Happy Halloween! To celebrate, let's talk Gateway Horror. To spotlight this vital subgenre, I'll be exploring works by @adamcesare.bsky.social, @lorasenf.bsky.social and others - their stories have shown me the power and variety Gateway Horror can bring!

www.michaelfsimpson.com/post/hallowe...

My latest blog post is now live on my website. This time, we'll be talking about the zombie apocalypse, and why the version in Max Brooks's 'World War Z' is the most believable one I've ever read.

www.michaelfsimpson.com/post/world-w...

"Thé Fatigue" 🌸 2022 Inspired by Gustav Klimt ~ Unknown

Finally got to see James Gunn's Superman, a great movie on an action and humour level, but with depth and feeling to its take on DC's characters. Exactly what I wanted from this story. Plus - no origin, no expositing. Just diving straight into the conflict and relationships they wanted to depict.

My latest blog post is now live on my website - this month, the subject is Octavia E. Butler's 'Kindred.'

How can an author subvert genre tropes? And why is time travel uniquely equipped for this?

Find out on the other side of this link:

www.michaelfsimpson.com/post/kindred

My second blog post about surreal horror is now available to read on my website - this time, I'm discussing Thomas Ligotti's collection 'Teatro Grottesco' and what it reveals about the potential depth and diversity of the genre!

www.michaelfsimpson.com/post/teatro-...

I'll be releasing two essays to my blog this month, both related to one of my favourite genres, surreal horror. Starting this week, with an analysis of Franz Kafka's cult classic, Metamorphosis.

www.michaelfsimpson.com/post/metamor...

Wrote a thing for you.
gabinoiglesias.substack.com/p/i-encourag...

Today's essay discusses the Southern Reach series by @jeffvandermeer.bsky.social - and in particular its first entry, Annihilation.

What makes a story cosmic horror?

How do we subvert popular horror tropes?

Is fear the only response to a cosmic entity?

www.michaelfsimpson.com/post/southern-reach

I read Octavia E Butler's Kindred earlier in the month and I'm still thinking about it. Such evocative storytelling, and its unique approach to time travel is exactly the kind of thing that proves why speculative fiction is so much better at discussing difficult subjects.

I've been working on a different kind of essay for me, this month, about Cassandra Khaw's controversial Nothing but Blackened Teeth.

There are three main critiques levelled against this book.

But I think they're its greatest strengths.

www.michaelfsimpson.com/post/nothing...

SOME STRANGE THINGS YOU CAN WATCH RIGHT NOW 💜

In this month's newsletter, I talk about 4 short films by David Romero, Jack Stauber, Yara Asmar, and Alex Casanis. Like windows into strange little worlds, these films are sometimes sad, sometimes unnerving, and all freely available to watch right now

I don't think I've enjoyed a TV series as much as From in quite a while. I'm so invested in its characters moment to moment, finding the torment they go through affecting - even for the characters I don't like. This third season has been especially dark but it only enhances all these great elements.

Finished reading @jeffvandermeer.bsky.social Absolution this week and it's cemented this series as one of my favourite works of horror.

Area X is as terrifying as it is indescribable - it makes these books a challenging read from time to time, so I can only imagine how difficult they were to write.

I'm getting back into writing essays for my blog, and I wanted to start out by discussing one of my favourite short stories - 'In Amundsen's Tent.' Why is it a favourite? Hint: It's also one of the scariest.

www.michaelfsimpson.com/post/in-amun...

This is my book. It's weird, sometimes gory, and currently has 4.3 stars on Amazon and four stars on Goodreads. If you like the short work of Kafka or Borges, give it a spin: www.amazon.com/dp/B09QJHBXYC

#WritingCommunity #Weird #HorrorCommunity

Word of mouth remains the most powerful advertising tool we have access to.

Here are 3 indie/small press books that live rent-free in my head:

GLASS STORIES @ivygrimes.bsky.social

HAVE YOU SEEN THE MOON TONIGHT?
@jduckwriter.bsky.social

THEY ARE CURSED LIKE YOU @holleycornetto.bsky.social

Microsoft is scraping your work for AI training. So long as your publisher isn't selling your book to them (looking at you Harper Collins), you the writer can turn off the AI gathering function in Word.

-Go to Preferences, Privacy, deselect "turn on optional connection experiences"

Fuck's sake.