#My house was haunted and the main character of That One Horror Podcast was there to deal with it

[transbookoftheday]

Trans Horror Podcasts

My post about trans horror books last year was much more popular than I expected, and since I've recently fallen in love with fiction podcasts and audio dramas, I thought I'd make a post about trans horror podcasts as well.

If you like trans horror, please give these a try - especially if you enjoy listening to audiobooks!

Hello From The Hallowoods:

Come walk between the black pines! In this award-winning queer fiction podcast, an eldritch narrator follows the increasingly connected residents of the forest at the end of the world. It's a bittersweet story that explores queer identity, horror genre tropes, and finding hope in humanity's last moments.

Hello From The Hallowoods is my absolute favorite podcast! If you only listen to one podcast from this list, please make it this one - it's so beautifully written and super queer! Also: season 4 starts today!

Trans main characters include:

our nonbinary eye-affiliated podcast host

a nonbinary "Frankenstein's creature"

a transmasc ghost

a genderfluid storm witch

a trans woman who can visit other people's dreams

multiple characters using neopronouns

Camp Here & There:

Good morning, campers! Camp Here & There is a weekly horror comedy podcast tuned in to the loudspeakers of a small midwestern sleepaway camp plagued by supernatural terrors and natural disasters. Sydney Sargent, resident camp nurse, cheerfully reports on all the terror we must face with a big smile. Let’s hope there’s nothing weird about that!

Sydney is a trans man.

Dos: After You:

Things have changed. Deck has fallen in love with someone who isn't human, and leaves a hungry house behind to see him again. Will he be waiting for you? The world has changed… but what about him? Dos: After You is a queer urban fantasy/horror audiodrama available in both English & Spanish

Deck is a trans man.

Jar of Rebuke:

Follow Dr. Jared Hel's journey as he works to re-discover his forgotten past and finds his place within the small Indiana farm town of Wichton and the cryptozoological organization he works for called 'The Enclosure'. These audio journals, and other recordings, dive deep into Midwestern US cryptids and folklore while also telling a mystery about identity, queerness, neurodivergence, and community.

Jared is nonbinary.

Spirit Box Radio:

Spirit Box Radio is an award winning, horror audio drama podcast about a radio show for enthusiasts of all things arcane. Follow Sam Enfield a former postboy with no experience in the arcane arts, who finds themselves forced to take over running the show, following the disappearance of the previous host. Sam soon discovers there are more than ghosts haunting the show, and finds himself amidst a mystery which threatens everything he knows about the world beyond his tiny basement broadcast studio, and maybe even himself.

Sam is a trans man.

The Silt Verses:

Carpenter and Faulkner, two worshippers of an outlawed god, travel up the length of their deity’s great black river, searching for holy revelations amongst the reeds and the wetlands. As their pilgrimage lengthens and the river’s mysteries deepen, the two acolytes find themselves under threat from a police manhunt, but also come into conflict with the weirder gods that have flourished in these forgotten rural territories. This is a world where divine intervention takes place through prayer-markings scratched into stumping-posts, and offerings are left squirming to die in the flats of the delta. This is a world of ritual, and hidden language, and sacrifice. This is folk horror, and fantasy, and a dark road trip into the depths of unusual faith.

Faulkner is a trans man.

The Magnus Protocol:

The Magnus Archives 2: The Magnus Protocol is the prequel/sequel/”sidequel” to the internationally renowned Magnus Archives podcast. The Magnus Institute was an organisation dedicated to academic research into the esoteric and the paranormal, based out of Manchester, England. It burned to the ground in 1999. There were no survivors. Now, almost 25 years later, Alice and Sam, a pair of low-level civil service workers at the underfunded Office of Incident Assessment and Response, have stumbled across its legacy. A legacy that will put them in grave danger. If this intrigues you then it is our pleasure to welcome you to the Office of Incident, Assessment and Response. Make sure you pick up your badge at desk and report to your line manager before sitting down. Oh and stay away from I.T., seriously.

I'm not sure if Alice is canonically trans, but her voice actress is a trans woman.

#hello from the hallowoods #hfth #camp here & there #camp here and there #chnt #dos: after you #jar of rebuke #the magnus protocol #tmagp #spirit box radio #the silt verses #tsv #nonbinary #genderfluid #transmasc #transfem #trans book of the day #trans books #queer books #bookblr #booklr #horror podcast #horror podcasts #queer horror podcast #queer horror podcasts #trans horror podcast #trans horror podcasts #trans horror #long post

[localcanadiancryptid22]

It's clown time ✨

Hello boys,girls,and eldritch horrors. I'm charlie and this is my weird little space for dumping all my interests as well as obsessing about my blorbos.

--------------------------- 🤡🐀✨

About me:

Charlie rosewood

Biologist and writer (taking a break from the writing thing to focus on other stuff)

Level 22

Aroace

My interests/stuff i like: Animals,cats,wolves,reptiles,horror,horror movies,fantasy,sci fi,any media with supernatural elements,cartoons,gravity falls,rick and morty,the owl house,amphibia,undertale,deltarune,dead end paranormal park,sanders sides,invader zim,the daycare attendant,mad science (both the aesthetic and actual science),astronomy,chemistry,science,video games,drawing,writing (duh),listening to music,romance (only when it's other people),jokes,bad jokes,dad jokes,bad puns,funny shit,biology,making ocs,chaos (only for the funnies/oc stuff),pranks,swearing (cause it's funny(,fictional villains,anti heroes,affably evil villains,fucked up asshole characters,super genius characters,characters who are morally ambiguous,weirdo/super chaotic characters,optimistic characters, cleanliness,organization,cleaning (it calms me down lol),fall/autumn,halloween,christmas,nature,canada,cryptids,monsters,eldritch creatures,sweet foods,food in general,collecting things,my job,the cold,carving,clay sculpting,the forest,exploring abandoned buildings,star gazing,reading,haunted houses,dumpster diving,listening to podcasts,coloring,road trips,mythology,arts and crafts,diys,magic tricks,hacking (exploring new ways to use computers not stealing other people's accounts),rocks,people watching (just observing people from afar not stalking),puzzles,riddles,dnd,cosplaying, roleplaying,origami,conspiracy theories (because they're hilarious),inventing,board games,and hiking.

-----------------------------🪐✨💜

Fun facts about me:

I have two dogs named raven and dove. Raven is a black german shepherd and Dove is a white labrador. I also have a ginger maine coon named orange.

I have triplet older brothers.

My favorite kinds of music are anything that has chaotic/random vibes and also electronic as well as video game hype music.

I have had a lot of near death experiences that i somehow survived because of some sort of miracle.

My IQ is 180+ and i used to be a child prodigy,being able to solve the hardest math equations at age seven. Not to brag but I'm kind of a genius. I have also competed in thousands of chess tournaments.

My mbti is INFJ,my zodiac sign is scorpio,and my hogwarts house is slytherclaw (slytherin ravenclaw which is a hybrid house).

My birthday is october 1st

I have had many injuries throughout my life. Such as; getting a crack on my skull,having my leg torn open because of one particularly high jump,breaking my hand,having my cheek burnt off,scraping my arm so bad that it drew blood,getting bit by a random dog,getting stabbed in back (literally),and much more. Which is why i have a pretty high pain tolerance.

