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How Haunted Houses Inspire – Part Three

This blog series continues exploring haunted attractions and how even spook houses must have story elements. The first two entries examined perspective and setting. The third in the series looks at “the hook.”

In 2022, I was fortunate enough to visit several haunted attractions in Universal Studios – Orlando’s theme park. I will briefly describe and review the house and then dive into how it uses storytelling techniques (plot, setting, hook, characters) to enhance the mood.

Today’s blog reviews a house called “Bugs: Eaten Alive.” It’s the 1950s and you’re taking a tour of the house of the “future.” This house has been treated with bug repellent to keep the creepy-crawlies away. As you enter, something goes terribly wrong.

The maze guides the visitor through a retro-setting as people affected by the repellent or the bugs act out the gruesome effects. You’ll also run into the insects themselves in a variety of sizes. I loved the twist on the theme as you’ll find no chainsaw-bearing maniacs here. My only critique was the house was a little too dark, so I felt I didn’t get the entire effect. Those who are afraid of bugs, beware. This one seriously plays with your mind.

The attraction has a threadbare plot and some nameless characters. The housewife/demonstration woman shows up multiple times providing a fun, fear-filled continuity to this house. But what really makes this stand out is its unique concept. All I have to say is “haunted attraction, but instead of people jumping out to scare, it’s centered on bugs,” and it sparks the imagination. Will there be real bugs? How will the house simulate insects? What will happen to the people inside?

A great hook is essential to a story people will want to read. The hook is the promise to your reader of what will happen if they spend time with your art. This summary should be complimented by a payoff that fulfills that promise. But it all starts with the hook. If you can describe your story, song, movie, painting, or haunted attraction in a sentence (or maybe two, but that’s stretching it) while firing up your audience’s imagination, then you have them.

“Bugs” is by far one of the unique ideas to come out of Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando, and I’m glad I didn’t miss it.

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How Haunted Houses Inspire – Part Two

This blog series continues exploring haunted attractions and how even spook houses should have story elements. The last entry examined perspective, now we move onto setting.

In 2022, I was fortunate enough to visit several haunted attractions in Universal Studios – Orlando’s theme park. I will briefly describe and review the house and then dive into how it uses storytelling techniques (plot, setting, characters) to enhance the mood.

Today’s blog reviews two houses: “Descendents of Destruction” and “Hellblock Horror.” In Descendents, the human race has migrated underground because the upper atmosphere is too deadly (or something like that). In Hellblock, a prison break of monstrous humans is in process, and you’ve stumbled into it.

Descendents of Destruction was an enjoyable house. The deeper one proceeds, the weirder the creatures popping out at you. While fun, this was a typical maze with great costumed players. A few subway effects added to the enjoyment.

I admit, I wasn’t enthused by Hellblock Horror’s theme, but it drew me in and won me over. Gory and loud, the “regular” people warning you throughout the house left me with some chilling memories. Much better than expected.

But how do these two houses connect to a story? The plot is threadbare and no “character” stands out. They get the point-of-view right—you are basically an intruder and somewhere you really shouldn’t be. Where they both succeed is their excellent settings.

Most mazes are set in houses where zombies dwell, or compounds where a virus has escaped, or junkyards where maniacs roam. Most local scary attractions don’t have the budget to recreate a subway tunnel or a prison with such detail. This is where these two mazes shine. A setting shouldn’t be an afterthought or window dressing. If done right, it is as much a part of the story as the plot. Think of the factory in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It could’ve been ordinary with a few extraordinary touches, but Roald Dahl makes the setting intricately connected to its owner and the plot. Similarly, these two houses used abandoned railway trains and red lights, giant fungi and cell doors to their advantage. In like manner, a story should use its setting to its advantage. How much more romantic to have your couple fall into a bed shaped like a heart? How much more chilling when your character realizes the paintings in the room used human skin instead of canvas?

So carefully consider your setting when writing or revising your story. Use it to bring out emotions in characters, to reflect themes, or to convey atmosphere.

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How Haunted Houses Inspire – Part One

In early autumn, neighborhood spook houses spring up everywhere. Anyone looking for a thrill has several local options to wander through a darkened, enclosed maze while costumed people jump out at them. While the quality of these attractions vary, they are rarely associated with the basics of writing. However, haunted attractions should be an interactive story. This series of blogs examine haunted attractions from a storytelling point-of-view.

