Resources

resource links for horror fans, horror writers, and the darkly-minded

The resources section offers links for writers of dark fiction and horror, authors looking to better market their work, and fans of the curious, strange, Fortean, obscure, and occult. Kira collects the articles she's found helpful in her own work, and shares them here with the hope that they'll help others too.

Articles for Horror Writers

25 Things you should know about writing horror

by Chuck Wendig

I grew up on horror fiction. Used to eat it up with a spoon. These days, not so much, but only I suspect because the horror releases just aren’t coming as fast and furious as they once did. But really, the novels I have coming out so far are all, in their own way, horror novels. DOUBLE DEAD takes place in a zombie-fucked America with its protagonist being a genuinely monstrous vampire. BLACKBIRDS and MOCKINGBIRD feature a girl who can touch you and see how and when you’re going to die and then presents her with very few ways to do anything about it. Both are occasionally grisly and each puts to task a certain existential fear that horror does particularly well, asking who the hell are we, exactly?

A lesson in horror from Brian Evenson

by Mika Yamamoto for Fiction Advocate

Brian Evenson’s new novella, The Warren, opens with a declaration of documentation: I shall begin this written record by reporting the substance of our last conversation—which was not only the last conversation I had with Horak but the last I had with anyone or ever expect to have.

H.P. Lovecraft Gives Five Tips for Writing a Horror Story, or Any Piece of “Weird Fiction”

by Josh Jones for OpenCulture

Though the term “weird fiction” came into being in the 19th century—originally used by Irish gothic writer Sheridan Le Fanu—it was picked up by H.P. Lovecraft in the 20th century as a way, primarily, of describing his own work. Lovecraft produced copious amounts of the stuff, as you can see from our post highlighting online collections of nearly his entire corpus. He also wrote in depth about writing itself. He did so in generally prescriptive ways, as in his 1920 essay “Literary Composition,” and in ways specific to his chosen mode—as in the 1927 “Supernatural Horror in Literature,” in which he defined weird fiction very differently than Le Fanu or modern authors like China Miéville.

Horror: Sub-genres and terms

by Paula Guran

Don't expect to find a definition of horror here. The closest I get to even attempting that is in an essay, The Meaning of the "H" Word. And you can re-read Doug Winter's words on the site entry. These will remind you that horror isn't a genre at all. Once you have that firmly in mind, then you can ponder the irony of the following -- horror sub-genres and related terms. Not that these can be considered definitive. Horrorists disagree about such things; academics debate them. Some that have complex meaning are treated simplistically and with great brevity.

How To Scare Your Reader: 11 Tips From 11 Horror Writers

by Michale David Wilson for LitReactor

How do you scare your reader? Perhaps the ultimate question for the horror writer, and a question that has intrigued me for a long time. The dictionary definition of ‘scare’ is [to] ‘cause great fear or nervousness’. Fear is an evolutionary survival tactic that originates from our fight or flight response. Fear induces a biochemical physical reaction that can include sweating, heart palpitations, and a surge of adrenaline. The reaction can be so strong it’s even thought, as per Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles, you can quite literally be scared to death.

How to write Scary

by Gretchen McNeil for Adventures in YA Publishing

Here's the thing about writing horror: it's all about the set up. We're all scared of different things. For some people, the idea of a giant spider lurking under the bed, is enough to paralyze them with fear. For others, it's the idea of being buried alive in a close, black coffin, utterly sightless in the dark. Still others fear the darkness. Or heights. Or being abandoned in the middle of nowhere.

The Horror Genre: On Writing Horror and Avoiding Clichés

by Cris Freese

The horror genre is something that I’ve always been fascinated with. Luckily, I don’t think I’m the only one. People like to be frightened. If they didn’t, Stephen King wouldn’t have a thousand novels and you wouldn’t find every horror film ever made running on AMC at this time, every year. Seriously. Click over to AMC, I can almost guarantee Halloween, or one of its sequels, is on right now.

The Long Hard Odds: A Few Hints on Getting that First Horror Novel Published

by Michael Marano

Those twelve year olds who read Goosebumps six years ago are now part of that juicy 18-25 year-old marketing demographic. The success of Scream and Buffy the Vampire Slayer supports this. Before you dismiss Scream and Buffy as product that doesn't relate to the book business, think a moment. The kids who bought Goosebumps and other such books did so with savvy consumer awareness--they knew that what they wanted was written by Stine, Pike, or Coville. Now, Kevin Willamson (writer of Scream) and Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy) are hot commodities--their names as writers are used to sell movies and TV shows to that juicy 18-25 year old age group. Kids know what they're looking for, and they find it in association with the names of certain writers. The kids are looking for new product. Now is the time to sell Horror. I'm ready to make my move. Are you?

The Meaning of the "H" Word

by Paula Guran

The word horror (in a literary sense) has had so many meanings and connotations over the years it's easy to get confused. Recently, the "H" word has been downright abused, twisted into a salable product, then abandoned as not commercial. It's become as much an epitaph as a description. It's been both disavowed and vaunted by its creators, fans, and publishers, but seldom have most readers considered what horror is.

The Rise of Horror: YA Readers and Dark Fiction

by JG Faherty for Voya

There is a revolution happening in reading. No, I’m not talking about the e-book revolution, although it does play a part in this. The revolution I’m referring to is being led by our children, and it’s one we should all be getting behind. For years, people – experts and laymen alike – have been bemoaning that today’s youth is reading fewer books than ever, and that the levels of literacy among our children and teens is in a dangerous decline. Over the past couple of years, new studies have shown that this information is, in fact, decidedly wrong. Since 2009, young adult readership has actually been increasing in double digits every year.

Horror Podcasts

Anything Ghost

Ghost stories from around the world

Anything Ghost is a free audio show where people share paranormal experiences. In this how, the host Lex will read stories -- enhancing them with effects and his original music.

Archive 81

A found footage horror podcast about cities, stories, and old gods

Three months ago Daniel Powell vanished. These are the tapes he sent me.