I'm a 10 year rollerblading champion.

My grandma might be a goddess. Like she's super cool and can do some complicated gymnastics tricks at age 70. She has also befriended all the animals in our area. She also knows things that no man (er woman) should know. She can also count to one million.

#pinned post #intro post #introductory post #gravity falls #rick and morty #amphibia #undertale #deltarune #dead end paranormal park #sanders sides #invader zim #fnaf daycare attendant #sunnydrop and moondrop #fnaf sb #fnaf sun #fnaf moon #fnaf sun and moon #fnaf eclipse #the owl house #toh #toh season 3 #writeblr #bookblr #artblr #scienceblr #musicblr #animalblr

[explosionshark]

Hi hi! I was wondering, how do you choose what to read next? I know you get recs from friends and I assume you read stuff from authors you already know you like, but beyond that, how do you hear about new books? Goodreads? Sometimes I have a million books I want to read but other times nothing at the library is of interest to me and I tend to get stuck there mentally while waiting for my books on hold to be available 😂

Also, do you have any recs for horror books about ghosts? I want to read a good ghost book :) bonus points if there are sapphic ghost books!! 👻

there are a bunch of places i check in on to keep up on new titles or find out about interesting backlist stuff

first, for new releases, there are different columns/websites that exist just to catalogue the new stuff coming out (mostly from major publishers, if you're looking for indie or selfpub these probably won't help much)

io9 has their Bookshelf Injection column of new SFF (and some horror) that gets published every month

Jumpscares has a similar list for horror titles

for a more "literary fiction" bent you can always check out Bookmarks' Best Reviewed Books of the Week posts

If you're looking for a little more editorializing/reviewing I'd start looking around on sites like Book Riot (example lists include: Best Werewolves in books, 9 Books with Disabled Main Characters etc) or Electric Lit (Example: 10 Must Read Books set in Cairo, 7 Books About Grotesque Bodies).

Additionally, there are places to get recommendations that feel a little more tailored and personal. There are podcasts I enjoy for this (mostly for horror) like Talking Scared or Books in the Freezer. And there's always booktube (though finding a reviewer you like can be tricky) I like TheShadesofOrange, Petrick Leo, and Jess Owens.

There's also reddit (r/fantasy, r/horrolit, r/lgbtbooks, r/printsf are the main places I go to). Goodreads does have its uses, though admittedly I use it more to track my own reading and to follow friends, authors I like, and a handful of reviewers whose opinions I trust. Overall, I think the GR community as a whole is a total clown show and I don't put much stock into the rating system there.

If you have some favorite authors and they are on goodreads or social media, I'd say it's usually pretty worthwhile checking out the books they're hyping up.

finding new or interesting books is pretty easy, but choosing what to read from my own, admittedly ridiculously huge library? that's trickier. tbh, i mostly go on vibes.

alright for the second part of your question.

i love a good haunted house story!

anyone you ask with any taste at all is probably going to give you the answer i'm about to, but if you haven't read it yet, the #1 haunted house book I can recommend to you is Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House. It's a classic for a reason. If it sweetens the pot for you - the character of Theo is a lesbian. There's great subtext between Theo and the book's main character, Nell. A scholar recruits people who've had experiences with the supernatural to stay with him in a purportedly haunted house to see if they can come up with proof that ghosts are real. Shit gets whacky. One of the finest american novels ever written, regardless of genre.

If you want more sapphics and less house it might be worth checking out Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M Danforth (yes, the Cameron Post author). I had some issues with this one. I wouldn't say I didn't like it, but I know a lot of people liked it more than I did. It's very queer, has an interesting dual timeline - one plot set in the past tells the story of a mysterious tragedy befalling an early 1900s girls boarding school, the other plot is about a movie being made about those events in the present day.

The Red Tree by Caitlin R Kiernan - okay this one IS also about lesbians but it's probably the darkest book on this list. A struggling middle aged writer moves into a creepy old house after the death of her girlfriend by suicide. In the house, she discovers a lost manuscript of a previous resident who had been researching local folklore and documenting sinister events seemingly linked to the gnarled, tree on the house's property. Things do not go well. Very well written (have some issues with Kiernan but they're an incredible talent and, worth mentioning, they're the only genderfluid writer in the genre that I know of)

Another book I always recommend on this topic is Echoes edited by Ellen Datlow. It's a HUGE anthology of short ghost stories. Some of my favorite horror short fiction ever written is in this collection. It's a great way to be introduced to some of the best horror writers around right now - Datlow is a legendary editor. I recommend anyone interested in horror check out her collections. The stories in Echoes are varied in theme and from a variety of different voices.

Other ghost books that whip ass

Come With Me by Ronald Malfi - after his wife is killed in a mass shooting, a man gripped with grief discovers a secret she'd been hiding from him for their entire marriage. He picks up an investigation she had been secretly pursuing that sets him on a collision course with an apparent serial killer. A story of grief and the secrets we keep from the people we love.

The Good House by Tananarive Due - a woman has to return to her childhood home, still awash in the grief of losing her teenage son there two years ago. While staying there and with the help of an old friend, she begins to unravel the strange tangle of tragedies that have surrounded the house since her grandmother's time, and to uncover the truth of what really happened to her son. A story about generational trauma and breaking cycles.

The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp - this one's great on audio. This book is told in the style of a posthumously published book from a VICE style douchebag journalist who was attempting to write a book that would once and for all disprove the existence of the supernatural. Extremely unlikable main character, but that added to the experience for me - I was very stoked to get to the part where bad things would begin to happen to Jack Sparks. This one's got a lot of dark humor and some genuinely scary scenes. Love it. Wish more people would read it.

Hope you find something in there you like! Good luck!

#replies #beatriceeverytuesday #explosionreads #book recs

[theaberrantreport]

Did I miss #AudioDramaSunday? Yes! But I finished/caught up on a lot of audio dramas this week, so I'm just posting this today.

I am reviewing Tell No Tales, Haunted House Flippers, Jar of Rebuke, Malevolent, and talking a bit about The Aberrant Report because I can! Here it goes:

Tell No Tales @tellnotalespod

I loved Tell No Tales! It is an empathetic take on ghost hunting. I got invested in the main character, Leo, just as much as I became invested in the ghosts they are trying to give a voice to. It is fun, it is silly, but it is also very emotional. Some episodes hit hard.

The plot (no spoilers): Leo has an invention they are tweaking they believe will help them talk to ghosts. The only problem? They work for a ghost removal company. But are ghosts just pests? How close to human are they? And do they consent to being removed?

I highly recommend it.

Haunted House Flippers

I also caught up with Haunted House Flippers! As someone probably on the spectrum, I really appreciate the characters in this podcast! Both Tom and Lee strike me as different "brands" of autistic, but in a very respectful and loving way. There is a lot of heart and soul put into all of the characters. Janet and Tom's relationship, while starting off a bit off putting (in ep 1-5), is one of the best couples I've seen in media in quite a while. Tom is ghost obsessed; Janet is true crime obsessed. Together, they must flip Tom's late grandfather's house. And Tom is convinced that it is haunted.

It is a horror comedy with wonderful characters. It's silly, often light hearted, but will remind you it is horror when it needs to. I love this podcast and I can't wait to see where this next season goes!

