Okay, Gang. I imagine you’ve all noticed that I haven’t done a #NetNet roundup for a while. I have been grabbing some favorites since the last installment, and I just found a bunch more when I finally got caught up on my blog reading. There’s a lot of good stuff here, so I’ll add minimal commentary and just let you explore at will. If there’s no text link, click the pic to be taken to the post.
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FROM MATTHEW ALAN BENNETT, A GORGEOUSLY BLUESY ORIGINAL: RIVER CITY LIGHTS
You might as well listen while you look over the rest of my offerings. (Just remember to right click the links and open a new tab or window, in case WordPress chooses to ignore my instructions … again.)
FROM EVA HALLOWEEN – 9 WINTER HORROR TALES TO KEEP YOU WARM
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FROM PATRICK KELLER: 15 REASONS TO BEFRIEND A PARANORMAL NERD TODAY!
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FROM TIM PRASIL: A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 19TH-CENTURY NON-FICTION ABOUT GHOSTS
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FROM BRITT REINTS: INTERVIEW WITH A “PROFESSIONAL SCARER”
Margee wants to scare the crap out of you. And I don’t mean in that airy-fairy “scare you by pushing you out of your comfort zone” way.
I mean she wants you to scream because you think a zombie clown might be coming after you with a chainsaw.
Figuring out how to scare you is Margee Kerr’s job – she works for Pittsburgh’s notorious ScareHouse – and her passion. She’s researched, experimented, and earned advanced degrees on the subject.
3) News on ANOTHER (horror) novel that will be available April 1st, The Waiting. Apparently this ghost story is based on true events. Here’s an excerpt and here’s a review.
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FROM ACADIA EINSTEIN: REVIEW OF THE CURSE OF OAK ISLAND (ON HISTORY CHANNEL)
Acadia’s piece convinced me to give it a shot, and it turns out I really like it. There may be hope for this type of program.
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FROM CONNER THE DOG (COMPANION TO EMILY EINOLANDER): REVIEW OF INSIDIOUS CHAPTER 2
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FROM JOSEPH PINTO: PUBLICATION IN MIDNIGHT ECHO, OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE AUSTRALIAN HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION
UPDATE: SHE FINISHED THE BOOK AND POSTED THE FINAL REVIEW AND AN INTERVIEW WITH JANZ – READ IT HERE 🙂
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FROM NINA D’ARCANGELA: A ROMANTIC STORY – THE BLOODY VALENTINE
Can you feel it? My heart? It is beating solely for you; so strong – so swift; the rapid pump pulsing ever so swiftly through me. My body pressed so close to your own; my soft fetid breath scampers across your sweet creamy skin.
FROM CRACKED.COM: 5 DISTURBING OLD-TIMEY ADS OBVIOUSLY CREATED BY ALIENS
Yes, the topic is a good one, but it was the actual writing that had me in near tears.
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Is the song done playing yet? I’ve saved the videos for last, so I wouldn’t cut that short.
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FROM MICHAEL LAIMO: 3 TEASER TRAILERS FOR HIS CHILLER NETWORK ADAPTATION OF DEEP IN THE DARKNESS
When I read it, back in 2004, Deep in the Darkness was one of the books that made me think, I can do this writing thing. (Wanna-be horror writers should not read Stephen King exclusively.)
AND FINALLY, FROM RANDOM VIEWING OF YOUTUBE VIDEOS, THE WORLD’S MOST BRAZENLY HIDDEN BIRD — THE COMMON POTOO
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There is no way I’m going to capture every great thing that happens in my personal web, let alone on the wider internet. The posts I feature here just happened to catch my eye. They resonated with me and whatever is going on in my life right now. And they are worth sharing.
One of my most frequent dream themes is finding a previously undiscovered room (or rooms) in the house where I live. I can’t vouch that the following story is true, but it’s SO cool if it is. Read: This Guy Moved Into a New Apartment Only to Find Something Weird Yet Amazing… (It’s really one big picture on a meme site, so I can’t share a peek.) Click though. It’s sorta awesome.
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LEARN ABOUT A BEAUTIFUL VICTORIAN-ERA CEMETERY & ITS BEES
Joanna Parypinski just made a subtle change to her blog header info; she changed the tagline to read “author of dark fiction” instead of “author of horror fiction.” I found the thoughts that led her to make the change interesting … and familiar. I’ve been thinking along the same lines myself since the new year came on. Read: Why I Write Dark Fiction.
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REMINISCE ABOUT A NOVEL YOU PROBABLY READ BEFORE YOU SHOULD HAVE
Scoobyclue took me back to the days of my early adolescence with her piece on the wonderful/terrible Flowers in the Attic. Read: Back to the Attic. Then tell me, how old were you when you read it? (And did any of you “boys” ever read it?)
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START A NEW HOBBY: PARTICIPATE IN #HAUNTEDPHOTOAWEEK
I know. It’s a shameless plug for my own project. But it’s gonna be so much fun! Keep an eye out for creepy / eerie photo ops; play with photo editors (if you like.) Then bring the results to one of the galleries. Click the pic for more info.
PS: Thanks, Tim Prasil, for this beauty – the first official submission to #hauntedphotoaweek:
#haunting #hauntedphotoaweek
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There is no way I’m going to capture every great thing that happens in my personal web, let alone on the wider internet. The posts I feature here just happened to catch my eye. They resonated with me and whatever is going on in my life right now. And they are worth sharing.
Ghosts & Ghouls has posted another good first-person account of a haunting. Of course I can’t verify the story, but I do try to find well-written, plausible tales to share with you. Reader Submission: Life in a Haunted House fits the bill.
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VIEW AN EXPERTLY CURATED SET OF SCARY SHORT VIDEOS.
I’ve recently started following an (often) irascible teacher at the blog Infinitefreetime. I always enjoy his style, but this post in particular drew me in. Since reading it, I’ve found myself thinking I should re-read Gone With the Wind with an adult’s eyes and awareness. Read: In which I don’t like liking things.
TRACK DOWN THE ORIGINS OF THIS FANTASTIC PIECE OF WISDOM
“Watch your thoughts, they become words;
watch your words, they become actions;
watch your actions, they become habits;
watch your habits, they become character;
watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
Aside from committing to writing more, I’ve also made resolutions to improve my health and finances in 2014. (Like most everyone.) In early December, I started hunting for tools to help me achieve this year’s goals, and I think I’ve found a couple of good ones. (Yes, I plan to tell you about them, but that’s for another kind of post entirely.) Today I found the above quote, unattributed, in the wilds of one of those tools.
One of the things I hate about the holiday season is how my favorite shows go on hiatus.
I’m quite excited that AHS: Coven is coming back on Wednesday the 8th. I’ve been waiting for the upcoming special guest episode since I first met Misty Day in the bayou. (Yes, I suspected it would happen, even back then – ask Ogre.) Anyway, squee aside, here’s the latest teaser:
My other favorite 2013 show, The Blacklist, returns Jan. 13. (The Walking Dead isn’t coming back until Feb. 9th.)
What I’m REALLY excited about, though, is Downton Abbey which will begin its 4th season TOMORROW! (Sunday, Jan. 5th.)
Finally, this is just a heads-up that BATES MOTEL Season 2 will premiere on A&E March 3rd and is expected to have a 10 episode run.
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There is no way I’m going to capture every great thing that happens in my personal web, let alone on the wider internet. The posts I feature here just happened to catch my eye. They resonated with me and whatever is going on in my life right now. And they are worth sharing.