Chilling Tales

Turn on the dark

Chilling Tales is a premiere multimedia brand perhaps most well known for its full-cast, Hollywood-quality audio productions, which feature professional-grade sound effects and custom musical scores in order to create immersive environments and a true audio experience.

Faculty of Horror

Podcasting from the horrored halls

Tackling all things horror with a slash of analysis and research, horror journalists and occasional academics Andrea Subissati and Alexandra West are your hosts for brain plumping discussions on all things that go bump in the night. Produced independently in Toronto, Ontario The Faculty of Horror is your best source for classic and contemporary horror film discussions that will haunt the libraries of your mind.

FearShop Horror Podcast

Frank and Mike give their opinions on horror movies featuring DVD reviews and independent horror movie information

FearShop.com Horror Podcast: Frank and Mike give their opinions on horror movies featuring DVD reviews and independent horror movie information. Every episode has 4-5 horror movie reviews and features in the horror industry.

Fireside Mystery Theatre

New episodes will be available here each month during our show season

Fireside Mystery Theatre is an old-fashioned, live radio show with a modern horror twist! We perform once a month at The Slipper Room in Manhattan with a full cast, a live, improvised score and live musical acts to complement the stories.

History Goes Bump

Exploring creepy and haunted locations

Every show features a “Moment In Oddity,” “History Of The Day,” and then interviews and discussions about a historic location, event or person and the hauntings associated with the subject of the particular show. The tagline for the show is “Ghost tours for the theater of the mind” and that is the goal of the podcast: to take listeners on a virtual tour of a place they may never have the chance to visit and to entertain while possibly sharing something listeners may not have heard before.

Horrorphilia: Blood, Booze, and Reviews

We drink, we talk about horror news, films, conventions, etc.

Your one stop for everything horror related and even some adult beverage recommendations!

Jim Harold's Campfire

True ghost stories, hauntings, life after death stories and more

Listen to chilling TRUE stories of everyday people who have encountered paranormal phenomena of all types. Ghost stories, UFO, cryptids and more! This feed reflects the last 90 days of content, Jim Harold's Campfire has been in production since 2009 with over 240 episodes. True ghost stories, hauntings, life after death stories and more. Hosted by Jim Harold.

Killer POV

A new episode of Killer POV airs every Friday at 6am PST

Join FANGORIA’s Rebekah McKendry, FEARnet’s Rob Galluzzo and Inside Horror’s Elric Kane as they discuss all things horror and go in depth with all the latest horror movies & news, welcome special guests and tackle a myriad of topics weekly.

Knifepoint Horror

Knifepoint Horror strips storytelling of all the frill and fluff to bring you stark and startling terror

These tales of supernatural suspense by Soren Narnia adhere to the most primal element of storytelling: a single human voice describing events exactly as it experienced them. The stories, stripped of even proper titles, spill forward as taut, uninterrupted confessions. Knifepoint Horror leaves nothing but the story's riveting spine to compel and chill you to the core. Music by Kevin MacLeod.

Limetown

Ten years ago, over three hundred men, women and children disappeared from a small town in Tennessee, never to be heard from again. Until now.

Ten years ago, over three hundred men, women and children disappeared from a small town in Tennessee, never to be heard from again. In this seven-part podcast, American Public Radio host Lia Haddock asks the question once more, "What happened to the people of Limetown?"

Lore

Because sometimes the truth is more frightening than fiction

Lore is an award-winning, critically-acclaimed podcast about true life scary stories. Each episode examines a new dark tale from history, and presents it in a style that's been compared to a campfire experience. With over 3,200 5-star reviews and 2 million monthly listens, that's clearly a good thing. New episodes are released every two weeks, on Mondays.

Monster Talk

Critically examines the legends behinds cryptozoological and legendary creatures

MonsterTalk is the science show about monsters—a free audio podcast that critically examines the science behind cryptozoological (and legendary) creatures, such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, or werewolves. Hosted by Blake Smith and Dr. Karen Stollznow, MonsterTalkinterviews the scientists and investigators who shine a spotlight on the things that go bump in the night. For once (and unlike mystery-mongering television shows) a monster-themed program gives skepticism more than just a couple minutes of lip service!

Nocturne

Peering into the dusty corners of the night

There are 24 hours in a day. Seems pretty straightforward. But what do you really know about the hours between say, 11pm-6am. From graveyard shift jobs to “secret identities”, who we are and what we do at night is often less fully perceived by others, whether by choice or by circumstance. Peering into the dusty corners of the night, Nocturne explores these often overlooked and undisclosed slices of life. Under cover of darkness, our thoughts and feelings can take on strange new shapes, sometimes barely recognizable as our own. And the pulse of the world seems to alter too, sort of creating a curtain of privacy around our behaviors and even our appearance. Do I truly know you if I only know the daytime you? Let’s find out in Nocturne. Nocturne is a member of The Heard, an awesome collective of sound-rich, story-driven podcasts. Episodes of Nocturne have been featured multiple times on terrestrial radio shows such as KCRW’s UnFictional; KALW’s The Spot and Crosscurrents; and CBC/Radio-Canada’s Podcast Playlist.

Pseudopod: The Sound of Horror

The Sound of Horror

Pseudopod is the world's first audio horror magazine. We deliver bone-chilling stories from today's most talented authors straight to ears.

ScreamQueenz

The podcast where horror gets bent

Take your host Patrick (aka. “The Angriest Redhead in New York City”). Mix in his nearly rabid love for (and encyclopedic knowledge of) horror movies. Add his notoriously wicked sense of offbeat humor. Sprinkle on some sparkling gay repartee. Serve with a heaping portion of jaw-dropping potty mouth, and what have you got? A deliciously unpredictable horror podcast with a decidedly BENT point of view with a host who always knows which fork to use to stick in your eye.

Smalltown Horror

Every small town has secrets, some more than others. Crayton, Minnesota, seems to be a secret in itself.

Small Town Horror is a bi-weekly serialized docudrama about one man's search for answers in his hometown, the site of his own mysterious kidnapping 18 years ago. Are the answers he seeks worth the cost of returning to the place known as Crazytown? Sound Design by Daniel Burnett Music Composed by Tom Rory Parsons.