Jar of Rebuke @jarofrebukepodcast

Jar of Rebuke is another show where the main character feels autistic. And, much like Tell No Tales, the main character works with cryptid hunters(?) scientists(?) while empathizing with the cryptids around them. The day-to-day life of Jared is interesting in and of itself, but by episode 9, I was fully on the edge of my seat.

The non-spoiler plot summary is: Dr. Jared has lost their memories. They must work for The Enclosure, a sketchy organization studying cryptids, to regain them. What's more, they cannot seem to die. It's both a slice of life AND a paranormal mystery. I highly recommend it!

Malevolent @malevolentcast

I've started listening to Malevolent again. The gimmick (a detective whose eyes are controlled by his new demon headmate) works wonderfully in the audio drama medium. And the execution of that concept is spooky and highly compelling. We'll see how it goes! I'm on episode 8!

The Aberrant Report

I wanted to add my own podcast to the list this week, because why not? It's a paranormal mystery starring Junie Bahisa, and impulsive danger-prone student journalist at Abbottsville University. There is a wide cast of characters and a diverse cast of actors! The show is extremely queer.

The story focuses a lot on the relationships between Junie and the other characters, like her best friend Robbie, while also delving into darker themes with aberrant encounters.

We are on our midseason break with 6 episodes out, but we will be back late December! I really hope y'all enjoy what we've created so far in the meantime!

#The Aberrant Report #tar pod #audio drama recs #podcast recs #queer horror podcast #malevolent podcast #jar of rebuke #haunted house flippers #tell no tales

[andromerot]

what fiction podcasts would you recommend? ^_^

man. being dragged into the cringezone. its ok... so from ages fifteen to seventeen i listened to a LOT of audiodramas and honestly a lot of them are not very good. but some are! and some are fun :) im making a list

mabel podcast: if you've followed me for over two hours you've probably heard of it is one of my favorite things in the whole world...i cant even begin to describe the plot but i recommend it to all of you because a lot of people on tumblr are like, into haunted houses, or into fairy folklore, or into fucked up codependent lesbians, or all of the above. so it truly has something for everyone. but its beautiful, it really is. will ruin all romance for you though. honestly its not even a podcast to me its more like a girl best friend. i can talk about it forever so if you have more specific questions about it feel very welcome to send them

i am in eskew: another favorite! this one is about very terrible city that loves a man very much and will not let him go #relatable. this one is a proper horror podcast though so i do not recommend it to anyone squeamish - but i really like it.

the silt verses: done by the same people as eskew, horror as well. i haven't finished it yet but its amazing. it's about gods. gods that are Weird.

welcome to night vale: this one is a classic (arguably, The Classic) and i think is a fundamental part of what is now considered cringe 2014 tumblr culture but honestly it is very funny and silly. its been going steady for like ten years, has over 200 episodes, which means it has some very bad seasons and some pretty good ones. i think its best era was like 2014-2016 or so but yeah it's very long and has some gems. it dares ask the question "what if a town was very fucked up?" which was then asked by four hundred other podcasts, all done badly. but wtnv is fun

wolf 359: yet another classic. fucked me up bad. its about a spaceship with some guys inside it. it predicted among us. the best character is hera the artificial intelligence with severe mental problems

the far meridian: this one is very sweet and tiny but i think its underrated. soft and surreal. a girl who lives in a lighthouse that moves every night searches for her missing brother and Encounters Situations

ars paradoxica: one of the few time travel stories i like in this whole world. i remember almost nothing about the plot itself but i remember it broke my heart a lot. a scientist accidentally timetravels to the middle of wwii and shes hired to do some war shit, which sucks for her but she has nothing better to do. that sounds boring but i swear its not. maybe it was i dont remember.

neighbourly: anthology based on a long street of fucked up houses or fucked up people living in houses. it has some pretty good episodes and some banger episodes. im friends in law with the guy who makes it. its cool

alice isnt dead: theres a woman called alice and she is dead. but, spoilers, she isn't dead. her wife starts working as a trucker trying to find her and goes all around the us trying to find her and things happen to her.

within the wires: its an anthology but each season is a story. the first one is really really good, the others are a mixed bag. its an alternate history thing but the genre changes

the penumbra podcast: this one has been added to the list with a huge sigh because like i cant lie it has been extremely influential to my life but also i hate it. it was very important to me. its bad. don't listen to it. unless you're a mentally ill teenager or you like old women a lot maybe try it out then. the old women are not the main characters

anyway yeah like getting into indie podcasting like this really altered the way i saw media from a young age and even if some of these are not as good as i remember them being i do recommend the experience. the only ones i really listen to now are the first three and every once in a while i catch up with the last but im angry about that one. hope at least one of these is to your liking. listen to mabel

#asks

[transmasc-wizard]

Whats wip the other ones?

i haven't actually introduced it yet, but it's this funky little horror novel i'm letting stew in my head for awhile now. I showed the discord server a powerpoint of it in like April but it's changed a lot since then lol (specifically, i've caved & decided to go full horror as apposed to the comedic fantasy-horror i was originally inclined to make it, and. uh. that messes with a lot of elements)

it's kinda hard to summarize right now because I'm still figuring out what exactly I want to focus on, but basically:

three friends--Astrophel, Elisa, & Hyacinthus--have a crime podcast together that, lately, they've been using to document the disappearances in their very own town. When they go to explore the forest but come out with no memory of their trip in there, covered and blood, and followed by a girl who went missing two years ago, they realize there's some Fucked Shit going on. It also features doppelgängers, a haunted house, recreational trespassing, a main character with more than a bit of a god complex, and man-eating forest monsters.

Astrophel is the main narrator, and he's the one who feels he's a bit more powerful and a bit more cunning than he actually is. He constantly wants to figure out what's going on and stop it like some sort of hero. Elisa is really uptight but really nice, and Hyacinthus is a bit more of a goofy/fun person (though they have Things about them that I'm figuring out atm).

#asks #will/lee #wip the other ones

[cream-and-tea]

hello! I noticed you post/rb about podcasts sometimes and I've been kinda wanting to start listening to some (I already have a few but i mean more plot-based ones) but I'm not sure where to start, so I thought I would ask if you have any reccomendations?

okay okay okay! sorry this took so long to answer i got SO excited when i got this ask that i froze up and then just had to put together a little list of a few of my favourite shows that i think would be good to start out with (in no particular order):

MABEL

low fantasy podcast with horror elements that follows Anna Limone, the caretaker of a mysterious old woman and her massive house, as she leaves voicemails for said woman’s missing granddaughter (the titular Mabel) all while attempting to unravel the mystery surrounding the house and Mabels disappearance. This one has some of THE most stunning prose I have ever come across and features haunted houses, fae magic, absolutely unhinged woman, complex characters and a beautifully crafted wlw romance between the two main characters that manages to get me every time (it’s about the yearning…. the devotion….). It has three completed seasons that can be listened to as a complete story (with the potential for more to come though), I 100% recommend it and even though it has a bit of a slow start you will NOT regret listening to it.

