What Influenced Writing Scary Stories?

After contemplating this question I believe a reality moment happened today. You see, before I would always say that I never really had any kind of horror or scary related influence because I was never a horror movie fan. Well, I should clarify that I had seen a few scary movies in my youth such as Jaws, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, etc. but I never considered myself a horror movie watcher. I know people who are hardcore horror buffs, but I never thought of myself as such…in fact, not even close. I spent much of my 20’s thru my 40’s never really looking for scary things to watch or read. It honestly never dawned on me until recently that I actually did have quite a bit of influence growing up…
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As a kid, I remember watching shows with my mother like The Munsters, The Addams Family, Twilight Zone, Tales From The Dark Side, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Outer Limits, and late night weekends watching Elvira. I also remember movies like Dark Night of the Scarecrow (still one of my first favorites), The Lost Boys (one of my all time favorites), and even eating the famous monster cereals Frankenberry, Count Chocula, Yummy Mummy, Fruit Brut and Boo Berry. ..and do you remember Freakies cereal?

I believe honestly I spent a good 20 years of my life in denial when it came to the horror or scary genre of books, movies and shows. Not exactly sure why. In my mid-40’s I got hooked…and I mean hooked…on all the new ghost reality shows that came out; Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, Haunted Towns, Haunted Asylums, Paranormal Caught on Camera, My Haunted House, Haunted Woods, and on and on.

Now with all of that, I have to give the biggest credit to my daughter Sadrie. She’s really the one who “jump started” my spooky story writing. It was a night on the screened in porch the fall of 2017. My wife, son and daughter and I had dinner on the porch and somehow we got to talking about scary movies and stories. I think I mentioned something about writing some type of spooky story (never honestly thinking the idea would go any further) but having doubt on whether I could actually pull it off.   And my daughter just says “Why don’t you just write one Dad.” So, I replied, “You know what, why don’t I.” and as if a bolt of lighting hit me (figuratively) I grabbed a notebook and started writing.

When I sat down on the porch to write I heard the train that often goes by our subdivision. A story suddenly and immediately popped into my head and my hand couldn’t write fast enough for my churning brain. My first spooky story “Stone Hollow” was born. And to this day it’s still my favorite of all my stories. 

Some things that have been on my mind lately, so just thought I would share…
 
Travel Channel…please, come on, it’s 2022…don’t you think it’s time to change your name to “Paranormal Channel”? I think any actual travel shows have been long gone. But long live all the awesome paranormal shows!
I really wish everyone would stop referring to their jail, prison, house, asylum, cemetery, church, town, city, village or whatever as “The most haunted in America”. I swear, everyone thinks THEIR place is the “Most Haunted in America”. How do you even prove that? As far as I know, there’s no certification you can apply for or an award you can win for “Most Haunted”.
I don’t care what anyone says….the 2016 Ghostbusters movie with the four ladies….it’s horrible. Hey I have no issues with four females taking the lead roles of Ghostbusters and I like the actors (for the most part), but they are just trying…so…damn…hard. And it just doesn’t work. Over the top, too much fluff, jokes not landing, and a struggle trying to be as great as the first one.  Nope. Not happening. I wish it would just disappear.
I love all the ghost hunting shows on television right now. I really do. I’m hooked on them. But with all of the technology gizmos those groups design, build and use…why can’t someone build a simple “YES” or “NO” gadget that ghosts can use to answer questions. Stop with the flashlights and the EMFs lighting up and so on. Yes or No…simple.  
I find it funny that someone can be an “expert” on bigfoot, aliens, UFOs, ghosts, etc. An expert on things that may or may not exist.  Wouldn’t you be more likely be referred to as a Feasible Authority?
…and hey ghosts…just give us a definitive answer will ya! Stop with the cryptic messages, the lone bang, the footsteps, the disembodied “Help Me” and  stop being so coy….no one really has a photon pack they’re going to suck you up with.
Bigfoot…hey big guy…time for you to come forward. As with the ghosts, stop being coy and come out to say hello. I’m fairly certain many people will embrace you and will want to get to know the real you. Like what’s your favorite food, your favorite game, what do you do for fun? Stuff like that.
Aliens…do they exist? Well, I say absolutely. And I would love to know for sure. I would love to know the truth about Area 51, Roswell, and all the other crazy stuff. However, I do believe in the line from Men In Black…”A person is smart, but people are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it.” Some people will welcome them, some will fear them, and some will attack them. I fear that even if the aliens do come in peace…there are those people out there who will still attack them because they are scared, ignorant, and perhaps jumping on the band wagon of others. Maybe it’s best we don’t know.
Parents…if your kids come to you (the people they most trust and count on) to tell you they see ghosts, hear noises, feel something bad, see monsters…BELIEVE THEM!! Stop blowing them off as “just being silly” or “You’re just a kid” or “It’s just your imagination”, etc. Stop!  Maybe it’s nothing, but maybe, just maybe it actually IS something.  Just because you’re an adult and a parent doesn’t mean you know everything. Open your mind especially to your kids.
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I’d love to hear your thoughts?

