Some books, once read, stick with you for the rest of your life whether you like it or not. I can think of a few which won't leave my mind alone. 'The Most Dangerous Game' (written by Richard Connell) is one of them.

Others include 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle' and 'The Lottery', both by Shirley Jackson and 'The Monkey's Paw' (written by W. W. Jacobs) which was a short story I read from a book I found at my Grandparent's house a very long time ago. I still remember the sick feeling of wondering what was at the door. If you have never read it and want a good short story, give it a try.

'The Most Dangerous Game' is about hunters and being hunted. Which do you think is the most dangerous animal to hunt? Lions, tigers and bears... oh my! Not any of those, according to the book. I don't want to give away the story for anyone who doesn't already know it. But, I can say there has never been an adventure quite like the chase which goes on in this book. The ending leaves you guessing, unless you choose to assume things ended in a better way and leave it at that.

You don't need to be into hunting to enjoy this book. If enjoy is quite the right word. It is not a story for children, though it was a story we were required to read when I was a school kid. The story impacted me - I didn't stay up late to sneak downstairs and watch horror on TV as my brother and one of my sisters did. I liked to avoid the gruesome stuff. I still do. But, there are some stories you need to read, some ideas which should be explored, or at least tempted a little. Not that I'm taking up hunting, not as a sport, not after having read 'The Most Dangerous Game' at least once in my life.

SuiteU is closing and will disappear soon. There is a lot of great content there. People who wrote the courses put a lot into them. It's a shame for them to just disappear. Here is the free ecourse for Horror Literature. I'd like to write horror but so far it all starts out all wrong for me. I need a new way to write it.

Horror Literature By Catherine Bitzer

Introduction

Welcome to the lair of horror literature! Dark minds over centuries have scared the wits out of their readers by harping on our most subconscious of fears. Below is a description of what you might expect to find in the course.

FEARS: CHILDREN AND ADULTS

Fear, the greatest ally of horror literature, has had a home in the human heart since the beginning of time. According to H.P. Lovecraft, a horror fiction master whom you will learn more about in the course, said that fear is the oldest and deepest emotion of humankind. And he is right.

Consider for example your childhood. Were you afraid? What were you afraid of? Abandonment? The death of your parents? These are the two greatest childhood fears. …more

Searchers after horror haunt strange, far places. - H.P. Lovecraft

Start just imagining a strange, far place in your mind. What colours do you see? How tall or short are the things you see? What do you smell? What is within reach for you to touch, or be touched by? What do you hear? How do you feel now that you are there?

Now write about it, as if you are a traveler just wandering in from a long, strange journey. You're tired and feeling out of place in this place you have never been before but may have heard about from someone. Write about your first step across the threshold from your journey to here and into the place itself. There is always that first step when you go forward enough to arrive and thus commit yourself to staying, at least for awhile. To leave too soon would seem kind of silly (even rude).

Getting off-seasonal with Eliza Dashwood (Word Ferret), for a horror writing prompt. I admit, I also read a lot of the paranormal chick lit stuff. Some may call it dark fantasy, paranormal fiction, etc. I think paranormal chick lit covers it well for me. Some of my favourite paranormal writers are: Michelle Rowen, Kelley Armstrong, Kresley Cole, Gena Showalter, Tanith Lee, Rachel Vincent, Katie MacAlister, Kerrelyn Sparks. Not hard core horror but I don't enjoy being really scared.

In her post Eliza writes about her early discovery of vampires, in her own home. What would be your story for a horror tale? I am very sure you have had some idea for a horror plot at some point. Maybe not a romantic story. Maybe one with a lot more edge and real terror in your horror. Write an outline for your plot. When you've done that, could you put more work and energy into it and turn it into a full story? How about trying it as a short story for an online publication? Test the blood... I mean water, for yourself as a horror writer.

Eliza and her vampires think you should.