and reads to the old man as a job). And what about that phone? I liked how the story was set around the time iPhones started to appear (though I hate iPhones lol), and so when Craig gets one, he is learning, and when he gives one to Mr. Harrigan, they sort of learn together. Mr. Harrigan's reaction and subsequent liking of the phone is truly entertaining. Craig was a genius pulling off sparking the old man's interest by showing him how to easily look up the stock market standings. Something Mr. Harrigan is very interested in due to his riches. All the while, we're wondering what this all means. Why is Mr. Harrigan, a self-proclaimed "ruthless tycoon" so interested in Craig? Personally, I think as we age (especially at Harrigan's advanced age), we start looking back at our innocence as we grew up, and so Harrigan spending time with Craig is a comfort, and he is reminded of his own more innocent days. </div><div><br /></div><div>The more supernatural side of the story comes about after Harrigan dies and Craig slips the old man's iPhone in his pocket in the casket. And so, he is buried with the phone. When Craig has hard times in life (being beat up by a bully, the loss of a beloved teacher, etc.) he calls Harrigan's phone for comfort and leaves voice mails about the occurrences. For some reason, the phone continues working, even after years have gone by so we know that is definitely supernatural. The chilling part comes in when the bully, and the drunk driver who killed the teacher, both come to suicidal endings. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ultimately, the friendship wins out and Mr. Harrigan sends the cryptic text that can only mean he's telling Craig to stop. I genuinely feel that Mr. Harrigan knew that these continued revenge scenarios would take a very negative toll on Craig, and so he is still a mentor and a friend even after death. Craig complies and throws the phone in the lake.</div><div><br /></div><i>Share your thoughts on this novella in the comments, or leave a link to a post. We'll be back October 1st to discuss the next novella, <b>The Life of Chuck</b>. If you need the <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/09/something-wicked-fall-2023-featuring-if.html" target="_blank">reading schedule</a>, find it <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/09/something-wicked-fall-2023-featuring-if.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /></i><br /><div>There is a Netflix film based on this (with the same name) that I thought was done well. Donald Sutherland as Mr. Harrigan was the perfect choice, and Jaedan Martell put in a great performance as Craig. If you haven't already, you should give it a watch. Here's the trailer...</div><div><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4Un_ker71dg?si=uFU_4YADYbefc730" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>This post is a part of....</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKq4g2GBTgIe4Urpjk-qQQ08LSzX3oQF5JHk-H7PX2wCw1VhrB4hee7L8F9uIkyUCiCkuEUnIToSMlSk6tGkoGqVcQ4JgBhN-_GugctB-rF6UzCjgIi231XrJ9hAiuERIKD25-4RoYK2DhoH_5GxsfeSAEGCLVecZ6yXAfCmH90DrILReAXKM4_avyDTc/s1920/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1579" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKq4g2GBTgIe4Urpjk-qQQ08LSzX3oQF5JHk-H7PX2wCw1VhrB4hee7L8F9uIkyUCiCkuEUnIToSMlSk6tGkoGqVcQ4JgBhN-_GugctB-rF6UzCjgIi231XrJ9hAiuERIKD25-4RoYK2DhoH_5GxsfeSAEGCLVecZ6yXAfCmH90DrILReAXKM4_avyDTc/w396-h481/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" width="396" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-31303503364074477702023-09-01T01:40:00.002-04:002023-09-01T03:30:45.511-04:00Something Wicked Fall 2023 featuring an If It Bleeds read-along...stories, movies, and more!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_c1mL8E9g1yp_WvEuxyGkGb5O6E7ivVDSKuuMdcBEog4N8m2NCEVsWALvdMlEvj3vvpLkM5_4eWXrVHr8OvbpMWZNSY1rrD8TZtIiAYIX8q8uerBFehxhmpa4dQ-elS61N4Fr4d_UmR5t7WA8DZiF3t9sS38AjPOKWZBKM_bwzJZfL247ooEJPRffH1s/s1920/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1579" height="619" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_c1mL8E9g1yp_WvEuxyGkGb5O6E7ivVDSKuuMdcBEog4N8m2NCEVsWALvdMlEvj3vvpLkM5_4eWXrVHr8OvbpMWZNSY1rrD8TZtIiAYIX8q8uerBFehxhmpa4dQ-elS61N4Fr4d_UmR5t7WA8DZiF3t9sS38AjPOKWZBKM_bwzJZfL247ooEJPRffH1s/w509-h619/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" width="509" /></a></div><div>Year six! It's September 1st so it's officially fall here at Castle Macabre and spooky season starts NOW!</div><div><br /></div><div>Everything on the agenda is on the button above, but I'm going to share more details below. If you're on Facebook, we have a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/seasonsofreading" target="_blank">Seasons of Reading group</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SeasonsofReadingReadathons" target="_blank">page</a>, where we interact during readathons so I'll be sharing info there, and also on the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/seasonsofreading/" target="_blank">Seasons of Reading Instagram</a>, and in the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/665976-seasons-of-reading-readathons" target="_blank">Seasons of Reading Goodreads</a> group. <b>Castle Macabre</b> also has a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/castlemacabre/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> and we're on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/castlemacabrehorror/" target="_blank">Instagram here</a>. Also, if you like Discord, join us on the <a href="https://discord.com/invite/e6uAmXtGqA" target="_blank">Seasons of Reading Discord</a>. There is a <b>Something Wicked Fall </b>channel if anyone is up for some live interaction. Here's the invite link: <a href="https://discord.com/invite/e6uAmXtGqA" target="_blank">https://discord.com/invite/e6uAmXtGqA</a><div><br style="background-color: #1c1c1c; color: #cccccc; font-family: "IM Fell English"; font-size: 29.7px;" /></div></div>😈 <b>Stephen King's <i>If It Bleeds</i> read-along. </b>We will be reading the book for the entire two months.