  Horror/Scary
This week: Edited by: schipperke
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| Goths aren't just young people dressed in all black with white paint on their faces and chains on their jeans. In this issue, I look at the gothic horror story. |
| ASIN: 0997970618 |
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Amazon's Price: $ 14.99
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The novel I chose to highlight this month, Cold Skin, is mentioned as an example of a Gothic horror story by a reviewer on Amazon. I wasn’t sure of the true definition of a gothic horror story, so I thought I would do some research on Gothic Horror, and share it with you. I also wanted to see if the reviewer knew what he was talking about.
The term ‘gothic’ comes from an actual tribe of Germanic people during Roman times, the Goths. They were brutal and efficient warriors, helping to bring down the Roman Empire. The word “gothic” came to represent anything not civilized or cultured, barbaric like the Goths. Gothic architecture, which emerged in the Medieval period, was derided during the Renaissance because it didn’t look like classical architecture, but something more primitive and ugly.
In the 1700's, all thing medieval were popular again. A resurgence in interest in Medieval ruins and literature emerged. One man in particular, Horace Walpole, was interested. He wrote what many consider the first gothic horror story, “The Castle of Otranto”, a dark tale with ghosts, castles and doomed marriages, in 1764.
Gothic horror stories flourished during this time period, establishing the gothic horror genre. Gothic stories usually can include ghosts, ruined castles, prophesy, romance, graveyards, haunted churches and romantic, dramatic plots. The hero or antihero of the gothic horror story is a romantic figure, a dark Lord Byron type figure. Think of Count Dracula, as portrayed by Bela Lugosi, as the perfect Goth.!
Romanticism and gothic genres blend in these stories, which experienced a rebirth in the 1880's. Authors of that time period include Algernon Blackwood, H.P.Lovecraft, and even Oscar Wilde.
Is Cold Skin a gothic horror story?
First, the story takes place on a deserted island in the middle of Antarctic, with a derelict lighthouse and weather station. Atmosphere cloaks the story almost like its own character. In that respect, the story is definitely gothic.
Next, the young man who is the hero(?)of the story is romantic at first, willing to try to get along with the crazy lighthouse keeper and learn more about the monsters. I couldn’t find him a Byronic figure, however, and therefore, don’t think he was a gothic hero. If you read this story, send me a line if you disagree with my theory.
Are there ghosts, or a cursed family? No. But there are monsters. Lots of them. So is the story a modern gothic horror tale? Yes, in some ways, and no in others.
Here are some examples of more ‘modern’ gothic horror tales:
The Monkey’s Paw by WW.Jacobe
}The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker
Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake
The Seven Churches by Milos Urban
Enjoy them and why not write one of your own?
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| ASIN: 197380364X |
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Amazon's Price: $ 15.99
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writeone  :Perhaps you should say: May you EVER hear the scamper of tiny clawed feet behind your walls. My father always told me not to be afraid at night. "There's nothing there in the night that isn't there in the day," he said.
He just didn't know what I saw during the day. Happy Musophobia!
I would freak if I saw the mice scampering during the day.
billwilcox:Schippers,
Wow, I can't believe you didn't use my rat story . I hate rodents!
Here is the link for our faithful readers. I highly recommend everyone reading ANYTHING Bill writes!
alicengoreland:I loved this week newsletter. I read every story and found each to be a great tail.
I am very flattered to have one of my stories among those listed. Alice
Glad you liked it, Alice. Keep writing. And I groaned when I read your pun!! 
bizaromike :In a book on writing by Orson Scott Card, he breaks it down into MICE (Milieu Idea Character Event). Milieu is the setting. Idea is a riddle or problem (mystery of science fiction for example). Character is obvious (grin), and Event is responding to something that occurs (disaster, etc). Love the newsletter!
Goodness, another pun! Thanks for your comments. Card is a wonderful writer.
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| ASIN: 1542722411 |
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Amazon's Price: $ 12.99
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Horror/Scary: May 10, 2006 Issue [#1027]
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