Yo, readers and listeners!
Just touching base here with some shoutouts and recommendations from your local Pacific Northwest Horror junkie :).
Due to my insane idea to produce three podcasts in 2025, I’ve been binging lots of horror films, and that has led me to discover some truly wonderful diamonds in the rough that I think you should all check out.
Also, general PSA: if you or someone you love is a horror film fan and you or they do not have the SHUDDER add-on to their Amazon Prime (or the app itself) you should remedy that post-haste. Shudder is an amazing producer of indie horror and a supportive platform for the genre which curates thousands of films that you would scarcely be able to excavate from the internet soup otherwise. It’s very affordable and I’ve certainly gotten LOTS of use from it.
I don’t get kickbacks or anything like that from Shudder (though if you’re reading this Shudder…I mean, holla’ atcha boy), but I still recommend it very highly.
This first newsletter of the month is also where I’ll shout out my awesome community members who are doing sweet things, so there will be some of that forthcoming as well.
Alright, let’s start with some recommendations!
Clay’s Monthly Morsels:
3 Must Watch Contemporary Horror Films
#1. Relic
I’m going to kick it off with this haunting, visceral, and immersive psychological horror film from 2020. Directed by Natalie Erika James and starring Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin and Bella Heathcote, this generational dramatic-horror is tragic, beautiful, and terrifying all at the same time.
Those of you who’ve heard me speak about horror before will know that I’m a huge proponent of using horror to discuss, personify, and process traumatic emotional and mental issues within ourselves and society. This film is a PRIMO example of how to accomplish this without beating the audience over the head with the premise or, more importantly, without losing the elements of good storytelling that are essential to weaving a truly terrifying narrative.
The characters in this film are superbly written and just as excellently portrayed by the talented cast. The cinematic qualities of Relic are of the highest caliber. I tip my proverbial hat to the talented production crew at Film Australia and to Natalie Erika James for seamlessly accomplishing all these feats.
Likewise, the writing team did a wonderful job of constructing a script that remained poignant and gripping from beginning to end. This one is NOT TO BE MISSED, my friends. At least not if you love slow-burn, psychological horror as much as I do.
Honestly, this is probably the best horror film I’ve seen since watching The Wasteland earlier this year and I’ll have to watch it a couple more times to confirm this, but it might be among my favorite horror films EVER.
#2. The Autopsy of Jane Doe
It’s generally a good idea to follow the advice of Stephen King. I did not do so when reading the blurb on the bottom of that film poster above, but I wish I had.
This is a truly chilling film with a break-neck pace and a textbook model of how to utilize the traditional story structure, tropes, and watcher expectations to still create a stand-out, modern horror film.
I was recently assigned this project for a Clarion West workshop and to be honest, I’d avoided watching it back when it first came out. My reason at the time, was because it was ‘over-hyped’ and I guess I was going through a moody artist phase at the time. I regret that decision now, as this movie is a masterclass on story structure and trope utilization for all working in the creative industry, ESPECIALLY for those writing horror right now.
Many hear the word ‘trope’ and immediately begin to snarl and spit, but there is something to be said for the effective use of tropes in a film. Firstly, they can establish lots of world-building and character exposition without needing to spend time on it and boring the audience. Secondly, they ensure the audience that certain expectations will either be met or subverted in the story and that gives people something to watch/root for. Finally, they are tropes because they WORK FOR THE GENRE. Getting all stuffy about that is like refusing to watch a really good horror movie just cause lots of people like it, what kinda a**hole does that? Hold up…
Anyway, this film is awesome. It largely paints by the numbers in terms of story structure, plot beats, and character arcs but it does it EXPERTLY. That, coupled with the acting talents of Emile Hirsch, Michael Cox, Olwen Kelly, and Michael McElhatton directed by the talented Andre Ovredal culminates in a mandatory watch for modern horror films.
#3. In Fear
This is a bit of an oldie-but-goodie.
Originally premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in 2013, this directorial debut by Jeremy Lovering did very well at the prestigious indie film festival, and it is easy to see why.
This UK film is a clinic on how to make a successful, low-budget horror film. The movie stars Iain De Caestecker, Alice Englert, and Allen Leech and aside from a couple of one-off characters, that is the entire cast. This, coupled with the simplistic setting (a narrow, claustrophobic lane deep in the Irish countryside and their car) creates a minimalistic but extremely effective setting for rural, isolation horror.
In Fear centers around a pair of friends who, on their way to a big music festival, decide to spend the night in a remote, eccentric hotel. After spending most of the day following cryptic signs down a deserted back-country road, they begin to wonder if they have taken a wrong turn — or worse, fallen into some sort of sinister scheme. What they find out in the Irish back country is much worse than they could have been prepared for.
