#gothic anne in halloween spirit

[mikrokosmos]

The Gothic in Classical Music History (1760s-1920s)

Intro Back in high school I fell in love with two things; classical music, and Edgar Allan Poe. I’ve always loved Halloween, October, spooky things, ghost stories, horror and slasher movies, etc. And I always loved finding classical music that was also spooky, or dark, or evocative of the same eerie experience of a cold and foggy October day. Thinking about these memories made me want to put together a short list of Gothic Classical music.

But what do I mean? There is no true “Gothic music” as in a specific movement in classical history, because the traditional Gothic refers to literature. Not all art movements have corresponding trends in all mediums. Even so I thought it would be fun to say, if there was such a thing as Gothic music, what would that include?

18th Century

John Henry Fuseli - The Nightmare (1781)

Music of the 1760s-1790s, corresponding with the first wave of “Gothic Novels” in the English language. Some names in this era include Horace Walpole (The Castle of Otranto), Ann Radcliffe (The Mysteries of Udolpho, The Italian) and Charles Brockden Brown (Wieland). The closest we have to music of this same era would be in the Sturm und Drang style. Sturm und Drang (Storm and Stress) was used to describe music written in a minor key that was restless, agitated, intense, emotional, and more extreme than the typical expectations for restraint and lightness/clarity, music that aristocrats in powdered wigs and velvet and lace could relax with. Strong changes of emotion and more emphasis on subjectivity, reflected by sudden modulations and pulsing rhythms.

The most famous piece that I associate with Sturm und Drang is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “little” g minor Symphony no.25, K.183 (1773). It is famously used in the opening of Miloš Forman’s Amadeus (1984). It is a fun piece, and that opening movement is full of fire, and probably the young Mozart having fun (he wrote it at 17. If you ever want to lower your self esteem, look up what music Mozart wrote at your current age.). Another major work would be Joseph Haydn’s “Farewell” Symphony no.45 (1772), written in the very unusual for the time key of f# minor. And of course, even though he comes later, anything Ludwig van Beethoven published in a minor key has a lot of muscular passion to it, and his early/classical era of the 1790s is no joke. Check out the final movements of his Piano Trio no.3 in c minor and his Piano Sonata no.1 in f minor, or his most famous early sonata, the Pathetique.

But if the Sturm und Drang style and Gothic genre also emphasize the disturbed and the psychological, we can include programmatic works that do the same. Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni (1788) has an incredible moment in the finale. The sociopathic hedonist is confronted by the ghost of the man he murdered in the first act, who possesses a statue and confronts Don Giovanni with his sins. Don Giovanni doesn’t repent, so he is dragged into hell with a chorus of demons. Always a good reminder that Mozart wasn’t the eternal child who wrote pretty melodies.

19th Century

Caspar David Friedrich - The Abbey in the Oakwood (1810)

Music of the early 19th century corresponds better with Gothic fiction because Romanticism in art brought greater interest in the supernatural, in the subjective, in emotional reactions to the universe… major names in fiction include the poetry of Lord Byron (Darkness), Mary Shelley (Frankenstein, The Last Man), and Sir Walter Scott (The Bride of Lammermoor). Greater emphasis is put on the anxiety of the unknown, supernatural fears beyond our control.

Of all Franz Schubert’s songs, Erlkönig (1815) best exemplifies the Gothic (and this is a bold claim because I only know about a fraction of Schubert’s extensive song output). In it, a father and son are riding on horseback. The son is sick with fever. As they ride, the son cries out that he can hear the Elf King calling out to him, some evil spirit or demon that wants to take the son’s life. The father tries to calm him down, but the Elf King gets closer and closer. By the time they reach home, the son has died. Was the Elf King real? Was the son hallucinating from fever? How literal should we take this text? The ambiguity of subjective experiences and how we interpret and understand reality is a major theme in Gothic fiction.

Many famous German operas lean into the supernatural and magical. In this period we get Carl Maria von Weber’s Der Freischütz (1821), considered to be the first Romantic opera. In it, our main character Max who needs to win a shooting contest so he can be allowed to marry his lover, Agathe. He is given a gun that can shoot magic bullets by another forrester Kaspar (who has his own plans). Kaspar tells Max to meet him in the “Wolf’s Glenn” in the woods at midnight for more magic bullets. In the Wolf’s Glenn, Kaspar calls for a spirit, the Black Huntsman Samiel, to help him curse the other characters, offering Max’s soul in exchange. Making deals with demons/the devil was another fascination in Romanticism.

Legends of a diabolical nature were springing around great musicians. At the end of the 1700s, Giuseppe Tartini wrote his most famous composition, the “Devil’s Trill” Violin Sonata in g minor which is full of virtuosic passages. Tartini claimed that the Devil appeared to him in a dream, and that he sold his soul in exchange for the Devil to be his servant. He handed the Devil his violin, and the Devil “…played with such great art and intelligence, as I had never even conceived in my boldest flights of fantasy. I felt enraptured, transported, enchanted: my breath failed me, and I awoke” Source

Similar stories came about with violinist Niccolò Paganini, who astonished the audiences of the early 19th century with his (for the time) otherworldly technique, dazzling them with scales and leaps and scratches the likes of which you can hear across his 24 Caprices for solo violin. A young Franz Liszt was at one of Paganini’s concerts and he was enthralled and inspired to become the “Paganini of the Piano”. He too would dazzle audiences with his percussive intensity, glittering arpeggios, and dreamy modulations to possess women with the spirits of hysteria and other dated misogynistic diseases. Cliche to say but before Bieber Fever, before Beatlemania, there was Lisztomania.

The sense of Faustian bargains comes through in the pieces Liszt wrote after Goethe’s Faust. The Faust Symphony (1857) includes a movement for Mephistopheles, the demon/ the Devil that bargains with Faust. The Mephistopheles movement has no original theme, but takes and corrupts the themes of Faust and his lover Gretchen into a mocking tone. Later on, Liszt was inspired to write a tone poem “The Dance in the Village Inn” or Mephisto Waltz no.1 (c.1862). He also wrote it for piano around the same time. The story has Mephistopheles taking Faust to a wedding in a village and playing the violin so madly, the partygoers are intoxicated by the music and go off dancing in the woods. Emotions taking over and making one act irrationally was another fascination in Gothic fiction.

Liszt would go on in his later years writing a few more Mephisto waltzes, with a lot of forward thinking harmonies and piano writing, unfortunately not as popular. Mephisto waltz no.2 (1881) has moments that make me think of Debussy, and the third (1883) has glittering and ethereal moments. But the best example of Liszt’s interest in the Gothic would be his earlier concert piece Totentanz (1949), or Dance of Death (Danse macabre). In it, the piano and orchestra play out variations on the Medieval chant Dies Irae, always reminding us of the inevitability of death. The variations depict skeletons dancing wildly all while the Mephistopheles at the piano unleashes his seductive tones.