Favorite Holiday: Halloween
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From time to time, while conversing with friends or at get-togethers, this question comes up: What is your favorite holiday? It’s always a bit comforting when you hear other people shout out their favorite and it just so happens to be your favorite as well. Of course, there have been those heated debates that rear their ugly head when people have divided opinions on which is the best holidays (which always amused me because they are after all, just opinions attributed to individual taste, but moving on).
Now, I enjoy all of the holidays and I think Christmas is awesome…I mean, who doesn’t love giving and receiving gifts, the colorful trees and lights, images of Santa and Frosty and the food…oh Lord have mercy…the food (I’m drooling a bit as I write). Christmas is certainly high on my favorite list…it’s a close battle for the number two spot with Christmas and Thanksgiving. But for me, I have and will always put Halloween as my #1 holiday.  
So once I state Halloween as my favorite, the next question is always; Why? Ah, all the candy, Duh! HA!! Okay okay, there’s certainly more to it than just the candy, but come on, honestly, who doesn’t love all the wonderful delish candy come October?
I could go into the long history of Halloween and Trick-or-Treating, but I’ll spare you the history lesson (There are lots of great books and articles on such out there…I highly recommend checking them out).
For me, it’s not just the holiday of Halloween and the art of Trick-or-Treating (Yeah, I said “Art” of Trick-or-Treating…there’s way more to it than just ringing a doorbell, looking cute or scary and begging for candy…but I’m sorry I just don’t have the time to go into right now…perhaps on another blog post). The fact that Halloween is also within the greatest season of Fall is also one of the biggest reasons I love the holiday.
I love the Fall season…it’s hard to describe my feelings on it (which I will post on another date), but a holiday that falls into the Fall season is fantastic. September, October and November here in Michigan is Fall….and I will fight anyone that says different. HA!!
Well, anyway, I love all of the spooky decorations during Halloween as well as the pumpkins, the Jack-o-lanterns, the costumes, parties, haunted attractions, the television and movies about it, as well as the feelings and excitement that surrounds it. Oh and the candy…did I mention the candy?

​Writers Block
I get this question quite a bit…Is Writer’s Block real?
Well I can say without a doubt that it is real for me. I believe it is different for every writer and it affects them different ways. No writers are exactly alike. Some may never get punched in the face with writer’s block, while others get a daily dose of it. I can tell you what it’s like for me.
The official definition:
The condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing.
And
Writer's block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author is unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown. ... The condition ranges from difficulty in coming up with original ideas to being unable to produce a work for years.
I have a mix of hours, days and weeks where I get overloaded with ideas and I am constantly and frantically writing them down on notepads or typing them into my phone and then I have days where as they say, “The struggle is real” where I have no thoughts or ideas to write down. I have moments where I can sit down at the computer and type for hours and then I have moments where I sit down at the computer, type about 10 words, then get up and walk away…because I have nothing. Literally (and I hate using that word) nothing.
Some writers find ways to break though bouts of WB and have done it successfully. I myself may have done it a time or two. At times you absolutely have to find a way to break through because you may have a deadline to meet. Results can be disastrous at times. You read through what you wrote and think, “What the Hell is all that?” and start all over again.
So I say to you that yes, writer’s block is a real thing and if anyone tells you different, they are either lying or are not writers. Just my opinion of course.  - Jerrod