What does it take to write 50,000 words in the month of November? Perseverance, flexibility, a constant desire to balance writing time with work and family, and, maybe most important of all, a story that's deeply personal to you. These are the elements that, for me, have made my first two forays into National Novel … Continue reading Aural Autumn: Queen of the Rodeo
"Talk about your ghosts. Man oh man." - Stephen King, On Writing Hello all and good evening! This go around, I'm writing a continuation of last week's "Lessons to Practice" by offering up some of my own thoughts and ideas for penning a great horror story. Ready to dive in? Make sure the lights are out … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #24: Penning Horror That Endures
Tonight I have setting on my mind. Not just its importance or its definition, but its essence. What makes a setting? Is it a specific physical location? A staging ground for the characters to interact and develop? Or the ways in which a particular place triggers our five senses and evokes our emotional response? For me, … Continue reading Lessons to Practice #7: The Essence of Setting
Hello and good evening! As I work on my daily 1,600 words tonight, I thought I'd share the song that I currently have on repeat. This one comes from the great horror composer Akira Yamaoka, who infused the Silent Hill series with so much melancholy, terror, and tranquility, often within the same song. I hope you all enjoy Witchcraft. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRDyhzpCd2o … Continue reading Today’s NaNoWriMo Writing Jam
My hands are still shaking. Or maybe it's my soul. Discreetly nestled in the middle of the Sony Gamescon briefing on August 12 was the mystery responsible for my dread. P.T., the world's first interactive teaser, was unveiled with scant details. It was my gushing excitement over some very different news, however, that got me Googling this … Continue reading P.T. – Silent Hills
Horror as witnessed from within is an experience that few mediums have perfected. Where horror novels and movies have dared to tread, few video games have gone to immerse viewers in the most deranged themes and darkest recesses of our human psyche. Cry of Fear not only ventures into these gloomy depths, but thrusts players into a … Continue reading Cry of Fear
This Friday will mark the release of Silent Hill: Revelation 3D, the much delayed follow up to Christophe Gans' video-game adaptation, Silent Hill. As an outspoken fan of the video games (those developed by "Team Silent," that is), I'm also a harsh critic of the first movie. What will follow is a short recap of the game, … Continue reading Breaking the Silence (Silent Hill, Six Years Later)