The Dies Irae chant goes across our pop culture, with one famous iteration being a synthesized version of passages from Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique that Wendy Carlos wrote for Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980) after Stephen King’s novel of the same name. And it was Berlioz’s symphony that enchanted audiences in 1830 with new, titanic sounds beyond what orchestra music had been before. In the story of the Symphonie fantastique, an artist has tried to overdose on opium after feeling rejected by unrequited love, but instead he has a vivid drug induced nightmare where he is sentenced to be beheaded via guillotine, which was still a traumatic living memory for the Parisian audience. He then sees himself among ghosts and monsters during a witches’ sabbath, the lovely woman’s beautiful theme is distorted into a grotesque mockery, the Dies Irae comes back among the cackling. It was a new degree of imagination expected from the audience. Later, Berlioz would depict demons in Pandæmonium (the Capital of Hell in Dante’s Inferno) at the end of his Damnation of Faust.

Through the mid to late 19th century we get authors of Gothic literature such as Edgar Allan Poe, Elizabeth Gaskell, Emily and Charlotte Brontë, Nathaniel Hawethorne, and Victor Hugo. We also get two more operas that have Gothic themes. First is Richard Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman (1843). In this opera, a ship on the North Sea collides with the Ghost Ship of the Flying Dutchman who is cursed to sail the seas forever, but is allowed to come ashore once every seven years and if he can find a wife, he will be freed. I’m sure you can guess how this opera ends. The overture is often played in concert for a condensed version of Wagnarian thunder and romance. The next important opera is Giuseppe Verdi’s Macbeth (1847), because Shakespeare was being revived and translated in different languages across Europe and Verdi loved his plays. In the opera, Macbeth comes across a chorus of witches that foretell his success and downfall. He is too ambitious and goaded by Lady Macbeth, plans to take the throne through deception and murder. Lady Macbeth is later haunted with phantom blood on her hands which only she can see. And Macbeth succumbs to his inevitable fate.

We also get two significantly “Gothic” pieces of orchestra music. They are both tone poems, which also reflects the concert goers’ tastes. The one that has always been a quintessential “Halloween classical” piece is Camille Saint-Saens’ Danse Macabre (1875), opening at the stroke of midnight (softly evoked by the harp), a violin shrieks out the tritone (the “Devil’s interval” which the Romantics thought meant was cursed by the superstitious Medievals, really it was an idiom for “hard to use in music”) and introduces ballroom music along with the clacking bones of skeletons dancing in the graveyard (evoked by the xylophone). The skeletons dance through the night until the rooster crows at dawn.

The other great Halloween concert piece is Modest Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain (1867) which depicts another witches sabbath, this time on St. John’s Night, a major holiday in Slavic Eastern Orthodox culture. Walt Disney’s Fantasia (1940) would help bring this poem to life with an animated phantasmagoria of ghouls and skeletal horses and other demons flying around the mountainous demon Chernoberg.

[Here I want to give a quick shoutout to Cesar Franck’s Le Chasseur maudit (The Accursed Huntsman), a tone poem about a Count who doesn’t go to church one Sunday, and instead rides around to whip peasants for his own amusement, so demons drag him to hell. Not nearly as famous a concert piece as the others mentioned in this list but it has colorful orchestration so you should check it out.]

The initial idea for Fantasia was for Disney to repopularize Mickey Mouse by writing him into an animated version of Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. The original poem by Goethe was a classic that Paul Dukas set to music in 1897. In it, we hear the Sorcerer leave his Apprentice to clean the floors of his workshop. The Apprentice uses magic to bring a broom to life so it can do the chores for him. The Broom mindlessly pours buckets of water all over the floor, and the Apprentice isn’t good enough with magic to stop it. He chops it up into pieces with an ax, but they regenerate into several brooms which go back to marching water in. The Sorcerer returns to clean the mess and scolds his Apprentice. This charming tale has a darker and more diabolically fun tone in Dukas orchestra.

20th Century

Harry Clarke - Illustration for "Masque of the Red Death" (1919)

In the same exact year of Dukas’ tone poem, we get Bram Stoker’s Dracula. At this turn of the century other major names include Gaston Luroux (The Phantom of the Opera), Robert Lewis Stevenson (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), Henry James (The Turn of the Screw), Oscar Wilde (The Picture of Dorian Gray). At this time, there are a few more pieces that continue trying to evoke Gothic subject matter. One comes from Gustav Mahler’s Symphony no.7 (1905), sometimes dubbed “Song of the Night”. Two of the symphonies five movements are titled “Nachtmusik” (night music), the first is more in line with Gothic anxiety and spookiness than the second which is more like a serenade. But the most Gothic movement is the Scherzo which sits in the middle of the symphony and is like a Viennese ballroom full of dancing corpses and skeletons as waltz music decays with them.

A surprising example (at least, because of how relatively obscure it is) comes from Claude Debussy with parts of an opera based on Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher that he worked on between 1908-1917. Not too much a surprise on the one hand because French translations of Poe’s work became popular and influential. On the other hand Debussy is more known for evocative sound pictures, unique musical colors, and subtlety. Perhaps he was drawn to symbolist and psychosexual interpretations of The House of Usher, the same interests that preoccupied him with his only finished opera Pelleas et Melisande. Roger Orledge reconstructed the opera and tried to stay true to Debussy’s style, so what we do have is passable and as shadowy and vague as his other orchestral masterpieces.

Maybe the hardest work to recommend (but I do recommend regardless, give it a chance) is a Modernist song cycle for chamber ensemble. Arnold Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire (1910) uses freely chromatic atonality to give a demented color of psychosis experienced by Pierrot, personified version of a stock character for old Commedia dell Arte plays, a clown who over time became the “sad clown”. Maybe a precursor to the demon from Stephen King’s It, or the demented clowns and jesters that laugh at the madness of the cosmos across Thomas Ligotti’s short stories.

This was only meant to be a small overview of works that could fit my own view of the Gothic in music. There are more examples I could include, so as a hint toward today, I’ll end with a piece that was written about a century ago, yet sounds as if it could have been written today. Henry Cowell’s The Banshee (1925) is a short piano piece, so if you can, at least listen to this one. Instead of playing with the keys like you’re “supposed to”, Cowell asks the performer to drag their fingers along the wires directly. This creates disturbing reverberations and scratching sounds that tingle the back of your neck, that feel like the otherworldly cry of a Banshee.

Happy Halloween.

[deromanuscoven]

This year our prompts are inspired by the seventh art, by horror cinema, as our beloved Marius, the character to whom our coven is most dedicated, had a brief career as a filmmaker.The prompts are not only titles of more or less famous films in the horror genre, but have been chosen from sub-genres of horror culture contained within the Vampire Chronicles. We have tried to cite all the genres contained in the books themselves, with the last day of the event, dedicated to Anne Rice, citing the first novel in the Vampire Chronicles, and also the 1994 masterpiece film that resulted from it.We would like to make it clear that you do not need to know the films cited, they are just themes you can draw inspiration from. If you know the film to which the prompt is dedicated, you can be inspired by it, for the creation of any artistic content, or let yourself be carried away by the theme that the title holds. We have tried to quote the films as internationally as possible, for horror, the unknown and fear, belong to any culture, just as Anne Rice's books have been translated into so many languages and have become international. The event is dedicated to all the characters of the Vampire Chronicles and the more terrifying side of the saga, which remains a pillar in the Gothic horror genre that revolutionized the figure of the vampire.

⚰️You can submit any kind of work:

🦇fanart

🦇moodboard

🦇fanfiction

🦇meta

🦇analysis

🦇poems etc.