HELLO FROM THE HALLOWOODS

Really sweet horror/fantasy podcast about a dying earth beset with supernatural horrors afte mysterious black rains caused a supernatural forest to cover the entire planet. The entire thing is narrated by an elder god of dreams and follows a large cast of characters and stories that eventually weave together into a larger plot over time. Incredibly queer and has something for anyone in its large cast of characters and range of stories even though it takes a while for it all to come together. The whole thing focuses on finding hope and light at the end of the world and how people and their relationships with each other matter despite everything. Has a completed first season and is releasing its second one this year. Incredibly easy to binge with really soothing narration.

WHERE THE STARS FELL

Very fun gravity-falls-style-fantasy podcast that centres around Dr. Edison Tucker, an eccentric scientist with a fascination with the supernatural that likely stems from the fact that she is unable to die or be injured. Ed has set her sights (and grant money) on the little middle-of-nowhere town of Jerusalem, widely known as the strangest town in America, where she heads to investigate the mysteries lurking just beyond the treeline and to clash homoerotically completely reasonably with her new roommate: renowned author Lucille Kensington, who’s hiding a fair few secrets of her own. Really fun characters and an intriguing mystery plus if you’re as much as a sucker for the enemies-to-begrudging-allies-to-tentative-friends-to-maybe-more dynamic as I am then this one is definitely a real treat! Has the full first season out with s2 coming soon.

THE HEART OF ETHER

Horror podcast that follows Irene Gray who, years after her girlfriend Rose mysteriously disappeared, moves to the small town of Daughtler Washington to start a new chapter in her life. The whole thing is told through messages Irene records for Rose and various other sources as she begins to dive deeper into the mysterious and terrifying forces surrounding Daughtler, it’s residents, and perhaps even Rose’s disappearance all those years ago. Its a really good meditation on grief and mental health with a really interesting main character and driving conflict, with worldbuilding and depth that really picks up in s2. I’d strongly recommend it if you want a shorter listen with a strong emotional conflict, excellent voice acting and slowly building tension. It’s on a hiatus but with a full season one and part of season two out currently.

(i have a LOT of other great shows but these ones all came out with a similar kind of genre/theme going and the list was getting pretty long lol. i thought these ones kinda fit the ✨vibes✨ of your blog from what i’ve seen) (i hope this didn’t get to long and rambling)

#*stares in podcast rambling* #all of these shows also provide transcripts and trigger warnings ofc #they’re also all pretty smaller/lesser known which i kinda went out of my way for #bc they all deserve so much love #mabel podcast #hfthw #wtsf #thoe

[misstrashchan]

Hi!

I have seen you are into podcasts? I wanted to try consuming some stories in this media format because I am curious... however, I do not know much.

Do you have any suggestions?

Thank you!

Okay, so I don't know what kind of genres or stories you might like or be looking for, but the majority of podcasts I'm familiar with and can recommend are mainly horror, or have horror elements. So, fair warning there. (Most podcasts on this list include trigger warnings in the episode descriptions too)

The Penumbra Podcast- I'd say this is a good, safe starting point to see if you like consuming stories in podcasts. The first season started out as an anthology series for a variety of stories, ranging from sci-fi noir detective mysteries, swashbuckling westerns, haunted houses, knights slaying monsters, etc. The main premise of the podcast is "stories you've heard before told in ways you'd never expect".

There are two reoccurring storylines, Juno Steel (sci-fi/noir) and the Second Citadel (fantasy/adventure) that the show focuses on more so as it goes on and drifts away from the anthology format, but you can choose to just focus on one and come back to the other later, as the two stories are completely seperate from each other and don't need to be listened to understand the other. Same if you don't want to listen to the horror anthology episodes like Shaken and Home and would rather skip them over (though they are fantastic if you do like horror). It's very engaging, fun, diverse and energetic, and excellent voice acting and sound design. Just a good time all round.

Currently there's three complete seasons out, episode runtime ranging 30-45 minutes and a currently ongoing series. Here's the teaser:

Alice Isn't Dead- So this is just a firm favorite of mine in podcasts, hell, it's one of my favorite stories in general.  Keisha, the narrator – a truck driver who is driving across America, delivery to delivery, is looking for her missing wife, Alice. We listen to her speak into the truck radio, partially musing to herself, partially addressing Alice as though she is leaving her a voicemail describing her travels and the bleakness of the road ahead – and worse, the potential of what follows her. It's a horror, a psychological thriller and a mystery, told in short, sharp chapters. The way in which the story is told makes excellent use of the audio medium and actively incorporates it into how the story at hand is being told, which I just adore when podcasts do. (There's a book version out and it just doesn't quite hit the same mark as it does in podcast format). In general it makes for a very intense and intimate experience that just keeps you hooked all the way through.

The story is complete at three seasons with 30 episodes each with a 20 minute runtime.

The Magnus Archives- If you follow me, or if you've been on Tumblr in general, you might already have a vague awareness of this series because of how popular it is, and for good reason too. It's a completed slowburn 200 episode cosmic horror/tragedy/drama that at it's core is an anthology series, every episode being a seemingly self contained short horror story.

Given as "statements" by people who have had paranormal or esoteric encounters to the Magnus Institute based in London, which is dedicated to researching such things, is then recorded onto tapes by the narrator and protagonist Jonathan Sims, (one of my favourite tragic heroes) the newly appointed Head Archivist after his predecessors mysterious death, who appears to have purposefully disorganized the Archives, much to his annoyance. But then patterns begin to occur within the statements, characters and previous statement givers appear in other's stories as they intersect like a huge web, and it's clear that there's something much larger and sinister at play as an overarching narrative comes into view that then draws the Archivist in.

Similar to Alice Isn't Dead, the Magnus Archives makes use of the audio medium and actively incorporates it into how it tells the story with how every statement is recorded onto tapes, as well as the events of the strange happenings in the Archives that the main characters (the Archivist, his research team, and the head of the Magnus Institute) experience themselves. Though without spoiling anything, the tapes themselves have a far more relevant and a active role in not just telling the story, but as the story and world itself.

This was a passion project for the writer, Jonathan Sims, (yes that is the name of the main character which he also voices, yes it is confusing) for a long time, and you can absolutely tell with how planned out the meta plot and intricate lore is, as well as just the quality of the writing in general. It covers all kinds of horrors and explores the concept of human fear itself, our personal relationship to it, which ties into the themes of agency and humanity the series also explores.

(trailer starts at 1:00)

The Silt Verses-

Let Me Speak First of Revelations

And Next of Dark Deceit

Then I'll Speak of Champions

Of Lovers, Gods and Beasts

My Song is Long and Twisted

It Winds, it Worms, It Rends

It Carries Few, It Drowns Many

And Those I Love, It Rends

This podcast is a fairly recent newcomer compared to the rest on the list, the first season is still ongoing, with only nine episodes out so far out of its fourteen with a season two planned ahead as well (with a roughly 40 minute episode runtime) but is absolutely divine. I'm genuinely frustrated that I'm not articulate enough to properly describe just how clever this series is, and can't recommend it enough.

A folk horror/religious fantasy serial drama that follows Carpenter and Faulkner, two river worshippers of an outlawed god, travelling up the length of their deities great black river, in search of revelations. As their pilgrimage lengthens and the river’s mysteries deepen, the two acolytes find themselves under threat from a police manhunt, but also come into conflict with the weirder gods that have flourished in these forgotten rural territories.