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujeA4QdN8M-1A58CRz_uV7w5hiC4xTmkGmpLuxxKuOmpXzRriA562CkSFigzdA66LMbK__witOERnLxfRrC8ImGDn4IRq3I7t1efwlegNbb6jvgRwTDIEegYsHpiiiBIOEMow86YRXVbLdgrrh3M8QIdKRm0p8FtgQ0baxbv0p1Mw6nCCnrys9mDzj0g/s2132/54304137.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2132" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujeA4QdN8M-1A58CRz_uV7w5hiC4xTmkGmpLuxxKuOmpXzRriA562CkSFigzdA66LMbK__witOERnLxfRrC8ImGDn4IRq3I7t1efwlegNbb6jvgRwTDIEegYsHpiiiBIOEMow86YRXVbLdgrrh3M8QIdKRm0p8FtgQ0baxbv0p1Mw6nCCnrys9mDzj0g/s320/54304137.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><div>Discussions will be held on this blog.<b><i> I will put a new post up the day after each reading section ends.</i></b> We will read along according to the schedule below.<br /><br />My edition is the Scribner (hardcover) edition, published 2020. 436 pages.<div><br /></div><b>Read-Along Schedule</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>September 1 - 15 - Mr. Harrigan's Phone (Discussion post Sept 16)</li><li>September 16 - 30 - The Life of Chuck (Discussion post Oct 1)</li><li>October 1 - 15 - If It Bleeds (Discussion post Oct 16)</li><li>October 16 - 31 - Rat (Discussion post Nov 1)</li></ul>💀 <b>In September, we're focusing on Gothic stories </b>(Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, and others). There's a great list on Goodreads for reference, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1230.Best_Gothic_Books_Of_All_Time" target="_blank">Best Gothic Books of All Time</a>. I'm not going to set up any read-alongs for this. <br /><br />🎃 <b>In October, we're focusing on horror stories.</b> There are a couple of great lists on Goodreads for reference...<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1204.Best_Horror_Anthologies" target="_blank">Best Horror Anthologies</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/71420.Horror_Collections_Single_Author_" target="_blank">Horror Collections (Single Author)</a>. I'm not going to set up any read-alongs for this either.</div><div><br /></div><div>The above are not steadfast rules. Read what horror you want, when you want. Just a guideline on what we will be focusing on here. </div><div><b>There will be master posts for both of the above for you to stop by and share your thoughts on what you read in the comments. Look for the tabs in the menu bar above.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div>👹 <b>Horror movie/shows</b> I watch an inordinate amount of horror movies and shows during the season so I will be sharing my take on some of those, and will probably share a few book reviews as well. As always, I invite guest posts or reviews from anyone who cares to contribute. The more the merrier! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51binMynNVQ3_Q7b34mBggBPnOCVsgX91f_upWeUtqVjQUZKqv2a_jaSbfxP6SHpULQ547df6NmURYykWmxtYm7mm-tVWlN60tUs_HcFcFotz1WqBuJD52YSB6WOjc3HnznyW4no88jt8zGjVtBx7aM8KyS7OyISOOWXszl4UoZdfhPb1nVRMlrA_Qcw/s2240/FrightFall%20Readathon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51binMynNVQ3_Q7b34mBggBPnOCVsgX91f_upWeUtqVjQUZKqv2a_jaSbfxP6SHpULQ547df6NmURYykWmxtYm7mm-tVWlN60tUs_HcFcFotz1WqBuJD52YSB6WOjc3HnznyW4no88jt8zGjVtBx7aM8KyS7OyISOOWXszl4UoZdfhPb1nVRMlrA_Qcw/w488-h274/FrightFall%20Readathon.jpg" width="488" /></a></div><div><br /></div>👻 <b>#FrightFall Readathon,</b> October all month long, at <a href="https://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Seasons of Reading</a>. Sign ups for the readathon will be open soon. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/perilreaders/" target="_blank">Reader's Imbibing Peril (R.I.P.)</a> is going on right now as well.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyVZn2AktJDLV8oHENdvSNvO8XV8a9TdzDFD-_9MeLWplwSxM4xkBz-8S7AP_NV0wu5c150xiaI16TBnFMZAbkcfoeLCQrVS6jpDLmPuWfVF0b1MkH_CeO5DpJU9byjpjHd_zgtEWjzihmL9TPDhdTnwE31GPNJScagFia1-yE7zlo-jQJDV8h-1K_i8/s586/Screenshot%202023-09-01%201.46.00%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="586" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyVZn2AktJDLV8oHENdvSNvO8XV8a9TdzDFD-_9MeLWplwSxM4xkBz-8S7AP_NV0wu5c150xiaI16TBnFMZAbkcfoeLCQrVS6jpDLmPuWfVF0b1MkH_CeO5DpJU9byjpjHd_zgtEWjzihmL9TPDhdTnwE31GPNJScagFia1-yE7zlo-jQJDV8h-1K_i8/w400-h399/Screenshot%202023-09-01%201.46.00%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />I believe I've covered everything. If you have any questions, feel free to comment, or contact me via the contact form (click the image near the top of the sidebar) <i>No official sign-up for this. Just share that you're in by leaving a comment. You can join in as little or as much as you want.