I believe that satire and gothic fiction pair well in small doses. In the food world, comedy prose and occult thrillers are the union of onion soup and absinthe, or a desert tray of wax candy lips and black licorice. The former tastes like anus – the later like anise. All this to say, the … Continue reading Gothic Fiction Advertisements
Tag: Gothic Fiction
“The Ghost of Helen” Fr: Along the Graveyard Lane. Text and Audio. Paranormal Thriller.
Excerpt from Along the Graveyard Lane, paperback & eBook. "The Ghost of Helen" by SM Dotson May 21, 1867 Ghosts at peace resided in something like a deep sleep, their tiny light difficult to pry into responsiveness. Souls unaware of their own death or troubled by the nature of their demise were more accessible. They … Continue reading “The Ghost of Helen” Fr: Along the Graveyard Lane. Text and Audio. Paranormal Thriller.
“The Power of Dawn” [Nine Tenets of Exorcism & Possession #7] Gothic Fiction, History, & Religion.
“I sure slept well, why does everyone look so tired?” Britany asked over the breakfast table. “You were possessed again last night.” Her father said. “It was horrible.” Said mother who hung her head over her bowl of grits. “You told the priest to go to hell… ,” her brother blurted. “Johnny, that’s enough!” Mother … Continue reading “The Power of Dawn” [Nine Tenets of Exorcism & Possession #7] Gothic Fiction, History, & Religion.
“The Demonization of Symptoms” [Nine Tenets of Exorcism & Possession #3] Metaphysics in Along the Graveyard Lane by SM Dotson. Paranormal Thriller. Gothic Fiction, History, & Religion.
“The Demonization of Symptoms” [Nine Tenets of Exorcism & Possession #3] Metaphysics in Along the Graveyard Lane by SM Dotson. Paranormal Thriller. Gothic Fiction, History, & Religion. Wilma: Judy was possessed again last night. This demon claimed he was my mother - said I had an older sister they had to give away because they … Continue reading “The Demonization of Symptoms” [Nine Tenets of Exorcism & Possession #3] Metaphysics in Along the Graveyard Lane by SM Dotson. Paranormal Thriller. Gothic Fiction, History, & Religion.
“Phantasm: The Wandering Ghost” [Nine Tenets of Exorcism & Possession #2] Gothic Fiction, History, & Religion.
“Phantasm: The Wandering Ghost” [Nine Tenets of Exorcism & Possession #2] Gothic Fiction, History, & Religion. In the previous article in this series, it has already been established that the invasive spirit during possession is not a demon, but a ghost. Future articles will explore external factors that influence the wandering spirit, such as the … Continue reading “Phantasm: The Wandering Ghost” [Nine Tenets of Exorcism & Possession #2] Gothic Fiction, History, & Religion.
“The Demonization of Ghosts” [Nine Tenets of Exorcism & Possession #1] Gothic Fiction, History, & Religion
“The Demonization of Ghosts” [Nine Tenets of Exorcism & Possession #1] Gothic Fiction, History, & Religion. Question: What if an exorcist claimed demons are not present during possession, but instead they are the ghosts of the dead, accidently having strayed into a child host? Answer: That exorcist would be considered a heretic. I explore this … Continue reading “The Demonization of Ghosts” [Nine Tenets of Exorcism & Possession #1] Gothic Fiction, History, & Religion
Evolution of the Word Goth – From German Barbarians to Pop Culture
Evolution of the Word Goth - From German Barbarians to Pop Culture - Medieval & Modern History The word goth references several things, many of them only indirectly related, but all things goth, whether literature, fashion, architecture or music, contain an atmosphere of dark beauty. The Barbarians The word goth comes from the Greeks and … Continue reading Evolution of the Word Goth – From German Barbarians to Pop Culture
Three Zoroastrians ~ Scary Stories & Strange Tales ~ Short Story. Prophecy. Horror. Anti-Christ. Savior. 3 Magi. About Zoroastrianism at end.
Three Zoroastrians Zoroastrian Prophecy: Shit, Stammer, and Sleep Knock. Knock. “Hello?” “Hello.” Said the professional translator. We are representatives of Zoroastrianism and are looking for Bo Gardner. We scheduled our visit last week with her. “Yes, I am her husband. Come in, we didn’t know if you were really coming or not.” Bo, the mother … Continue reading Three Zoroastrians ~ Scary Stories & Strange Tales ~ Short Story. Prophecy. Horror. Anti-Christ. Savior. 3 Magi. About Zoroastrianism at end.
