Behind the mask

My first "chapter book" was an Edgar Allan Poe anthology. It still sits on my shelf. I remember reading "The Tell-Tale Heart" as a kid, not quite understanding what I was reading, but completely unable to put it down. That was just the beginning.

Then came Goosebumps, Fear Street, and Stephen King. I went on to get an English degree and enjoyed applying literary theory to the occult (much to the chagrin of my college professors). And yes, my senior thesis was exactly what you think it was.

My first horror movie was actually the chest-burster scene from Spaceballs. I woke up mid-family vacation, disoriented, eyes on a glowing TV screen—so scared, then so confused as the alien went Vaudeville. It scared the shit out of me at the time, but the seed was planted.

Like with most things I love, I shared horror with people. Long before this site came to be, I was recommending horror movies to the squeamish. The great thing about horror is it fits everywhere. You just need to find the right one.