Though this film was originally produced over a decade ago, it retains much of its quintessential horror elements — especially in this age of VRBO, Airbnb, and increased numbers of travelers and campers around the world.
A few spoiler-free lessons to take away from this one:
Learn to navigate with a map and compass if you’re going to spend time traveling cross-country.
Do your research on the places you’ll be visiting and staying.
If someplace seems creepy and says KEEP OUT, maybe listen to your instincts on that whole situation…
Community Shoutouts:
Cul de Sac Stories and 100 Weird Prompts
#1. Cul de Sac Stories
“Maiden, mother, crone—the women in these stories are
filled with magic and wonder, vengeance and tenacity.
Keep an eye on Tamara Sellman—she knows how to cast a spell,
weaving a grand tapestry filled with mystery, love, horror, and hope.”
—AUTHOR AND EDITOR RICHARD THOMAS (INCARNATE, 2024),
BRAM STOKER, SHIRLEY JACKSON, AND THRILLER AWARD FINALIST
“Tamara Kaye Sellman is a short-story lover; you can see it in what she writes — stories where the marvelous stands elbow to elbow with the commonplace, where the voice at your elbow may be a witch’s mumbling or an oracle’s hint.”
—CAT RAMBO, AUTHOR AND AWARD-WINNING WORLD FANTASY EDITOR
If the praise and recommendations of Cat Rambo and Richard Thomas aren’t enough (it really should be though) I’ll chip in my own two cents as well.
Tamara is among the most talented authors I’ve ever met and certainly the most professional I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Not only is she a brilliant author, but she is also a wonderful force of connection and inspiration in the larger writing community. Everywhere she goes, Tamara cultivates creativity and companionship amongst her fellow authors and that is evident in all of her work.
She writes from a place of honest, brutal, and righteous passion which has been fueled by her past experiences and her observations of the world at large, but tempered by her various professions, travels, and adversities. All of this culminates in brilliantly unique prose, exquisite attention to detail, and fully realized characters/worlds that can scarcely be found elsewhere.
Tamara’s new book, Cul de Sac Stories is a feminism-fueled exploration of decades in the literary realm. I could not recommend it higher. READ IT NOW. These stories are necessary — not only for the betterment of dark fiction but for the improvement of humanity as a whole.
Here’s Tamara’s official blurb for the book and I’ve linked you to the book trailer below! Be sure to follow the link and pick up your own copy today :).
Official Blurb:
‘The neighborhoods of Cul de Sac Stories are not precisely the safe spaces you might expect. Instead, look for dark and quirky exurban tales that lean into postmodern experiences where fears are whispered between mothers and daughters, crones and maidens, neighbors both familiar and aloof.’
#2. 100 Unusual Prompts
This one is for the writers among you! I assume a number of my followers are writers themselves and for those of you who aren’t or might consider yourselves more on the hobbyist side, this is still a great book to kickstart the creative juices! Plus I want to shout out JW Donley and his small press Dark Forest Press because he’s an amazingly authentic and positive presence in our local horror/writing community and to the larger horror writing community in general.
The strength of his presence is evident in his ability to pull this collection of Bizarro and New Weird prompts together and put them all in one place! I was among many authors asked to supply prompts for the book (three of mine made the cut, yay!) but I among those authors are some seriously impressive contributors. Among them are Richard Thomas, Ai Jiang, Shane Hawk, Christi Nogle, Chris O’Halleran, Carlton Mellick III, John Langan, Patrick Barb, Garrett Cook, and many more.
So, if you are an author looking for some unique and strange prompts to get you on track to writing some stand-out, unique horror (or whatever…just know it’ll be weird) then this book is definitely for you. Below you’ll find three things: the official blurb, an interview between JW and award-winning author/contributor to the collection Christi Nogle, and of course, a link to get your copy of the book today!
Official Blurb
Do you write fiction that tends to be a bit more 'out there' than most?
Do most writing prompt books just seem to be not for you?
Well, you are in luck! Here is a book of 100 writing prompts for us writers of "other" fiction, be it horror, Weird, or Bizarro. Can't think of something to write? Just flip to a page at random, and you will find all the inspiration you need.
Blog Interview with Christi Nogle
As always, thank you so much for being here. Without you folks, I couldn’t be living the life I live and I will forever be grateful to you for your support, readership/listenership, and otherwise investment in my life and author journey. Until the end of the month (when I’ll give some updates on writing, podcasting, and life in general) that’ll be it from me! See you then.
With appreciation,
Clay