The truly scary stuff isn't about monsters under the bed, vampires sucking blood or witches casting spells.. real horror comes from the things we take for granted, the things we trust the most and the things we think could never hurt us. Real horror is lying beside your beloved husband at night and seeing something odd in his eyes and then telling yourself you imagined it and what was wrong with you to even see something so crazy? Real horror is your sister putting something poisonous into the sugar bowl at a family dinner. Have you ever read "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" by Shirley Jackson?

I read it when I was a child. I thought it was a children's story and it was... yet it was the most horrifying thing I have ever read and the book has stuck with me my entire life. Over 30 years later and I still feel an eeriness just thinking about the book, the sisters and their lives alone with their secret.

I've read other Shirley Jackson stories, as many as I could find. I even read some of her non-fiction but reading those made me wish for more of her fiction instead.

Her books aren't always listed in the horror section. She's one of those writers who are hard to pin down into one strict genre. Sometimes I find her books displayed on the shelves for literature. I think that suits her, it's a bit generic and non-threatening. Who would suspect real horror from a book you find in the high-brow section of the book store?

Pick up one of her books of short stories or the collections with both the novels and short stories. It's a short story after all, it can't hurt.

Vintage Shirley Jackson books are better than the new editions, mainly for the book cover art. I have a huge weakness for book cover art from the 1960's and 1970's. They haunt you more, they have more romance, mystery and poetry to them. Compare book art from Shirley Jackson books - I found a link to someone who has a collection of them online. Which of those book covers would have you picking up the book and then flipping it over to read the back cover?

I wish I could say I have some gorgeous, luxurious home office set up... but I don't. It's mostly a collection of what I could afford and what I needed at the time. But, even though my computer desk is not glamorous and decadent (as my ideal home office would be) it is functional and affordable. It actually looks similar to this one from Amazon. But, mine is showing the odd sign of age now. I could dust it a bit more too.

These days I could call my computer desk, which is the focus of my home office, bohemian. I like bohemian, it gives me some slack for not being especially clean or tidy. Bohemian allows some clutter (in a fashionable way) and even the dust bunnies fit into the Bohemian lifestyle. At least that's how I see it.

I have an assortment of stuff scattered over my desk. My old mousepad has now become the coffee cup coaster. Beside that I have a back scratcher because I don't really have another good place to put it and, I got a bit lazy last night and did not move it somewhere else. I also have the two remotes for the TV because I like to have it on, babbling away in the background. Some people work to music, I work to random conversations it seems. I've got assorted tubes and bottles of cream for my face and hand sanitizer which I squirt over my hands and the computer mouse too. I have my new hand-held scanner which I need to buy a micro SD card for still and I have my old photo scanner which is much loved but does not like my new computer well enough to stay plugged in to it. The rest is clutter I have to admit. You might think some of the above it clutter too... and you could be right.

Yes, I would love a hardwood desk for my home office. I can see it in my mind, lots of drawers and cubby holes. Heavy and dense, the sort of desk it would take several men and perhaps at least one horse too, just to move it into my room. A dark wood in colour but maybe a stain like cherry wood to make it look less serious. Curved lines on some of the drawers because I don't like a lot of squares and unrelieved straight lines. A romantic, almost shabby chic look to it. Likely some fabric somewhere, maybe a desk skirt, if that wouldn't be going too far. A desk like that should have some mystery to it too, not be just girly looking.

It would be a great desk... but I've got my bohemian computer desk right now, in the real world that is my life. I like it and I'm going to keep it. After all, it puts up with me and all my stuff.

I Like Making ASCII Art

Maybe you have seen ASCII art and didn't know what it was.

I make pictures using my computer keyboard - the characters of the keyboard, the text letters, punctuation marks and the numbers too. I enjoy ASCII art. Working with text to make a picture instead of words is like a puzzle, trying to fit the pieces into the right places and finding which text characters work best in which spaces.

I always thought I couldn't draw so ASCII art became my outlet to put images from my mind into something I could show in print. (Because no one else can see all the stuff in your head).

My Experience as an ASCII Artist - 1996 to Current

For me, ASCII art began in 1996 when I was new online and noticed amazing work done in keyboard text and used as signatures in email and online forums. I had to search to find the actual name, ASCII art. Those were the pre-Google days. I actually found it by asking someone on a website which was a one man project. I wish I still had the link so I could give credit to him. But, I don't even know if the site is still active, or even still online.

My first ASCII art was a house with a tree and other touches added in. It wasn't any house in particular so I had the freedom to create it however I liked. It did not turn out as well as I hoped. I was glad to have completed something in ASCII art myself but it wasn't something I was going to show off.

In 1998 I found a group of ASCII artists on the newsgroups. You can still find those newsgroups, they were eventually taken over (and the archives kept) by Google. Take a look at Google Groups, search for ASCII art and you will find two groups in the alt and rec sections. There are actually even more ASCII art groups if you look for those in German and other European languages. Now and then I use a translator online because there is some really great ASCII art in those groups too.

I met several artists in 1998. My early attempts were given fair critics, some suggestions and only a little snickering behind the computer screens where I couldn't see it. Joan Stark became famous for her ASCII art in those days. But, there were so many others who had wonderful ASCII art too. Joan was the most prolific and later, the most broken hearted as more and more of her ASCII art was stolen - credit for the work ripped off or claimed by someone else.