What we ask, and has always been our one true inviolable rule, that love be brought and given to Anne Rice's work and her characters. And another thing, we value words and their use. Our coven wants to bring fun and love to the fandom, so we ask that you choose carefully and thoughtfully the words you include in your work.On pain of exclusion from the event.

⚠️Please tag your work with " deromanuscoven" and if you notice that your work has not been found, please contact us so that we can add it to the others. Thank you for your cooperation.

-Banners are free to be used by those who wish to accompany their work

Thank you all and have fun!

♱Below you will find all the prompts from the Halloween event:

DAY 1 : Theme -> Vampires 1- Prompt-> Thirst or Theme -> Ghost 2-Prompt -> Ju- on

DAY 2 : Theme -> Witches

1-Prompt-> Suspiria

or

Theme -> Witch hunting

2-Prompt -> The witch

DAY 3 : Theme -> Pagan cult

1-Prompt-> The wicker man

or

Theme -> Demons & Spirits

2-Prompt -> Possession

DAY 4 : Theme -> Talamasca

1-Prompt-> X-FILES

or

Theme -> Alien

2-Prompt -> ALIEN

DAY 5 : Theme -> Lovecraft

1-Prompt-> In the mouth of madness

or

Theme -> Medical horror

2-Prompt -> The human centipede

DAY 6 : Theme -> Cannibalism

1-Prompt-> The silence of the lambs

or

Theme -> Weird

2-Prompt -> Crimes of the future

DAY 7 : Theme -> Satan

1-Prompt-> Angel heart

or

Theme -> New Orleans

2-Prompt -> Interview with the vampire

[orphanheirs]

Intro Post!💀🦇🕸🕯

Hey there! Figured I'd finally make one of these in case anyone who stumbles on this blog wonders what it's all about.

As it says in my blog description, this is an online space where I can compile and organize imagery, info, and anything else that inspires me related to the novel I'm developing. At least that was the original motivation for making this, but I'm definitely wanting to post some original content surrounding the story and the characters in it soon! This imaginary world has been obsessing me for a few years now, and I'm honestly chomping at the bit to share it with others.

What you'll see on here:

Images related to: gothic lit, the regency period in Europe/Britain, the late 16th/early 17th century, some earlier 18th century, ancient and prehistoric cultures, paganism, the occult, witchcraft, fairies, folklore, the countryside/forests, autumn, Halloween, demons/devils, romantic fashion, screenshots and gifs from films, illustrations/other artists' art that inspires me, and any other random pic that speaks to me or that gives me an idea even vaguely related to the story.

Text posts relating to: all the same subjects above, plus quotes from poetry and literature, other stories that inspire me, and writing advice posts/memes.

Hopefully soon: posts introducing my characters and sharing concept art, ideas, research I've done, who knows what else??

***Content warning for some imagery that may be disturbing (as can be expected, I guess, from a horror aesthetic/theme).***

What the novel's about:

It's [going to be] a gothic/dark fantasy/folk horror/historical fiction novel set in regency Britain and centering around the concept of Halloween and its origins/meaning. Think Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell meets Over the Garden Wall. Kinda. Characters include a bratty aspiring sorcerer, a demonic changeling who wants to be human, a witch, a sin eater, and a handsome devil. Over the course of the plot the question of whether the spirit realm(s) and mortal world should be kept separate will be a source of conflict.

I've had some aspects of this story/characters in my head since I was 14, so it's super special to me!

About me:

I'm an artist, writer, and musician. This is my first time trying to write anything as involved as a novel. I'm having loads of fun with it, though. I love music and reading and history, particularly fashion history, and anything related to the supernatural. The title of my blog is a reference to a song by Echo & the Bunnymen (though I think it's actually an inaccurate lyric :P ).

Ficton books I've been reading lately: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles books, Edgar Allan Poe short stories

Nonfiction books I've been reading: The Devil and All His Works by Dennis Wheatley, Celtic Mythology by Philip Freeman, The Making of Victorian Values by Ben Wilson, Occult Features of Anarchism by Erica Lagalisse, Halloween by Lesley Pratt Bannatyne

Some musical artists I'm into recently: Cranes, Kate Bush, The The, The Smiths, Fiona Apple, Alex G, Caroline Polachek, Imogen Heap, Depeche Mode, Fad Gadget, Pinback, Steeleye Span, The Cleaners From Venus, Suzanne Vega, The Garden, Jessica Pratt

Visual Artists I've been thinking about lately: Edward Gorey, Aubrey Beardsley, Nicole Rodrigues, Francisco de Goya, Leonora Carrington, Brian Froud, Wendy Froud, Willam Blake, Edvard Munch, Harry Clarke

Some of my favorite films: The Witch, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders, The Wicker Man (original), Meshes of the Afternoon, Days of Heaven, The Thief and the Cobbler, The Masque of the Red Death

Regardless of why you're here, I sincerely hope you enjoy browsing around, and feel free to say hi! :) I would love to link up with other writers on here and make some new pals. Also feel free to like this post and I'll give you a follow!

WIP INTRO POST

~I love tag games and ask games! I may be slow to respond though. -

[flaming-guardian]

"The veil between worlds grows thin around Halloween, allowing spirits to travel to other planes. Laverna was one of these, though no one knows when she first crossed over."

"When she arrived on Jorvik she was a mere wisp and a mask. But Laverna is a powerful soul, and before long she created a solid body in the shape of a created she saw around Jorvik that was suitable for her interests. Disguised as a horse, she got up to all kinds of mischief, preferring the 'trick' in 'trick or treat.""

"Laverna fashioned her body after an American Paint Horse; she likes the splashy colors even when concealing her magical coat and mask. She employs nighttime and shadow as cover for thievery. Mischief is her entertainment, so be prepared to keep an eye on her!"

I'm not usually a fan of pink and purple, I much prefer creepy and spooky and gothic. But the laverna horse has definitely grown on me. I know her lore states she's a mischievous spirit that took on the form of a horse, but she also kind of looks like she'd be the leader of a herd of tombhoof horses. Kind of like their version of a grim reaper?

Or perhaps she hails from Pandoria. Her purple and pink colour tones are rather familiar, don't you think? Maybe she was a tombhoof that found itself trapped in Pandoria when a rift opened. And, as Pandoria attempted to do to Anne Von Blyssen, it changed that poor horse into something different. Something new.

Obviously the official lore states otherwise, but it's fun to make up one's own ideas based solely on how their horse looks.

Now, finding tack that goes with her before the vintage sets return was a bit of a struggle. She's got very specific shades of purples and pinks, but luckily I managed to find a saddle and bridle that worked. Then I just matched my outfit to the tack instead of the horse. Though her bridle kind of goes through her skull instead of on it, and that was the case for all the bridles that went with her. But it still looks okay, so I'm not complaining.

In saying that, meet Soulwalker, my brand new laverna horse.

The laverna horse is currently being sold in Gallopers Keep for 649 starcoins.

[pandorasboxofhorrors]

2024: #3-Vampire Variations

Vampires are perhaps the most popular monster, as seen with their high number of horror films, tv series, books, and halloween costumes. But there are many variations of vampires, and a classification system is clearly needed, in the spirit of Emerson’s consistency classification of hobgoblins. There are three basic types of vampires: human blood drinkers, human non-blood drinkers, and nonhuman vampires. Each of these types has their own subtypes.

