XD I guess I didn't make it into Silent Nightmares. I really appreciate the opportunity though, it's a genuine honor to even have participated. Happy Valentine's day Chuck. Now, back to trying harder...
In the same way that feature films are casting around for a fresh trend, I sense that publishers are putting together story collections in order to identify new reader taste. The invites to contribute are increasing. The market is looking for short pieces that prove new voices. Stories and novellas.
Playboy (reborn) and The Atlantic are both looking for stories. I'll keep you posted about opportunities.
Keep in mind that 'Fatal Attraction' was originally a short-short film -- Interlude? A story is a great way to test a premise before you go long with it.
At this point, I don't know how you are able to enjoy any book or movie without analyzing and deconstructing it, thereby taking you out of it. I can't read any short story or watch any movie without doing that.
Yes, I recall being emotionally exhausted by the end of each of those. Revisited Blue Velvet as an older adult and it was even more exhausting - probably because it seems more grounded in reality.
I made the mistake of watching When A Stranger Calls when I was home sick and alone as a kid. Bad idea. Also the movie Tourist Trap, which scared the hell out of me. Has anyone else seen it?
Mitchum had a creepy intensity. Funny that Lillian Gish is in that movie. I was just writing about her movie Hearts of the World for my Substack serial.
Here’s Tourist Trap. Should be on Mystery Science Theater:
Why did I click on that?!? Like the phunk junkeez song goes, “wtf chuck.” Bad dreams for me tonight. Finding you on Substack is outstanding. Thank you!
Plus you have the "meta" hypnotic "loop" of the National Anthem sign-off as the portal -- while you're watching television. TV within TV. Have you ever really come out of that movie?
Presently Eric and I have the flu or some such stomach bug and it’s our fifth anniversary. Our date is tomorrow evening so hopefully we’ll be over it.
One thing about me is not just that dogs love me, they do. But the fact babies love me. True I have two kids but I thought that would be my limit of children that would like me. I’ve never understood but whenever one of my nieces babies was crying or whatever if they handed them to me they’d flat out stop crying and make themselves comfortable. I like babies in small doses so to get out of it I’d say, “oh shoot you know I was working on the Covid floor last week, you never know.” Baby time over. Sorry Owen or Andre or Sally or whoever you can scream your head off over there.
Did you have the ordeal of grade school Valentine's giveaways? Making a paper mail box and the whole humiliating ritual?
How about writing a story in which a child gets a Valentine -- cute, machine-made, one of dozens -- that says, "Your throat is already cut." And the upset that ensues. Call it "Valentine's Lock-Down!" It writes itself, Logan.
I enjoyed the ritual. I went to Lutheran Grade school so i had to do it for a number of years. Making hearts out of colored construction paper or getting a set of 30 themed paper ones with some 80s cartoon theme. I think one of the best rituals of my childhood was the Roller Skating Ring. We would do the moonlight dance with a classmate near the end. Skate side by side in the darkness holding hands. One of my classmates tried to stop me by pulling on one of my skates and i kicked him in the face. Good times back in Gen X days.
It is very difficult for me to watch films by myself these days. Weed used to help, but became all side effects at some point. Get a lot more done without it, but rarely watch films. However, if its a shared experience, Im good.
Interstellar is the only film that I can recall from the past year that held my attention. True Detective Season 1 and Queens Gambit also come to mind, but theyre series.
Speaking of, is Invisible Monsters in development hell?
I just watched Longlegs. That kept my attention. So much so that for like half the movie, I was increasingly thirsty but I didn't want to pause it to get up and get a drink.
I never had the benefit of watching movies when I was sick though I vaguely recall being allowed to watch the first Nightmare on Elm Street on a PD day. It terrified me. I haven't watched it since. I guess some things are best left in the memory of youth. I did, however read comics when I was sick. Re-reading them now never provides the same high as they did when I was 10.
(Love the shock of your dog story BTW. You had me to the end...love dogs and now I will worry whenever one seems to be just a little too interested...hahaha)
I saw that for the first time a few months ago and it has stuck ever since. Possibly because some scenes were shot in my hometown. So weird and well done.
I just looked him up - I didn't realize that was him! I'm surprised they didn't mention it at the time. I watched The Swimmer during a Twilight Zone symposium. During one of the days, they compared and analyzed A Stop at Willoughby to The Swimmer.
Oh my goodness that was heartbreaking! Also the porn arcade had me thinking about the movie "World's Greatest Dad." ...again. Just an impossible place to be as a parent.