For a few years in between the late 1990's and about 2010 I dropped out of making ASCII art myself. Most of the people from the group were also winding down. Our newsgroup was plagued with spam, our art was being stolen, some was taken to be coloured by people using IRC (Internet Relay Chat) but they also took the credit for our work off and claimed it was their work because they had changed it so much. Another problem was someone who took the art and perverted it into obnoxious jokes and then posted it to the group just to aggravate everyone. Myself, I was disheartened when a set of jack-o-lanterns I created was ripped off - a woman in Australia claimed them as her own. She even posted them to the ASCII art newsgroup and asked everyone what they thought of her great ASCII work.

At the end of 2010 something sparked in me and I once again took up ASCII art, just for myself. I had enjoyed it so much when I was just creating something for myself and then showing and getting feedback, tips and encouragement in the group. Almost no one was left from the group and I have only tracked down a few of them since 2010. But, I found it didn't matter. My skill had somehow improved over the years, even though I had done almost nothing.

I began making ASCII art for holidays, like Christmas and Halloween and some which had very little (to none) ASCII art - like Groundhog Day. It became fun again and I didn't mind working alone.

Lately I have been getting requests for ASCII art. I didn't put my name out there so it was nice to be asked for something special. I have made ASCII art for a print literary magazine. They offered to pay but never did, so I won't be mentioning their name. The rest has been freebie work and at least it's honest freebie work. I have created ASCII art for a text based game and have a 'contract' to work on larger images for another game which wants ASCII art backgrounds. I've also created ASCII art for family events like a friend's wedding, the birth of my sister's first baby and my nephew, Zack, who started living on his own while attending his first year of university.

Doing More With ASCII Art

ASCII art in itself is nice but you can do things with the ASCII art you create. I've got a list of things you may not have thought of.

• ASCII Art in HTML Source Code Now and then if you look at the source code (the HTML code) of websites you can find ASCII art. Its like a secret surprise for those who dig a little deeper.

• ASCII Art as Image Tags If you know what the alt image tags are (and where they are) you could give this a try.

• Passwords in ASCII Art One line ASCII art can be used as a unique password.

• Word Play with ASCII Art Rebus Puzzles, also known as Wordies can be created with ASCII art.

Get started as an urban explorer with a great backpack. Mine is not as cool at this one from National Geographic, but I can dream (or think of it as a goal for the future). What sort of explorer wouldn't be tempted by something called an Earth Explorer Backpack designed by National Geographic (those explorers/ documenters of the world.

You don't need a lot of gear to be an urban explorer. The basics: digital camera, map, decent footwear, flashlight and something sensible, somewhat waterproof and light to carry them in. Some explorers bring a lot of safety gear, extra gadgets and electronic accessories. If you are exploring risky areas like drains, tunnels and industrial areas it is a good idea to come prepared for danger from gases, chemicals and whatever else might be lingering around.

You could bring water, exploring is thirsty work. I prefer to go for coffee somewhere after I've taken all the photos I want. Of course, it does depend on how mucky I end up being. Not many coffee shops are going to be happy with you if you track in a lot of mud and possibly worse smelling stuff (depending on where you explored that day).

Urban exploring (usually wandering around without permission) is taking a risk. You could be charged with trespassing. However, if you don't have a lot of gear and equipment (beyond your camera) you won't look like someone who has planned to cause trouble, steal or damage anything. I've never had any trouble. People ask what I am doing and I explain that I enjoy old buildings and like to have a look and take some photographs.

Another thing for explorers to know is the 'rule' of urban explorers. Take only photographs; leave only footprints. This means you don't take souvenirs, or remove anything from the property (other than your own garbage).

Don't confuse urban exploring with dare devil stunts. Urban explorers love history, old places and things. It isn't about taking risks or breaking laws. Urban exploring is about documenting history and using photography to share what we find with family, friends and others you can trust not to vandalize or break the rule; take only photographs; leave only footsteps.

There is something about carrying your gear, gadgets, camera and assorted stuff in a backpack from National Geographic. You can pick from smaller backpacks and take a look at the camera strap (below) too.

I really like the gargoyle bookends which I found on Amazon.

As a reader (and keeper of books) one thing I especially like are bookends. I have some standard black wire bookends which do the job of keeping my books from falling over. But, they just do the job, nothing more. I prefer bookends with some drama, some personality and some mystery even. Sometimes I like a romantic style, sometimes architecture catches my eye and I have bookends which are not really bookends but chunks of rock and stone from old buildings.

Whatever bookends attract you they still need to be functional. The purpose of bookends is not to pose fashionable at the end of a row of books. Bookends need to hold up your books, keep them from falling over on bookshelves and then slipping and slopping their way onto the floor. Bookends are great.

I have a lovely bookshelf but... the sides were not designed with the idea of keeping books in place. The sides are left open and my books fall through if I don't use bookends to hold them in place. I also use this for my very small collection of video games and my even smaller collection of movies on DVDs. So, bookends aren't just for books and book readers.

Don't those gargoyles look great. Sitting there, quiet, still and supposedly made of rock with rock for brains too. However, I suspect when you head off to work, school, or whatever it is you do with your day, the gargoyles will read your books. I hope you pick something good for them to read. Change around the books they hold too. You don't want to leave them with nothing new to read.

You don't need to leave your gargoyles milk and cookies, that would be silly. You're just thinking of Santa. But, a well placed bookmark would be a great idea to keep them from turning down pages to mark their place in your book.

You can find good photographs of gargoyles and other vintage and mysterious things at Gigi Pandian, Gargoyle Girls blog.

Does a dragon count as a gargoyle? I think so. Dragons have been seen on the sides of buildings among the other odder looking gargoyles. I wonder if they all have their books tucked away up there, hidden from public view?