<br /></i><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a></div></div></div>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-86508162481780055842023-08-16T23:15:00.001-04:002023-08-16T23:15:29.866-04:0012 year blogiversary & Save the date for scary fall events<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTRZ4E7dUT8GRKve3b5SqTXDbog-sv9jSfoL2QMCKMUuRRrEzSO4hdjDYc2UxbW5YS3eNxMO_JbWgMkx01crZyICj1PKMXr9cjPOEZ-rd8iRlP5YS1yd9h-8OchCAs-dhFiju927QdsdnTm25pop2XQEkrALc9y3VQ2uvLIU-5Eb1-kvwzr_zidHlyug/s709/816c448f45bf70f831837f8beaef117e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTRZ4E7dUT8GRKve3b5SqTXDbog-sv9jSfoL2QMCKMUuRRrEzSO4hdjDYc2UxbW5YS3eNxMO_JbWgMkx01crZyICj1PKMXr9cjPOEZ-rd8iRlP5YS1yd9h-8OchCAs-dhFiju927QdsdnTm25pop2XQEkrALc9y3VQ2uvLIU-5Eb1-kvwzr_zidHlyug/w435-h640/816c448f45bf70f831837f8beaef117e.jpg" width="435" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="tenor-gif-embed" data-aspect-ratio="1" data-postid="14716484" data-share-method="host" data-width="100%">That's right...Castle Macabre has been knocking around on the interwebs for 12 years now! Time really flies. A big thank you to everyone who follows/reads the blog, and to those who participate in events and reading challenges. Here's to many more years of horror!</div><div><br /></div><div>Save the date for our scary fall events. <span style="color: #530b86;"><b>Something Wicked Fall</b>,</span> which runs through September and October, kicks off on September 1st. I will have the kick off post live with all the info, and the reading schedule for our read-along of Stephen Kng's <i>If It Bleeds </i>that day<i>. </i>The <b><span style="color: #ffa400;">FrightFall Readathon</span></b>, hosted over at my readathon blog, <u><a href="http://www.seasonsreading.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Seasons of Reading</a></u> starts on October 1st. Sign up for that event will be posted before mid-September. </div><div><br /></div><div>Check out the event buttons below. I hope you will join us!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqkR3giYdV35hUFWkP_9lTqBCEuNsA-cSqrlCiBA_JylW3ligXAqkxHl39lo2aJvKpZjJtgs3d7ZabxH7cTVPxrzw6sGqzDlK4_6nHDibOp5mexsykWZcCSBPJLo9oLuvG54wgF-sDrPqkbpPpumRv2QXEOMAXGNAEYn16O5q1rjREGuvkSffd7o8uhk/s1920/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1579" height="583" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqkR3giYdV35hUFWkP_9lTqBCEuNsA-cSqrlCiBA_JylW3ligXAqkxHl39lo2aJvKpZjJtgs3d7ZabxH7cTVPxrzw6sGqzDlK4_6nHDibOp5mexsykWZcCSBPJLo9oLuvG54wgF-sDrPqkbpPpumRv2QXEOMAXGNAEYn16O5q1rjREGuvkSffd7o8uhk/w479-h583/Something%20Wicked%20Fall.jpg" width="479" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2lue5e4XCZBqyY5olawwMzB054W5Lnif9MqFgEXXTdoRKGN0gCimU-xqLETJ0TTUPSk7SjZ_me7M875yu59LKPPqYa3lLEXIRxX73eLOF73a2QPtIp8-6QPXkzDQgzh_MtX9-BiTW82m4rSl7-ggJMBddS_3s8P_Y2BS-L1Ccpxt0Eu5wDR4HAyNmns/s2240/FrightFall%20Readathon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2lue5e4XCZBqyY5olawwMzB054W5Lnif9MqFgEXXTdoRKGN0gCimU-xqLETJ0TTUPSk7SjZ_me7M875yu59LKPPqYa3lLEXIRxX73eLOF73a2QPtIp8-6QPXkzDQgzh_MtX9-BiTW82m4rSl7-ggJMBddS_3s8P_Y2BS-L1Ccpxt0Eu5wDR4HAyNmns/w523-h294/FrightFall%20Readathon.jpg" width="523" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-79814528016720342442023-07-05T18:21:00.000-04:002023-07-05T18:21:03.637-04:00I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - 2023 Second Quarter Check-In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2XnkMQDyYtS1u5tW0KY-YyfwsnrsohFpmpZs1i9Y1JcQhVisUu9qdnOZAIEoWBWA2aHhMlF2guDIzMOLB2J9OjZBBB6-PAUJm5hWRzlZIWy66PXrXV0ZiZtJ2XoHh4L_J1VRfzNbY834FIYXSoVQzm9MYh3h152MKuuOef2edBy25c8aRVOkrdEAg8I/s2240/I%20Read%20Horror%20Year-Round%20Reading%20Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2XnkMQDyYtS1u5tW0KY-YyfwsnrsohFpmpZs1i9Y1JcQhVisUu9qdnOZAIEoWBWA2aHhMlF2guDIzMOLB2J9OjZBBB6-PAUJm5hWRzlZIWy66PXrXV0ZiZtJ2XoHh4L_J1VRfzNbY834FIYXSoVQzm9MYh3h152MKuuOef2edBy25c8aRVOkrdEAg8I/w585-h329/I%20Read%20Horror%20Year-Round%20Reading%20Challenge.jpg" width="585" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Another quarter done! How are you doing on the challenge?</div><div><br /></div>I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year and I've finished seven books (currently reading #8).<div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Book by <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/BIPOC">BIPOC</a> author - <i><u><a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/04/horror-reviews-black-mouth-loney-my.html" target="_blank">My Heart is a Chainsaw</a></u></i>, Stephen Graham Jones</li><li>Title with Dead, Blood, or Bone - <i><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/143356629" target="_blank">The Dead Path</a></u></i>, Stephen M. Irwin<br /></li><li>Horrific cover - <i><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5119156652" target="_blank">The Vessel</a></u></i>, Adam Nevill (I don't know about you, but I thought this was a pretty horrific cover. lol)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCRsIvQb48OjKzkzn79xF6y1Oc2psUe5FAOwGC5tRRYBludF7WJoSpfUYuk_afgXT5g0ZYksfVbO3SCs_cl1oeMjcO0Js5ybUQ_zXbZPlg1YaKDxpqW3u-yNbGUpNfYB1IDy1GdBbMHb0wGSvSGgy32z95tBL6-I-A6pDt3pehB-iWsIpBdIcDbLxyMk/s2560/61448337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCRsIvQb48OjKzkzn79xF6y1Oc2psUe5FAOwGC5tRRYBludF7WJoSpfUYuk_afgXT5g0ZYksfVbO3SCs_cl1oeMjcO0Js5ybUQ_zXbZPlg1YaKDxpqW3u-yNbGUpNfYB1IDy1GdBbMHb0wGSvSGgy32z95tBL6-I-A6pDt3pehB-iWsIpBdIcDbLxyMk/w125-h200/61448337.jpg" width="125" /></a></div></li><li>Set in the past -<i> <u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2908432990" target="_blank">The Green Man</a></u></i>, Kingsley Amis</li><li>Folk Horror - <i><u><a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/04/horror-reviews-black-mouth-loney-my.html" target="_blank">The Loney</a></u></i>, Andrew Michael Hurley</li><li>Winter theme or cover - <u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5534941455" target="_blank"><i>Subhuman</i></a></u>, Michael McBride</li><li>Black, red, or white cover - <i><u><a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2023/04/horror-reviews-black-mouth-loney-my.html" target="_blank">Black Mouth</a></u></i>, Ronald Malfi</li></ul>I keep track of my yearly challenges over on my sister site, <u><a href="https://www.truebookaddict.com/" target="_blank">True Book Addict</a></u>. There's a link to my 2023 challenge page in the menu above.