In 2022, I was fortunate enough to visit several haunted attractions in Universal Studios – Orlando’s theme park. I will briefly describe and review the house and then dive into how it uses storytelling techniques (plot, setting, characters) to enhance the mood.

Poster for Universal Monsters: Legends Collide

Today’s blog reviews “When Legends Collide,” a mash-up of Dracula, the Wolfman, and the Mummy ready to scare the caca out of you. The back story is something about Dracula and the Wolfman going to Egypt for some artifact, but it doesn’t matter. The sets are amazing and the makeup spectacular. This is your typical haunted attraction where you’re stumbling down hallways in the dark while people dressed as monsters jump out at you. Overall, I had hoped for a bit more story and more atmosphere.

One expectation I had was to see some scenes with the monsters fighting each other. This is Universal Studios, for Pete’s sake. Many classic movies have the monsters duking it out, instead of scaring people. The problem is one of perspective. This house trumpets three monsters instead of one and even adds “collide” in the title. But, it seems to me, they should be colliding with each other, not with us. I would’ve appreciated a room with two monsters fighting near the end of the maze. I figure the designers of the attraction thought this wouldn’t be scary because the people aren’t the target, so they shied away from it.

An author may learn a lesson here. If the perspective of the story is wrong, the writing’s effect may be diminished, or even confusing. I’m often tempted to choose the perspective that will give me maximum shock effect, but that may lessen the readers’ connection to the material. A more interesting character’s perspective, even though they may not appear as the main character at first, may enhance the story.

Try an exercise and write a few scenes from a different point-of-view. If it bears fruit, discern whether to switch the point-of-view, or potentially use two POVs in your writing.

On a high note, the Legends Collide house has a different ending this week. This alternate ending is something impossible (or nearly so) to achieve in a novel, proving each media (and I consider these houses as a form of theater) has its own advantage.

By the way, Mummy won when I went through the house. Go Team Mummy!

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Warm and Cold Stories

We all know species in the animal kingdom are warm-blooded and cold-blooded. While it’s unfair to categorize warm-blooded mammals as nurturing and caring, and cold-blooded lizards as hard-hearted and vicious, we often fall into thinking this way.  As it happens, I often view my own stories in the same way.

My “warm” stories have all the feels. They have characters that will likely survive, or if they perish, will do so in a blaze of glory. My characters are tender-hearted and caring, placed in a threatening situation. I purposely pull on the heart strings. My Kingdom fantasies and my flash fiction, “The Extra,” published by everydayfiction.com are warm.

My “cold” stories are entirely different. The characters in them will likely not live to see “The End.” If they do, they are changed forever (maimed, insane). The characters are threatened. They often don’t see their fates sealed until the final few sentences. The plots are usually very dark; the atmosphere is brooding. I purposely run a literal finger down the reader’s spine. My flash fiction published in Havok (gohavok.com) up to this point, has been cold.

My latest Havok offering, The Wick of Anger, is a decent balance between the two. While it has the premise of a campfire tale of a young man raising the dead to exact revenge, the short fiction veers into warm territory before the final sentence. I enjoyed mixing these two approaches together. So while the idea of someone who rights wrongs by bringing corpses out of their graves may entice you, I hope you also enjoy the consequences such an act has on one’s soul. “Revenge is a dish best served cold,” they say. In my case, it’s served warm.

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Review of Who’s the Monster

Cover – Who’s the Monster?

Ye Olde Dragon Books’ second anthology of classic monsters targets Frankenstein and asks the question “Who’s the Monster?” Is it the ambitious scientist who goes too far? Is it his creation who, after being rejected, runs amok? Is it both? Or is it a society that can’t see beneath the layers of scars and stretched skin, tormenting those that are different?

Ten authors proffer tales of horror and tenderness, love and hate. Through historical fantasy fiction, twisted science fiction, and cautionary campfire tales, they provide an answer. Who is the monster?

(At this point, I must disclose that my story is included in this anthology and exempt from this review.)

Two of the stories in the anthology fall into the category of an interesting take on the theme of “scientists” and their creations. The first concerns characters who don’t trust their own bodies. “Fix and Refresh,” by Pam Halter, poses an intriguing perspective on Shelley’s tale. This story had me guessing at each page. The second is “Inertia” by Etta-Tamara Wilson. A fascinating portrayal of a so-called “crazed” creator of technology, and an ending that stays long after the last word.

