\"Writing.Com
*Magnify*
SPONSORED LINKS
BY ONLINE AUTHORS
Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/7871
Horror/Scary: September 21, 2016 Issue [#7871]

Newsletter Header
Horror/Scary


 This week: Toys that terrorize
  Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

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

Quote for the week: I could never be on stage on my own. But puppets can say things that humans can't say.
~ Nina Conti


Word from our sponsor

ASIN: B07YXBT9JT
Amazon's Price: $ 4.99


Letter from the editor

What was your favorite toy as a kid? Most of us had a doll or stuffed animal that shared our adventures during the day and slept with us at night. Toys invoke pleasant childhood memories, which is why evil or cursed toys are so frightening.

A horror story based on an ugly cursed statue would be frightening, but the appearance of the statue would probably give you an immediate clue that there is something wrong about it. But what if the cursed object was a cute baby doll or a fuzzy teddy bear? Because of our childhood memories of those toys, we trust them. For the same reasons we don't expect children to be evil, we don't expect toys to be evil either.

Some evil toys, like Chuckie from the Child's Play movies are obviously twisted, but remember Talking Tina from the Twilight Zone episode of the same name? She was a typical cute little doll with curly hair, round face, and big eyes. She even had a sweet little voice, which made the words that came out of her mouth all the more frightening.

Annabelle, from the movie of the same name started out as an ordinary doll, but a devil worshipper cursed her by spilling her own blood on the doll's face. Like many other evil toys, she can't seem to be destroyed. Some cursed toys have been burned, chopped up, or thrown in the sea, and they still come back.

Voodoo dolls have long been used in horror stories as a surrogate for the person an evil character wishes to harm. The voodoo doll usually needs to contain some part of the real person such as hair or fingernails. Voodoo dolls are usually shown as primitive cloth or wooden figures, but what if a beautiful doll had lifelike hair that was actually the hair of the intended victim?

Ventriloquist's dummies have a creepy quality even when they aren't in horror stories. There's something unsettling about a little wooden toy that seems to talk in such a lifelike way. As Nina Conti said, "Puppets can say things that humans can't say." The ventriloquist can use his dummy to say the things he doesn't want to say himself, but what if the puppet decides to speak for itself?

Billy, the freaky little puppet from the Saw movies is only the mouthpiece of his puppetmaster, the Jigsaw Killer, but the killer is more frightening because of Billy. We can only imagine the depraved mind that would speak through that strange little thing.

Something to try: Write a horror story that involves an evil doll or toy.



Editor's Picks

Sam and Katie Forever Open in new Window. (18+)
A girl gets a gift from a creepy ex-boyfriend. Writer's Cramp Winner 2/26.
#1393078 by Bubba & Scooter's Mom Author IconMail Icon


Image Protector
STATIC
The Clock Tower Open in new Window. (13+)
A boy is snatched away and taken to the tower.
#1810242 by Kotaro Author IconMail Icon


Image Protector
STATIC
Enriqueta Martí i Ripollés Open in new Window. (18+)
The Witch Doctor of Barcelona
#2092358 by WakeUpAndLive~doingNaNo'24 Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#2090714 by Not Available.


Image Protector
STATIC
The Photograph of Carolina Stump Open in new Window. (18+)
A writer finds an old photograph and discovers a horrifying secret...
#1149464 by W.D.Wilcox Author IconMail Icon

 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Word from Writing.Com

Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
         https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Don't forget to support our sponsor!

ASIN: 0910355479
Amazon's Price: $ 13.99


Ask & Answer

Question for next time: What topic would you like to see in a future horror newsletter?

*Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet* Don't Be Shy! Write Into This Newsletter! *Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet*

This form allows you to submit an item on Writing.Com and feedback, comments or questions to the Writing.Com Newsletter Editors. In some cases, due to the volume of submissions we receive, please understand that all feedback and submissions may not be responded to or listed in a newsletter. Thank you, in advance, for any feedback you can provide!
Writing.Com Item ID To Highlight (Optional):

Send a comment or question to the editor!
Limited to 2,500 characters.
Word from our sponsor
ASIN: 0910355479
Amazon's Price: $ 13.99

Removal Instructions

To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.


Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/7871