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I said above, I'm currently on book eight which is <i>Dracul</i>, Dacre Stoker & J.D. Barker, reading for the <b>Zombies, Witches, Vampires, or Werewolves</b> category.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.).</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b>Announcement!</b></div><div>I want you to help me come up with categories for the 2024 challenge! Each person who is signed up and actively participating will be able to submit one category. I will accept your category submissions when I post the quarter three check-in. Fun!<br /><div><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a></div>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-56960053088566045322023-04-21T03:28:00.001-04:002023-04-21T03:28:39.159-04:00Horror Reviews - Black Mouth, The Loney, My Heart is a Chainsaw<div>I'm writing shorter reviews these days and so have I decided to share digests of a few horror novel reviews at a time. These are in reverse order, with the most recent appearing first. </div><div><br /></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7j54sb6PVfrjSpjxatVToXjzUw229BmguE7y-sSFqnSoKQ-9Yeus8AW5uW-0cWHzSEB02fSXkAciK7pOBUnidcQqNM1oyftG9KatIdmFfmoHq601ghdQoiEp_UZiNfR2BKr9mHjXuac8-nOroVUEGMTjTkpKRsKU80qfqCtc1BBg66txUSp3P4KX2/s2339/59120294.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2339" data-original-width="1534" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7j54sb6PVfrjSpjxatVToXjzUw229BmguE7y-sSFqnSoKQ-9Yeus8AW5uW-0cWHzSEB02fSXkAciK7pOBUnidcQqNM1oyftG9KatIdmFfmoHq601ghdQoiEp_UZiNfR2BKr9mHjXuac8-nOroVUEGMTjTkpKRsKU80qfqCtc1BBg66txUSp3P4KX2/w210-h320/59120294.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Black Mouth</i> by Ronald Malfi (5 stars)</div><div><br /></div>Once again, another riveting story by Mr Malfi. He just keeps getting better and better. I don't say this often (sadly), but this one was on my mind all the time. I just couldn't wait to get back to it. I felt this was partly coming-of-age horror, but the theme reminded me so much of Stephen King's The Outsider (another one I couldn't put down). The solving of a supernatural mystery with very human characters. I don't know how he comes up with these stories. I just hope he keeps doing it for many years to come.<div><br />
<div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOgvrax-HPCzBWjdvySWj1YrxwvgPG483XBuTUgCdljDoDLMSJefqbivYrbOzqIEtBRlHH18fJ6xGYYAIbJDjd0vooVoXIFb23O_tbkZpX6DCh1ZJqYWl5e-rq8YoPSODIABmwh1964MDvcw_WYwOm2qHwT0AA0vhyGLDo46Owq5DznQmPIg7-Gu8/s2053/25897809.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2053" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOgvrax-HPCzBWjdvySWj1YrxwvgPG483XBuTUgCdljDoDLMSJefqbivYrbOzqIEtBRlHH18fJ6xGYYAIbJDjd0vooVoXIFb23O_tbkZpX6DCh1ZJqYWl5e-rq8YoPSODIABmwh1964MDvcw_WYwOm2qHwT0AA0vhyGLDo46Owq5DznQmPIg7-Gu8/w218-h320/25897809.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><div><i><br /></i></div>The Loney</i> by Andrew Michael Hurley (4 stars)</div><div><br /></div>I've always been drawn to folk horror (Thomas Tryon's Harvest Home, I'm looking at you) so the resurgence of the subgenre in recent years has been a boon for me. The Loney fits nicely in the folk horror niche. I really liked the subtlety of it. While reading, we know there is some menacing local tomfoolery going on. And why is everyone suddenly younger, ailments gone, trees bursting with fruit out of season, etc.? I had a picture of The Loney in my mind, and that's a credit to the author who firmly plants the reader in the scenery. Very satisfying read. I will definitely be reading more Hurley.</div><div><br />
<div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyufmfY7gfYFtKx3WIn_atdivzYXoTvjCNIlaQBDfG50k_vO_-UpFkftAWymeKvpuROMvtK9mygsKYdzUJ4xAPRbkJNFtyeTl_rqNm27o1HAzooz-vlH04266W5LvXVrrgkAfcQqsUG_5PCYRM_7KWppiCAVes6kGU7ECUTTk8MhPwOKfL8b-Lv2N/s2158/55711617.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2158" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyufmfY7gfYFtKx3WIn_atdivzYXoTvjCNIlaQBDfG50k_vO_-UpFkftAWymeKvpuROMvtK9mygsKYdzUJ4xAPRbkJNFtyeTl_rqNm27o1HAzooz-vlH04266W5LvXVrrgkAfcQqsUG_5PCYRM_7KWppiCAVes6kGU7ECUTTk8MhPwOKfL8b-Lv2N/w208-h320/55711617.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><div><i><br /></i></div>My Heart is a Chainsaw</i> by Stephen Graham Jones (5 stars)</div><div><br /></div>Started off with a bang, then was slow for a bit. The main character, Jade, made up for the slowness. What a great character. About midway through, it took off and didn't stop until the end. Let's just say there's a pretty high final body count. This is a must-read for anyone who loves horror.<div><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a></div></div></div>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-75925848838373443422023-04-02T17:30:00.000-04:002023-04-02T17:30:16.311-04:00I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - 2023 First Quarter Check-In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5DdkxWp0AXDgd29ZeigZKdT4O3DPKTAiz6nU9QOvAj7ajEKbs50bcDMwxdANvu3ihx0rgyhXyAiS3qOkETK9OhwlkPuUA6vMQdzKrTFscXKbEVJ5xerSPiiTIrUu4Yon7KofbApfjWAhTxxD_82VxyKqC7fIhC0HbwAnla1EGslF67mjAdjf4kbu/s2240/I%20Read%20Horror%20Year-Round%20Reading%20Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5DdkxWp0AXDgd29ZeigZKdT4O3DPKTAiz6nU9QOvAj7ajEKbs50bcDMwxdANvu3ihx0rgyhXyAiS3qOkETK9OhwlkPuUA6vMQdzKrTFscXKbEVJ5xerSPiiTIrUu4Yon7KofbApfjWAhTxxD_82VxyKqC7fIhC0HbwAnla1EGslF67mjAdjf4kbu/w567-h319/I%20Read%20Horror%20Year-Round%20Reading%20Challenge.jpg" width="567" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The first quarter of 2023 is in the books. How did you fare? </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year and I'm happy to say, I've finished three books.