Most offerings in the anthology included could be categorized as urban fantasy—our world with a monster or re-animation science present—except for Michelle L. Levigne’s “Patches.” Her tale explores a monster set firmly in a fantasy world. Levigne’s take on the theme is the most creative version of the monster of all the stories (I won’t spoil how). Humorous and quirky, it’s a “sunny afternoon” in the midst of many “stormy night” stories.

For a darker tone, Deborah Cullins Smith’s “Phillippe” is historical fantasy of what happens when a convent of vampire-hunting nuns come across a Frankenstein monster. Both a short story and an introduction to a novel, the story continues Shelley’s narrative to explore an expanded world of people and the supernatural.

Kaitlyn Emery’s “Monster Girl,” told from multiple perspectives, imagines the monster of Shelley’s novel living among us. A portrayal of loneliness (surprisingly not only of the monster), this tale is an affectionate view of everyone we spurn because they are different.

The next story continues a narrative begun in anthology #1, Moonlight and Claws. Stoney M. Setzer’s “The Sentinel” depicts a world of monsters created by evil geniuses. This one is action-packed, suspenseful, and clearly answers the question of who is the monster.

“Not My Fault” by C. S. Watcher is more science fiction than horror, though it definitely has horrific images. A surprise concept in this anthology, I enjoyed it from beginning to end. When you read the final paragraph, the reader realizes the “Frankenstein” element isn’t the only horror element included.

Frankenstein Silhouette

Lindsi McIntyre’s “The Fear of a Monster” is an encounter between a brutal monster and a quick-thinking girl. The tension is high throughout, but resolves with a satisfying ending. Her take on Frankenstein’s creation feels spot-on.

“The Man on the Train” by Abigail Falanga grabbed me from the beginning to the very last sentence. This story’s style, characters, and plot all blend together into one scary yet thrilling narrative. Really enjoyed this one. Great idea; great execution.

“Who’s the Monster?” with its patchworked creations, amateur software engineers, affectionate but misunderstood monsters, super-soldiers, time travelers, and many more, is like a fun house of an anthology. With its pastiche of offerings, someone is bound to find something they love.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGG4CRBB

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The Endurance of Frankenstein

Frankenstein. As you read that word, what do you think of? Likely images of a tall monster or possibly of a crazed doctor. Yet the word was intended to be a last name of a character in a story. The original novel had a subtitle of “The Modern Prometheus” in order to attract readers because, in 1818, no one knew what “Frankenstein” meant. Today, it would be similar to publishing a book named “Johnson.”

Yet both the book by Mary Woolencraft Shelly and subsequent movies have changed all that. Frankenstein the noun is a scary monster. Frankenstein the verb means “to cobble together with spare parts.” The novel is considered solid literature and the 1931 film is widely accepted as a classic. Frankenstein towers over his peers. In the book, the main theme explores what happens when man acts as a God. Compare that to Brahm’s Stoker’s Dracula which contrasts modern technology with superstition or Gaston Leroux’s Phantom which is mostly a crime thriller. Only Stevenson’s Jekyll/Hyde’s themes of duality rival Shelley’s. In film, Karloff’s portrayal is iconic; the sequel, Bride of Frankenstein is as well-known as the original (who here has seen Dracula’s Daughter?). The modern master of horror, Stephen King, included the monster in It. Even the spoof (Young Frankenstein) is better than any others. 

What keeps Frankenstein on the top of the heap? (From here on out, I’m going to focus on the monster)

Eliza, a character in my short story “Frankenstein’s Manor” in Who’s the Monster?, doesn’t think the monster is relevant anymore. She openly mocks the movies in the middle of a spook house. Bad idea. Her claim is that modern monsters leave Frankenstein’s monsters in the dust. Yet the Jason’s and Jigsaw’s of the world have yet to stand the test of time to see if they endure. Sure, the movie Halloween has been out since the 1970s, but Frankenstein was written in 1818. From that perspective, Michael Meyer is still in his infancy.