If you like themes of religious existentialism, how capitalism will commodify everything once deemed sacred, the indescribable horrors that arise from religious fanaticism/cults, rich lore and world building and complex morally grey protagonists who act as fascinating character foils to one another, lyrical and poetic narration, an eerie atmosphere, and don't mind the occasional intense scenes of body horror, you will love this podcast.

Oh, and crabs.

(I would also highly recommend I Am in Eskew by the same writer, his previous and completed podcast at 30 episodes, about a man living day to day within the monstrous city Eskew, but as an overall story and characters the Silt Verses is the much stronger of the two.)

#hope this is helpful! #sorry if it's a bit much #I get a bit overexcited when I get a chance to talk about podcasts #the penumbra podcast #alice isn't dead #the magnus archives #the silt verses #i am in eskew #podcast recommendations #asks

[canon-lgbt-characters]

ok now im curious!! what content with lgbt characters (preferably primary characters) would you recommend?

thanks for asking!! I have been preparing for this moment 🙏🏻 SORRY THAT THIS GOT KIND OF LONG! so I put it under a read more

first are my trio of webcomics I keep up with no matter what

Alice and the Nightmare - I just gave it a shout out but it's a cool fantasy world about Alice, a fat bi girl!, going to college after living with the queen for years and not having many friends, but it seems like something about Alice isn't quite 'normal'. Cast is very diverse and fun!

Sleepless Domain - gay magical girls!! they protect a city from nightly monster attacks and soon a mysterious monster causes a lot of trouble for our main characters. Undine is black and wlw and she is such a good character I love her so much

Namesake - a portal fantasy about going to stories of classics like Wizard of Oz but the Emma... shouldn't be there based off of how the 'portals' work. Evolves into some of the best world building and settings I've ever read. Emma isn't lgbt+ but a lot of the main and supporting cast are! My icon is one of my favorite characters <3

Podcasts my beloved media type that I never get around to despite loving

The Magnus Archives - a podcast that is literally no questions asked my favorite piece of horror media I've ever engaged in. It's horror is amazing, it's slow world building is the perfect amount of questions and answers, and it's characters are SO interesting. Also has trigger warnings for every episode on the wiki/on the episode descriptions for if you like horror but can't stand a certain type of scare!

Welcome to Nightvale - listen to me. listen to me. nightvale has always been good. it's weird and funny and small fucked up little town where cosmic horrors are just normal every day things is a FUN trope and it's worth checking out if you never were into it back in the day

shows and cartoons and yeah <3

The Haunting of Bly Manor - I am once again talking about horror media. Anyways they labeled this as gothic romance and I was instantly hooked! It's a heartbreaking sort of story about ghosts and memories and the main character is a lesbian who is working at a creepy old manor to take care of the kids who live there and if you like horror...!! (The Haunting of Hill House is also good & worth checking out!)

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts - this cartoon feels super underrated despite having a black gay boy get to say he's gay out loud. it's a post apocalypse setting where humanity has kind of hidden themselves away from the huge kaiju mutated animals and the talking animal groups but our protag Kipo is going to go through the world and solve it's mysteries and help everyone heal through kindness and song. it's really fun and 100% worth checking out if you are the type to enjoy kids cartoons!

i would also give a shout out to some comics & graphic novels I love but this is getting really long so for now I'll just shout out one I really liked

Saga - lol okay Saga has been on hiatus for... a long time now and it's on an awful cliffhanger so just a heads up if you check it out. ALSO!! This is an 18+ piece of media if you are a minor please wait to check it out. it will probably still be on hiatus by the time you're old enough lmao. It's a space opera scifi story about a couple who were on different sides of a looong war but they're together despite that and also pregnant and holy shit they're having a baby right here in chapter 1. it's the story of their kid growing up and the struggles of the parents to keep them safe. Also heads up if you're not big on character deaths maybe don't read this, it gets sort of games of thrones-y to keep the cast cycling out

i know my summaries def got worse as this list went on but this was like. starter pack to my favorite media with lgbtq+ characters and they are all equally worth checking out if they sounded interesting to you!! There's a lot more, especially webcomics and comics, I would love to talk about someday too

#asks #my recommendations

[carnocus]

wip introduction - chthonic hearts (novel)

i’ve only recently started this, so much of it may change and i’ll probably come up with a better title someday. tag: #chthonichearts 

genre: contemporary fantasy, horror, paranormal, romance, lgbtq+

pov: multiple povs (between 2 and 4, not 100% sure yet), currently writing in 3rd person but have been considering switching to 1st person for several or all of them

status: mostly planning but also writing some small parts

summary: moving to a new, rural town was supposed to be a new and happy start for paris and calliope’s family, and while it certainly was a sharp beginning to a new chapter of their lives, it was one that was gruesome and that the two wish could dissolve into a silly nightmare. suddenly orphans, the twins seem to have only one safe place in the dangerous town surrounded by a looming forest and sadistic wildlife - their house. it has stood on cursed ground and withstood  nature’s battles for decades, and its protective power allows the siblings a place of refuge. yet a new chapter is coming to the town as well. as the curse grows, the house weakens, and the main characters must seek a solution. they turn to that which is not of this world - as calliope makes friends with the house and its servant, paris wades deeper and deeper into the land of the fey. the two try to find answers and a way out, wanting safety and revenge, and as they do they begin being consumed by the fabled, and soon fall in love with it.  

history: i first got the idea when thinking about a way to reverse the haunted house cliche. since then it has evolved to take inspiration from folklore that i grew up hearing about - the ukrainian house spirits called ‘domoviki’. the setting, cottagecore horror themes, and the fey were definitely on my mind bc of the media that i was consuming - the horror podcast “mabel” and the horror book “mexican gothic” - and the project has grown from there!  

themes: sacrifices for love, discussion on wherever natural things are inherently good, loss of humanity, isolation, the impact people have on nature, one’s view of the world being altered, elitism regarding world views, separation from humanity, feelings of disembodiment, dealing with grief, power of nature

characters:

paris (trans man, he/him):  one of the human siblings who moved to the town. paris shares his sister’s passion for science, but has more of a focus on plants and animals than her. he wants the best for everyone but has internalized the idea that he can only make things better by staying out of other people’s way. he may lash out in anger at times, but always hates himself for it, and is distrustful of people. he can be very defensive of himself. he likes helping animals and making art, and oftentimes makes art for others in secret and gives it to them anonymously to make them happy. after he and his sister are left on their own, he quickly decides that helping her and mina will mess up their work and instead plunges deeper into the forest, where he meets ty and quickly labels him as an enemy. 

calliope (demigirl, she/her):  paris’s twin sister. calliope likes biology and is into stem, and was looking forward to having a new room dedicated to her research, though there have been complications to that. she wears a lot of bright colors and radiates happiness. she smiles a lot and likes spending time with others, encouraging them to be more confident, but she can also hyperfocus on her research and forgets about others. despite being outwardly very nice, she oftentimes struggles with balancing others and her interests, and oftentimes doubts wherever she is a good person. she soon meets mina and the two try their best to help the house with mina’s knowledge of housekeeping and calliope’s knowledge of biology and desire to help and keep herself safe. 

