Posted inInstigation

Every Horror Writer’s Nightmare

This image from Futurama (found on the wonderful TvTropes.com) cracks me up, but it also encapsulates every horror writer's dilemma: escaping the conventions and the dominant trappings of the genre. This is one of the reasons why I continue to publish the Instigation series of "dark prompts for sicko writers," even if my tongue is sometimes in my cheek. But here's a few for you now, inspired by this comic: + Imagine what lies beyond the side of the frame. What is chasing the creatures? Or where are the characters being chased to? + Take a page from King: Write…
July 24, 2012Posted inInstigation1 Comment
Posted inAmbulations

Crosswords of Death

666 Across: 4-letter word for nerd. I'm just kidding... I'm only an occasional puzzler, but I fully approve of The Grid Reaper. Spotted it at Barnes and Noble the other day and felt it was required to take a snap shot, because I am compelled to catch publishers trying to cash in on goth and horror conventions that have absolutely nothing to do with the content of their books (such as Zombie Sudoku). But this one is actually legit. Its author, NY Times puzzle consructor David Kahn, thematizes the puzzles he writes for the NY Times and elsewhere in the…
June 1, 2012Posted inAmbulations1 Comment
Posted inArnzen News

100% Arnzen by Nathan Rosen

Some readers of this blog may know Nathan Rosen as the editor of the website dedicated to microscopically short-short horror stories, Microhorror. Nathan was enrolled in a design program this year, and chose Michael Arnzen as the "product" he had to focus his final term project around. What he came up with is a fabulous array of funky items and I am happy to share a sampler with you here. He called his project "100% Arnzen" and put all the print designs into a cellophane-wrapped meat tray with this funny "meat package" sticker on it:   Here's a gallery of…
May 31, 2012Posted inArnzen News1 Comment
Posted inBlather

Snarky Retorts to Classic Horror Movie Lines

"It was beauty that killed the beast." "Yeah. That and the syphillis." "Don't bury me, I'm not dead yet." "Oh, no? Allow me..." (shovel to the neck) (Aiming finger at the head) "Braaaiiiins...!" (Aiming pistol at the head) "Buuuulllets...!" "In space no one can hear you scream." "Oh no? Where IS Earth, anyway? That's right. It's floating in space, you freaking idiot. Let's see if anyone can hear you scream when I press this hot iron into your underarm..." "We have such sights to show you." "Like what? Your butterfly collection? Please, please. Let me show YOU what acupuncture really…
April 8, 2012Posted inBlather1 Comment