The vampire legends sprouted out of medieval tales of undead seen in graveyards. A stroll through a graveyard in the Middle Ages might bring you past a body being buried. Conditions back then were rough, and bodies could be seen to be in horrifying conditions. Subsequently, legends developed of nasty rotting undead seen milling about in graveyards: zombies, ghouls, and vampires. These undead monsters were initially interchangeable in the Middle Ages and were thought to represent the same thing.

The first vampire tales involved horrific undead clawing their way out of their graves, covered in mud, decayed, and in a crazed, rabid, and ravenous state because they needed organic matter to eat to repair their bodies. The first vampire tales were of very scary ghoul-like monsters that have never been properly represented in film. They often were thought to eat their funeral shrouds or eat even themselves partially before escaping from the grave for fresh flesh and blood.

Over the years gory graveyards became civilized cemeteries and burial procedures advanced. This meant bodies spied being buried in the cemetery were not rotting all over the place. Therefore, legends of vampires evolved to deliver civilized, gothic, dinner suit and cape wearing blood drinkers like Dracula. This classic image of the vampire changed only slightly to the modern vampire image we now have, in which vampires can blend in human society.

A vampire type that cannot blend into human society are the greater, ancient, or disfigured vampires. They often are bald, have nonhuman features like batty ears and eyes, and blueish skin, such as Barlow from Salem’s Lot. These are usually the strongest and most evil vampires. Conversely, there are sympathetic vampires, reluctant vampires who retain their human will. These good vampires usually do not kill humans to feed. Sympathetic vampires became popular in the 1960’s with Dark Shadow’s Barnabus and Grandpa Munster.

There are subtypes of sympathetic vampires. There are romantic vampires who are usually always getting very involved with humans. There are daywalkers who have no problem with the sunlight, sometimes because they live in a world that allows for daywalking vampires, or due to special drugs, or due to strange experimentation such as in Baldur’s Gate 3. Other daywalkers may be hybrid vampires, half human and half vampire, like Blade.

There are child vampires who can be quite chilling. On the other end of the spectrum are the oldest vampires, the first vampire in a mythos, such as Ayesha in Anne Rice’s novels. One level above the first vampire is a vampire god or demon, such as in the animated series, Castlevania. There are also vampires with special powers. One subtype includes vampire superheroes such as Marvel’s Morbius, the Living Vampire. Another subtype is vampire magic users, who sure pop up in Dungeons & Dragons.

There are vampires from other cultures with significantly different abilities. Chinese vampires are known for their hopping abilities and have the power of invisibility. The Malaysian Pennagalan vampire are always female with heads that detach from their bodies and then fly around the surrounding countryside looking for victims – as their connected entrails and internal organs hang down from their head.

Human vampires who do not drink blood are psychic or energy vampires. Collin Robinson, from What We Do With Shadows, is a good example of such an energy vampire. Nonhuman vampires is its own category and starts with animal vampires like dog and cat vampires. There are not many plant vampire legends, but the Japanese have one, the Jubokko.

Mutant vampires have abnormal dna such as the Blade 2 big biters. Space vampires can very cool and we first saw them sucking salt in the Star Trek original series. Mechanical vampires rarely pop up, but one can be seen in Guillermo del Toro’s film Cronos. Vampires possessing objects or disembodied vampires are rare, but one can be seen in the form of a car in the film, Vampire Ferat or in I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle.

I suppose there could be another category for “not a vampire” with its own subtypes. “Not a vampire” would include the subtype of former vampires, like Barnabus. Many vampires fall into multiple categories, since he could also be a magic-user vampire and a sympathetic vampire. Other “not a vampire” subtypes include people pretending to be a vampire, such as in the lost film, London After Midnight. A final “not a vampire” subtype are comedic vampires like Count Floyd from SCTV.

The strangest vampire I have ever read about is a variation of the Indian Bhuta vampire. This vampire does not drink blood; it feeds off of fresh feces from its victims’ bodies. That means you are sleeping and this creeping vampire climbs into your bed and goes for your - but - I have not found enough corroborating writings on this one to delve into it.

There is a vast diversity of vampires, with each type and subtype as a different color of the red rainbow of blood drinking!

[louwhose]

louwhose art masterlist

Instagram | Drawing tag

Commissions

STUPIDLY PRETENTIOUS

The Legend of Zelda

Zelink Week 2024: (SS) Under the Stars, (BotW) Fading, (MC) Blooming, (EoW) Enchantment, (AoL) Spellbound, (OoT) Sealed Fate, (ST) Reunion

Fable/Legend DTIYS, Idiot hair Link, Heaven's DTIYS, Twi's Skyrim AU, ALBW Rumors,  ghost link/ witch zelda, LU camping, ladye’s daybreak, lively bunch, LOZ sketch dump

Breath of the Wild

Zelda in Shining Armor (my comic)

Zelink Week 2022: One Last Look, Age, Rainy Day, Statue, Sparring, Rituals, Healing

Swords and Storms Cosmere Inktober: Puppet, Weapon, Glass, Chains, Flame, Miscreant, Lantern

Linktober: miniature | adventure pouch | boat/ship/vessel | nostalgia | secret | link | boss | storm | dream | zelda | deity | botanical

Link, Link but in a cool pose, March of the Koroks, Zelink Reunion, Zelink braids, Divine Zelda, Champions meme, Zelink in Gerudo outfits, Calvin and Hobbes Zelda and Link, Zelink kiss comic, Tebasaki Tackle, You are my Sunshine, "Pure" friends, Stained glass monster, Speedrunning a century meme, Anne AU, Swords and Storms AU, S&S incognito, Zelda pixie cut, Zelink reunion redraw, Witch Zelda, Fall Under Your Spell, Battle & Overgrown, Halloween Scholomance AU, I’m Not That Girl, Link would be best dad, Christmas zinc, link_inofficial, The Fallback Plan DTIYS, Physical Touch for Keik, Redraw, Loftwing Letters Zelink, Down Bad Christmas Link, OoT Parallels, Written in the Stars, chrsmsmsmss, Redraw (again), A Mother’s Love

Tears of the Kingdom

"BotW 2" with BACKGROUND, Dramatic BoTW 2 Link, Feral Link BoTW 2 prediction,  BotW 2/ LOTR animation, After the announcement, Ghost, After February Trailer, Journey, Save Him, B’s DTIYS, fond goodbye, Ruben’s Study

Ocarina of Time

Starting struggles, Zelink meet CUTE

Play-by-play sketchdumps: first, second, third + Shink, fourth, final

Expression meme: Link, Sheik, Golden Trio

smol zelink, Ending sad, OoT/ Stormlight, OoT 24th anniversary, 100% cannon secret marriage mistletoe kiss, Skipping Stones | Zelinktines Day 20: Meet Cute, OoT Zelink flangst, Zelink/Deku Mountain Greek inspired, Impertinence, BoTW Parallels, butch impa, wedding shink, magical girl, shink kiss, 200 DTIYS, masks, Sheik-xedo mask, fireboy and water girl, Impa drawing meme