mina (genderfluid - she/they): mina cares for and shares life with the house, mending it and taking care of it, living between walls and inside ceilings. this is not the first time that someone has died in their house, but it is the first time that they are the only housekeeper to nurse the home back to health after. they have a fascination with humans and oftentimes wish they were one. she likes their loud music and bright colors, and is kind of a wannabe punk, but you wouldn’t guess it from their quiet and secluded demeanor. isolated and lonely, mina is drawn to the twins and attempts to befriend them. 

clandestine “ty” (transmasc nb,he/they): ty is a fey who lives in the forest surrounding the town, and has a reputation for trouble and rule-breaking. he tends to be very polite and even romantic and flirtatious, but can also be heartless at times. they are very curious and adventurous, and this is often the reason for their troublemaking. as a young kid he formed an interest in humans, though he is unsure of wherever he likes them or hates them. he and paris begin to cross paths and while paris’s attitude towards them is hostile, clandestine is more curious about him than antagonistic. 

aesthetic: dark cottagecore - moss covering the trees, earth, and rocks like a protective blanket, alluring mushrooms protruding from the earth, droplets of water freckling a spiderweb, vines climbing up and plaguing a house, tangled forests dazed with morning mist as crawling shapes can be seen in the distance (are they trees? or are they something more dangerous...), ferns reclaiming a cemetery, bottles filled with berries and bones, a dangerous animal’s teeth hanging above one’s bed, the spine of a building long descended into the ground

i’ll add links to character introductions once i make them!

#writeblr #writing #writers on tumblr #project introduction #wip summary #fantasy #urban fantasy #horror #paranormal #fey #lgbtq+ writing #chthonichearts #ardinwrites #dark cottagecore #death tw #isolation tw #long post

[theradioghost]

Do you have any podcast recs that are super easy for those of us with audio processing problems? For me specifically that means one voice (or maybe two if they’re very distinct) and minimal complexity in the soundscaping, though if you have recs that don’t fit those that you think might apply to other people w/ different audio processing issues you can talk about those too! :)

I can certainly try! I feel as though I should put it out there that I often have a difficult time gauging where a podcast sits re: audio processing/HOH listeners; the literal entirety of my day job is being good at telling what people are saying in audio, and my own audio processing problems mostly just result in my near-inability to keep up with actual plays, so if any of these are misjudgements on those terms I apologize in advance.

* means that I know there are also transcripts available for the podcast in question!

SAYER: scifi dark comedy/horror. In a morally questionable tech corporation’s moonbase facilities, advanced artificial intelligence SAYER directs employees about their daily routines; this then turns over time into possibly the best story about AI I’ve ever heard. Especially in the first three seasons, virtually all speaking is done by one voice. (Caveat that a few other characters come in later, and they’re actually all voiced by one guy with different filters, but the filters are pretty distinct and characters tend to identify themselves by default at the beginning of every conversation.)

*The Cryptonaturalist: comforting supernatural folksiness. The titular expert on all things strange and wonderful reads poetry, admires nature, and talks about wonderful creatures like foxes that live within library shelves, stick insects that camouflage themselves as whole trees, salamanders that swim in parking lot asphalt, and Owls.

*The Hidden Almanac: comforting supernatural weirdness. Hagiographer, avid gardener, and Mysterious Dude In Plague Doctor Getup known as Reverend Mord gives tidbits of the history of his strange and fantastical world, along with gardening advice. Sometimes his tequila-swigging accidental necromancer best friend coworker Pastor Drom shows up. Written by fantasy author Ursula Vernon and mostly voiced by her husband Kevin. Extremely relaxing to listen to; the show ended last year but they put out five-minute episodes three times a week for eight years so there’s plenty of it. The first year or so actually doesn’t appear on most podcatchers so maybe check out the website.

Everything Is Alive: poignant, heartfelt interviews with inanimate objects. While there’s a different object featured each episode, it’s mostly just them and the interviewer, plus occasional phone calls with an expert on some subject brought up during the interview. Hits so much harder than you could possibly imagine given the summary. You WILL be upset about a can of off-brand cola.

*Quid Pro Euro: bizarre comedy mockumentary. A satire of the European Union in the style of a set of instructional tapes for EU employees made in the ‘90s, predicting what the EU would look like in the 21st century. Their predictions are somewhat off. Only one voice and delightfully it is Felix Trench. I don’t know anything about the EU but I still think it’s hilarious.

*Glasgow Ghost Stories: spooky supernatural. A resident of Glasgow is unexpectedly able to see the many ghosts that reside in the city -- but the ghosts have started to notice her too, and not all of them are friendly. A beautiful and atmospheric single-voice show; plus the feed also contains the very good miniseries Tracks.

*Palimpsest: poetic and haunting. An anthology series about young women experiencing supernatural happenings, each 10-episode season tells a different story in monologue (I think there are literally two episodes with other voices in them). Poignant, gorgeous, and sometimes heartbreakingly sad in the best way. In season one Anneliese wonders about the strange neighbors at her new apartment. In season two, Ellen takes a new job as companion to a supposed fairy princess imprisoned in a strange showroom in turn of the century America. In season three, former codebreaker Josie begins to see the spirits of the dead on the streets of London during the Blitz.

*Within the Wires: alternate history scifi found footage. From a world where a calamitous global war resulted in the installation of a new Society where nations and family ties are banned, an anthology of voices telling their stories. Each season is a single voice. Season one, a set of relaxation tapes deliver unexpected instructions to a government prisoner in a strange medical facility. In sSeason two, a series of museum exhibit guides spin out the mystery of two artists and their work. In season three, a government employee dictates notes to his secretary and begins to suspect a plot. In season four, the traveling leader of a secretive cultlike commune leaves sermons for her followers, and instructions for her daughter.

*Alice Isn’t Dead: lesbian americana roadtrip weird horror. Keisha’s wife Alice was missing, presumed dead. Now Keisha is a trucker, traveling the vast American emptiness to seek her out; but she’s about to become embroiled in the same vast secret war that may have drawn away her wife, and she’s not alone on the roads. Starts with one voice, adds a new one each season for a total of three. Also is finished.

*Station Blue: psychological horror. Matthew takes a job as the lone caretaker of an Antarctic research station for several months. This goes about as well as you’d predict. Very much a slow burn, strange, brooding horror of isolation. Heavy themes of mental illness based on the creator’s experiences of bipolar disorder. 

*Mabel: dark, poetic faerietale horror. Live-in caretaker Anna attempts to contact the absent granddaughter of her elderly employer, the lone resident of a strange and ancient house in Ireland. A love story, a haunted house story, a fairy tale with teeth. This one might be hit or miss; it sometimes tends to the abstract a bit, and there’s more soundscaping and some other occasional voices besides the main two protagonists. Definitely worth trying out, though, this is absolutely an underappreciated gem.

*Janus Descending: tragic scifi horror. Two researchers, Peter and Chell, travel alone to a distant planet to survey the ruins of its extinct civilization. Unfortunately, they discover exactly how that civilization died out. Excellent if you like movies like Alien, and also being extremely sad. Only two voices. Really unique story structure: it’s told via the two protagonists’ logs of the events, but you hear Chell’s logs in order, and Peter’s logs in reverse, with their perspectives alternating. The result is a tragedy where technically you know the ending from the start, but it’s told so cleverly that just what happened and how remains a tantalizing, tense, heartbreaking mystery right until the end.