I have the same experience when I was sick as a kid, but it was with AMC’s Fearfrest.
XD I guess I didn't make it into Silent Nightmares. I really appreciate the opportunity though, it's a genuine honor to even have participated. Happy Valentine's day Chuck. Now, back to trying harder...
In the same way that feature films are casting around for a fresh trend, I sense that publishers are putting together story collections in order to identify new reader taste. The invites to contribute are increasing. The market is looking for short pieces that prove new voices. Stories and novellas.
Playboy (reborn) and The Atlantic are both looking for stories. I'll keep you posted about opportunities.
Exciting stuff!
I've heard from my one-foot-in-the-door movie friend that horror shorts are the rage and the local film festivals seen to bear that out.
https://winterfilmawards.com/wff2025/
Keep in mind that 'Fatal Attraction' was originally a short-short film -- Interlude? A story is a great way to test a premise before you go long with it.
It looks like it is Diversion
https://letterboxd.com/film/diversion/
At this point, I don't know how you are able to enjoy any book or movie without analyzing and deconstructing it, thereby taking you out of it. I can't read any short story or watch any movie without doing that.
That's why the ones that still work seem so amazing. Remember when you first saw Se7en or Blue Velvet, and felt so dazzled?
Yes, I recall being emotionally exhausted by the end of each of those. Revisited Blue Velvet as an older adult and it was even more exhausting - probably because it seems more grounded in reality.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Chuck!
I made the mistake of watching When A Stranger Calls when I was home sick and alone as a kid. Bad idea. Also the movie Tourist Trap, which scared the hell out of me. Has anyone else seen it?
You should get really sick and sit alone watching The Night of the Hunter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8dX6ZKJe2o
Mitchum had a creepy intensity. Funny that Lillian Gish is in that movie. I was just writing about her movie Hearts of the World for my Substack serial.
Here’s Tourist Trap. Should be on Mystery Science Theater:
https://youtu.be/sDpxEdIxxg4?si=Ehm5fSEmjYJJSmXk
The MST3K puppet that looked like a bong always made me laugh so hard.
Nice to see Chuck Connors was still getting work.
So close to the final round but happy to have been considered! Looking forward to reading all the great stories that make it.
On an unrelated note, I watched all of Interstellar during a colonoscopy prep…I think your theory has legs.
THAT sounds like a super version of William Castle's The Tingler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NvfUFHJk_M
For me it was the end of The Body Snatchers. Imagine poor Kiefer if he dn clean his room having Donald using that face with outstretched hand!
It was more that Sound he made, that siren sound. Poor Veronica Cartwright.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTP_SdjD5ms
Why did I click on that?!? Like the phunk junkeez song goes, “wtf chuck.” Bad dreams for me tonight. Finding you on Substack is outstanding. Thank you!
Consider how often you've seen Veronica Cartwright scream and die:
The Birds
Alien
Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
Happy Valentines Day, Mr. Palahniuk! I wrote a Valentines Day poem for everyone:
Warning: Love potion may contain side effects which include:
Loss of copious amounts of time,
loss of character, horrid
nightmares, day dreams, laughing, crying, rage induced seizures, loss
of focus, blurry vision, sleep walking, alienating friends,
overeating, loss of appetite, diarrhea & in rare cases, death.
Consult a medical professional
before taking.
Do not operate heavy machinery
Thank you!
Definitely Poltergeist on the UHF Midnight Scare-a-thon. Still one of my favorites.
Plus you have the "meta" hypnotic "loop" of the National Anthem sign-off as the portal -- while you're watching television. TV within TV. Have you ever really come out of that movie?
Oh, man. If I’m stuck in Vista Verde then where is Craig T. Nelson?
Maybe you're stuck in the Sam Rockwell remake?
As much as I love Sam Rockwell, I sincerely hope not.
Presently Eric and I have the flu or some such stomach bug and it’s our fifth anniversary. Our date is tomorrow evening so hopefully we’ll be over it.
One thing about me is not just that dogs love me, they do. But the fact babies love me. True I have two kids but I thought that would be my limit of children that would like me. I’ve never understood but whenever one of my nieces babies was crying or whatever if they handed them to me they’d flat out stop crying and make themselves comfortable. I like babies in small doses so to get out of it I’d say, “oh shoot you know I was working on the Covid floor last week, you never know.” Baby time over. Sorry Owen or Andre or Sally or whoever you can scream your head off over there.
I don't have a valentine💔
Did you have the ordeal of grade school Valentine's giveaways? Making a paper mail box and the whole humiliating ritual?
