Thanks, this is amazing. Shirley Jackson's grandfather was a society architect known for building large ugly house for rich people. She'd written a couple essays about how architecture can instill horror. All good stuff.
I grew up around a lot of crumbling mansions from the Gilded Age in the Berkshires, so was always interested. Then there’s the plastic house GE built before they ditched town and left a superfund site, but that’s a whole other horror story.
This is that Rosebud/Breakast at Tiff's ring thing you mention often. Things I thought I understood, but don't.
I have so many objects in this story that aren't doing anything except being there.
(Pssst, there's actually a sequel story, A Mother's Love... about the boy's life after this event... but I won't drop that until the AGU draft is done.)
This left me cackling: "the sort of book that should come equipped with a cyanide capsule around page 250. "
Was recently reading about dolls in Dr. Clarissa Pinkola-Estes book, "Women Who Run..." where she says "Dolls emanate both a holiness and mana" (impersonal supernatural power that can be transmitted or inherited.) Huguette musta had a legion of homunculi!
About building, check out the story of The Felt Mansion in Michigan. Shortly after the summer home was built, with a lovely concrete pond that Mrs. Felt could look out at from her upper story bedroom window, the old lady croaked. Every time I walk out on the walkway to the middle of pond, I imagine her cold wet fingers reaching out and grabbing my ankle.
Most wealthy people seem to lack the things money can’t buy - like imagination. Maybe because usually their curiosity has been limited by ambition or time has simply been eaten up with the process of acquiring wealth. Those that inherit vast fortunes rarely have the gumption to make a life , having not been forced to acquire and strengthen a sense of purpose or the meaning of “ value “ for themselves. I think Guy Ritchie in his films manages to point out the inadequacies of our money worship and lack of real purpose in a world that promises everything by one means or another .
I'd love to accept this challenge of writing someone spend a fortune on absurdity, but I absolutely have to finish this story and sell it by the end of the year. We're 4.25 years in. At worst, Ill sell a dozen self published copies and do better on the next one. At best, I'll sell it through my agent acquaintance and make a few royalties to finance this addiction. Time will tell.
I loved the notion of money that decays printed on vegetal in Adjustment Day (love that book Chuck, don’t get all hate it gets)
Money with a shelf life, you have to spend money as quick as you can to keep a fortune. Really propulsive engine.
Brewsters Millions is based on a spiteful old man who was pist off about being forced to smoke cigars as a kid. Forces the inheritor to to spend 30 million is 30 days
Given the shape of a cigar, and the level of anger. Its not hard to diagnose what trauma the benefactor was working through
I live a stones throw away from the Mystery House and Ive never been. Sigh
I’ve been. It was interesting but not too creepy all told.
Yeah seems alright.
This reminds me of the house falling into ruins that was built by the Jones, of the “Keeping up with the Jones” saying. http://mission-history.blogspot.com/2013/08/lying-in-ruins-with-joneses-visiting.html.
Thanks, this is amazing. Shirley Jackson's grandfather was a society architect known for building large ugly house for rich people. She'd written a couple essays about how architecture can instill horror. All good stuff.
I had no idea that phrase was rooted in a real "house". Thanks for sharing!
I grew up around a lot of crumbling mansions from the Gilded Age in the Berkshires, so was always interested. Then there’s the plastic house GE built before they ditched town and left a superfund site, but that’s a whole other horror story.
Congrats Hayden! Wonderful story! Thank you!
I wonder if this why I feel forlorn when I complete a project. Does that book have a chapter about the Biltmore house?
Thanks, Chuck.
This was an eye-opener of an experience.
I can die happy... once I redraft, of course.
Keep your objects in mind, too. Like how the quarters are always morphing in the Richard story!
This is that Rosebud/Breakast at Tiff's ring thing you mention often. Things I thought I understood, but don't.
I have so many objects in this story that aren't doing anything except being there.
(Pssst, there's actually a sequel story, A Mother's Love... about the boy's life after this event... but I won't drop that until the AGU draft is done.)
❤️
Congratulations, Hayden 🎉
Not the point, but "Huguette" is quite a name. I don't think I've ever heard that one before.
My experiment with flashbacks/establishing emotional authority.
https://alphabros.substack.com/p/monsters?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=yiw9o
This is for Logan and ya' all... https://view.publitas.com/mark-ezra-designs/theater_10_03_28_26/page/1
This left me cackling: "the sort of book that should come equipped with a cyanide capsule around page 250. "
Was recently reading about dolls in Dr. Clarissa Pinkola-Estes book, "Women Who Run..." where she says "Dolls emanate both a holiness and mana" (impersonal supernatural power that can be transmitted or inherited.) Huguette musta had a legion of homunculi!
About building, check out the story of The Felt Mansion in Michigan. Shortly after the summer home was built, with a lovely concrete pond that Mrs. Felt could look out at from her upper story bedroom window, the old lady croaked. Every time I walk out on the walkway to the middle of pond, I imagine her cold wet fingers reaching out and grabbing my ankle.
Most wealthy people seem to lack the things money can’t buy - like imagination. Maybe because usually their curiosity has been limited by ambition or time has simply been eaten up with the process of acquiring wealth. Those that inherit vast fortunes rarely have the gumption to make a life , having not been forced to acquire and strengthen a sense of purpose or the meaning of “ value “ for themselves. I think Guy Ritchie in his films manages to point out the inadequacies of our money worship and lack of real purpose in a world that promises everything by one means or another .
I'd love to accept this challenge of writing someone spend a fortune on absurdity, but I absolutely have to finish this story and sell it by the end of the year. We're 4.25 years in. At worst, Ill sell a dozen self published copies and do better on the next one. At best, I'll sell it through my agent acquaintance and make a few royalties to finance this addiction. Time will tell.
Howard Hughes was a genius when building and seemed to implode.
Read about HH death. All the money in the world and he essentially died of
neglect.
Heroin is and always be a hell of a drug
I loved the notion of money that decays printed on vegetal in Adjustment Day (love that book Chuck, don’t get all hate it gets)
Money with a shelf life, you have to spend money as quick as you can to keep a fortune. Really propulsive engine.
Brewsters Millions is based on a spiteful old man who was pist off about being forced to smoke cigars as a kid. Forces the inheritor to to spend 30 million is 30 days
Given the shape of a cigar, and the level of anger. Its not hard to diagnose what trauma the benefactor was working through
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/review-short-bus-hero-by-shannon-giglio_b_59bc2feee4b0390a1564dd50