Skyward Sword

Zelink at the start of the game, Groose on the surface hehe, Link with Nightblood, Loftwing Sunset, Sky sandals, Zelink hug, Play with Me, angy link, sweet DTIYS entry

Wind Waker

telink redesign, ocean adventures, Watery Smile, fancy goth vibes telink, recruit uniforms, telink dynamic

Spirit Tracks

Hand holding, birds, Ethereal

Minish Cap

Minish Cap Beginnings

Ren Faire Week: (1) Meeting, (2) Market, (3) Token of Favor, (4) Tournament, (5) Archery, (6) Dancing, (7) Until Then

Sousou no Frieren

sketches

Dwight in Shining Armor

Expression memes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Shining Smooch Week 2023: Yesterday, Marigold, Crown, Gothic, Heart, Wanderlust, Hero

Dwetta, A kiss like fireworks, Dwetta christmas, Baldric’s Koi fish, Sir Dwight, gotta kill this guy meme, Cow Advocate, Pie Knight, Dwetta (A2), Bald x Hexy F1

Cosmere

Swords and Storms Cosmere Inktober: Puppet, Weapon, Glass, Chains, Flame, Miscreant, Lantern

Rithmatist characters, Vin, Fancy Vin, Vin and Elend flirting, Melody + Icecream, Link with Nightblood, Miraculous / Stormlight Crossover, Swords and Storms AU, S&S incognito, OoT/ Stormlight, Soaring through the mists, rithmatist pose

Other

Hamin's Flower (Seasons of Blossom), Totally not a king Hesho (Starsight), That dallymart scene in turning red, Yona and Shirayuki, The spy family!!, Anya Smirk/punch (SPY x FAMILY), Anya Peanuts (SPY x FAMILY), Scholomance The Last Graduate vibes, Sesshomaru, TwiYor snuggles, Goblin, El and Orion <3 (Scholomance), FMAB Expression meme, Cecil (Answer Me, My Prince), Edwin, Defiant, slugs and delvers, Wonka, Volo and Akari, Ides of March, Apothecary diaries, Normal jk mafuyu, sketch dump

My Stuff

Fantasy OC???, Witch, Villainess Idiots (OCs), Mermaid Unicorn, Villainess Expression Meme OCs, sky island dragon

[zoofleece]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: The Mountain Aracnafaria Spider Web Fairy Magical Spirit Ann Stokes T-Shirt 5X.

[themovieblogonline]

Top 12 Movies And Series To Watch This Fall

Crisp autumn air has taken over, the roads are covered with golden leaves, and you're snuggling in the blankets in your favorite cardigan. Now all that is missing is a heavy mug of hot cocoa and a good movie that is enough to sweep away all your stress.  After the chill, vibrant, and upbeat summer season, fall sneaks into our lives with its warm, cozy, and feel-good rage. To some people, it's the time to savor sadness, others may give in to the spooky spirits of Halloween, and some just want to embrace the rust and mustard color palette to enjoy a new version of nature. Whichever mood you find yourself in, here are the top 12 movies to enjoy autumn in its full bloom. Let's get started! The Harry Potter Series Starting this list with the classic tales of magic, filled with spells, wizardry, and the exotic gothic castle of Hogwarts. Enjoy the 'dark academia' settings with mysterious characters in eerie corridors. Because during the fall season a uniform robe, dorm room fireplaces, and broomsticks can be enough to brighten up your evenings. Just say 'Lumos'! The Addams Family Fall in love with this weird, dramatic, and the most adorable family. The Addams are no normal neighbors next door but they sure are fun and mysterious. The thrilling goth elements of this movie never fail to revive the Halloween rush. Plus the gorgeous black attires of the characters in this movie always serve as costume inspiration get through Halloween in style.  Coco Coco is a heartwarming tale of a young Spanish boy who wants to become a musician but struggles to gain support from his family. Miguel sets out on an extraordinary journey to the land of the dead to discover his family secrets and ends up finding out something that changes his life forever. The traditions, folklore, and charm of Dia de Los Muertos fiesta will convince you that nothing's more real than the purple-orange shades of Disney magic. When Harry Met Sally Belonging to two different worlds, both Harry and Sally have different ideologies about love and friendship. However, they can't seem to avoid each other due to the sweet and complex circumstances surrounding them. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the comfort of a rom-com on a chilly evening. Dead Poets Society Another dark academic classic that is perfect for fall with its gloomy vibes and a plot that touches your soul. Discover how the boys at a prestigious institution are deeply impacted by a professor who changes their perspective on life by showing them how it can be seen through a poetic lens.  Twilight Dark gray clouds, freezing weather, vampires, mystery, murders, romance, and werewolves - name a more hauntingly stunning movie. This epic tale follows Bella Swan who moves into a new town named "Forks'' where she finds herself surrounded by supernatural beings. The unusual yet mesmerizing love story between Edward and Bella will give the best hangover that could last until winter. Little Women Greta Gerwig's movie adaptation of the literary classic book by the same name offers a mix of nostalgia, dreams, aspirations, and an exploration of femininity. What makes it best for autumn are the cottage core visuals and the American countryside settings that are nothing but soothing to the eyes. Good Will Hunting One of the critically acclaimed 90s movies might be just what you need. Get ready for an emotional roller coaster with Robbie Williams' charm as a brilliant therapist and Matt Damon's powerful performance as a young boy with a high IQ working as a janitor. A comfortable watch for a comfortable season! The Devil Wears Prada If you like to step out in style, then Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt are here to save your day. From the offices of a fashion magazine to the guild and glamor of the red carpet, The Devil Wears Prada features some of the most luxurious and high-fashion moments happening in New York and Paris. In addition to that, there are so many fall outfit inspirations to make you live your autumn dream. October Sky The name of this movie surely captivates one's attention and establishes itself as a perfect fall watch. Nevertheless, the movie is based on true events and revolves around an ambitious miner who loves his job and wants his sons to join him one day. The children, however, have different plans for their futures. This time of the year when it's all about transitioning, a movie about ambitions, dreams, and motivation cannot be a bad idea. Knives Out How can we end this list without a good murder mystery? Starring some of the biggest names in Hollywood, Knives Out will keep you hooked till the end while you are befuddled thinking about who is the killer. Lose yourself in the haze of suspicion and crime lurking in the walls of the giant mansion with shady characters Autumn in New York An unexpected meeting between a 50-year-old playboy and a young 21-year-old woman who's terminally ill changes the man's perceptions about life forever. This heartbreaking story captures the most exquisite vibe of autumn. It also serves us some of the most breathtaking scenery backed by a poignant theme. Overall Fall has a different meaning for everyone. To some it is the season of change, some welcome it's melancholia, and some people (like me) just succumb to its warmth and the dreamscape it draws. Doesn't matter how you see it, it should be romanticized and a good movie is the right way to do it. So go check your watchlist right now. Happy Fall!   Read the full article

[edwardslovelyelizabeth]

Anne Hathaway photographed by Mert Alas for Interview Magazine (2011)

[shittalkingclassicliterature]

Matthew Gregory Lewis: (writes dark, rapey gothic novel) Behold! I call it The Monk! I was so inspired by The Mysteries of Udolpho, I had to write this. Mrs Radcliffe will be so pleased!

