Wednesday, June 29, 2011

The Thrifted Life: Oh! The Horror!

It has been a considerable amount of time since last considering a serious pursuit into writing fiction. I’ve spent so many hours in earning a byline with magazines, newspapers and online media that I’ve lost touch with the ability for suspended belief that fiction so gratuitously grants.

To honor the conscious decision toward a new career path in fiction, I’ve decided to dedicate a space here on the blog for some of the inspiration behind one of my favorite fictional genres.

For me the love for horror started early. At six years old I was a little too young to read H.P. Lovecraft or Stephen King. But visually, I was ready for a good scare.

The day I saw my first horror movie was monumental. Before my parents loaded the VCR with the rental from West Coast Video they sat me down on the sofa and explained to me that what I was about to see wasn’t real. It was just a story, they said. It’s fiction and that means it isn’t real. And with that being said we sat down for a family viewing of Child’s Play.

Chucky Doll Group
As you can see, I've collected a few killer dolls. The medium Chucky was thrifted for $2. The tiny Chucky was won in a crane game. Also note the plush Sadako from the J-horror movie Ringu. She was an incredible ebay find.

Of course I was terrified. But it the was type of fleeting reaction that was soon replaced with excitement and wonder. In the years that followed I came to write a few short stories and a half-attempt at a screenplay in the horror genre, all in trying to capture that same adrenaline I felt sitting in front of the TV screen when I six years old.

Lately I’ve been dreaming up a few nightmares I hope to one day share. But until then, thrifters, here are a few secondhand finds you may find a bit horrifying.


This thrifted Wolfman was $2.50.
His eyes are rather menacing.


I love this photograph of an abandoned family estate first built in 1908. Haunted perhaps?

 
I may love the personal description of the photo even more. Thank you Bill Osbourne from 1949.
 

Horror Books
I haven't quite mastered the art of hypnotism but I have enjoyed reading about UFO sightings, spirit photography and religious cults in the World Almanac Book of the Strange.


Worry Dolls
Guatemalan worry dolls. You are supposed to sleep with these little dolls under your pillow to ward off worries. I have 25 of them. I only worry that they will one day seek vengeance for carrying around my mental burdens...and maybe...the snoring.


Haunted Doll 2
Sometimes even my cute dolls can come off a little creepy given the right atmosphere. In playing with the shutter speed, I found this doll has a haunting quality. 

This familiar clown, however...He will ALWAYS be creepy no matter what the lighting concept.


And while my bedroom is surrounded with Chucky dolls and clowns and odd photography I don't  lose any sleep. Unless of course, there's a deadline. I'm just finishing this post now at 2:35 am on what is now technically Wednesday. Miss a blog post?

My God! The horror!  

3 comments:

Page Clothier/A Velvet Leaf said...

I like the way you think!

Amber Von Felts said...

Oh the horror! I was never much for scary movies, but I understand the draw. I did just finish up Steven King's Misery and it was a great read! I stayed up till 2:30 one night just to finish it up. Clowns, are always creepy no matter what and dolls are a close second! If you have Netflix streaming, check out the show Ghost Adventures. It is goofy and but serious at the same time. The bro's on the show are always catching some sort of ghostly evidence in camera! The house in that picture you shared reminds me of one of the haunted houses they visit. Good luck with your fiction, feel free to share it with us!

Jackie Jardine said...

Thanks for the comments. I'll be sure to share some material once I have something substantial on paper, lol. Now it's all free-flowing ideas. I remember first reading 'The Shining' and it was absolutely terrifying!