Frankenstein is a creature of force and violence like most modern monsters, yet has a tragedy about him most serial-killer creatures lack. This makes him more interesting. Frankenstein looks creepy, lending to the initial shock of seeing him. Compare him to Dracula or human-appearing monsters. We think of Frankenstein’s monster as a zombie, a revived corpse. Yet most zombie films are frightening because of their number. And Frankenstein is not a mindless zombie eating brains. In both book and film, he is a child of a mistake, a wayward soul seeking peace.

Aren’t we all? And doesn’t this connect him with us on a personal level? Only the Wolfman (who is a variation on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) has a similar connection (of our good and bad natures).

Each generation asks the same questions. Who is my creator? Why was I put here? I’m a loving person, so why do people hate me? Are these not the questions that cross your mind at times? These reflections are what connect us to the monster through the decades to now, and through the decades to come.

So is he scary? As immortal as Jason, hell yes. Is he sympathetic? In my opinion, as the androids in Blade Runner. Most importantly, the Frankenstein Monster is enduring, able to survive the comic hijinx of Abbott and Costello or misfire of many subsequent, inferior films. Frankenstein—in all media—stands the test of time.

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Dark Angels

I wrote a story “Dark Angels.”

Is this Dark Angels?

Sometimes I write long, interconnected novels with many short stories that have references to each other.

This story isn’t like that.

Sometimes I write short, poignant stories about people in crisis with problems that mirror society’s ills.

This story isn’t like that, either.

Dark Angels is set in a cider mill, a popular destination in the Midwest, in autumn. Going to a cider mill in September and October is always a treat in more ways than one. It’s not only the food—it’s the vibe. Even if it’s raining, you’ll likely have a great time. To me, there’s something about a harvest festival that represents a coming together or sense of belonging. I grew up in a modern suburb, not a farm, so there’s no familiarity with cider mills, but I feel at home there.

This story is set on the last day the cider mill is open. Generally, places like cider mills close in the month of November. On the way home from work, the cider mill I pass closes the day before Thanksgiving, and that’s late in the year.

Though it was the last day open, I stopped in once to buy doughnuts and cider. “The last taste of autumn,” I called it. And it was delicious, but also a little sad. The food was still good but the vibe was gone.

This story isn’t sad like that.

Dark Angels lives in its own little creative corner of my mind, and on publication day, I’m happy to share it with you.

Story: https://everydayfiction.com/

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Review Dreaming Beauty

Cover Dreaming Beauty

C. Rae D’Arc’s Dreaming Beauty has all the elements of a fairy tale retelling as well as several surprises. The first in a series, Dreaming Beauty combines the fantasy and romance of a fairy tale with the snark and modern sensibility of a contemporary. This combination worked with great success in her second novel Don’t Marry the Cursed, and it again serves her well here.

Princess Emerald (“Emer”) of Somnus and her royal sisters sneak out at night to dance with other royals on an island. Sound familiar? She also has been put in a deep sleep after pricking her finger on a needle of a spinning wheel. Also, very familiar. Where we depart from the standard narrative is when the book explores what happened to Emer while she’s dreaming.

She has a vivid and astonishing dream of a world with metal ships that fly overhead, electronic boxes that tell you everything you want to know, and scandalous clothing. In other words, she lands in twenty-first century United Kingdom. She meets two travelers while she’s dreaming who are looking for adventure. Fortunately, they are rich and can afford a leisurely tour of the country while searching for a place where Emer might be transported back home.

The book takes an unexpected turn about two-thirds of the way through and events change dramatically. Until then, this fish-out-of-water tale succeeds in bringing to life both “Sleeping Beauty” and modern-day Europe. Funny and poignant, Emer’s experiences are an adventure in themselves though most of the plot doesn’t revolve around a fairytale land. The last hundred pages provide a different sort of adventure—one I believe most readers will enjoy.

The characters are charming. Emer is both a princess and utterly lost in her new world. Her main escort Caden is both a prince of a person on Earth but also guarded and conflicted. And my favorite character Charlotte is a hoot. She’s a fantastic antagonist.

The subtitle announces this is book one of a series. While most threads aren’t wrapped up in a nice bow, the book does resolve its major conflicts while leaving the reader anticipating more. The dramatic shift in the third act may leave a lot of questions, and the final chapters may pack a lot in a short space, but it still satisfies. Be aware that more stories await the reader of Princess Emer’s adventures.