Ann Radcliffe: (is extremely not pleased)

[oberlincollegelibraries]

Weekend Edition: Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween! We’re bringing you new tales of horror, witchy poetry, and the science behind everyone’s favorite creature to get you in the mood for this Samhain-Saturday.

If four spooky books is not enough spooky for you, you can find more by subject searching some of the following phrases in OBIS:

Horror tales

Ghost stories

Monsters

Witches

Halloween

Happy Haunting and Happy Reading from OCL. 

If It Bleeds: New Fiction by Stephen King

"In If it Bleeds, King gives readers four brilliant new stories sure to prove as iconic as their predecessors. Once again, King's remarkable range is on full display. In the title story, reader favorite Holly Gibney (from the Bill Hodges Trilogy and The Outsider) must face her fears and possibly another outsider-this time on her own. In 'Mr. Harrigan's Phone,' an intergenerational friendship has a disturbing afterlife. 'The Life of Chuck' explores, beautifully, how each of us contains multitudes. And in 'Rat,' a struggling writer must contend with the darker side of ambition”-- Front jacket flap

Desirable Body by Hubert Haddad ; translated from the French by Alyson Waters

“A contemporary Frankenstein that defies expectations, this is a thrilling novel, couched in luminous, captivitating prose, about a journalist, Cédric Allyn-Weberson, who suffers a horrific accident, paralyzing him from the neck down. An ideal candidate for a body transplant, Cédric survives the surgery but has both physical and existential trouble with his recovery and adaptation: encountering his lover with a new body, discovering the life history of his donor, and attempting to understand the mind-body relationship as he lives it.”-- Provided by publisher

The Poetry Witch: Little Book of Spells by Anne Finch

“These ritual poems from acclaimed poet Annie Finch invite readers to experience words not just in the mind, but also in the body and spirit. Each poem distills the essence of one of the poems from Finch’s book Spells into just a few lines. This mini-book is easy to carry and perfect for reading, ritual use or meditation.”-- anniefinch.com

Making the Monster: the Science Behind Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein by Kathryn Harkup

“ The year 1818 saw the publication of one of the most influential science-fiction stories of all time. Frankenstein: Or, Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley had a huge impact on gothic horror and science-fiction genres, and her creation has become part of our everyday culture, from cartoons to Hallowe'en costumes. Even the name 'Frankenstein' has become a by-word for evil scientists and dangerous experiments. How did a teenager with no formal education come up with the idea for an extraordinary novel such as Frankenstein? Clues are dotted throughout Georgian science and popular culture. The years before the book's publication saw huge advances in our understanding of the natural sciences, in areas such as electricity and physiology, for example. Sensational science demonstrations caught the imagination of the general public, while the newspapers were full of lurid tales of murderers and resurrectionists. Making the Monster explores the scientific background behind Mary Shelley's book. Is there any science fact behind the science fiction? And how might a real-life Victor Frankenstein have gone about creating his monster? From tales of volcanic eruptions, artificial life and chemical revolutions, to experimental surgery, 'monsters' and electrical experiments on human cadavers, Kathryn Harkup examines the science and scientists that influenced Shelley, and inspired her most famous creation.”-- Provided by publisher

[tabloidtoc]

In Touch, November 2

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Scott Peterson goes free -- Laci Peterson’s family nightmare 

Page 1: Contents 

Page 2: Style News -- hot new collab between The Vampire’s Wife X H&M -- the celeb-fave teams up with the affordable retailer for a killer gothic-glam collection 

Page 4: The Bachelorette goes bonkers -- meet Tayshia Adams’ men 

Page 6: Crib of the Week -- The Silence of the Lamb house in Perryopolis, Pennsylvania for $298,500, Number of the Week -- 5 days of fittings actress Emma Corrin had to recreate Princess Diana’s wedding gown for The Crown, Winners of the Week -- Dexter fans as Michael C. Hall is returning for a limited-series reboot of the popular Showtime drama which ran from 2006 to 2013, Loser of the Week -- The Ellen DeGeneres Show as ratings for the talk show’s Season 18 premiere week drop 38 percent 

Page 8: Up Close -- Tom Cruise does one of his own stunts on the set of Mission: Impossible 7 in Rome, then gives fans the heart 

Page 9: Cardi B in Sin City celebrating her 28th birthday, Kate Middleton inspects cells during a visit to the Institute of Reproductive and Development Biology in London 

Page 10: Kaitlyn Bristowe busts out a break-dancing move at the end of her tango with Artem Chigvintsev on Dancing With the Stars ‘80s night 

Page 12: Justin Bieber sitting out by the pool with his dog showing off the new pair of Crocs he designed for the company, Naomi Watts keeps her facial covering on as hair and makeup work their magic on set in Canada, Gwyneth Paltrow is unrecognizable as she treats herself to a spa day in NYC 

Page 14: Reese Witherspoon voted, Liam Hemsworth pretending to teach his fitness expert pal Ross Edgley how to train, Kelly Osbourne showing off her 85-pound weight loss 

Page 15: Anne Hathaway makes a terrifying transportation in the trailer for The Witches, Kim Kardashian and old pal Paris Hilton in matching SKIMS velour tracksuits 

Page 16: Billboard Music Awards -- host Kelly Clarkson, John Legend dedicated his emotional performance to his wife Chrissy Teigen, Brandy, Sheila E. accompanied Kelly Clarkson onstage 

Page 17: Lizzo, Sia, Billie Eilish 

Page 18: Play Date -- Kanye West with daughter North and son Saint and nephew Reign on a weekend getaway to Colorado 

Page 19: Sofia Richie and Nicole Richie and her daughter Harlow, Selma Blair and son Arthur 

Page 20: Lily Collins has chosen Paris for her upcoming wedding to Charlie McDowell because she fell in love with the city while filming there and Charlie loves the idea of a destination wedding 

Page 21: Don’t expect to see Prince Harry playing much polo on this side of the pond because in Montecito where he and wife Meghan Markle now live there are a group of rich polo girls who go after men even if they’re married and Harry is considered to be the ultimate catch but Meghan has done her research and knows who to watch so they aren’t going to get near Harry, R. Kelly was recently assaulted at Chicago’s Metropolitan Correctional Center and now there’s a video of the moments leading up to the violent attack and according to court documents claim guards didn’t intervene at first to help Kelly as fellow inmate Jeremiah Farmer punched the singer

Page 22: Cover Story -- Scott Peterson getting away with murder -- the convicted murderer is a step closer to going free thanks to the actions of a juror who reached out to him in prison 

Page 26: Kylie Jenner vs. Kendall Jenner -- sisters at war -- an epic fight on KUWTK reveals deeper issues between Kylie and Kendall -- Kylie and Kendall grew up so close but they’ve let too much come between them now 

Page 28: John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John’s unbreakable bond -- how Olivia is helping John heal in the wake of his wife’s tragic death 

Page 30: Dominic West’s twisted marriage -- The Affair star Dominic gets cozy with actress Lily James but he and his wife Catherine FitzGerald insist their relationship is strong 

Page 32: Drew Barrymore’s amazing weight loss journey -- how Drew dropped 20 pounds to get in the best shape of her life

Page 36: The Big Interview -- Ross Mathews -- red carpets are boring now -- the outspoken star misses Hollywood’s more glamorous days 

Page 38: Shop Now -- Halloween Spirit -- Fright This Way! 

