I have three more Gmail invitations. The only thing you have to do to get one from me is recommend a really spooky/creepy book (that you have read) in the comments.
Not horror, necessarily. Or even anything supernatural. It can be anything, really, so long as it is weird and chilling.
43 comments ↓
One that I read a while agoo that was a bit chilling to the bone was called “Resurection Dreams” by Richard Laymen. It has been the only book that has ever played on my mind and gave me nightmares!
The scariest thing I’ve read lately was “1408″ by Stephen King (one of the stories from Everything’s Eventual). Creeped me right the fuck out, I couldn’t sleep for 4 hours and then I kept waking up from violent nightmares trying to scream. Getting chills as I type.
S, I sent an invite to your yahoo address.
And thanks for the recommendation, disconnect. I notice your email address is already Gmail. I assume you won’t be needing an invitation.
Also recently read The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. Not really creepy, more supernatural, definitely worth a read.
One I read awhile ago was “Frisk” by Dennis Cooper. Its not meant to be horror, supernatural, or anything in that vein, but some of the images from that book still fuck w/my head. Maybe more horrifying than horror, if that makes sense. For more Dennis Cooper, try “Closer.”
Hmmm. As corny as this sounds, i still say that Stephen King’s “IT” is the scariest book ever. Why? Because the evil clown is also a SPIDER. Clown. Spider. Holy fuck…
Whereas everything else the man’s ever written is completely not scary in the least.
“Wait ‘Till Helen Comes” also scared the crap out of me, but i read it in 4th grade. I imagine it’s not that creepy anymore.
Buried Secrets: A True Story of Serial Murder, Black Magic, and Drug-Running on the U.S. Border By Edward Humes
This was the creepiest book I have ever read. It’s the true story of a santeria priest AND LUNATIC who would tortutre and kill people in order to put their human bits into his CAULDRON so that their tortured souls would do his evil bidding. Super creepy, super scary and amazingly well written.
Oh, and duh. Buried Secrets has a whole picture section in the middle of it, so you can see how much the killer-priest-drug runner dude looks like he should have been in Menudo. And you can see a picture of his brain and penis filled cauldron.
I don’t need the Gmail invite, but read Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe. It’s been described as a cross between Huck Finn and Catcher in the Rye, and I guess I agree with that. It’s what Catcher in the Rye would have been if Holden Caulfield was a psychotic Irish lad. It’s funny and disturbing and stylistic.
Kind of drawn out, but I think The Stand by Stephen King is one of the most disturbing books I’ve ever read. I also wanted to let you know that you have a great site!
A book that pops in my head from time to time that I read when I was a teenager–Comes the Blind Fury. Awesome if you like ghost stories!
Dont worry about Gmail.
If you’re picking winners randomly, I might still have a chance. My choice is “The Cold Six Thousand” by James Ellroy. It’s not a horror story by any stretch, but it is fuckin’ creepy.
…continuing from my last post, here is part of the first paragraph of the Amazon.com editorial review for “The Cold Six Thousand”.
“With its hypnotic, staccato rhythms, and words jostling, bumping, marching forward with edgy intensity (like lemmings heading toward a cliff of their own devising), The Cold Six Thousand feels as if it’s being narrated by a hopped-up Dr. Seuss who’s hungrier for violence than for green eggs and ham.”
I could really give a fuck about web-based email, but you should read “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle,” by Haruki Murakami if you haven’t already. Spooky? Hells yes.
It gets a little precious in parts, and some of it is frankly unreadable, but Mark Z. Danielewski’s “House of Leaves” is one of the few books I’ve ever read that made me check the closets before I went to bed. And I was 28 at the time.
I have to say, you need to read “Angels & Demons” by Dan Brown. Makes ya think twice about “everyday” things. Not a horror nut but scary as hell none the less. (bonus points for it being released before The DaVinci Code)
R
Changing Bodies, Changing lives…..
Well, at least back then. lol
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. The Omega Man was based on it and Stephen King credits it as his reason at wanting to write. Any Harlan Ellison collection of short stories.
I’d have to say “American Psycho” by Bret Easton Ellis.. creepy in that the truth about the main character sneaks up on you as the book progresses, with these graphic passages that you’d turn away from if only it was a movie.
PS.. think I am too late anyway, but don’t need an invite.
“Survivor” by the guy who wrote “Fight Club.” Some weird last name. BRILLLLLLLLIANT book, all about religious cults and America’s obsession with media figures. And disturbing as hell. You’ll have to put it down just to give your heart a break from all your adrenalin rushes.