Tales to Terrify

Host Stephen Kilpatrick brings the best of horror fiction to your ears and your mind, read to you by the most chilling narrators that podcasting has to offer

Have you trembled ‘round the campfire as the ghost stories are told? Do tales of horrors wrought by nature and beyond strike fear in your soul? Is it best when you are afraid to turn out the light? Thrill to stories that strike at your deepest fears, as host Stephen Kilpatrick brings the best of horror fiction to your ears and your mind, read to you by the most chilling narrators that podcasting has to offer. Podcasting the finest in genre fiction, Tales to Terrify is where the depths of horror reveal the truths of good, evil, and the human spirit in the District of Wonders podcast network. Like all shows in the District of Wonders, Tales to Terrify is supported by a welcoming community of dedicated fans and contributors. Subscribe today, and begin your journey through the spine-tingling depths of storytelling. Everyone has a story in the District of Wonders. Come and find yours.

Terror Transmission

Terror Transmission is a free, monthly movie commentary podcast dedicated to classic horror from the silent era up until the late 1980s

Terror Transmission is a free, monthly movie commentary podcast dedicated to classic horror from the silent era up until the late 1980s. The audio program is hosted by Jason Andreasson and Matt G. Paradise and is generally recorded in “the viewing room” — a space in Andreasson’s home containing a 10′ wide projection screen and dedicated to film watching. Both hosts proudly assert their enthusiasm for the show and their disdain for many others in the genre by their tagline, “The greatest horror commentary podcast… EVER!”

The Black Tapes

The Black Tapes is a bi-weekly podcast from Pacific Northwest Stories and Minnow Beats Whale, and is hosted by Alex Reagan.

The Black Tapes is a serialized docudrama about one journalist's search for truth, her enigmatic subject's mysterious past, and the literal and figurative ghosts that haunt them both. How do you feel about paranormal activity or the Supernatural? Ghosts? Spirits? Demons? Do you believe?

The Dark Verse

Occult, metaphysical, and fantastical horror by M. Amanuensis Sharkchild

The Dark Verse is a universe of occult, metaphysical, and fantastical horror stories by M. Amanuensis Sharkchild that have the sole purpose of following you to the visions of your sleep. They are available by podcast (free mp3 downloads), hardcover books, and ebooks. The contents of the stories range from demented entities to gross worlds, undead recollections to philosophical and psychological possessions, and twisted, inventive imagery to unhindered terror.

The Moth

True stories told live

Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.

The Night Time Podcast

Focusing on the fringe of Atlantic Canada

Discussing mysteries, crime, and the paranormal with a focus on Atlantic Canada.

The No Sleep Podcast

The Nosleep Podcast is a multi-award winning anthology series of original horror stories, with rich atmospheric music to enhance the frightening tales

In the spring of 2010, a new forum appeared on Reddit.com. It was called “Nosleep” and the concept of this forum (or “subreddit”) was to be a place for people to post original scary stories about frightening experiences. It was an online version of telling spooky stories around the campfire.

The Podcast on Haunted Hill

Gav and Dan lend their unique perspective to horror films and the world surrounding them.

With Gav's unique perspective as a filmmaker and Dan's peculiar perspectives, The Podcast on Haunted Hill offers a fresh view of horror cinema!

The Wicked Library

Dedicated to bringing you the latest stories of horror by the newest and best independent authors

The Wicked Library is a bi-weekly podcast dedicated to bringing you the latest stories of horror by the newest and best independent authors! Created and hosted by Nelson W Pyles for five seasons, he is now the executive producer and 400 lb gorilla as new host Dan Foytik tears into season six with great voice and creativity as well as a new roster of cover artists. Dan is/was the only choice to take over hosting duties for the podcast and we're sure you're going to be scared...really scared. Now more than ever, go ahead...leave the lights on. Follow us on Twitter @wickedlibrary Interested authors, please contact us at [email protected] and visit www.thewickedlibrary.com

Uncanny County

Be afraid. Be kind of afraid.

Mystical truck drivers. Robots gone haywire. Killer clown demons. And pie. So. Much. Pie. This quirky, darkly comic, Southwestern-flavored anthology brings you a new paranormal audio play every month. Sit back, relax, and hold on tight. Because you're about to take a quick detour...through Uncanny County.

We're Alive: A Story of Survival

A "Zombie" Story of Survival

For Army Reserve Soldier Michael Cross, the world as he knew it ended in an instant. One minute, he’s in college, and in the next, rioters are roaming the highway around him, breaking into cars, and literally tearing people apart. This is the day the dead walk. This is the world of We’re Alive. We’re Alive: Features chapters packing performances and sound effects that rival movies and prove that modern audio drama is undead and well. Join our survivors as they band together, struggle to fortify a safe haven known as the Tower, and discovers that zombies are far from the worst thing in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles where the rules of human decency no longer apply. Little food. Little water. Little hope. Who is lucky enough to say “We’re Alive?”

Welcome to Night Vale

Twice-monthly community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale

Welcome to Night Vale is a twice-monthly podcast in the style of community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, featuring local weather, news, announcements from the Sheriff's Secret Police, mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events.

Zombie Grrlz podcast

Feminist chicks who love horror flicks

The Zombie Grrlz Horror Podcast is for fearless, fierce, horror lovin’ ladies (and guys) who just want to geek out about our favorite genre. Our mission is to change the perception that horror fandom is just for the fellas, as well as highlight the many contributions of women in horror, in front of and behind the camera. On our bi-weekly horror podcast, the ZG crew features reviews—and occasionally some news—about horror in movies, TV, games, and books, and for our fellow instant gratification lovers each episode ends with a horror movie streaming pick. So, whether your a horror girl or fanboy, we’re happy you found us and hope you love the show! Stay spooky, my friends.