*I Am In Eskew: poetic, surreal horror. Only two voices and few sound effects. David is a man trapped in the twisting, malevolent city of Eskew, where the rain always falls, streets seem to lead the same way twice, and nothing can be trusted. Riyo is an investigator, making her way through rumors and questions in search of a man long missing and a place that seems not to exist. Maybe my favorite horror media ever? Deeply disturbing and yet even the most awful things are somehow beautiful. Like if Lynch, Escher and Mieville had a terrible, wonderful baby.

*Tides: contemplative hard scifi. When biologist Dr. Eurus is wrecked alone on a distant alien world shaped by deadly tidal forces, her struggle to survive also becomes a meditative exploration of the ecosystem around her, and a recognition that here, she is the alien. Mostly it’s Dr. Eurus; sometimes you hear from her coworkers. It’s got Julia Schifini, what’s not to love?

*Midnight Radio: ghost story/romance. A 1950s radio host who broadcasts a late-night show to her small hometown begins to receive letters from a listener and respond to them on air. I wrote this! It has a total of three voice actors and virtually no soundscaping. I promise it’s good.

#podcast recs #bobbie recommends things #I hope this is useful!! #Anonymous #asks #my posts

[aleatoryw]

POD REC

from your friendly neighborhood podcast listener

today i slammed the entire first season of Unwell, a Midwestern Gothic Mystery, and i really liked it! the first season plot isn’t great as a stand alone, there are way too many things that haven’t been solved yet, but there are enough dots connected that i’m excited to jump into season 2 tomorrow. some things you might like about it if you’re looking for a new listen:

a young Black woman moves to a tiny ohio town to care for her injured mother and discovers a few things that don’t add up about the town, like a hill that wasn’t originally there, a map of the town’s storm drains that don’t line up with the buildings, a false narrative about the town’s history, and buildings that may or may not exist. a cult maybe?

she and her mother live in a boarding house that may or may not be haunted. are the radiators meant to make that sound? was that door always there? what’s with all these birds?

The horror and supernatural elements are very well written - nothing is over the top, not too scary, but there are a few scenes that give you chills, scenes where something is definitely off in a way that you, the listener can pick up on, but the characters haven’t.

the main character Lily is wlw, and there’s a sweet budding romance between her and local lesbian Marisol

i didn’t know this going in, but there’s a nonbinary main character! Abbie is one of the people staying at the boarding house researching the town’s history, and i love them. i looked the creative team up and apparently not only is their voice actor nb, so are multiple people on the production team! u love to see it

cool ghost(??) boy

really solid music and soundscape too

Abbie has a business card that says “don’t talk to me before 7:30 am, my pronouns are they/them, give the card back i only have one”. they are also banned from the local library. again, absolute icon

overall just a really good balance of dread & mystery, lighthearted character dialogue, and deeper themes like parental relationships and memory loss. if you’re into things like night vale and tma, but are looking for something a little more grounded in reality, give this one a shot.

#pod rec #unwell a midwestern gothic mystery #idk is there like a tag for this? a fandom term? #unwell pod #unwell podcast #podcast rec

[goldenavenger02]

Susz's Halloween Recommendations Part 1: Movies, specials and TV shows.

Movies/specials

Girl Vs. Monster (2012)

Skylar, a teenage girl who discovers on Halloween she's a fifth generation monster hunter. When Skylar accidentally releases some monsters from a containment chamber she must recapture them before they wreak vengeance on her parents.

Notes: I've been watching this since it came out and it's always been a favorite of mine! Has a great message about facing your fears and not letting them control you with the backdrop of monster hunting!

Halloweentown (1998)

When a young girl living with her good-witch grandmother learns she too is a witch, she must help her grandmother save Halloweentown from evil forces.

Notes: I watched this for the first time last year, and I was pleasantly surprised even as an 18 year old!

Hocus Pocus (1993)

A curious youngster moves to Salem, where he struggles to fit in before awakening a trio of diabolical witches that were executed in the 17th century.

Notes: another movie I watched last year, and so surprisingly dark for Disney, especially in the 90s.

The Haunted Mansion (2003)

A realtor and his wife and children are summoned to a mansion, which they soon discover is haunted, and while they attempt to escape, he learns an important lesson about the family he has neglected.

Notes: Eddie Murphy trying to keep his family safe in this haunted house? It's one of my favorites!

Scooby Doo (2002)

The Mystery Inc. gang have gone their separate ways and have been apart for two years, until they each receive an invitation to Spooky Island. Not knowing that the others have also been invited, they show up and discover an amusement park that affects young visitors in very strange ways. Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby soon realize that they cannot solve this mystery without help from each other.

Notes: this is a childhood movie of mine, and the sequel is so good as well. Definitely a good mix of spooky and fun!

Scooby Doo: The Mystery Begins (2009)

A made for TV movie about the origins of the Mystery Incorporated gang.

Notes: a high school/Disney Channel style movie with horror elements starring Robbie Ammel and Hayley Kiyoko. This one is one I've been watching since it came out and it's one of my favorites.

Coraline (2009)

An adventurous 11-year-old girl finds another world that is a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but it has sinister secrets.

Notes: watched this one last year and I absolutely adore it! It's so terrifying and I highly recommend.

The Boy (2016)

An American nanny is shocked that her new English family's boy is actually a life-sized doll. After she violates a list of strict rules, disturbing events make her believe that the doll is really alive.

Notes: the movie is suspenseful the whole time, and the last 15 minutes are absolutely horrifying.

Flashback (2020)

After a chance encounter with a man forgotten from his youth, Fred literally and metaphorically journeys into his past.

Notes: I watched this psychological thriller a few months ago and it has it's scary elements, but it's really interesting to see the main character descend into madness and obsession due to something in his personal life.

Edge of Winter (2016)

When two brothers are stranded by a brutal winter storm with an unpredictable father they barely know, the boys begin to suspect their supposed protector may be their biggest threat.

Notes: pretty sure this movie was filmed around the same time Captain America: Civil War, so it's very young Tom Holland, but this is a movie he is so good in. Definitely makes you wonder just how far parents are willing to go.

Hubie Halloween (2020)

Despite his devotion to his hometown of Salem (and its Halloween celebration), Hubie Dubois is a figure of mockery for kids and adults alike. But this year, something is going bump in the night, and it's up to Hubie to save Halloween.

Notes: Don't take this one seriously and you're more likely to enjoy it. Definitely more of a comedy than anything scary. Adam Sandler is very polarizing but I enjoyed this.

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

Dracula, who operates a high-end resort away from the human world, goes into overprotective mode when a boy discovers the resort and falls for the count's teenaged daughter.

Notes: a family Halloween movie that really is just a fun time.

Ninjago: Day of the Departed (2016)

On the Ninjago holiday: Day of the Departed, the ninja remeber those who have departed.

Notes: Takes place in between season 6 and 7 and really explores grief as well as the concept of being forgotten. Obviously you have to watch the seasons before to understand this, but it's really interesting to watch for sure.

My Friend Dahmer (2017)

Jeffrey Dahmer murdered 17 men and boys in the Midwest United States between 1978 and 1991 before being captured and incarcerated. He would become one of America's most infamous serial killers. This is the story before that story.