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Book by <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/BIPOC">BIPOC</a> author - <span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>My Heart is a Chainsaw,</i> Stephen Graham Jones</span></li><li>Set in the past - <span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>The Greeen Man</i>, Kingsley Amis</span></li><li><span>Folk Horror - </span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>The Loney,</i> Andrew Michael Hurley</span></li></ul><div>I keep track of my yearly challenges over on my sister site, <u><a href="https://www.truebookaddict.com/" target="_blank">True Book Addict</a></u>. There's a link to my 2023 challenge page in the menu above.</div></div><div><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div><div><span>Next up for me are <i>The Dead Path</i> by Stephen M. Irwin (Title with dead, blood, or bone) and <i>Black Mouth</i> by Ronald Malfi (black, red, or white cover). </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><b><i><span>I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! </span>Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.)...</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Announcement! The <b>Spring into Horror Readathon</b> is going on through the month of April. You can still sign up. Full details at the <u><a href="https://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/2023/04/spring-into-horror-readathon-lets-go.html" target="_blank">Seasons of Reading blog</a></u>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1SF3QEphJeyczgeMsD_ys_HDwo36WVl3HCC6IgZoevXAyUO3iqvokARkNxMJ9vXy5OgpXKH3fbqcZaGv2Mthz_bK8CpB9cf7sxqtOr4Zm498eZ-0ryH9CBsrNDPDx_-Q7ID78QUazVxAwjaguXA3Cp4li3f9bjDs1nbue9PkjvTdS4HVYzNAkjKi/s2240/Spring%20into%20Horror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1SF3QEphJeyczgeMsD_ys_HDwo36WVl3HCC6IgZoevXAyUO3iqvokARkNxMJ9vXy5OgpXKH3fbqcZaGv2Mthz_bK8CpB9cf7sxqtOr4Zm498eZ-0ryH9CBsrNDPDx_-Q7ID78QUazVxAwjaguXA3Cp4li3f9bjDs1nbue9PkjvTdS4HVYzNAkjKi/w516-h290/Spring%20into%20Horror.jpg" width="516" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="https://images2.imgbox.com/69/7e/2CNQVefd_o.jpg" /></a>Michelle Stockard Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03572227726980569386noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3223856338565996197.post-8686316133115700882023-01-02T04:18:00.000-05:002023-01-02T04:18:32.687-05:002022 I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - Wrap-up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrQRY3GYUz4N_EZXp1x1YKZiI6Qw0C-FTYol1J3xzdJgTKhP7iWy_yoAs82r4Bb5RQ4SbP8K4Rw3I3jDbKKIX-zR6dB19X5wCDjAqdmVMaHOiMe_NVHncIdXszbfY010F2uF5wyC57GEr7Z1bPzTvdN26UDVicZZ8ulKa6VOcaWDA8kPyrqqY3uj0/s2240/I%20Read%20Horror%202022.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrQRY3GYUz4N_EZXp1x1YKZiI6Qw0C-FTYol1J3xzdJgTKhP7iWy_yoAs82r4Bb5RQ4SbP8K4Rw3I3jDbKKIX-zR6dB19X5wCDjAqdmVMaHOiMe_NVHncIdXszbfY010F2uF5wyC57GEr7Z1bPzTvdN26UDVicZZ8ulKa6VOcaWDA8kPyrqqY3uj0/w525-h295/I%20Read%20Horror%202022.png" width="525" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Year two of I Read Horror is done and dusted. How did you do? Once again, I don't think I quite completed the Chilling level (which is 12 books in a year), but let me list the categories below and see how I stacked up...</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Book by a <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/BIPOC">BIPOC</a> (female) - <i>Certain Dark Things, </i>Silvia Moreno-Garcia</li><li>Book by a BIPOC (male) - <i>The Only Good Indians</i>, Stephen Graham Jones</li><li>Folk Horror - <i>Winterset Hollow</i>, Jonathan Edward Durham</li><li>A Gothic horror classic (published 50 or more years ago, published no later than 1972) - <i>The Marble Faun, </i>Nathaniel Hawthorne</li><li>A modern Gothic tale (published within 50 years ago, published 1973 or later) - <i>Fireside Gothic,</i> Andrew Taylor</li><li>Purple, orange, or green on the cover - <i>The Devil in Silver,</i> Victor LaValle</li><li>Serial killer from the past - fiction or non-fiction (before 20th century) Examples: Jack the Ripper, H.H. Holmes, Burke and Hare <i>(I started The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, but have not finished yet.)</i></li><li>Short story collection/Anthology</li><li>Slasher</li><li>Vampires - <i>Impact Winter, </i>Travis Beacham</li><li>Werewolves</li><li>Witches -<i> In the House in the Dark of the Woods,</i> Laird Hunt</li></ul><div>So, I didn't do too badly. Managed to finish 9 out of 12. </div></div><div><br /></div><b>How about you? Share your wrap-up in the comments, or link to a wrap-up post on your blog (or social media, shelf on Goodreads, etc.).<br /></b><br />In case you missed it, sign up for <b>I Read Horror YR 2023 </b>is open. <u><a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2022/12/2023-i-read-horror-year-round-reading.html" target="_blank">Here's the link to the post</a></u>.<br />I hope you will join me again!<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yob539NtLav6O8OGP5FJlbQgb7WpubkV6ubY3Ruxzup5AnLKBhQNuiCF-X71qcgZsHeD3-7Z9mkxp7dydAcVDe-7HKEtvbZjHlRcM2btXqlnk8GmxpLEj70r4IH6kwQGB7wZp09GpzkBNGvYKoTVbPXhiRVJNu0epC2FOe334x7fuh0skEgQokfZ/s2240/I%20Read%20Horror%20Year-Round%20Reading%20Challenge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yob539NtLav6O8OGP5FJlbQgb7WpubkV6ubY3Ruxzup5AnLKBhQNuiCF-X71qcgZsHeD3-7Z9mkxp7dydAcVDe-7HKEtvbZjHlRcM2btXqlnk8GmxpLEj70r4IH6kwQGB7wZp09GpzkBNGvYKoTVbPXhiRVJNu0epC2FOe334x7fuh0skEgQokfZ/w535-h301/I%20Read%20Horror%20Year-Round%20Reading%20Challenge.jpg" width="535" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="http://photos.truebookaddict.com/i.ashx?&mid=102298981&mt=Photo&standardsize=100x100" /></a>
