Hello, yes, it’s really me… alive and well* and with new offerings. I shall allow a moment for the shock to wear off… Over on Instagram I recently asked whether you, dear consumer of multimedia content, preferred when I post under monthly themes or not. The majority vote was for a hybrid – a Dr… Read More Audio and Irony: ‘The Heart is a Lonely Hunter’
To those who don’t follow along on Instagram and have been wondering where I’ve been, I will quickly catch you up. So far this year, I have:danced with Lolly and the devil,escaped the lab with Algernon,picnicked at Hanging Rock, witnessed Bloody torture in unending Chambers,followed Snowman seeking Crake across a desolate wasteland,heard the Crawdads Sing,felt… Read More Raising Ghosts: ‘The Haunting of Hill House’
“[D]iscover a convergence of wonder and terror, romance and horror within its pages.” This is the introduction and invitation offered by Sara Crocoll Smith, publisher and editor-in-chief of Love Letters to Poe. In its first issue, the new gothic fiction magazine brings six short pieces together, each inspired by the life and works of Edgar… Read More Love Letters to Poe: A Convergence of Wonder and Terror
July is an ode to sunshine in the Gothic, it is a trip down south to the sweltering southern states of America, and to the effect of geography on horror. Under a Southern Spell, this month I am reading four short stories from the Southern Gothic canon, and invite you all to read along with me.… Read More The American Civil War: ‘A Rose for Emily’
July is an ode to sunshine in the Gothic, it is a trip down south to the sweltering southern states of America, and to the effect of geography on horror. Under a Southern Spell, this month I am reading four short stories from the Southern Gothic canon, and invite you all to read along with… Read More Southern Gothic Foundations: ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’
As the world’s population becomes increasingly locked away indoors, many of us are feeling panic or anxiety in the face of change and uncertainty. Whilst we all strive to maintain our collective physical well-being, it’s important not to let our mental health slip. The Bookstagram community thrives on indoor activity and online connection, but it’s… Read More Generally Gothic Book Club Readalong: ‘The Masque of the Red Death’
Whilst some of you are still making your way through Little Sister Death for the #generallygothicbookworm read-along which Gothic Bookworm and I have been hosting throughout December, we’ve decided to postpone our final, spoiler-filled blog posts until after Christmas… Having finished the novel ourselves, however, we’re both too filled with feelings to stay silent until… Read More Generally Gothic Bookworm Readalong: Lore in ‘Little Sister Death’
“𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓼𝓽 𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓯𝔂𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾’𝓵𝓵 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝔂𝓮𝓪𝓻.” Now there’s a claim that’s hard to refuse! During the summer I spent a month, entitled 🥀 Southern Spell 🥀 , exploring the southern gothic. I first posted (on Instagram) about William Gay’s Little Sister Death then. Some of you praised the novel, or declared adoration for… Read More Generally Gothic Bookworm Readalong: Midway Musings on ‘Little Sister Death’
In an interview in the spring of 1956, Southern Gothic author William Faulkner was asked to advise readers who remained unable to understand his writing after two or three attempts. His response was simple: “Read it four times.”“I am trying to say it all in one sentence,” he continued, “between one cap and one period.”… Read More Between One Cap and One Period: Reading William Faulkner
Grandfather of the American Gothic, Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), is perhaps most well-known for his melancholic and musical ‘The Raven’ (1845). Many artists have and continue to illustrate the works of Poe, and this particular poem is an unsurprisingly popular choice. Having already brought the works of some of Europe’s finest authors to life, French… Read More Gustave Doré’s Illustrated Poe
It all began with Edgar Allan Poe, the American grandfather of Gothic literature, who was born on this day (January 19th) in 1809. What I mean is that it all began for me; my interest in the Gothic started somewhere around the age of 7 or 8 when I happened to select “The Tell Tale… Read More Dissecting ‘The Tell Tale Heart’ by Edgar Allan Poe
1809 – Edgar Poe is born, to David and Elizabeth Poe, on the 19th of January. 1810 – His father abandons the family. 1811 – His mother dies of tuberculosis, aged 24. John and Frances Allen become guardians to Poe. His brother and sister are fostered elsewhere. 1815-20 – Moves to England, with the Allens,… Read More Edgar Allan Poe: A Brief & Tragic Biography
Generally Gothic 