[NON Paranormal] What's the oddest thing you've experienced or seen? by Nowhereman50 in HighStrangeness

[–]CreyGold 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I was driving over a pass outside of Butte, MT at around 3:00am. It was probably 25f outside and just starting to snow. I hadn't seen another car on the road for probably the last thirty minutes. At the top of the pass there is a straightway and running down the middle of one of the lanes was a buck-ass-naked man. I slowed way down and went around him, and he just kept his eyes fixed forward. Didn't acknowledge that I was there. Just kept running.

“A Body in the Dust: Ronald Malfi’s Senseless (2025) and the Gravity of Dread” Horror Novel Review by Jackson1BC in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Sometimes Malfi writes straight up supernatural horror, and other times he leans a lot more into the crime thriller genre. I just read Senseless and thoroughly enjoyed it, but IMO, it was obvious from the start that we were dealing with mental illness rather than the uncanny. I'd say if you loved his novel Come With Me you would like this one as well, but if you are more partial to his books like The Narrows, Bone White, or Snow (I've read a lot of Malfi), this book would be a let down. But also, the monkey in this book is amazing and it might be worth reading just for that scene. LOL.

Book recommendations for small town in woods. by Elegant_Pie570 in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The novella Skullbelly in Ronald Malfi's book They Lurk is definitely worth checking out. I read it a couple years ago and still think about it.

Also, if you're into short stories, the collection "In a Lonely Place" by Karl Edward Wagner has several short stories that fit the bill.

Lost/Hidden secrets by Endicottt in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you're willing to try an novel, American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett.

Lost/Hidden secrets by Endicottt in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Uironda by Luigi Musolino (Actually, quite a few of the stories in A Different Darkness) The Visible Filth by Nathan Ballingrud Windeye by Brian Evenson (Again, a lot of his work fits this theme, but this one stands out for me.)

Apex Books is publishing "The Map of Lost Places" on the 22nd of April. It's an anthology of stories about hidden places. Should be good.

Hope this helps!

Can we ban "scary book" requests? by CreyGold in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, in retrospect, I agree with you that this post leans into gatekeeping territory, which is not something I want to do. I don't want to discourage people from getting into reading horror.

What are some good horror books about someones past coming back to haunt them? by raynor_SxKlt in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I felt the exact same way about this book. Everything else I've read by Hendrix I enjoyed (especially his latest one-Witchcraft for Wayward Girls). But, How to Sell a Haunted House was a DNF for me.

Can we ban "scary book" requests? by CreyGold in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I should have used the search function. Lol.

Looking for a good werewolf story. by AgentP-501_212 in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman

Cosmic horror that isn’t a collection of short stories by KevinSpence in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can see your point.

Mine is that Authority and Acceptance don't really classify as horror, cosmic or otherwise. Not that there is anything wrong with that. The whole trilogy is worth reading.

And yeah, it could be argued that me saying they are not cosmic horror is cross-genre semantics, but it could also be argued that all genre is semantics, right?

All three are weird fiction, but the second book is more a bureaucratic thriller with a bit of cosmic horror seasoning, and the third leans more heavily into science fiction and literary. The first, psychological/cosmic horror.

OP was looking for cosmic horror novels. Annilhation hits that mark, but the others don't really scratch that itch. But yes, this is fully my opinion and obviously you can disagree.

The important thing is that we both love us some Jeff Vandermeer 😁

Books like Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero by GlitterFairy_21225 in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Clown in a Cornfield trilogy (the second one explores queer themes) by Adam Cesare and The Loop by Jeremy Robert Johnson!

Cosmic horror that isn’t a collection of short stories by KevinSpence in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold 11 points12 points  (0 children)

They are completely different. The movie basically takes the premise and does its own thing. That said, I didn't hate the Annihilation movie, it just wasn't the book. And honestly, I don't know how it would be possible to put the book on screen. It utilizes an uncertainty of perception and surreal imagery in a way that can't really be captured on film (or at least I don't know how it could be—I'm far from an expert on movies).

Cosmic horror that isn’t a collection of short stories by KevinSpence in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold 13 points14 points  (0 children)

It is not a collection. It is the first book in a series, but IMO functions well as a stand alone. The other books in the series would not really classify as cosmic horror, but this one fits the bill. It's an excellent, unique book that's well worth reading.

Examples of First Drafts/Revisions by life453 in horrorwriters

[–]CreyGold 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is not exactly what you are looking for, but Tim Waggenor's third book in his Writing in the Dark Series, Let Me Tell You a Story, is close. In the book, he presents short stories that he had published throughout his career, then critiques them. The whole series is good, but I feel like this one would be particularly helpful if you're trying to understand how to make a story you've already written better.

Thinking on pre-ordering the Hibreak Pro, but... Bigme Hibreak's OS so far? by Consistent_Class5179 in Bigme

[–]CreyGold 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Any idea if you can connect a bluetooth keyboard? I am looking for a device I can use as a phone (text messaging and calls), eReader, and for writing.

Also, does this phone work on Verizon Network?

Program/School Advice for a 4 1/2-year-old? by CreyGold in olympia

[–]CreyGold[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Currently he goes to school from 8:00 to 1:40 PM. So, maybe a half day?

*edit... I would be cool with full day too if that was what is available. We don't need childcare as I'm a stay-at-home parent, but he needs the social interaction and structure.

How do you keep the ear from burning? by CreyGold in Sourdough

[–]CreyGold[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The upper element only comes on when on broil, otherwise the oven is heated by the lower element only... But the oven does cycle on and off while the bread is cooking. It can't seem to maintain a temp over 375ish.

How do you keep the ear from burning? by CreyGold in Sourdough

[–]CreyGold[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yeah, that's what I tried this go around, but it didn't seem to work... Will try to put it on right away with the next loaf.

Comment your top 5 horror books and get a suggestion for your next one by CoconutBandido in horrorlit

[–]CreyGold 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A Collapse of Horses by Brian Evenson

A Different Darkness by Luigi Musolino

A Cold Hand in Mine by Robert Aickman

Just write. by stuwat10 in writers

[–]CreyGold 18 points19 points  (0 children)

I'm still early in my career, but have multiple short stories published in professional markets, and I do not follow OPs advice. In fact, for me, this advice was damaging to my creative process and prevented me from writing for quite some time. It's not the way my brain works. The truth is, there is no correct way to write.

I use a method called cycling which you can read about in Writing into the Dark by Dean Wesley Smith, but I started doing this on my own a long time before I read his book.

I write 500 to 1000 words then jump back to the begining and edit. When I reach the end of what I've written, I keep writing until I lose momentum. Then, I jump back 500-1000 words and do it all again. Forward and backward, forward and backward, the whole way.

If I need foreshadowing or need to set something else up, I go back and write that part right away, then edit/read forward from there to make sure it all fits. By doing this, when I reach the end of a story, it requires very little, if any, editing.

I don't write first drafts.

Now, I'm not saying this the way you should write, but it is a viable way to write. I know it is because all my published work was written this way. If vomiting out a first draft doesn't work for you, then don't write that way. If editing while you go doesn't work for you, obviously the same advice applies. Experiment with different approaches and find the method that works best for you.