I agree with Jennifer about horror books. But, one horror-adjacent book I love is Michael Crichton's 'Andromeda Strain.' I know it's science fiction but it scared me when I was a kid!
I read horror and true crime, in addition to just about everything else. Patricia Cornwell’s book about Jack The Ripper fascinated me. I write historical fiction though. I love the whole range of literature, music, and art. I will definitely follow Jennifer.
Tara, even though I don't read horror, I enjoy reading Jennifer's newsletter. I enjoy the true crime portions and she does write about other things that are interesting to me and make it worthwhile to subscribe.
Thank you, Gayla, for giving me a chance to guest post. What an awesome thing to do for your fellow Substackers!
New subscribers to ALH should know that every other week is free, so while you'll find a paywall break in this week's post, next week is a free-for-all.
It was fun working with you and introducing you to readers of SoNovelicious. I'm happy you write ALH and that you write about a genre that I don't write about. There's something for everyone in the reading world!
Great issue, I enjoyed it very much although I'm a scaredy cat and don't read or watch horror. I blame my sister, who made me watch Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? when I was about nine years old. I don't know if that counts as a horror movie, but it sure was scary.
I’m not sure I want to see anymore of her films but I’d be interested to read about it. That movie also gave me a pathological fear of rats (and cloches).
Nice write-up! I enjoyed reading that. I’m particularly interested in the psychological speculation about why lovely people (like you and me) enjoy reading about crime and horror. It’s an easy question to ask but a difficult one to answer. I’d love to read anyone’s thoughts on the subject.
I had a very similar introduction to horror, but it was an accidentall viewing of The Birds that scared the bejesus out of me. Then later I started reading short stories by Alfred Hitchcock, which freaked out and enthralled me in equal measure.
But true crime is mostly a no go for me. My mother loved it but reading a recounting of real people suffering horrible deaths was just too much for me...
Ha, I've come across "The Birds" so often on tv that it's become something of a comfort watch. And I've covered those Hitchcock anthology paperbacks at ALH because I adore them. Titles like "The 12 They Wouldn't Let Me Do on Television" and "Coffin Corner". So many good short story authors.
I can remember watching The Birds when I was probably too young and it scared me, too. The area I lived in would have bunches of birds congregating several times a year on the high wires, and it was several years after I watched the movie before I realized that those birds wouldn't come after me. The first true crime book I can remember reading was Helter Skelter. I lived in So California so the real life crimes and trials were all over the news. I don't remember that book affecting me--probably because I had already heard it on the news.
I loved this! I viscerally remember my first horror movie, too, and those Schwartz books can still scare me from the illustrations alone. I also have such a strong pull toward true crime (why I wrote the book I did!) but have such complicated feelings around it, too. Great essay!
I did a long stint with true crime and horror back in my 20s, but when real life started casting a slight shadow I steered away. This article inspired me to try it one more time. Great read, thank you.
I agree with Jennifer about horror books. But, one horror-adjacent book I love is Michael Crichton's 'Andromeda Strain.' I know it's science fiction but it scared me when I was a kid!
I haven't read that one, but I do know it was a scary movie too. Rocky Horror's Richard O' Brien is supposedly in it!
I read horror and true crime, in addition to just about everything else. Patricia Cornwell’s book about Jack The Ripper fascinated me. I write historical fiction though. I love the whole range of literature, music, and art. I will definitely follow Jennifer.
I read that Cornwell book, years ago, and found her evidence very convincing.
Welcome to ALH, I'm thrilled to have new readers!
Gayla, I identified so much with your first sentence! Thank you for broadening my horizons. :-)
Hi Tara! Autumn Lives Here runs the gamut from cookbooks to scary fiction, but there's more than a little snark. Drop in some time!
Subscribing for your sense of fun. I was born in September and have a soft spot for autumn. :-)
Tara, even though I don't read horror, I enjoy reading Jennifer's newsletter. I enjoy the true crime portions and she does write about other things that are interesting to me and make it worthwhile to subscribe.
That's great to hear, Gayla!
Thank you, Gayla, for giving me a chance to guest post. What an awesome thing to do for your fellow Substackers!
New subscribers to ALH should know that every other week is free, so while you'll find a paywall break in this week's post, next week is a free-for-all.
It was fun working with you and introducing you to readers of SoNovelicious. I'm happy you write ALH and that you write about a genre that I don't write about. There's something for everyone in the reading world!
Great issue, I enjoyed it very much although I'm a scaredy cat and don't read or watch horror. I blame my sister, who made me watch Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? when I was about nine years old. I don't know if that counts as a horror movie, but it sure was scary.
It is indeed a horror, and a great one! If you have to be traumatized, at least Bette Davis did it.
I covered her horror movies a while back, and once you start looking, she did quite a few.
I’m not sure I want to see anymore of her films but I’d be interested to read about it. That movie also gave me a pathological fear of rats (and cloches).
Nice write-up! I enjoyed reading that. I’m particularly interested in the psychological speculation about why lovely people (like you and me) enjoy reading about crime and horror. It’s an easy question to ask but a difficult one to answer. I’d love to read anyone’s thoughts on the subject.
I'm glad you enjoyed reading it, Jason, I appreciate it.
I had a very similar introduction to horror, but it was an accidentall viewing of The Birds that scared the bejesus out of me. Then later I started reading short stories by Alfred Hitchcock, which freaked out and enthralled me in equal measure.
But true crime is mostly a no go for me. My mother loved it but reading a recounting of real people suffering horrible deaths was just too much for me...
Ha, I've come across "The Birds" so often on tv that it's become something of a comfort watch. And I've covered those Hitchcock anthology paperbacks at ALH because I adore them. Titles like "The 12 They Wouldn't Let Me Do on Television" and "Coffin Corner". So many good short story authors.
I can remember watching The Birds when I was probably too young and it scared me, too. The area I lived in would have bunches of birds congregating several times a year on the high wires, and it was several years after I watched the movie before I realized that those birds wouldn't come after me. The first true crime book I can remember reading was Helter Skelter. I lived in So California so the real life crimes and trials were all over the news. I don't remember that book affecting me--probably because I had already heard it on the news.
Horror and true crime are so big right now. Mirrors our society.
I agree completely!
I loved this! I viscerally remember my first horror movie, too, and those Schwartz books can still scare me from the illustrations alone. I also have such a strong pull toward true crime (why I wrote the book I did!) but have such complicated feelings around it, too. Great essay!
Thanks for reading, Alicia!
Thanks, Alicia!
I did a long stint with true crime and horror back in my 20s, but when real life started casting a slight shadow I steered away. This article inspired me to try it one more time. Great read, thank you.