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On that note, everyone tell me one of your fears/phobias.
Aside from spiders (*shudder*), I have an irrational fear of slit throats. I can't stand to see them on screen and will have a panic attack if I see a particularly gory one. This is why I couldn't go see Sweeny Todd! There's no real explanation for this fear, though there are a couple of theories I have, but mostly it's just a random terror.
So, I've talked before about how, at work, I am not allowed to actually read from a book. I basically have to either be staring at hard copies of files or at a computer screen all day. I've gotten around this rule by reading things online at places like DailyLit, Project Gutenberg, and more recently Horrormasters.com. And so I'm going to share with you some of the best horror stories I have read online in the last couple of months. I'm not even going to bother to include all the H.P. Lovecraft I've read (for the zillionth time) because there's just too much of it to list. So, let's start with:
The Terror by Arthur Machen - Slow-moving and mysterious, but something about the buildup really gets to you. There are parts towards the end, when the mystery is just starting to be revealed, that are scary because of how perfectly vague they are.
The Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood - Algernon Blackwood is probably my second favorite horror writer next to Lovecraft. This story really makes you feel like you're in it, it's completely absorbing, which makes it absolutely terrifying. But even better than that is his story:
The Willows, which is one of the best horror stories ever written. It's brilliant, because nothing obviously scary has to happen. He doesn't have to write about boogeymen or ax murderers, Blackwood just creates an atmosphere that, slowly and without your really realizing it until it's too late, puts a chill right through you and leaves you with nightmares.
The King in Yellow by Robert Chambers - This one is a classic, and Lovecraft has been quoted as saying he was inspired by this. It's weird, but wonderful. This is a collection of stories. It's more psychological horror than anything but it's extremely effective.
The Damned - Another Algernon Blackwood. It's longish, but it is so gorram good. It's slowly paced, but, again, there are scenes that are so deliciously eerie. One scene in particular gave me a great, terrifying visual image and reminded me somewhat of the "Silent Hill" series.
The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson - This book is SO WEIRD at parts, and very surreal, but it's also amazing. If you can get through the entire read, it's completely worth it.
Friday the 13th and no oogie boogie movies! No way!
JUN 13, 2008 09:16 PM
1) fear of heights generated by artifice: to wit I can (and have) scaled cliffs, but can't (happily) go up a ladder.
2) an old book filled with fine horror: "Great Tales of Terror and the Supernatural" there are a couple of simply told tales in there that are nicely disturbing. does Kafka count? Roald Dahl? or does he just count as dark?
3) spiders imitate a small elemental that feeds on people's drug-generated happiness/dreaminess; to a clairvoyant (me) a stoner can appear to be covered in little spiders or even companioned by a BIG one.... how's that for spooky? 
JUN 14, 2008 09:25 AM
hehe, aw i'm glad.
thankyou so much for the support on my set!
i have awierd phobia of pasta, not dry just when it's cooked, or especially cold.
my dad used to tell me it was slugs and now it really scares me,
though i'm not scared of slugs...
hehe, people are such complex things!
JUN 14, 2008 11:53 PM
" I have an irrational fear of slit throats. I can't stand to see them on screen"
then don't watch Interview with the Vampire! Tom Cruise (Lestat) gets his throat cut and it's a real gusher!
"So, I've talked before about how, at work, I am not allowed to actually read from a book. "
and I still think that's insane. what's wrong with those people?
I reallllllllllllllly don't like heights!! 
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