Sunday, July 31, 2016

CHILL YOUR BONES THIS SUMMER WITH THESE HORRIFYING GOOSEBUMPS CLASSICS!

My Poolside Goodies

My last few weeks of summer vacation have been filled with writing, re-writing, editing, reading, and of course as a resident of Charleston, going the pool.There's nothing better than having a good book to sink my teeth into while I dip my toes in the saltwater.

I decided to make my relaxation time pertinent by doing a little light research on the kid-lit horror genre. After a visit to Amazon and waiting a few days for a delivery, I got in touch with my inner 10 year old horror fan. 

With a Lemon La Croix in one hand and a Goosebumps book in the other, I soaked up the hot summer sun and enjoyed a frigid shiver provided by R.L. Stine. 



For anyone looking for spine-tingling fun (no matter the season), here are a 5 of my favorite Goosebump Books.

Creep Factor provided by:
GLAMOUR MAGAZINE.



Welcome to Dead House



Book Number 1

The Creep Factor:
The first R.L. Stine masterpiece lived up to its title, and sent chills down our spines with the story of the Benson family and their new home in Dark Falls.

 Come to find out, everyone in their new town is a zombie—and that every year they require new blood. That fresh blood comes from tricking families into moving into the so-called "dead house" and then murdering them.

This Goosebumps tale was our first prep for a zombie apocalypse, long before The Walking Dead came around.


One Day At Horrorland

Book Number 16

Creep Factor:
Stine damn near ruined amusement parks for us with his tale of Horrorland—where, if the rides don't kill you (like the horrifyingly titled Coffin Cruise), the horror monsters will.













The Curse of Camp Cold Lake

Book Number 56

Creep Factor:
Imagine Mean Girls meets The Sixth Sense, and you get the terrifying Curse at Camp Cold Lake. 

When camper Sarah is sick of falling victim to the camp's mean girls, she decides to make them feel bad for her by pretending to drown in the lake (morbid much?). 

But her plan gets foiled when the ghosts of Camp Cold Lake try to make her their "buddy" for eternity—plus, the twist ending is bone-chilling. 





The Haunted Mask

Book Number 11


The Creep Factor: 
Remember the parental saying "if you keep making that face, it will stick that way?" Stine upped the ante by creating a horrifying mask that takes over your face and your spirit, making you evil. 



The kicker? You can't get it off—which made us very hesitant to try on Halloween masks. 






The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight

Book Number 20

The Creep Factor: This book always feels extra scary at this time of year, thanks to the abundance of corn mazes and scarecrows everywhere. 

It tells the story of Jodie and Mark as they go to visit their grandparents' farm—where a spell has made the scarecrows come to life and turn on the humans. 







Monday, July 25, 2016

WATCHING HORROR WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE




In 1996, we learned "There are certain rules that one must abide by in order to successfully survive a horror movie." After years of yelling 'don't run up the stairs' or 'he's right behind you' at your television set, Wes Craven finally gave us a reason to cheer: Scream. 

The cult slasher flick released the official 'rules' of surviving horror and every fan knows them. In fact, everything I ever really needed to know I learned from Scream.


So, to the next gen. of horror lovers out there, instead of stifling your creativity by giving you rules, here are some tips just in case you ever find yourself needing to outsmart the genre.


These tips were provided by ScaryForKids.com


1

Don't walk around saying "Hello?" like the killer is going to reply "Yeah I'm in the kitchen. Want a sandwich?

2
Never go to the toilet alone. If needs be, poop your pants. It's much safer.

3
If someone says, "Its just the wind, guys. Stop overreacting", you should reply "Yeah well I hope I don't over react when you're dead and stuffed beneath the floorboards".

4
Never look behind you while running away. When you look back, the killer will be standing right in front of you.

5
If you're asked to babysit during a storm, on Halloween, on Friday the 13th, or during a full moon, just say "Sorry, no can do".

6
Avoid screaming, crying, whispering, panting, wheezing, or breathing heavily when you're trying to hide. Killers are not deaf.


7
If there is a scary legend, believe it. It's real. It doesn't matter if the legend says the killer has an onion for a head or a bear trap for a mouth. Its real and he's coming for you.


8
Don't split up and look for clues. Everything you learned from Scooby-Doo is wrong.


9
If someone says "Yeah that's the house where Old man Jenkins was murdered", know its time to move.


10
OK, under the bed is not a real hiding spot. What self-respecting killer WOULDN'T check under the bed?


In 2001 I found myself using 'the rules' to escape a horrific fate.
Here is my personal story. 