Inspiration for Horror Writers

Atlas Obscura

Discover 9,325 curious places—in your neighborhood and around the world

In an age where everything seems to have been explored and there is nothing new to be found, we celebrate a different way of looking at the world. If you're searching for miniature cities, glass flowers, books bound in human skin, gigantic flaming holes in the ground, bone churches, balancing pagodas, or homes built entirely out of paper, the Atlas Obscura is where you'll find them. Atlas Obscura is a collaborative project. We depend on our far-flung community of explorers (like you!) to help us discover amazing, hidden spots, and share them with the world. If you know of a curious place that's not already in the Atlas, let us know.

Beachcombing's Bizarre History Blog

The outlandish, the anomalous, and the curious from the last five thousand years

Dr Beachcombing lives part of his time in the village of Little Snoring in an undisclosed English county (not Norfolk…) and the rest of his time in an undisclosed village in Tuscany. He likes villages. He is particularly curious about the strange and the unexpected in records of the past: exceptions that prove or disprove rules. He increasingly suspects that there are no rules, but that’s another story…

Bleaq

Bleaq is an adaption of the word bleak, meaning gloomy and somber. The ‘q’ makes the name unique and – of course – look super fancy.

Bleaq is an art blog collecting visual inspiration focussed on the melancholic, bleak and dark side of fine arts, design, illustration, photography and fashion. There’s a new feature on Bleaq every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Cemetery Travel: Adventures in Graveyards Around the World

Your take-along guide to graves & graveyards

I started visiting graveyards by accident. A series of missed connections during the first Gulf War resulted in an unanticipated layover in London, where I just happened to pick up Victorian Valhalla, a guidebook to Highgate Cemetery. My husband Mason wanted to visit the graveyard because John Gay’s photos made it look so pretty. In fact, Highgate was ravishing, full of dramatic marble angels taking wing.

Death Salon

Engaging with Death's Past, Present, & Future

Welcome to Death Salon. We hold events that bring together intellectuals and independent thinkers engaged in the exploration of our shared mortality by sharing knowledge and art. Death is sanitized and hidden in contemporary culture to the point of becoming a taboo subject. We aim to subvert this death denial by opening up conversations with the public about death and its anthropological, historical, and artistic contributions to culture. In the spirit of the 18th-century salon, our curated intellectual gatherings hosted in cities worldwide.

Dirge Magazine

The Land of the Freaks and Home of the Strange

Dirge Magazine is the premier dark culture magazine, covering counterculture arts and entertainment, lifestyle, and editorials. Sifting through generalized sites for things that fit your dark aesthetic can be tedious, and an abundance of redundant horror sites has created an explosive amount of coverage on a surprisingly narrow range of interests. While we appreciate what they do, we seek to expand beyond horror, into the strange, the subversive, and the beautifully grotesque. We want Dirge to be a place you can come to see things you haven’t seen before, or a fresh take on the dark side of something familiar. A place where news isn’t robo-barfed at you, but rather experiences are shared in a meaningful way.

EsoterX

If Monsters Don't Exist, Why Are They Out To Get Me?

EsoterX is an anthropological investigation of the ontological status of things that go bump in the night. The fact that monsters may or may not be corporeal is of no consequence, as Charles Baudelaire said, “I consider it useless and tedious to represent that which exists, because nothing that exists satisfies me. Nature is ugly, and I prefer the monsters of my fancy to what is positively trivial”. Born in a log cabin behind the Institute for Psychical Research, I am an applied anthropologist by training, inclination, and neurosis, masquerading as a computational linguist and software engineer by day, busy accumulating obscure masters degrees in an attempt to assemble a set of letters after my name that spontaneously result in some sort of gematriac significance. And I’m convinced the universe is a far weirder place than we like to admit and the only reasonable response is that recommended by Hunter Thompson — “When the going gets weird, turn pro”.

Grave Addiction

Photos of cemeteries and haunted places

Grave Addiction contains photos I have taken at all of the cemeteries, haunted places, abandoned buildings, and historical parks that I have visited. I'm always exploring new places, so the site is updated with new photos and stories on a regular basis (I attempt to add new pages once a week, but sometimes that doesn't happen).

Haunted Ohio

I call myself a “fortean”. Forteans are named for Charles Fort, a researcher of all things strange.

The basics: Born in Columbus, Ohio, began college studying to be a librarian at Bowling Green State University, degree in Medieval and Renaissance Studies from OSU, lives in an unhaunted house near Dayton, Ohio with her husband. Collects books, dollhouse miniatures and fish castles. Former church organist. Relentlessly Informative. I call myself a “fortean”. Forteans are named for Charles Fort, a researcher of all things strange.

Hayley is a Ghost Geek

Paranormal research according to Hayley Stevens

I’m Hayley and I’m a paranormal researcher who doesn’t believe in the paranormal. Instead I attempt to find rational causes for the weird things people claim to experience using scientific skepticism and rational inquiry.

Messy Nessy Chic

Blogging off the beaten path

As you might have guessed, my life tends to get a little messy but I like to think it’s still chic– like a Jean-Luc Godard film or something. Nessy was raised a London girl (there I go talking in third-person), but one day I packed up my things and decided it was time to return to the land of my ancestors and cheese, and move to gay ol’ Paris. I fell in love and never looked back. (Highly recommended). My passions? I like food, singing, writing, abandoned places, old photographs and puppies most in life.

Monster Brains

Aeron Alfrey creates unique imagery inspired by the macabre, grotesque and monstrous.

When I'm not tracking down monstrous imagery to share here I'm usually creating my own strange art seen at aeronalfrey.com

Morbid Anatomy

Exploring the intersections of death and beauty, and everything that falls between the cracks

Morbid Anatomy: Surveying the Interstices of Art and Medicine, Death and Culture

Mysterious Universe

Mysterious Universe brings you the latest news and podcasts covering the strange, extraordinary, weird, wonderful and everything in between.

Mysterious Universe brings you the latest news and podcasts covering the strange, extraordinary, weird, wonderful and everything in between. We strive to maintain a balance of healthy skepticism and entertainment while never losing our sense of humour.