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I really felt the ending was appropriate. </div><div><br /></div><div>First of all, I was shocked by the way Dr. Anand spoke to Pepper and Loochie after Dorry's death. Then he goes on to elaborate about his situation and the situation there at the mental hospital. This book really demonstrates how broken our mental health system is. I truly believe there are facilities like this in our country. It's a sad realization. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, first I'm going to mention the part toward the end when Josephine tells Pepper that Miss Chris has been telling the new doctor that he is not ill. My thinking is Pepper carrying Mr. Visserplein (aka the Devil)...well, falling with him through the ceiling...him no longer seeing the man as a beast was proof to at least Miss Chris that he was not in fact insane. Still mind boggling how long he was kept there when he was never charged or sentenced to serve his time in a mental ward. My hope is that he did in fact get released and maybe he reconnects with his family, and then gets in touch with Xiu in California. The one amazing thing about this story, at least in my opinion, is how Pepper has grown as a person. </div><div><br /></div><div>And knowing Loochie is free and out in the world. That's wonderful. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading along with me! We will have another great read-along for next year's <b>Something Wicked Fall.</b> What will it be?!</div><div><br /></div><b>Share your thoughts on this week's section in the comments, or leave a link to a post. <br /><br />This post is part of...<br /></b><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3i51YryaiMRU7VVudxsGcxfvcqRYJVywKsvoWKY2gRSR27wKT_ks0N8r5L-1bY6haUvHSrdAcFa6-u5GQfiQQ2EIfwr_vysd-jWqxMQLnyPeK9hNTe82mTrhSND6ZfY9sPqceXFGfKuoQQy_qZv8ZPjTK2RaTg1FUk5pv8R1MY4fshjBgyN4XWxY/s2240/Something%20Wicked%20Fall%202022.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3i51YryaiMRU7VVudxsGcxfvcqRYJVywKsvoWKY2gRSR27wKT_ks0N8r5L-1bY6haUvHSrdAcFa6-u5GQfiQQ2EIfwr_vysd-jWqxMQLnyPeK9hNTe82mTrhSND6ZfY9sPqceXFGfKuoQQy_qZv8ZPjTK2RaTg1FUk5pv8R1MY4fshjBgyN4XWxY/w533-h300/Something%20Wicked%20Fall%202022.png" width="533" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="http://photos.truebookaddict.com/i.ashx?&mid=102298981&mt=Photo&standardsize=100x100" /></a>
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Poor Kofi...and the revelation by Dorry. Is the "Devil" really her child? And what/who exactly is this animal/person/thing they call the "Devil?" We<i> still</i> don't know! And sadly, no more Scooby gang. <br /><br />I think what I liked most about this section of the reading was the focus on mental health, and how easily people who are mentally ill can be swept under the rug. The articles and death notices the three late night lounge ladies work on collecting, as a kind of war memorial (as Pepper put it) to all those lost who were also mentally ill. Rarely do their stories make front page news and that's sad. We still have a long way to go in this country in regards to the issue of mental health.<br /><br />The romance between Pepper and Sue was sweet, but I wondered if it really added anything to the story. Sue knows she is being taken away by immigration sooner than what she told Pepper. So when Pepper discovers she's gone, he feels more urgency to try to contact her sister. But...was Sue really taken by immigration? After the "Devil" tried to take Japanese Freddie Mercury (Glenn), only to be foiled by Pepper and Sue, he/it could quite possibly have a vendetta against them (if a creature like him is capable of that). I guess we will find out.<br /><br />What happened at the end of this section was a tragedy. Why did she do it? Guilt over Kofi? The inevitability of the demise of her "child?" We may never know. Poor Dorry.<br /><br />I'm looking forward to finishing and finding out the truth. I'm hoping for a spectacular ending. I hope we are not disappointed.<div><br /></div><div><div><i>Share your thoughts on this week's section in the comments, or leave a link to a post. We'll be back for the final discussion on October 30 (or thereabouts). If you need the reading schedule, find it <u><a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2022/09/somethingwickedfall-2022-featuring.html" target="_blank">here</a></u>.<br /> <br />This post is part of....</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMhintSejwQCU9VZUPViOZ9n3HZKcH18QVpoBfoZr17qZG6nrvmR-9cAvAqTvHQXi-WvvzKDE6FtN8ZG_gvo8-tfwaUSPK5y6iXzjip7oHzN0MIdu7dFvxoSeACtc2ZKx8O4MJhdiyZH9-Tgv_CvrFA3FN6vE5OYNM1haBqPrlsV_YomfaP_4wCam/s2240/Something%20Wicked%20Fall%202022.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMhintSejwQCU9VZUPViOZ9n3HZKcH18QVpoBfoZr17qZG6nrvmR-9cAvAqTvHQXi-WvvzKDE6FtN8ZG_gvo8-tfwaUSPK5y6iXzjip7oHzN0MIdu7dFvxoSeACtc2ZKx8O4MJhdiyZH9-Tgv_CvrFA3FN6vE5OYNM1haBqPrlsV_YomfaP_4wCam/w483-h272/Something%20Wicked%20Fall%202022.png" width="483" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="http://photos.truebookaddict.com/i.ashx?&mid=102298981&mt=Photo&standardsize=100x100" /></a>