Page 40: Entertainment 

Page 42: Animal Overload -- my bunny looks like Don King 

Page 46: Horoscope -- Scorpio Gabrielle Union turned 48 on October 29 

Page 48: Last Laughs 

[richincolor]

Vampires & Monsters & Zombies, Oh My!

It's October which means my favorite holiday is almost here - Halloween!! All sorts of spooky celebrations are happening this month which made me think about spooky YA novels with POC leads. Unfortunately, I had to do some serious thinking and some super sleuthing to find a few, and then....to my surprise, I discovered that Renee Ahdieh's vampire novel, The Beautiful, is coming out next week. I don't know why I thought it was next year, but I am so happy! I love vampires and am so happy that they are on the return. So, to celebrate Halloween & the return of vampires, here is a list of books (including some series) that are scary good fun!

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh

In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien's guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret. When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface. At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.

Dread Nation & Deathless Divide (out in 2020) by Justina Ireland

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations. But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

A Blade So Black & A Dream So Dark (The Nightmare Verse) by L. L. McKinney

The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have a curfew. Life in real-world Atlanta isn't always so simple, as Alice juggles an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and a slipping GPA. Keeping the Nightmares at bay is turning into a full-time job. But when Alice's handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she’s ever gone before. And she'll need to use everything she's learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head . . . literally.

Five Midnights by Ann Davila Cardinal

Five friends cursed. Five deadly fates. Five nights of retribución. If Lupe Dávila and Javier Utierre can survive each other’s company, together they can solve a series of grisly murders sweeping though Puerto Rico. But the clues lead them out of the real world and into the realm of myths and legends. And if they want to catch the killer, they'll have to step into the shadows to see what's lurking there—murderer, or monster?

The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring

Simmering in Patagonian myth, The Tenth Girl is a gothic psychological thriller with a haunting twist. At the very southern tip of South America looms an isolated finishing school. Legend has it that the land will curse those who settle there. But for Mavi—a bold Buenos Aires native fleeing the military regime that took her mother—it offers an escape to a new life as a young teacher to Argentina’s elite girls. Mavi tries to embrace the strangeness of the imposing house—despite warnings not to roam at night, threats from an enigmatic young man, and rumors of mysterious Others. But one of Mavi’s ten students is missing, and when students and teachers alike begin to behave as if possessed, the forces haunting this unholy cliff will no longer be ignored. One of these spirits holds a secret that could unravel Mavi's existence. In order to survive she must solve a cosmic mystery—and then fight for her life.

Shadowshaper Series (Shadowshaper, Shadowhouse Fall, Shadowshaper Legacy)  by Daniel Jose Older

Sierra Santiago was looking forward to a fun summer of making art, hanging out with her friends, and skating around Brooklyn. But then a weird zombie guy crashes the first party of the season. Sierra's near-comatose abuelo begins to say "Lo siento" over and over. And when the graffiti murals in Bed-Stuy start to weep.... Well, something stranger than the usual New York mayhem is going on. Sierra soon discovers a supernatural order called the Shadowshapers, who connect with spirits via paintings, music, and stories. Her grandfather once shared the order's secrets with an anthropologist, Dr. Jonathan Wick, who turned the Caribbean magic to his own foul ends. Now Wick wants to become the ultimate Shadowshaper by killing all the others, one by one. With the help of her friends and the hot graffiti artist Robbie, Sierra must dodge Wick's supernatural creations, harness her own Shadowshaping abilities, and save her family's past, present, and future.

[rainy-autumn-day]

10 Books To Read This Autumn & Halloween

1. The Secret History' by Donna Tartt

I think it’s fun to read campus novels during the fall and winter, and the twisty, murderous stylings of Donna Tartt's The Secret History bring the perfect air of mystery to your fall reading lineup.

2. The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

i read this myself in the summer I loved it and can't wait to read it this Halloween with it's theme of witches, a cursed town and death the story takes place in summer but to me it felt far more like fall then anything else, like walking in a old mystery.

3.The House of the Spirits By  Isabel Allende 

This family saga centers on the descendants of Clara del Valle, a Chilean woman whose psychic powers allows her to predict the misfortunes that will befall her family. This book was lyrical, magical, and at times frightening, as the author describes the horrors that followed them.

4. Harry Potter By J.K Rowling

I put this on the list last year but let's face it, harry potter is one of those books you have to read at laset once a year and autumn is the best time with it's witches and wizards, magic, spells, cats, and good vs bad it's the perfect series for this time of the year.

5.The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer doesn't know if she is crazy or haunted--all she knows is that everyone around her is dying. i read this series a few years ago and it's stayed with me with it's haunteding, beautiful, but also horror and mystery.

6. Night Film' by Marisha Pessl

Unlike many of the other books on this list, Marisha Pessl's Night Film is actually set during the fall. This mystery novel begins with a body discovered on an October night, a body that turns out to belong to the director of grisly cult films.

7.   A Small Revolution' by Jimin Han

A Small Revolution blends the decidedly fall feeling of college romance with the tension of a horror-thriller. After taking a tour of 1980s South Korea with other college-bound Korean-Americans, Yoona returns to her studies with a romantic interest on the horizon and a kinship with that boy's friend. But when a car crash kills one of her new acquaintances, Yoona lands in the sights of the other, who has grown delusional with grief. i've just put this on my tbr list and i can't wait to read it, it sounds amazing.

8. Another Brooklyn' by Jacqueline Woodson

In this semi-autobiographical novel, Brown Girl Dreaming author Jacqueline Woodson transports readers back in time and space to 1970s Brooklyn, where her protagonist, 11-year-old August, bonds and grows up with three other girls: Sylvia, Angela, and Gigi. The memory of Another Brooklyn captures fall's retrospective nature, so be sure to get it on your nightstand before winter rolls around.

9. The Uninvited by Cat Winters

a masterfully crafted story of love, loss, and second chances. Set during the fear and panic of the Great Influenza of 1918, The Uninvited is part gothic ghost-story, part psychological thriller, perfect for those who loved The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield or The Vanishing by Wendy Webb. Twenty-five year old Ivy Rowan rises from her bed after being struck by the flu, only to discover the world has been torn apart in just a few short days. This was an amazing read. I didn't expect much, but it blew me away. There are some really amazing twists and I have rushed through it.

10.   First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

Lose yourself in Sarah Addison Allen’s enchanting world and fall for her charmed characters in this captivating story that proves that a happily-ever-after is never the real ending to a story. It’s where the real story begins.

bonus

11. The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston

My name is Elizabeth Anne Hawksmith, and my age is three hundred and eighty-four years. Each new settlement asks for a new journal, and so this Book of Shadows begins.. taking place in two time periods  one is today and other one we see through the main characters memories is 17th century.  this story is about a woman who lived in days when witches were hanged and who ended up being turned into a witch herself. Ever since the demon made her into a witch she has been sorta promised to him and he has been following her through the time. I have read a lot of Witch books and I have to say that this book is one of the best! It’s a perfect read for everyone who likes to be transported back to old magical times and away fantastic unique worlds. It really is a good piece of historical fiction! 

