Horror/Scary: February 12, 2020 Issue [#10010]
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 This week: The Bazaar Of The Bizarre
  Edited by: Angus Author IconMail Icon
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Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

"I think that true horror is accomplished by slowly getting into your brain. The old way is much more scary."
~ Sergio Aragones ~

"There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls."
~ George Carlin ~



Word from our sponsor

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Letter from the editor

As a self-proclaimed horror ‘junkie’ and judge of ‘SCREAMS!!!’ for the last six years, I’ve read thousands of horror stories. ‘SCREAMS!!!’ is a daily contest (although on Wednesdays contestants are allowed 48 hours to write their stories), and as such we try to offer new and original prompts every day. That’s not an easy task: Writer’s Block is a very serious and cruel disease! Sometimes we come up with excellent prompts—the kind of prompts that make writers drool with the grisly possibilities—but other times when we can’t think of anything decent for inspiration, we end up having to use humdrum, everyday prompts, like a book or a door or something found in the attic.

But to quote one of my former employers who used this phrase at least 3 times a day: “Here’s the thing.” More often than not when we use one of those humdrum prompts, we read some of the most creative, wildest, interesting, frightening, original, and yes, bizarre stories you could think of!

Horror is a really neat genre. It’s literally (pun intended) a bazaar of the bizarre since it’s limitless in what you can write about. Potato chips, hair, balloons, a cute little bunny rabbit, a shoe, a U.S. president *Wink*, bubbles, a rock, ear wax a Q-tip, rainbows, a tuba, feathers, a late night infomercial, air, light bulbs, Donald Duck, hopscotch, Botswana, the color pink, magnesium, tickets to the opera, lady bugs, a Nerf ball, anything can scare the frinklenort out of your arglepox if you just use your imagination!

But if none of those tickle your fancy, think about technology and how fast it’s advancing these days! In a hundred years (I'm betting a lot less, but I won't be here anyway), instead of machines doing everything for us, we’ll be doing everything for the machines!

And then we have the actual, real-life horrors that are happening all the time! At this very moment we might be dealing with a potential pandemic, thanks to the Coronavirus! Actually, in China I guess it could be classified as a pandemic. I'm not running into a bomb shelter to get away from the rest of the world yet, but I won't say I'm not getting a little worried!

What’s also cool about horror is you can mix it with other genres. You can write horror/fantasy (I kind of think The Wizard of Oz fits this category; how many kids have had nightmares about the Wicked Witch of the West and those flying monkeys?), horror/romance (Stephanie Meyer with her Twilight series) horror/mystery, horror/sci/fi (Alien), horror/thriller (which are sort of the same, don’t ya think?), horror/comedy, horror/erotica (a.k.a. horrotica), horror/religion (The Exorcist), and horror for kids (thank you, R.L. Stine!).

Sorry. I went off track there for a moment. But getting back to what I was trying to say is horror is everywhere now! It's not just under your bed or hiding in your closet anymore!

But you don't have to take my word for it.

Just look around... *Smirk2*



Editor's Picks

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Beyond Salvation Open in new Window. (18+)
Some problems are all consuming...
#2181127 by Ray Scrivener Author IconMail Icon


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This item number is not valid.
#2069176 by Not Available.


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This item number is not valid.
#2085988 by Not Available.


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This item number is not valid.
#2151129 by Not Available.


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This item number is not valid.
#2169687 by Not Available.


 Am I dreaming? Open in new Window. (GC)
There's an intruder in the house
#1988244 by R. Danielson Author IconMail Icon


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The Umbrella Open in new Window. (18+)
A short story about guilt, grief, and phone calls from beyond.
#2156487 by James Heyward Author IconMail Icon


 
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Occupational Changes Open in new Window. (18+)
Who knows what the future holds?
#2156756 by Mastiff Author IconMail Icon


The Most Terrifying Photo Open in new Window. (18+)
Some creepypasta for fun... :) 1,654 words
#2205426 by WriterAngel Author IconMail Icon


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Remembrance Unit Open in new Window. (18+)
They never expected something like THIS to happen. 3rd Pl. Eclectic Visualizations Dec'13
#1968774 by Indelible Ink Author IconMail Icon

 
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Ask & Answer

This Newsletter Question: Would you rather be abducted by aliens or chased by a serial killer?

Last time I asked 'What do you consider to be the most important factor in grabbing your reader's attention?'

Quick-Quill Author Icon

'Re:last NL response. I queried the neighbors and found out the Red Balloons were a nod the Pennywise. A person in our development has a sick sense of humor.
I like where you went with this NL. It’s a good list to follow.'

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