[The World’s Oldest Joke] History & Fiction – Pictographs – Funny Scary Stories
The oldest written joke as far as historians know dates to the 20th century BC Sumerians. It goes something like this: “Something that has never failed to occur since the beginning of time; a young woman did not fart in her husband’s lap.” Crowd Laughs. “I’ll be on this side of the Ziggurat next week, … Continue reading [The World’s Oldest Joke] History & Fiction – Pictographs – Funny Scary Stories
Skele Dinner [Poem & Photo]
We’ve been waiting for dinner A feast for the survivors of the plague Plenty of food remain Fewer mouths to maintain Pigs and chickens immune to the disease Butchered in the morning But where is the cook? We are starving Staring at the empty porcelain plate While we wait Fig. 1 Skele Dinner. Taken at … Continue reading Skele Dinner [Poem & Photo]
Book Cover Talk – Possessions of Putressa
[Note: At the time I wrote this article, Possessions of Putressa was the working title for what I eventually titled Along the Graveyard Lane (2020) in paperback and eBook] The big villain in my novel Possessions of Putressa is a 200-year-old zealot of the Catholic faith, Seymour Downcross. In the novel, there is a statue … Continue reading Book Cover Talk – Possessions of Putressa
[Why We Chase Ghosts] Metaphysical PTSD – Temporality & Chasing Ghosts
Why We Chase Ghosts Metaphysical PTSD - Temporality & Chasing Ghosts "Some chase ghosts, and though their hearts may thump in their ears, the fear serves as a ladder to scale over the horror of impermanence." As humans, we have an advanced awareness of time. We understand the temporary nature of things. We know this … Continue reading [Why We Chase Ghosts] Metaphysical PTSD – Temporality & Chasing Ghosts
Horror vs. Gothic Fiction: The Overt – Covert Horror Spectrum. Know Your Book Genre.
What is the difference between horror and gothic fiction? Horror is full of overt terror and gothic fiction often teases, nay tickles the fringe of horror, but the effect is quite different. This is a general rule that can be broken. It depends on the story. Gothic fiction invokes in me a mood that emphasizes … Continue reading Horror vs. Gothic Fiction: The Overt – Covert Horror Spectrum. Know Your Book Genre.
A Mood I Enjoy in Music & Gothic Fiction + “My Regards to Those Able to Keep Their Courage” NC Club [Dream Pop Song]
A Mood I Enjoy in Music & Gothic Fiction + "My Regards to Those Able to Keep Their Courage" NC Club Welcome to the world of Dream Pop The Character's Mood: The slow power of a being who has "seen it all before" and pities humankind for their shortsightedness, but is in awe of their … Continue reading A Mood I Enjoy in Music & Gothic Fiction + “My Regards to Those Able to Keep Their Courage” NC Club [Dream Pop Song]
Room in the Car|Scary Stories to Tell in the Night|Short Horror Stories
I recorded this live in early 2018. It is set in a small farm in the Ozarks, Southern Missouri. This one is my mom's favorite of all my short horror/paranormal stories. It creeps her out, but has a certain amount of verisimilitude considering her rural upbringing. Room in the Car by SM Dotson When … Continue reading Room in the Car|Scary Stories to Tell in the Night|Short Horror Stories
The House Gnome. The Mystery of Gnomed Intruders. Short Story. Folklore. Gothic Fiction.
Prologue When I was in, what we called "middle school," I would often visit the library to check out books at the end of the day. I mostly re-read the same books, mainly horror shorts, martial arts manuals, weightlifting guides, and anything medieval. One large hardback with colorful illustrations was a tome on the wide … Continue reading The House Gnome. The Mystery of Gnomed Intruders. Short Story. Folklore. Gothic Fiction.
[Hard Magic & Hard Metaphysics in Fiction] W/ Book Club Discussion Questions. Fantasy. Gothic Fiction. Horror. Paranormal. Supernatural.
In the genre of Fantasy, there is a concept known as hard magic. An author using a hard magic system creates clear principles and methods behind his or her use of the craft. Soft magic, on the other hand, is based on unclear principles as far as the reader is concerned. I like the concept … Continue reading [Hard Magic & Hard Metaphysics in Fiction] W/ Book Club Discussion Questions. Fantasy. Gothic Fiction. Horror. Paranormal. Supernatural.
[Gothic Fiction] A Different Take on Possession ~ 19th Century
Excerpt from SM Dotson's Possessions of Putressa Click here to join my email notification list for upcoming gothic fiction releases.
“Old Testament Table.” A Revenge Tale. Horror. Gothic Fiction. Scary Short Stories to Tell at Night.
"Old Testament Table." A Revenge Tale. Horror. Gothic Fiction. Scary Short Stories to Tell at Night. I always wondered what happened to that magical item from the Old Testament. Glad it could be put to good use! Listen and read below to the short fiction story, "Old Testament Table." A story of a woman, her … Continue reading “Old Testament Table.” A Revenge Tale. Horror. Gothic Fiction. Scary Short Stories to Tell at Night.
Uncle Dean’s Evil Eye ~ Gothic Fiction Short Story ~ Audio & Text
If life is based on the random roll of a cosmic die, then genetics make up a large portion of your base attributes. Genetic traits are many of the various panels on the Wheel of Fortune (of tarot fame, although the metaphor works for the gameshow as well). You might have superior genetics for your … Continue reading Uncle Dean’s Evil Eye ~ Gothic Fiction Short Story ~ Audio & Text
SM Dotson 