Lurking up from the murky waters of the internet once more, I’m happy to see you once again dear readers! For the last few months, I’ve been sinking into the darker depths of the internet for true inspiration on what to write for you, be it fiction or nonfiction. My findings have been quite dismal to say the least, as I think I may have plumbed the deepest trenches for our great way of life. But wait! I did find one thing that should bring a smile to your skull, as it did mine.
I’m talking about Screambox! A brand new, Netflix-style streaming sight that operates for horror movies alone. They add movies on a weekly basis, both from the older 80’s style horror all the way up to the current edge of the genre. My personal favorite about this site, other than the $3.99 price tag for all-you-can-stream-scream, is that it features independent films in a major way, introducing production companies you may have never heard of, and bringing out their fine work to be reviewed.
One of those companies runs a site that is more than simply movies for the masses. Bloody Disgusting is a website that has movie reviews, comic book reviews and fun trivia pages involving horror (“Top Ten Twisted Families” anyone?) along with a slew of scattered videos that are short movies involving a slightly sicker bent. I frequent this site after my wife learned of it, and find it to be a constant supply of entertainment for my darker passions. But of course, all good things have an ending, and this site is no different… while they update regularly, the updates are fairly mainstream media. Very little indie exposure is granted on this site, though the whole spectrum of entertainment is covered, from written word to silver screen.
Speaking of the written world online, a good source for all this disturbing in written and audio format is Creepypasta.com. This website is also a Facebook group, for those of you interested, and makes a past time of posting disturbing photos. Creepypasta itself is a stand-alone site where stories are written and selected by the powers that be, then posted for all to read. The legend of the Slender Man, a supernatural entity that is horribly tall, gaunt and faceless that roams the backwoods of the world, claiming people as his servants while killing others is stored here, along with other internet horror figures such as Laughing Jack and Jeff the Killer. These are just some of the stories that are perpetuated by the users and Creepypasta. They often take their stories and translate them into audio format, before posting them on YouTube for all to enjoy.
For a magazine that is free to read and contains some great stories, I suggest either Siren’s Call or the Horror Zine. These websites are full of themed and freestanding horror stories, along with columns from writers and staff that are experts in their own fields of study. Both websites accept submissions for would-be writers, though they unfortunately do not have any form of payment to give. But if you’re a new writer looking for exposure, these two sites are great places to go, if anything for the inspiration.
So to those that say horror is dead and that all we have left is the odd story coming from Hollywood, I dare you to visit these sites and to take in the glory that they offer. The horrors of Screambox, matched by the terror-inducing nature of Bloody Disgusting, topped off by the classic Creepypasta, makes for more than enough when looking for something scary on the internet. So for now, keep your laptops plugged in and start enjoying some quality horror, and as always…
Sweet Dreams
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