Notebook of Ghosts

When I was very young, I was obsessed with ghost stories. I kept a small notebook with black pages in which I would jot down ghost stories I heard

On this site, and in a physical notebook, I will continue my childhood scholarly pursuits of understanding ghosts and society’s fascination with them. I look forward to making this personal project, public, and hearing your insights.

Nourishing Death

An Examination of the Relationship Between Food and Death in Rituals, Culture, Religion and Society.

Since ancient eras human beings have incorporated food into their observances of death in diverse and often macabre ways. Early burial feasts and offerings are depicted on Egyptian hieroglyphics and recently, what some anthropologists consider to be the first burial feast was discovered in a small cave in northern Israel dating back some 12,000 years.

Open Graves, Open Minds

The Open Graves, Open Minds project relates the undead in literature, art, and other media to questions concerning gender, technology, consumption, and social change. It extends to all narratives of the fantastic, the fabulous, and the magical.

The Open Graves, Open Minds: Vampires and the Undead in Modern Culture Research Project is led by Dr Sam George at the University of Hertfordshire, in collaboration with Dr Bill Hughes. The Open Graves, Open Minds project relates the undead in literature, art, and other media to questions concerning gender, technology, consumption, and social change, and was initiated by a prominent and exciting conference in April 2010. It extends to all narratives of the fantastic, the fabulous, and the magical.

Strange Company

A walk on the weird side of history

Blogger of the Grotesque and Arabesque. Remarkably lifelike.

The Anomalist

The Anomalist is a daily review of world news on maverick science, unexplained mysteries, unorthodox theories, strange talents, and unexpected discoveries.

The Anomalist is a journal and website that explores the mysteries of science, nature, and history. Although The Anomalist has changed since our first print edition appeared in June of 1994, and our website went up in November of 1995, our basic philosophy, expressed in the following editorial from The Anomalist:1, remains the same.

The Chirurgeon's Apprentice

This website is dedicated to a study of early chirurgeons, and all the blood and gore that comes with it.

Surgeons are amongst the highest paid professionals in the medical world today. They are the “miracle-workers” of the 21st century, capable of saving and transforming the lives of their patients. Nevertheless, the place of the surgeon amongst today’s medical elite was not always guaranteed. At the beginning of the 17th century, “chirurgeons” [surgeons] were closely related to barbers and other craftsmen who learned their trade through apprenticeships. After the Restoration, however, chirurgeons broke from their medieval role and began participating in important medical debates. Their advocacy of practical medicine and experimentation distinguished them from their university-educated counterparts, the physicians, and helped elevate their role in the medical marketplace. This website is dedicated to a study of early chirurgeons, and all the blood and gore that comes with it.

The Daily Grail

Exploring the fringes of science and history. Caveat lector!

Adventures at the outer limits of science and history.

The Ghost Diaries

Do we believe in ghosts? Not necessarily, but ‘ghost’ is an excitingly loaded metaphor for the eternal unknowns that plague human consciousness. Our minds are wide open.

The Ghost Diaries is the online home for anyone interested in the unknown or, as it’s popularly known, the paranormal. What does “paranormal” mean? Quite literally, anything that deviates from normal reality. Therefore, this site will be home to news, entertainment and media pertaining to ghosts, spirits, UFOs, ESP, conspiracy theories, horror films, and a wide variety of unexplained phenomena collected from all across the world. The Ghost Diaries will also host all the latest findings from cosmology, astronomy, and the multiverse theory. We have a thing for dark energy…

The Moonlit Road

Strange tales of the American South

Where we tell ghost stories, folk tales, myths, and legends from the dark backroads of the American South.

The Occult Center

From the latin "occultis" meaning veiled or hidden

The Occult Centre reflects on the occult in pop culture, film, and television. An interesting cache of analytical essays revolving on such obscure topics as magic, conjure, and the contemporary.

The Occult Museum

Collecting the strange, the unexplained and the supernatural.

Launched in August 2015, The Occult Museum is a website dedicated to collecting the strange, macabre and the supernatural. Featuring a mixture of articles we also host a growing database of reader submitted ghost stories, paranormal photographs and media from around the world.

The Order of the Good Death

The Order of the Good Death is a group of funeral industry professionals, academics, and artists exploring ways to prepare a death phobic culture for their inevitable mortality.

The Order is about making death a part of your life. Staring down your death fears—whether it be your own death, the death of those you love, the pain of dying, the afterlife (or lack thereof), grief, corpses, bodily decomposition, or all of the above. Accepting that death itself is natural, but the death anxiety of modern culture is not.

The Spooky Isles

Paranormal, Horror, and Dark History in UK and Ireland

The Spooky Isles is dedicated to British and Irish horror and supernatural-related entertainment. That includes ghost stories, horror movies, gruesome history, visits to haunted houses, ghost tours, exhibitions and all just about anything on these isles that can send a shiver down your spine.

Two Nerdy History Girls

We thought there must be at least three other people out there who think history’s fascinating and fun, too. This blog is for them.

One of us -- Loretta Chase -- writes historical romance. One of us -- Susan Holloway Scott -- writes historical novels, and as Isabella Bradford, also writes historical romance. There’s a big difference in how we use history. But we’re equally nuts about it. To us, the everyday details of life in the past are things to talk about, ponder, make fun of -- much in the way normal people talk about their favorite reality show. We talk about who’s wearing what and who’s sleeping with whom. We try to sort out rumor or myth from fact. We thought there must be at least three other people out there who think history’s fascinating and fun, too. This blog is for them.

Wyrd Britain

A blog concerned with stories in, of, from and about the stranger places of Britain.

Stories that explore a Britain other than the one we think we know. A Britain where the ghosts are unquiet, where the woods are alive and where distinctions between the present, the future and the past are permeable.

Horror Book Tours

Bewitching Book Tours

Bewitching Book Tours specializes in paranormal romance, urban fantasy and paranormal erotica book tours though we are open to almost all other fiction genres as well.

Bewitching Book Tours is geared towards the new author, the ebook author, the small and independent press author, and the mid-list author- the author who doesn't have a huge marketing budget but wants the most bang for their promotional buck. Bewitching Book Tours aims to offer just that by pairing authors and their books with targeted book bloggers and readers who enjoy the types of books the authors write.