How about writing a story in which a child gets a Valentine -- cute, machine-made, one of dozens -- that says, "Your throat is already cut." And the upset that ensues. Call it "Valentine's Lock-Down!" It writes itself, Logan.
We had to write Valentine's to random classmates. I like the idea.
That's even better. A random victim. The pitch: Silence of the Lambs set in a grade school.
Also, we got bags of candy from the teachers. The tearcher could poison the candy.
It puts the lotion in the basket
Dear Clarissa, you have such lovely skin.
Dear Gloria, I wonder what your eyeballs taste like.
Make it short enough to put on a little sugar SweetHart candy.
Die Soon
I enjoyed the ritual. I went to Lutheran Grade school so i had to do it for a number of years. Making hearts out of colored construction paper or getting a set of 30 themed paper ones with some 80s cartoon theme. I think one of the best rituals of my childhood was the Roller Skating Ring. We would do the moonlight dance with a classmate near the end. Skate side by side in the darkness holding hands. One of my classmates tried to stop me by pulling on one of my skates and i kicked him in the face. Good times back in Gen X days.
A student who has a crush on a teacher could crush up an ecstasy tab they stole from their older sister’s purse and drop it in the teacher’s coffee.
For a little innocent classroom horror, have you read 'Gryphon' by Charles Baxter?
You own me. It's magnificent.
http://www.introtofictionvanhaecke.weebly.com/uploads/2/2/7/3/22735066/baxter_gryphon2.pdf
I haven’t.
Dear Jason, please don’t tell anyone about what we did in the bathroom. I wanna get into Heaven and see my dad.
From the other side of innocent parent classroom horror, I’m a huge fan of Shirley Jackson’s Charles https://loa-shared.s3.amazonaws.com/static/pdf/Jackson_Charles.pdf
Every time my kids come home and tell me about one of their classmates acting up, I wonder if it’s a confession
That IS a great story.
Good read.
It is very difficult for me to watch films by myself these days. Weed used to help, but became all side effects at some point. Get a lot more done without it, but rarely watch films. However, if its a shared experience, Im good.
Me too! I'm wondering if it has to do with internet conditioning. Watching tons of short clips or do all movies seem like they're over 3 hours long!
Thats definitely part of it, but I always had trouble sitting still for 2 straight hours by myself.
Okay, name one that's plotted so well -- and cut so well -- that you never sense time passing. Everyone, name one.
Interstellar is the only film that I can recall from the past year that held my attention. True Detective Season 1 and Queens Gambit also come to mind, but theyre series.
Speaking of, is Invisible Monsters in development hell?
Yeah, it was at FX for a hundred years with a wonderful writer, now I don't know.
Consider that nonlinear movies/stories might distract us more because they force us to do the final assembly. A piece of IKEA furniture in our head.
I agree. Jumping around in time works better for me. Pulp Fiction probably trained me to feel that way.
Hopefully whoever owns the rights doesnt sit on it forever. The world needs a Geek Love film or series too.
I just watched Longlegs. That kept my attention. So much so that for like half the movie, I was increasingly thirsty but I didn't want to pause it to get up and get a drink.
I never had the benefit of watching movies when I was sick though I vaguely recall being allowed to watch the first Nightmare on Elm Street on a PD day. It terrified me. I haven't watched it since. I guess some things are best left in the memory of youth. I did, however read comics when I was sick. Re-reading them now never provides the same high as they did when I was 10.
(Love the shock of your dog story BTW. You had me to the end...love dogs and now I will worry whenever one seems to be just a little too interested...hahaha)
That's the magic. As a writer, your job is to ruin nice things for people.
Holy shit, that story.
Tom Robbins was one of the best
💙 The Swimmer. Shoutout John Cheever.
I saw that for the first time a few months ago and it has stuck ever since. Possibly because some scenes were shot in my hometown. So weird and well done.
Did you clock Cheever in the pool party scene? A cameo.
I just looked him up - I didn't realize that was him! I'm surprised they didn't mention it at the time. I watched The Swimmer during a Twilight Zone symposium. During one of the days, they compared and analyzed A Stop at Willoughby to The Swimmer.
I watched your newest interview and it was wonderful! I've always wondered at what exact spot people dropped when listening to "Guts." Magic! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjChE_75nWM&t=2234s
Ah, that porn arcade death story still breaks my heart. That poor kid.
Oh my goodness that was heartbreaking! Also the porn arcade had me thinking about the movie "World's Greatest Dad." ...again. Just an impossible place to be as a parent.