And “The Stand” by Stephen King is great. Yeah, yeah, Stephen King writes tons of irrelevant pulp fiction garbage, but every blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while, and even Mr. King has written a few good ones. “The Stand” is fantastic.
Wilfred Owen’s war poems reflect the soldier’s view of war in battle.
It makes you think
Chuck Palahniuk. That’s the author’s name. I simultaneously fear him, yet want to be as brilliant as he is.
Whoa. Thanks for all the great recommendations. I’m gettin’ me a new library card pretty soon, so these will be very helpful.
I got busy and didn’t have time to look back at these on yesterday. Which means after sending out the first invite, I still have two left. Lots of you don’t care to get one, but if you do (and you left a recommendation) just say “ME!” below and I’ll send you one.
ME!
/it pays to be at home sick sometimes
ME! (I changed my mind… it might come in handy.) (I don’t know if I was one of the first three though.)
Bah, need a bigger incentive. I’ve got 20 invites I can’t even give away.
Yay, the hubub is over!
You can have it. They aren’t in high demand anymore. I don’t think anyone will get pissed if they were before you.
Dave’s not the reader.
Perfume by Patrick Suskind (amazing book, probably my favorite)
Also, if a Nirvana fan, the inspiration for the song Scentless Apprentice.
Of course, Geek Love by Katherine Dunn & The Contortionist’s Handbook by Craig Clevenger are also great.
Of course, Geek Love by Katherine Dunn, The Contortionist’s Handbook by Craig Clevenger, and Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk are also incredible.
I’d actually like one, if you can spare it. I don’t have a Gmail account yet and I’d really like one, if possible.
Print out, read on bus. Already have a gmail account, though, thanks.
Mitch Albom: The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Short. Creepy. Surprising.
The creepiest book to come out this year is My Life by Bill Clinton.
Just about anything by Poppy Z Brite could fit the bill. Nobody can write a gory scene like Poppy, not even James Ellroy or Bret Easton Ellis. Sick fucking shit. She’s like an Anne Rice with balls and about 1000% times better.
Dennis Cooper comes close. His books usually have really horrible scenes of violence, but the coprophagia stuff is what makes me want to lose my lunch.
Three really great books that aren’t gory or really scary and should be read by one and all are Choke by Chuck Palahniuk (hilarious, raunchy fun) Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson and The Contortionist’s Handbook by Craig Clevenger.
me!
Late to the party, as always.
About a year ago, I stumbled across a short story on the web. It was an homage to Lovecraft… or at least took place in a Lovecraftian sort of setting. It sort of crossed the Cthulhu mythos (if I can say that without sounding like a D&D geek—reformed, dammit) with the Cold War. Great reading, lost the bookmark, Google not as helpful as you’d think because I can’t remember much more than what I’ve already said here.
Anybody know what I’m talking about?
My Googling continues. If I can find it, I’ll post a link. And blog it. And download a copy and burn it to three CDs which I’ll bury in three bomb-proof vaults on three different continents.
(As for Gmail accounts… if you had extra, I could haul one away for you maybe?)
So Brittney lovingly and generously gave me a Gmail invite… and now I feel like a heel for taking it. Why? Because I just found this and this. Some awfully nice folks have gotten the bright idea of giving Gmail invites to troops serving overseas.
Just thought I’d pass this tidbit along. It might be old news to everybody; if so, I apologize for being a spaz.
Sickened: The Memoir of a Munchausen by Proxy Childhood
Such a good book
You’re probably not reading these comments anymore, but I’m never one to pass up throwing down a book recommendation.
Hands down, the most intense book I’ve read to date is — oddly enough — “Intensity” by Dean Koontz. Yes, DEAN KOONTZ. He’s written some seriously lame stuff in his time, but he was right on time with “Intensity.” One of my former co-workers who doesn’t really like Koontz asked me for a creepy book recommendation and I passed this one along. She ended up having nightmares about the story. She couldn’t put the book down. Literally, she’d carry it around the office, to the bathroom, etc. I’ve never seen someone so obsessed over a book.
It’s THAT GOOD.
Hold your nose, forget it’s Koontz, and give it a whirl. It starts fast and doesn’t easy up until it’s over. It’s physically painful, it’s so intense.
Treat yourself this holiday season and check out “The Upper Berth”, a short story by F. Marion Crawford. It’s an absolute horror classic, and provides those rare, rare chills that this reader is constantly seeking.
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