Creation Myths

Many people have asked "where did we come from?"
Myths (from most cultures in our world history) attempt to answer this question.

There are generally five different types of creation myths. They are:
1. Creation ex nihilo (creation from nothing): the world is created by a supreme being who pops the world into existence. Examples include: the Christian Bible creation story and The Big Bang Theory.
2. Earth diver myths: Many cultures suggest that an animal of some kind swims down into the primordial ocean and brings back earth or clay from which to shape the world.
3. Cosmic egg myths: Some cultures believe that the universe was hatched, then was created when the egg was broken open. This usually is combined with the separation of order out of chaos--the white separated from the heavy yolk.
4. Emergence myths: Humans and beings emerge from the very earth. An example might be the myth of Gaia.
5. Order out of chaos: a god or supreme being organizes the world out of chaotic forces. Chaos is often represented as evil or sinful.

Ancient Mythology link (various cultures are represented here: Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Norse, Japanese, Mayan & Mesopotamia). The site explains what these myths generally center around and explains key or important mythological figures.

Storytelling

Want to read some sample stories? Here's a great website for that called: Awesome Stories.

Here's one geared for a younger audience: Tellitagan.

Here's another discussing storytelling: Storytelling.

Here's a few performances and videos of storytellers performing their stories:

Matchbox 20
Aubrey Taylor Storytelling
Global Storytellers
How to Tell Stories: Storytelling Tips
Garrison Keillor: Lake Wobegon Halloween Story and more Garrison Keillor: an exerpt from Prairie Home Companion.

Myths: A Website for the Interested

There's very much to learn about mythology. For those of you who want to learn more and become intelligent, well-learned citizens in the United States, take a look at this website:

Mythology

Visual Image for a Myth

Visual Prompts for Myths

Visual Poetry Prompt #1:

As you watch the video, consider essential mythical questions: why is the grass green? Where does love come from? Who made the human race? Why is death in the world? Where did anger or wrath come from originally? Why is there evil in the world? Who created goodness and kindness?

Use the images to inspire you.

Horror Writing Articles

Posted here are a variety of helpful articles from professional horror writers. Take a look!

HORROR SUB GENRES by Paula Guran

No Bones About it: The Seeds of Horror by David Taylor

Elements of Aversion by Elizabeth Barrette

Some Fun and Horrible Horror Film Trailers for Halloween

Roger Corman films:

The Raven(1963)
The Terror (1963)

Samuel Z. Arkoff films:

Beast with a Million Eyes (1955)
I was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)
Attack of the Puppet People (1958)
Teenage Caveman (1958)

Two of my personal favorite Vincent Price films (which never really were horrifying, but fun, nonetheless):
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) Here's the trailer.

Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1973) Here's the trailer.

Arkoff's Partner Nicolson's last picture was:
Legend of Hell House (1973) a particularly entertaining and effective horror film.

Alfred Hitchcock films:

Rear Window (1954)
Vertigo (1958)

John Carpenter films:
Halloween
The Thing and a good horrible clip from the film.
Prom Night (1980)
The Fog (1980)

Stephen King films (films based on Stephen King's work)
Creepshow
The Shining and a clip.
Carrie

Other horror films:

Blackula (1972)
Tales from the Hood
The House on Haunted Hill (1999)
Friday the 13th
The Exorcist

Horror Stories & Reading

Short Horror Stories (Classic short fiction)

I recommend these authors & stories from this website:
Robert Chambers "The Yellow Sign" (cosmic horror)
Guy de Maupassant "the Horla" (cosmic horror) & The Inn
Edgar Allan Poe: "The Black Cat" (psychological), "The Fall of the House of Usher" (gothic)
Crystal Arboghast "Hobnail"
Fernando Sorrentino "The Habits of the Artichoke"


Spinetinglers (Website)

Horror Genres

We have covered a variety of horror genres. We will go into these genres a little more as the course continues. To help you keep them straight, take a look at these video/film clips:

Gothic:
Video introduction/explanation about Gothic Horror
Sample Gothic Horror film clips:
Dark Shadows (1970)
The Opening Scene from the TV production: Mystery'.

Monsters:
The Wolf Man
Pan's Labyrinth
The Host film clip
The Mummy
Jaws
Night of the Living Dead

Psychological Horror:
The Hitcher
The Missing
Identity

Cosmic Horror:
At the Mountains of Madness
Call of Cthulhu
The Ninth Gate

Mystery/Suspense:
Rear Window
And Then There Were None
Sherlock Holmes
Young Sherlock Holmes (ceremony scene) Also a good example of cosmic horror

Survival Horror:
Survival Horror Video Game Tribute
The Descent

Humorous Horror/Parody:
The Simpsons
BeetleJuice
Mad Monster Party

Dark Fantasy
City of Lost Children
Gormenghast

Welcome Writers!

Welcome to our horror/suspense writing seminar. Other seminars throughout the year will be posted here as well.

Why use this blog?

On this blog you will be able to link to additional materials at home that will help you become a successful writer.

Much of the course is writer driven--that is to say you can explore and investigate various fields of writing outside of school to your heart's content. There is no need to feel as if the class is going too slow or too fast. The material here will be posted and kept here so that you use it when you need it or want to.

You can also post questions that you didn't ask in class to these posts.

You can also share the sort of assignments and material we cover in class with your parents or friends. Just direct them to the blog and they can follow it as well.

See the next post above this one. All posts are dated so if you are absent, you just need to remember what day you were absent and you can read what we did in class.