[teachingmycattoread]

Things We’ve Yelled About This Episode #2.4

Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen (all page and chapter numbers are from the Kindle Unlimited edition)

Gothic fiction (wiki)

Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë

Sensibility (wiki)

“Throw the whole man out” meme

Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen (our very first episode!)

"Marianne's indignation burst forth as soon as he quitted the room; and as her vehemence made reserve impossible in Elinor, and unnecessary in Mrs Jennings, they all joined in a very spirited critique upon the party". Chapter 37. p.282

" "His own two thousands she protested should be his all; she would never see him again; and so far would she be from offering him the smallest assistance, that if he were to enter into any profession with a view of better support, she would do all in her power to prevent him advancing in it." " Chapter 37,  p.280

Sense and Sensibility (1995)

Emma Thompson (imdb)

Fridging (tvtropes)

“what happens next might surprise you” clickbait meme

Epistolary form (wiki)

Dracula, Bram Stoker (last year's halloween episode)

This John Mulaney line:

Note from the editor: Dracula was published in 1897, nearly a full century after Sense and Sensibility in 1811

Our Sense and Sensibility blog post can be found here

Frankenstein, Mary Shelley (our episode here)

Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens

Sense and Sensibility was published anonymously at first (wiki)

The video essay M is referring to is Dr Octavia Cox’s “Eliza Brandon, Colonel Brandon, &Gothic Fiction” (youtube)

Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen

Persuasion, Jane Austen (our episode here)

“he had nothing to do, and she had hardly anybody to love,” p. 29 of the Vintage Classics 2014, Persuasion, Jane Austen

"Mrs Jennings was a widow with an ample jointure. She had only two daughters, both of whom she had lived to see respectably married, and she had now therefore nothing to do but to marry all the rest of the world." Chapter 8, p. 37

Mrs John Dashwood talking her husband out of giving any money to his sisters takes up the whole of Chapter 2, pp. 7-12

"The whole of Lucy's behaviour in the affair, and the prosperity that crowned it, therefore, may be held forth as a most encouraging instance of what an earnest, an unceasing attention to self-interest, however its progress may be apparently obstructed, will do in securing every advantage of fortune, with no other sacrifice than that of time and conscience." p.399, Chapter 50

Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Brontë (our episode here - please heed the content warnings)

This meme:

The Sexy Lamp Test

Red (Taylor’s version) (spotify)

The specific song Eli’s referring to is “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)

Jake Gyllenhaal (imdb)

"With such a confederacy against her - with a knowledge so intimate of his goodness - with a conviction of his fond attachment to herself, which at last, though long after it was observable to every body else - burst on her - what could she do?" Chapter 50, p.401

The ice-skating event Eli's referring to can be seen here

Temeraire, Naomi Novik (our episodes on His Majesty’s Dragon can be found here and here)

A Monstrous Regiment, AMarguerite (ao3 - you’ll need an ao3 account to view)

She’s the Man (2006)

Ten Things I Hate About You (1999)

Kandukondain Kandukondain (or Priyuralu Pilichindi) (2000)

AIshwarya Rai Bachchan (imdb)

"Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition." Chapter 36, p.267

The elder Ms Steele listening in at the door is from Chapter 38, p.288

What Else Are We Reading

Wheel of Time series reddit

What We Do In The Shadows (2019-?)

What We Do In The Shadows (2014)

The Good Place (2016-2020)

Yin Yang Master (2021)

Leverage: Redemption (2021-?)

Spinning Silver, Naomi Novik

Next Time on Teaching My Cat To Read

Uprooted, Naomi Novik

[olivia-lovecraft]

Horror Aesthetics – Olivia Lovecraft

CLASSIC.

black and white. powder puffs. red lipstick. winged eyeliner. white kitten heels. black lace lingerie. icy blue eyes. rain. abandoned cars. skeletons. acid. poison. voyeurism. switchblades. strangling. overcoats. looking over your shoulder. trans-atlantic accents. private detectives. dinner parties. haunted mansions. cobwebs. perfect blonde curls. kitchen knives. shock. cellars. dust. ghosts. dark alleys. empty streets. horn-rimmed glasses. radiation. zombies. serial murder. suspicion. paranoia. the city. witches. the devil. cannibalism. conspiracies. amulets. abject terror. the American South. the American Northeast. England. analog cameras.

 CRYPTID & URBAN LEGEND.

aliens. blinding light. dark woods. driving at night. claw marks. bite marks. men in black. memory loss. dismembered bodies. sewers. flashlights. cell phones. video cameras. cars with tinted windows. unlabeled cassette tapes. bugs. big cities. urban crimes. clowns. something rustling outside your window. glowing light. unsolved mysteries. suburbia. mirrors. the american pacific northwest. the american midwest. hiking. backpacking.

 GOTHIC.

gaslights. corsets. ballrooms. candlelight. mist. starless nights. full moons. cobbled streets. horse-drawn carriages. mysterious strangers. bogs. moors. forests. mountains.castles. velvet. silver. brass. gold. jewels. domino masks. the opera. dangerous romances. tragic romances. violins. roses. lilies. empty graves. crosses. cemeteries. snow. ice. the gallows. crows. milk-white skin. ambiguous illness. fangs. pointed nails. something howling in the night. capes. gloves. top hats. straight razors. lightning. pipe organs. underground caverns. bats. mice. rats. ravens. cats. pearls. attics. talismans. axes. wood. isolation in a room full of people. vampires. werewolves. ghosts. coffins. western europe. eastern europe. bones. churches. catacombs. mausoleums. books. stitches.

 PARANORMAL.

malevolent spirits. seances. spells. missing bodies. hidden graves. white noise. static. flickering lights. rings of salt. demons. poltergeists. dark histories. old buildings. cold air. wells. urban exploration. a dog barking at unseen things. iconoclasm. black ooze. old photographs. dark bodies of water. crucifixes. priests. possession. exorcisms. dolls.

 SLASHER.

bloodbaths. massacres. wanton nudity. newspapers. leather jackets. letterman jackets. converse sneakers. obscured faces. social unrest. bonfires. lakes. babysitters. high school. lockers. dead leaves in the fall. jack-o’-lanterns. passing shadows. outdated television sets. nightmares. psychiatrists. hospitals. unstoppable forces. gunfire. police. landline telephones. improvised weapons. halloween. secrets. revelations. cut wires. character masks. scrunchies. wild curls. jeering children. parties. fire. swearing. revulsion. california. the american midwest. ambulances.

 THRILLER.

daylight. fluorescent lighting. morgues. unwavering eye contact. tension. lit rooms. empty rooms. killer in plain sight. a dog digging in the newly-planted flower bed. steely gazes. paperwork. anagrams. codes. convicted killers. missing persons. law enforcement. federal agents. small towns. suspicion. paranoia. subdued terror. dimly-lit parking lots. a noise in the distance.

Tagged by: @friederike-thymesong (thank you <3)

Tagging: @skull-girl-anne, @sin-emberstalker, @marquis-garren-nishan, @subjectragnar, @toomany-elves, @waytoomanytoons, @lumenwolf, and anyone else who wants do do the thing!