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I don't know about you, but I could honestly feel Pepper's fear when that "thing," or whatever it is, lowered itself down from the ceiling, and then the attack. What the hell IS it?! And why does the staff seem to be complicit? The real horror story is that mental ward and how the patients are treated. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm also enjoying the occasional social commentary. Coffee (Kofi): I am trying to reach the <i>Black President...</i><br /><br />Pepper: "...I don't care who the Big Boss is. I don't care if someday it's a Big Lady! The whole game is fixed. Top to bottom. Left to Right. The Black President is just like the White President. 'Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.' "</div><div><br /></div><div>This is something I hear from (some) people <i>all the time.</i> "It doesn't matter. They're all corrupt." Man that irritates me! Call me naive, but I just don't believe it. I like what Coffee then says, "Dorry was right. You think all those things you say make you sound smarter, but I think you sound like a fool." <br />Exactly my sentiments, Coffee.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, the part where Pepper refuses his medicine and the nurse tells him if he had nothing to hide, he wouldn't say no. Pepper thinks back to conversations with his black friends when they mentioned the stop-and-frisk from the NYPD. Pepper asked them why they care about being searched if they have nothing to hide. But now, he finds himself in a situation of disenfranchisement, and he realizes that "certain types of people must be overseen" and he hadn't thought of it as a problem until he became one of those<i> types. </i>What's the old adage?<i> Walk a mile in my shoes.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>So, what will happen next? The Scooby gang (as I like to call them) have decided to take a stand and confront the problem who lives in Northwest 4. Right at the end of this section, Loochie lets him (it) out. I have to admit, I'm kinda scared. lol</div><div><br /></div><i>Share your thoughts on this week's section in the comments, or leave a link to a post. We'll be back for the next discussion on October 16 (or thereabouts). If you need the reading schedule, find it <a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2022/09/somethingwickedfall-2022-featuring.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /></i><br /><b>I apologize for some of the broken images on my site. I'm having an issue with my hosting. 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What else is new with me? Always a day behind and...well, you know. Anyway, to start, this book is amazing so far! </div><div><br /></div><div>I read LaValle's <i>The Ballad of Black Tom</i> novella several years ago and I really liked it. Such a great spin on a Lovecraftian tale. I didn't hesitate to buy this one, but then it languished on my shelf for a time. My mom did read it and said it was really good so at that point I knew it would be right up my alley. I have not been disappointed so far.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think we all secretly fear being imprisoned against our will, especially if that imprisonment occurred in a mental hospital. This may be even more visceral for women, who in history were committed for hysteria and other stupid reasons like speaking their minds, or going against the norms of the time. So, I can relate to Pepper's predicament, even though I've never been committed myself. I mean really, if you're arrested for assault, the last thing a person would honestly expect would be to find themselves in a mental hospital. Jail would seem the proper avenue, right? So, right off the bat, I knew something was fishy. Next we get allusions to danger in various ways...Dorry stating Northwest Four is off limits, then Coffee talking about needing to call the Mayor because he's "seen it," and then perhaps not really an allusion...Pepper's encounter with the creature (yikes) putting its hands in his mouth, etc. Now that part was unsettling. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not much more to say about this section except for speculation on who or what this creature is. Is it indeed a creature that had been living there and Northwest was built just to hold it, or is it what Dorry said, it being the first patient on the ward before her time? I guess we will find out, but I will say there seems to be some kind of supernatural element as well. Remember the invisible snorting and stench with no obvious source that Pepper and the cop (Dewey) experienced? Also, the strange pull that door at the end of Northwest Four had for Pepper when he ventured that way. What do you think?</div><div><br /></div><i>Share your thoughts on this week's section in the comments, or leave a link to a post. We'll be back for the next discussion on October 2nd (or thereabouts..lol). If you need the reading schedule, find it <u><a href="https://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/2022/09/somethingwickedfall-2022-featuring.html" target="_blank">here</a></u>.</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div>This post is part of....</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRw6HGtY2VcgTKVC7d9J1jAD-h8-qe9M9uAaIQLaZmyTM_WzJwrYly1Q5UvTiwQS8a54oAJ1b6_sh6yOueqhPYe2G95ZfJtni7yjgjUrZ1nqZPDAVDppHrlSmhsu-tXDl5zoGOfZ-3CzRiAjgX9I73FYYmxusEwj1Id1ipBoMGQEIIDctlkMQUumt/s2240/Something%20Wicked%20Fall%202022.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRw6HGtY2VcgTKVC7d9J1jAD-h8-qe9M9uAaIQLaZmyTM_WzJwrYly1Q5UvTiwQS8a54oAJ1b6_sh6yOueqhPYe2G95ZfJtni7yjgjUrZ1nqZPDAVDppHrlSmhsu-tXDl5zoGOfZ-3CzRiAjgX9I73FYYmxusEwj1Id1ipBoMGQEIIDctlkMQUumt/w400-h225/Something%20Wicked%20Fall%202022.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="http://photos.truebookaddict.com/i.ashx?&mid=102298981&mt=Photo&standardsize=100x100" /></a>