Enchanted Book Promotions

We’re here to help you promote your book

We offer various services, ranging from virtual book tours to marketing services such as writing a professional press release, setting up a newsletter for your website, managing your social media and organizing a custom book marketing campaign for your novel. We also offer web design services. We have more than 400 tour hosts, and have hosted more than 800 tours. We accept all genres. We’ve hosted tours in the past for every genre ranging from non-fiction to thrillers to children’s books.

Reading Addiction Book Tours

We have been coordinating Book Tours for over 4 years.

We have successfully completed OVER 800 Book Tours and Promotional Events during that time! The best thing about a Book Tour is that it will give you exposure to many readers all at one time. Authors who self-published don’t have the benefit of a publisher to give them publicity or set up Physical Book Tours. Social Media is BOOMING, promote your book online where many perspective readers can find it!

TLC Book Tours

It’s all about creating a buzz

At TLC Book Tours, we customize each tour. Through an innovative mix of widely read book blogs and specialty blogs, we seek to reach a targeted audience that would be predisposed to enjoying your book. We work closely with authors to determine their target market and rely on their input. We’ve built relationships with hundreds of bloggers and are constantly making new connections every day.

Xpresso Book Tours

Book Tours appearing in the horror category at Xpresso

Xpresso Book Tours is run by Giselle of Xpresso Reads who has been part of the blogging community since September 2011 and started Xpresso Book Tours in October 2012. If you would like to know more about her personally, refer to her “About Me” page that’s found on Expresso Reads. Currently, Xpresso Book Tours has successfully completed over 300 blog tours and 1,000 promotional events.

Horror Novel Reviewers

Beauty in Ruins

Reviewing the very fabric of reality one page at a time

While I'll read (and review) just about anything I can get my hands on that interests me, I'm naturally drawn to genre fiction (fantasy, horror, and science fiction). It's the power of imagination that intrigues me, and the ability to tell stories about things that have never been, and might never be.

Bloody Bookish

A literary hotspot for dark fiction enthusiasts

Blood Re(a)d is our column where we peel back the covers of dark fiction books everywhere and dissect what lies beneath. Dark fiction is our bread and butter. Bloody Bookish is looking for Book Review Requests with darker, atmospheric elements including the following genres:Horror, Science Fiction, Surreal, Weird, Bizarro, Suspense, Thriller, Extreme (splatterpunk, viceral), Supernatural (demons, zombies, etc.), Paranormal, Psychological Cyberpunk, Dystopian, Mysteries, Steampunk, Vampire, Gothic

Books of Blood

Horror Book Reviews

Andrew is a British expat librarian in the U.S. He's a keen horror enthusiast and lover of the macabre. Horror is his passion and he's always looking for the next scare. Book-wise, he likes a wide variety of horror. Clive Barker's collection The Books of Blood ignited his passion for horror. Movie-wise, he especially loves the campy movies of the 70s and 80s, Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento and the ilk. He likes to help spread the word about horror authors and their titles.

Brian's Book Blog

Honest reviews of audiobooks, sci-fi, technothrillers, post-apocalyptic and more

Post-Apocalyptic, Bio-Thrillers, Zombie, and Prepper Fiction. This is my bread and butter. The world is failing — why? Or people who aren’t normally the first to make it are forced into a survival situation. I just love it, there’s something about the mix of science fiction, fact, and just great thriller writing in most post-apocalyptic fiction that I can’t get enough of.

Castle Macabre

Horror/Speculative Fiction in Books and Film/Television

I created Castle Macabre as an offshoot of my main book blog, True Book Addict, to celebrate my love of the horror and speculative fiction genres. While the main focus here will be books, I will occasionally talk about horror/speculative genre films, as I simply adore being scared and tend to prefer horror films (mostly).

Cemetery Dance Online

Cemetery Dance Publications is widely-considered the world’s leading specialty press publisher of horror and dark suspense

Our flagship magazine, Cemetery Dance, has won every major genre award and is healthier than ever — with a higher newsstand and subscriber circulation than ever before, ever-increasing advertiser support, and a continuing reputation for superb content and design. We’re well-known for publishing the biggest and the brightest stars in the genre, often before they’re discovered by the big New York publishers.

Dark Hall Press - Horror Reviews

Horror Fiction Review Site

Dark Hall Press – subsidiary of New Street Communications, LLC – is a boutique publisher of superior Horror and SciFi literature. We do not publish very many books, but those that we do are among the best out there. We publish in paper, Kindle and audio editions. They also offer reviews in horror and dark fiction.

Dark Scribe Magazine

A virtual magazine about the books that keep you up at night

Dark Scribe Magazine is a free web-based publication that focuses exclusively on the creative forces behind horror, suspense, thrillers, and other dark fiction and non-fiction works. While the thrust of the magazine is on writers, we maintain a strong secondary focus on the editors, artists, retailers, short story fiction markets, and Internet sites that support all aspects of dark genre literature. Our target audience includes readers of horror, dark fantasy, suspense, mysteries, thrillers, and other dark fiction and non-fiction, genre authors, publishers, retailers, and web masters, aspiring writers, and bibliophiles.

Don d'Ammassa

Horror and science fiction reviews

Don's been reviewing horror and science fiction on his site for seven years and was reviewer for Science Fiction Chronicle and other places for thirty years before that. There are several hundred horror reviews posted there now. He doesn't charge but he also does not accept eBooks.

Fangoria Book and Comic Reviews

Offering reviews in books, comics, and films in horror

Fangoria is a monthly horror and exploitation film magazine, which has been in continuous production since 1979.

Fantasy Literature Reviews from Terry Weyna

Fantasy and horror novel reviews provided by Terry Weyna at Fantasy Literature Reviews

Terry Weyna has been on staff with Fantasy Literature Reviews since December 2010, would rather be reading than doing almost anything else. She provides reviews in horror fiction.