Well-written and carefully plotted, Dreaming Beauty is a solidly constructed novel that starts with Sleeping Beauty but springs into a narrative all its own. I’m excited to find out where C. Rae D’Arc will take the Dreaming Princesses series next.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4KGP4KN

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Review of The Door

Cover of The Door

On a recommendation from a family member, I read the mystery novel The Door by Mary Roberts Rinehart. Many people have forgotten this woman, but in her time, her novels rivaled Christie’s in popularity. At one point, she was called the American Agatha Christie. The Door was published in 1930 and is past its 90th birthday.

I am a fan of the Golden Age of Mystery and have read quite a few of Christie, Carr, and Queen. I have also sampled both Wolfe and Sayers, so I have read more of this particular age than the average reader. Christie makes the impossible seem simple, Carr is a master of macabre and locked rooms, and Queen’s puzzle plots require a notebook to figure out. Where does Rinehart fit into the tapestry of The Golden Age?

The Door is a simple murder mystery. A live-in nurse of Elizabeth Jane Bell’s family is murdered near her house after taking the dogs for a walk. About the same time, an intruder trespasses into the Bell home, and the narrator sees him from the waist down. Who is the murderer? Judith, the lively niece straight out of the 1920s era? James, the family member hiding what he really did the night of the murder? Wallie, a disinherited son after his father married into the Bell family? Or Mary Martins, the mysterious secretary who seems to appear and disappear when tragedy occurs?

Usually, what makes a great mystery is some small element in the crime that stands out. In this case, who would murder Sarah Gittings, the nurse, as she had no influence over the family? She disappeared at first, so what happened between her disappearance and her death? And why was she found with her shoes removed?

The plot continues with more mayhem and twists toward its final conclusion. The novel is a page-turner. As it progresses, more and more detail comes out on the fatal night. The narrator, being the most innocent in the family, opens a figurative closet door to have a cascade of family skeletons land on her.

And what of the titular door? The Door is an interesting title as the door is referenced at the start and near the end. It plays a pivotal, though very small, role in the course of events. I expected much more of it.

The writing is in the style of “If I had only known then what I know now.” This has fallen in popularity in the modern age to the point where it’s rarely used today. That said, it was fun to read such a breezy style of a bygone era. Be aware that Rinehart uses racial terms that today would be excised but were considered normal in her time period.

Overall, The Door is a delightful little mystery. As I read Rinehart’s entry on wikipedia, the claim is that this book isn’t one of her best novels. It doesn’t hold up to a novel by Agatha Christie or John Dickson Carr, but it does provide a solid narrative of a straightforward mystery. If you’re curious to read a period piece, The Door may be just the mystery you’re looking for.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E4UXAZY

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About Twisted Cypress Way

If you are reading this on July 7, 2022, go to gohavok.com and enjoy a free story by yours truly. I’d appreciate your patronage. Also, this article has spoilers! Including awesome art at the end revealing the monster in the story! https://gohavok.com

Art by Daniel Johnson

“Down Twisted Cypress Way” is my fourth publication in the excellent Havok online magazine—flash fiction, usually speculative. The next six month’s themes are vice & virtue, and this month’s is cowardice and courage. My plan is to write a story for each vice and discuss the vice a bit, in particular, how it relates to fiction.

What is cowardice? It’s not lack of fear or self-preservation but an excessive amount of worry over one’s self-being. Cowardice could lead to some disastrous results in an emergency or in war.

Cowardice to courageousness is an interesting change for people and an interesting arc for a character. When writing a story, the best research to do is to observe people. The real situations in your life lead to the ideas of the story.

In order to make your less-courageous characters interesting, consider charm, tragedy, or connecting to familiar experiences to make them appealing. Scooby Doo is a charming coward. 

Our cowardly hero, Zadie, is not based on anyone I know specifically. However, I’ve met a few women who live in fear because of trauma in their past. Zadie is my reflection of their behavior, and her arc in my story is my prayer for them. I want them to heal, to feel not alone, to understand that the terrors that they’re so afraid of, we’re all afraid of. For the Zadies out there, it’s okay to be afraid but don’t let it define you.

If you read the story, the epilogue is Zadie and Hugo end up getting married and living a wonderful life together. It’s the best happy ending I can give to one of my favorite characters.

Following is an illustration by the talented Dan Johnson of my story, “Down Twisted Cypress Way.”

Art by Daniel Johnson (artisticknack)