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I'm not going to tell you one way or another. No spoilers shall come forth from my mouth. Let me just say...WOW! This movie has everything a fan would want in a horror movie. Set in the abandoned neighborhoods of Detroit, Michigan (part of the premise is that real estate is way cheap there), this quaint "Air BNB" house sticks out like a sore thumb. The creepiness of these abandoned houses really adds to the film's atmosphere. But I've digressed from my main point. <i>Barbarian</i> pretty much has it all. Suspense. A few jump scares. Yes, there is even some gore, and other gross elements. It really was scary, and it definitely will have people questioning their stays in Air BNB, Home Away, and other such places. Just keep in mind that you don't need to go in the basement of one of these rentals. I mean it. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_k9HERcyt4wsmN_kk1JVxb7GdspoFRLWPirWalFOHA5rzEJjV11M8k0adZPHoKCIQaguPHyqBDyskzg52KD1EOnynCYdX1fPxSvOeXIq0ng7H7KKcj8KKkM7MM74bnhABK6XL6vZYZCXwy_sa8pbasiNUE4EfjCXUAGU_5fdBGnFdcH-OxfNY6dR/s1024/Barbarian-Georgina-Campbell-Still-Hulu-Publicity-H-2022.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_k9HERcyt4wsmN_kk1JVxb7GdspoFRLWPirWalFOHA5rzEJjV11M8k0adZPHoKCIQaguPHyqBDyskzg52KD1EOnynCYdX1fPxSvOeXIq0ng7H7KKcj8KKkM7MM74bnhABK6XL6vZYZCXwy_sa8pbasiNUE4EfjCXUAGU_5fdBGnFdcH-OxfNY6dR/w530-h298/Barbarian-Georgina-Campbell-Still-Hulu-Publicity-H-2022.webp" width="530" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>So yeah, this is one of the best horror films I've seen in a while. You should definitely add it to your scary movie schedule this season. </div><div><br /></div><div>This post is part of...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjD2X0bKyZPTe3DXSuE7KFikSFM4s6EEEmWwQuLCp0Knk6fr5oR39R7C2Kcp2lG4WCYbjI-MwU8-sD-M7fP_5bVb-TGbL0ejTYIpKE-ID6enJ8nNpf-vhZHsSyaXAlU70fYXRnhH0l_wr2a1RmoDrmCVkGKIjRmWdOO_a6W3bxxg2YP5FJfatmNdj_/s2240/Something%20Wicked%20Fall%202022.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjD2X0bKyZPTe3DXSuE7KFikSFM4s6EEEmWwQuLCp0Knk6fr5oR39R7C2Kcp2lG4WCYbjI-MwU8-sD-M7fP_5bVb-TGbL0ejTYIpKE-ID6enJ8nNpf-vhZHsSyaXAlU70fYXRnhH0l_wr2a1RmoDrmCVkGKIjRmWdOO_a6W3bxxg2YP5FJfatmNdj_/w532-h299/Something%20Wicked%20Fall%202022.png" width="532" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="http://photos.truebookaddict.com/i.ashx?&mid=102298981&mt=Photo&standardsize=100x100" /></a>
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Most theaters across the U.S. were offering $3 tickets for all movies. We saw <i>The Invitation,</i> a movie I was looking forward to seeing. I was not disappointed. Even better than I expected regarding the scare factor because the previews didn't really allude to it being really scary (in my opinion). There were some genuinely scary (and jumpy) moments. Ultimately though, the film is a twist on my favorite classic horror novel, <i>Dracula</i>. If you love the book like I do, you will enjoy the various references to the original. The only downside for me were the incessant conversations between Evie and Walt. <i>Entirely too much talking. </i>I will say that Evie and Walt had great chemistry, and I liked them both for their particular roles. I've been a fan of Nathalie Emmanuel (Evie) since her stint on <i>Game of Thrones</i>, and Thomas Doherty as Walt is a newcomer to me, but I did see he has been in quite a few shows/movies. I'd like to see more of him for sure. Those eyes! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglInQK-wEsxpZCH4LOXoUuaybSHe-lfoacNA0nP32HF03Z-l6zCGdldTF6M_xQpkqWYrPnclcKGzQXitxrCviqbdtf_ABpZqP6ntGo5A8EgAsZY1c29ppYDLamZBqtAlUqmVgEthLFagZlIfdWPsFNuPY-zg5u7nfJ_0Z2H6T5cozwCqBKHNVQfBFh/s2048/invitation1-superJumbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglInQK-wEsxpZCH4LOXoUuaybSHe-lfoacNA0nP32HF03Z-l6zCGdldTF6M_xQpkqWYrPnclcKGzQXitxrCviqbdtf_ABpZqP6ntGo5A8EgAsZY1c29ppYDLamZBqtAlUqmVgEthLFagZlIfdWPsFNuPY-zg5u7nfJ_0Z2H6T5cozwCqBKHNVQfBFh/w400-h225/invitation1-superJumbo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJrv47gcZD4bm4OoasUwbrItGWn4pgjogKXC_Q40EBuMh64T4jzVyx2xwnbs1lS5tMq9XtRNhbhhH-72hU3FT4GZiZ5HXOB--mBmNm3c90CAqUNL9I7RFf8a1WN8gW7aDFnqOcU2w0M7Zb8P_Sw_GMc9u85qlhj5tJ_NkvyvYg1BSSf8kgoCwzUh_/s1024/TheInvitation-1024x548.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="1024" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJrv47gcZD4bm4OoasUwbrItGWn4pgjogKXC_Q40EBuMh64T4jzVyx2xwnbs1lS5tMq9XtRNhbhhH-72hU3FT4GZiZ5HXOB--mBmNm3c90CAqUNL9I7RFf8a1WN8gW7aDFnqOcU2w0M7Zb8P_Sw_GMc9u85qlhj5tJ_NkvyvYg1BSSf8kgoCwzUh_/w400-h214/TheInvitation-1024x548.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In all, I say see this movie if you like horror, Gothic tales, and Dracula. It's the perfect movie for the fall spooky season. </div><div><br /></div><div>This post is a part of...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ug3eXICpj9q_VIfwfjjKqv1A9vW12g3D95txjF9sn-4_aecmYbi5KaNRdOlzEK9fzKzjVfokJAJc-KhD7oucQF1EDWXNpzxcXitchURHeRsUt0HCQKKkfhtp-OPFnBOTlWCxmskA_i6wxos7nS4J2DhmWfH1qcza0ARpy7trSbFkIex76AH5t8C-/s2240/Something%20Wicked%20Fall%202022.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ug3eXICpj9q_VIfwfjjKqv1A9vW12g3D95txjF9sn-4_aecmYbi5KaNRdOlzEK9fzKzjVfokJAJc-KhD7oucQF1EDWXNpzxcXitchURHeRsUt0HCQKKkfhtp-OPFnBOTlWCxmskA_i6wxos7nS4J2DhmWfH1qcza0ARpy7trSbFkIex76AH5t8C-/w476-h268/Something%20Wicked%20Fall%202022.png" width="476" /></a></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/" target="castlemacabre"><img alt="photo Cat.gif" border="0" src="http://photos.truebookaddict.com/i.ashx?&mid=102298981&mt=Photo&standardsize=100x100" /></a>
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