Frank Michaels Errington’s Horrible Book Reviews

Former radio personality in Tucson & Philly turned horror reviewer

Frank Michael Errington has been reviewing, primarily horror, for a few years now. No charge. He's also had more than 40 reviews published by CemeteryDanceOnline.com since it's inception in July of 2015.

Ginger Nuts of Horror

Ginger Nuts of Horror is your premiere source of horror-related news and reviews

The brainchild of owner/CEO Jim Mcleod, Ginger Nuts of Horror is your premiere source of horror-related news and reviews. Through frequent, quality updates, the Ginger Nuts of Horror team is always at work, bringing you feature articles, in-depth interviews, giveaway competitions, media reviews, and much more. We’re not paid to promote the products we review, so we can guarantee honesty in highlighting the best (and worst) of what the world of horror has to offer.

Hell Notes

Fiction, movies, and art dedicated to the horror genre

Founder David B. Silva began Hellnotes in 1995 as a weekly email newsletter with a hardcopy component and a paid subscription base. Since then, it’s gone through a number of transformations and today delivers the same horror genre news and information several times a day for free. Hellnotes, owned by JournalStone Publishing, remains dedicated to bringing you the best information on the internet, covering horror movies, horror fiction, horror comics, horror writers, and more.

Horror Made

Your delightfully dark home for horror

Offers weekly scheduled reviews in horror fiction and accepts requests. Jeanette Andromeda also discusses horror podcasts, dark art, and all other things strange and wonderful.

Horror Novel Reviews

Honesty in the terror

Matt Molgaard has been a contributing writer for some of the world’s largest horror (and film in general) publications, including Fangoria, Horror Asylum, Relativity Media and (currently) Best-Horror-Movies. Horror Novel Reviews is a platform designed with the goal of sharing thoughts and analysis on some of today’s finest horror fiction with you, the reader and fan.

Horror Palace

Horror Palace provides honest succinct horror book reviews

Horror Palace provides honest succinct horror book reviews. Each is a concise summary of the book providing a description, critical analysis, and evaluation of its significance as a horror book. Importantly, our evaluation will help you determine if you would appreciate and enjoy reading it.

Horror Talk

The best in horror since 2002

Offers reviews in horror novels, horror comics, and horror movies and television.

Horror-Writers.net Book Reviews

A community haven for horror writers

Features reviews in books, movies, television, and comics. Also hosts short format fiction from contributors and supplies regular articles about the horror genre.

HorrorNews.net

Horrornews.net features daily news, film announcements, film and book reviews, interviews, live podcast shows and a collective of original exclusive articles covering all aspects of the horror industry

Horrornews.net is a popular horror genre site marketed to all aspects of the Horror industry. While horror is our #1 focus, we also feature extensive material on the Paranormal, Asian Horror, Cult Films, Fantasy and Extreme Action. Horrornews.net is comprised of over 60 writers who contribute various aspects to the site. Established in 2008. Horrornews.net features daily news, film announcements, film and book reviews, interviews, live podcast shows and a collective of original exclusive articles covering all aspects of the horror industry.

I Heart Reading / YA Horror Book Reviews

Offers reviews across all categories, but also includes young adult horror and dark fiction

Majanka is twenty-five years old and she's loved reading from the moment she finished her first book. She has a Master of Laws degree, and is studying for her Master of Criminology degree. She's been blogging about books since 2010 and became an official reviewer for ind'Tale Magazine in September 2014. She promotes authors and sets up virtual book tours through Enchanted Book Promotions. She writes books for children and young adults. Find out more about her writing here. She also designs websites and graphics on I Heart Designs. On top of that, she's also a freelance editor for Booktrope. Find her editing portfolio on The OverAchiever.

Little Blog of Horror - Book Reviews

Provides book, movie, game, and television reviews in horror

Little Blog of horror is a horror blog with product, book and movie reviews as well as interviews and other related articles.

Little Miss Zombie

Melissa Helwig offers reviews for various formats

I'm a horror addict. I’ve been watching horror movies for as long as I can remember. My first scary movie memory is from The Amityville Horror. The glowing green windows, and the window slamming shut on the boy’s fingers and getting stuck, terrified me - and left me wanting more. From then on I was obsessed with horror. Which is why I decided to create a blog that focuses on everything horror - books, movies, T.V. shows and whatever else I can get my hands on.

Little Red Reviewer

Book reviews in speculative fiction

Andrea is a contributor at Apex Magazine and Semiotic Standard. Before their closure, she was a contributor at SFSignal. Her favorite genres of speculative fiction include space opera, new weird, low fantasy, and that gorgeous poetic stuff that C.S.E Cooney and Catherynne Valente write that she has no idea how to categorize. She reads a lot of new stuff, but tries to read a lot of old stuff too. An incomplete list of her favorite authors include Steven Brust, N.K. Jemisin, Scott Lynch, Benjanun Sriduangkaew, Jeff Vandermeer, Iain M. Banks, Robert Jackson Bennett, Will McIntosh, Cordwainer Smith, Frank Herbert, and the aforementioned Catherynne Valente and Claire Cooney.

Nyx Book Reviews

Nix reviews fantasy, paranormal, horror, and science fiction

I’ve been blogging here for over five years now, and I’m not planning on stopping any time soon. Nyx Book Reviews started when one day I was jealously eyeing all those pretty websites of my Goodreads buddies, until I discovered I could have my own as well. After a few unsuccessful days of naming my blog Celine’s Updates I searched for a mysterious but easy to remember name. The Greek goddess of the Night Nyx came up and Nyx Book Reviews was born.

Reader's Favourite - Young Adult Horror

The fastest growing book review and award contest site on the internet

We review manuscripts, published & unpublished books, ebooks, audio books, poetry books, comic books, graphic novels, and short stories. Your review will be posted on our site, Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest. You can also post our review in your Amazon Editorial Reviews section.

Sci-Fi and Scary

Reviewing both independent and traditionally published works

Reviews Science Fiction (prefer “hard” sci-fi), Horror, Mystery/Thriller (preferably medical), and Children’s chapter books (fiction and non-fiction) by request.

SNM Horror Magazine

If You Build A Mausoleum...The Dead Will Come!