The night started in smiles--

My girlfriends and I were 13 and on our first unsupervised trip to an outdoor shopping mall. At 7 pm my mother dropped us off at the corner of East Bridge Street and she would promptly return at 9 pm in the same location. 

It was 8:45 pm when the evening took a grisly turn.The sky grew dark and a few drops of rain began to fall. Suddenly, the few sprinkles transformed into a violent storm. The stores quickly locked their doors and we ran chaotically out into an open lot. There, we stood stupidly, unsure of which direction East Bridge Street was. We stared nervously as the rain came down harder and soaked through our cotton shirts.

"Hey," we heard in the open air. 
Next to us, a large white van appeared.
A tall man with thin curly hair threw an unlit cigarette on the ground. "Do you know where Victoria's Secret is?" he asked, straightening out his metallic blue skirt. 
One of the girls piped up, "Its across the way, next to Wet Seal," she shouted over the rain. "But its closed now. Everything is closed now." She held her hand across her forehead like a visor, trying to see.
"Could you show me?" he continued, cracking the back door of his van. My eyes were drawn in to the dark thin slit, wondering what was hiding in there.
"Um," the youngest of us said.
I looked at the girls, knowing I've watched this before. Scenes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs scattered in my head. I yanked my friends close and eyeballed them.
"We gotta go," I said rudely. 
"I'll happily buy you girls something, if you just show me the way," he prompted gesturing toward the door. "Its dry in here." 
One of the girls glanced at me like she felt obligated to help.
"Run," I said forcefully, "Don't split up and don't look back, just run." 

The girls looked at me and nodded. We ran faster than we had ever run before. Moments later my mother's car appeared. We got in, trembling and gasping for air. That night we learned what a cross-dresser was and how important the rules of horror were.



If you are interested in how you would stack up take the Buzz Feed Quiz inspired by Scream to find out how long you would survive in a horror movie. 

In the unfortunate but likely event you find yourself being chased by death, know the survival rules and know them well.
Good luck...

Monday, July 18, 2016

HORROR IS THE WHEATIES OF CHILDHOOD LITERATURE

Yes, you read the title correctly- horror is the Wheaties of kid-lit. The popular cereal and literary genre share many of the same qualities like building strength and creating tough young champions. Provided below is a list detailing why you should encourage your little sapling to read from the horror genre. From bonding to resilience, you'll find it scarily true. In addition, I have included a few of my favorite scary children's stories, some of which inspired my current project!



5. NO KID WANTS TO BE THE WEAK LINK
"No kid wants to be the one at the sleepover who can’t handle the scary movie. From a purely practical perspective, introducing a little horror in a safe environment with a parent on hand to discuss and/or comfort goes a long way." SOURCE


"Coraline" by Neil Gaiman

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4. IT GIVES CHILDREN COPING SKILLS
"Experts believe that frightening stories can help kids through key developmental stages. Nothing is scarier than the thought of getting separated from your parents or having your parents die, says Lawrence Sipe, PhD. Rather than instilling these fears in children, scary stories actually help kids face the fears they already have -- and vanquish them." SOURCE


"Bony Legs" by Joanna Cole

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3. IT ENCOURAGES YOUNGSTERS TO EXPLORE
"We enjoy horror because it suggests that there is more to life than what appears on the surface. If you’re reading a ghost story there’s another message there too, isn’t there? It says that after this life, there is more. There’s another adventure beyond the veil." SOURCE


"The Witches" by Roald Dahl

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2. SHARING SCARY STORIES BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER
"How many times have I seen a group of kids discover to their excessive delight that they have all read and loved the same Goosebumps book? A LOT. The first thing they do is compare and rank the scariest parts and laugh at how they jumped out of their bed when the cat came for a pat on the head, or stayed up all night staring at the half open closet." SOURCE



"The Haunted Mask" by R.L. Stine

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1. IT GETS KIDS EXCITED ABOUT READING
"There was a sense that I was pushing the boundaries, exploring new territory, doing something that bordered on naughty… it was a little scary and a lot of fun! If your child gravitates towards dark story lines, I’m all for nurturing that love of reading in any way possible." SOURCE


"The Halloween Tree" by Ray Bradbury

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Give the tiny person in your life a head start by introducing them to horror at an early age. Watch how it cultivates their confidence, encourages their curiosity, and creates a thirst for reading.



Do you have a favorite horror book from you childhood? I'd love to hear about it.

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