Comments on: Dreadful Thoughts: A Beginning

By: fústar

fústar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:25:18 +0000

Emerging,

We’ll try and get some horror under our belts first, I think, before attempting anything else. I’ve still got that bloody comic to do too!

fdkajffsa dk k asdkdsl f

I’m sure you’ll find, if you scrutinise it closely, that the above is part of a cryptic language being channelled through you by some Lovecraftian god or other. I’m not sure my nerves would stand reading the translation.

Thanks for the kind words by the way and welcome on board (if you can o’ercome your fear).

By: fústar

fústar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:50:53 +0000

Better make it 8-ish actually. Takes me ages to get back from work these busy college days.

Come one come all…and be forever DAMNED!! (i.e. have a nice chat)

By: fústar

fústar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:28:10 +0000

I’ll try and get a “story club” post up on Wednesday after work (I have no opportunity to blog during office hours…bah!).

So let’s gather here Weds Eve (around 7/8 pm) to chew over “What Was it?”.

See y’all then.

By: Sinéad

Sinéad — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:46:02 +0000

“our” even. Jeez. Typing pre-caffeine is NOT good.

By: Sinéad

Sinéad — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:45:36 +0000

It’s shaping up nicely. What’s are rendezvous date?

By: Emerging Writer

Emerging Writer — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 20:41:26 +0000

I’m a total wuss when it comes to horror; I can only read it with my eyes closed. So if I write one, it would come out like this.

fdkajffsa dk k asdkdsl f

It’s a great idea though. Perhaps you could alternate genres. Stretch yourself in SciFi, Fantasy, chicklit, crime, thriller, misery memoir, creative non-fiction, lad lit, children’s stories, pomes

By: fústar

fústar — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:20:34 +0000

Stella, Nice to hear from you again and glad you like d’idea. If you could mangle the school-set ghost story down into comic book format it might fit the FIZZOO! bill very nicely.

LeFanu and Gaskell are 2 nice picks and are duly added to the list. Now away with you and read “What Was It?”.

Actually, something I neglected to mention/discuss in the post is how comfortable people find reading stories from a PC/Laptop (etc) screen. You can, I suppose, print them out but wouldn’t that help create a shameful (Godzilla-sized) carbon footprint?

Anyone have any tricks/tips that might make on-screen reading a more pleasant experience?

By: Stellanova

Stellanova — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 17:40:16 +0000

This is a great idea! Despite being a total wuss, I can’t resist good creepy stories, and I still secretly think that the best things I’ve ever written were a school-set ghost story and a (practically novella-length) vampire story. Not that either of those tales were exactly works of genius, mind. As for potential discussion stories, off the top of my head I recommend Elizabeth Gaskell’s fantastic The Old Nurse’s Story and Sheridan LeFanu’s Carmilla, both of which are freely available online.

By: fústar

fústar — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 16:44:21 +0000

Simon, I’m not a fan of the new wave of “torture horror” at all. I find much of the stuff I can be bothered to watch juvenile and tedious in the extreme, made by hacks with no feel for real horror.

The nastiness and frequent misogyny is pretty hard to take too. It all feels very teenage-y and cynical (not in a good way).

I avoid even well written horror just because I don’t like being scared.

What a wuss!

By: Simon McGarr

Simon McGarr — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 11:22:49 +0000

I hate and avoid horror films and find the focus on torture as entertainment in recent years suspicious in the extreme. After all, I can’t be the only person to think that the introduction of torture as official policy is likely to taint a culture’s subconscious. I’d prefer not to share in the imaginative pollution.

In contrast, I avoid even well written horror just because I don’t like being scared.

By: fústar

fústar — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 16:53:16 +0000

Sinéad, Delighted that you like it and good to have you on board. Many thanks for the plug too – it’ll hopefully send some of the (non-comic) book geeks who hang around your place over to have a look! MR James is definitely on the list. No such project could possibly leave him out. You might suggest one of his for the next round once we get over Fitz James O’Brien?

Can your brother draw?! We’re a bit short on FIZZOO! artists.

Will, Pseudopod is a great place and a far more polished effort than that which I’m attempting here (hell, they even pay). This is more of a social/fun thing…in a “terrorise you to the depths of your soul” sort of way.

By: Will

Will — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:05:36 +0000

I assume you’ve heard about the Pseudopod horror podcast… short stories read in their entirety…

http://pseudopod.org/

some of them are just plain creepy…

By: Sinéad

Sinéad — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:16:40 +0000

PS I’m going to tell my comic book geek brother about FIZZOO!

By: Sinéad

Sinéad — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:15:52 +0000

What a bloody great idea – count me in. Gave it plug over my way. Bring on the MR James!