We enlist independent reviewers and site affiliates for reviews.In addition, we are now also reviewing short story novels from our previously published SNM Authors. (40k words minimum.) We're now open to all authors on full-length horror/DF novels.

The Black Abyss

Horror and dark fiction book reviews

If, like me, you enjoy reading dark fiction and horror, then I hope you will enjoy this site. My aim is to highlight the good (and the bad) in modern horror (and occasionally SF and Fantasy) literature.

The Geekdom of Gore: Reviews

Book, game, and film reviews in horror

I read and review books here on the blog. If you are looking to have your book, game, movie, or product reviewed; feel free to contact me. If it's tech or horror related I'll give it a chance.

The Gothic Library

A gothic book blog for dark-minded readers of all types

The Gothic Library revolves around classic Gothic Romance and all modern genres that have descended from or are related to it. Genres I accept include: Gothic horror/romance, Dark fantasy, Paranormal romance, Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Dystopia (if it has a gothic aesthetic or dark edge), Nonfiction on related topics.

The Horror Fiction Review

Serving the horror community since 2003

THE HORROR FICTION REVIEW offers reviews FOR fans of horror fiction, BY fans of horror fiction. We rarely print super-negative reviews unless we feel a book truly deserves it (our biggest criticism is that we "like everything we read." This is the furthest thing from the truth. MANY books we read for review DO NOT make it into this e-zine). We've also been labeled a bunch of "fanboys" who write "fanboy reviews." Well, DUH. This is a FANZINE. If you want more critical reviews, a FANzine might not be the best place to look.

The Horror Review

Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy Reviews

The Horror Review is part of the JournalStone Network. Born on March 15th 1999 as a Review Rating only site on one of the first free web hosts on the net. Freeserver.com. Before then in 1998 The Horror Review was part of an all movie review site called “The Review” before branching off and becoming it’s own site.
The site has had a long history as in 2000 it became part of the Free Yellow Server and Network. In 2001 The Horror Review joined horrorseek.com server and network.
Going through a long list of reviewers and changes throughout the years the site has now become part of the JournalStone Network where it is growing in new directions!

The Monster Librarian

Horror fiction news and reviews for librarians and readers

Offers horror fiction news and reviews in categories for adults, young adults, and children.

This is Horror

Coverage of horror news, reviews, and hosts a podcast

This Is Horror is a constantly evolving portal for horror in all its guises. Formed in April 2011 as Read Horror, the site has a dedicated staff of talented writers who endeavour to provide the best coverage of new and classic horror on the page, screen and beyond.

Uncaged Book Reviews

Book reviews, author features, and more

Uncaged Book Reviews is a labor of love. When the eMag, BTS Book Reviews ended, I wanted to find a way to continue working with authors and helping to promote them. Being a designer, and a book lover, Uncaged was born. This new take on a book review magazine, is to give more space, give the reader a bit more to read, to get a better feel for the author, to help them find "their next favorite author." There are so many terrific authors, that need more recognition for the wonderful work they do, and Uncaged will do it's best to help.

Weird Fiction Review

Your Non-Denominational Source for The Weird

This site is the brainchild of Ann VanderMeer and Jeff VanderMeer. Ann has served as editor of Weird Tales and with Jeff co-edited such anthologies as The New Weird, the ebook antho series ODD?, and the just-released The Weird: A Compendium of Strange & Dark Stories (Atlantic/Corvus). Jeff is an award-winning writer of weird fiction whose last novel, Finch, was a finalist for the World Fantasy Award and the Nebula Award.

Horror Markets

Dark Markets

DarkMarkets.com has been a free market resource for horror writers since 2001

DarkMarkets.com has been a free market resource for horror writers since 2001. You'll find new and established publishers in our database. Markets include anthologies, magazine, online zines, and book publishers.

Duotrope

Write. Re-write. Submit.

The first two are up to you, but we can help with the third. Duotrope is an established, award-winning writers' resource, and we're here to help you spend less time submitting so you can focus on writing. Whether you're an experienced writer or just getting started... whether your creative leanings are literary or genre, factual or poetic... our listings cover the entire spectrum.

Horror Writers Association Market List

Shortlist of additional market aggregators for horror writers

We receive a lot of e-mail messages from writers asking if we recommend certain markets for horror fiction. As a rule, we as an organization do not endorse specific markets, but we do advise everyone -- not just our members -- to submit work to markets that pay a professional rate of 5 cents per word or more. That being said, we also understand that such markets are few, and the competition there is fierce. No one said this was easy, after all.

The Horror Tree

The Horror Tree is a resource for horror authors

The Horror Tree is a resource for horror authors. The main goal when starting the site was to include all of the latest horror anthologies and publishers that are taking paying submissions. A resource useful for both new and experienced publishers alike looking for an outlet for their written material! Each anthology that we list should have a set deadline as well as offer compensation in the form of direct payment, royalties, or at the very least a physical contributor’s copy. Since that time we have expanded to include articles on every aspect of the writing journal as well as guest posts from authors.

Websites for Horror Fans

The Midnight Society

We like out books a little bloody

A YA, NA, and MG horror book blog. Run by nine deadly writers who love horror. We like our books a little bloody.

References

Library and Bibliography

kira's research materials

Kira's reference library collects the non-fiction titles she uses to improve her writing, expand her understanding of the material she works with, and offers context into some of the subject matter she's exploring in her fiction. Includes books on writing, the occult, and strange history.

EXPLORE THE REFERENCES

Clavis

Lexicon & Glossary

frequently used verbiage

A glossary of terms frequently used on this website, at the blog, and in Kira's books and short stories: an ever-growing list of oddities and curiosities drawn from folklore, urban legend, myth, history, cryptozoology, paranormal research, fairy tales, and Fortean studies.

READ THE GLOSSARY

Would you like to live deliciously?

Occasionally, Kira runs a giveaway, a contest, or supplies the horror community with interesting tidbits of useful information that she’s collected. She likes to curate the weird and wonderful, but is a real stickler about who gets that information first. Subscribing to her newsletter is the golden ticket.