Notes: a fascinating look into an infamous serial killer, both parts fiction and non fiction and suspenseful the whole time.

TV shows

Teen Wolf (2011-2017)

Scott becomes the eponymous teenage werewolf of the series after he is bitten by an alpha werewolf the night before his second year of high school, drastically changing his once-ordinary life.

Notes: one of my absolute favorite TV shows, and perfect for the Halloween season! Especially since the movie is coming out next year!

Only Murders in the Building (2021-)

Only Murders in the Building follows three strangers, played by Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, who share an obsession with a true crime podcast. After a murder in their building, the three neighbors decide to start their own show that covers their investigation of the murder.

Notes: Already fantastic and season 1 is still coming out on Hulu! The blend of comedy and horror is always one of my favorites!

Cruel Summer (2021-)

The series follows two teenage girls in the 1990s and the repercussions on everyone's lives after one disappears and the other seemingly takes her place.

Notes: this has huge triggers for domestic violence, grooming and sexual assault. If you're not triggered by that, I HIGHLY recommend this, and I'm so excited for season 2! It also has some great LGBT+ rep!

Nancy Drew (2019-)

Nancy Drew (Kennedy McMann) is a brilliant teenaged detective whose sense of self had come from solving mysteries in her hometown of Horseshoe Bay, Maine – until her mother’s untimely death derails Nancy’s college plans.

Notes: I've been watching this since it came out and season 3 is about to start airing! The first season is so wonderful and full of twists and turns (season 2 isn't as good, but it's the CW) and I highly recommend!

Ninjago Season 5, Possession (2015)

The spirit of the evil Morro is released from the cursed realm and the Ninjas have to unite in the battle against an evil foe.

Notes: one of my favorite seasons of the show, and definitely one of the darkest ones! Deals with grief, depression and high expectations and it's so good!

Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated (2010-2013)

Scooby-Doo and the gang attempt to solve creepy mysteries in the town of Crystal Cove, a place with a history of eerie supernatural events.

Notes: this starts off similar to the original Scooby Doo show from the early 70's, but as the overarching plot gets deeper and deeper, you really spend your time just wondering "what the heck is going on".

I'm not going to put specific episodes of TV shows on here, because that'll get daunting, but part 2 is books and fics!

#susz's halloween recommendations #halloween

[transarchivist]

do you have any podcasts recs? I want to listen to archive 81 but I need some backup and I've already listened to the more "famous" ones, like all of them I binge podcasts like they pay me for me it ajsjjshfje

!!!! ok i'm sorry it's taken me a hot minute to get to you BUT i think i have a good amount of reccomendations :o

these first few are kinda "famous" but i thought i'd point em out just in case! some of them ended a few years ago and they were more well known back when they were running

wolf 359: gotta point this one out juuuust in case you haven't listened to it! amazing sci fi... would drama be the right word? it's very intense and has some really interesting meditations on morality and the self But it's also so extremely funny. complete, ended in 2017

ars paradoxica: america during the cold war, the red scare, intense government conspiracies.... And Time Travel! complicated but amazing plot and a big cast- i would recommend not pausing and listening to something else, it gets complex! mischa stanton directed it so you Know it has stellar sound design (added bonus: lgbt main characters) complete, ended in 2018

the bright sessions: people with superpowers go to therapy! plus: shadowy capitalistic conspiracies, amazing romances and phenomenal character development! i'm not a fan of romances and i Loved the ones here (it's not heavily romance focused though!) (added bonus: lgbt main characters + main lgbt romance) complete, ended in 2018. i think a spin off series is running rn tho!

the adventure zone: this isn't an audio drama, it's an actual play d&d podcast! the first season (balance) is amazing- hilarious and heart wrenching! (the heart wrenching takes a while to kick in but MAN it's so good) the first season ended in 2017. i haven't finished the second big season (amnesty) but i loved what i did listen to, same with the currently running season (graduation)

sayer: starts off as sinister night vale but with an ai and in space, evolves into a complicated save-the-world plot concerning several ais. it's in second person and it's Amazing! lots of meditations on the self and personhood. currently on hiatus but will be ending when it resumes

alice isn't dead: from the people who did night vale! starts as a trucker trying to find her wife, evolves to include shadowy government conspiracies and the power of regular people banding together. ending made me tear up it's really good! it's Big on the horror (the first ep is the only podcast that's ever truly scared me and it continues to scare the shit out of me to this day) but its Extremely Good Horror. very americana too! complete, ended in 2018.

ok that's the more well known ones out of the way, i think? i'm not too confident about how well known some of them are nowadays ^^' all i can say is that i heard abt them frequently in 2016. now onto the lesser known ones ! the ones that are complete are generally pretty short listens (relatively- they're still a good handful of hours at the least)

zero hours: by the wolf 359 people, it's a short anthology that released all at once last year. to pharaphrase/quote the official blurb: each episode is a take on the end of the world, whether the apocalypse is planetary or personal. each episode is separated by 99 years, starting in the past (1722) reaching the present and then overtaking it. surprisingly hopeful ending, made me <:')

i am in eskew: you've probably heard me holler about this before- it follows the trials and tribulations of david ward, who lives in the nightmarish and otherworldly city of eskew. 30 episodes long and complete, with a phenomenal ending! i can't rave about this enough i could Keep talking but i'll cut myself short. it's horror and it's damn good horror! does deal with extremely heavy topics, please be careful!

janus descending: sci fi horror with what has to be the most interesting formatting i've seen in ages: the two points of view alternate each episode... but one is chronological and one is backwards! amazingly done, keeps you guessing until the end! complete. follows peter and chel as they undertake a survey mission on an alien planet

midnight radio: made by @/theradioghost! big on the idea that "all ghost stories are love stories". a 1950s radio hostess gets letters from a fan. horror, big on the 1950s aesthetics, focus on the relationship between one and one's hometown. lovely ending! it's sapphic too :]

the far meridian: by the same people who did ars paradoxica! follows peri, a bit of a hermit who has extreme social anxiety, who lives in a lighthouse that suddenly begins to teleport. each morning peri wakes up and the lighthouse is in a different place! there are like... some horror elements? kinda? but it's not intense imo. it mainly follows peri learning to cope with her anxiety & helping others, with each episode usually having a one off encounter (usually pretty strange!) often has wholesome vibes. s3 is currently in production and is the final season. plus: lgbt characters, and kinda spoilers but peri uses a cane later on!

old gods of appalachia: honestly it's what it says on the tin! a collection of short stories set in historical appalachia that deal with entities beyond human understanding. they're good about trigger warnings, but it's Horror. produced by actual appalachians! stellar music, a Lot strong female characters, and a good amount of lgbt rep! killer music!! it's currently releasing but the latest short story is finished. (do listen in order though!)

the deep vault: by the archive 81 team! in an "almost-post-apocalyptic" america a group of friends chase a rumor about a secret hidden vault, only to Find it! follows the group as they traverse the deep vault. horror, actively points out capitalism a Lot, definetly has an interesting ending! amazing sound design, which is to be expected from dan powell!

tides: the official blurb is short and sweet: "tides is the story of dr. winnifred eurus, a xenobiologist stuck on an unfamiliar planet with hostile tidal forces". extremely snarky and endearing main character and fascinating worldbuilding! i don't know the status of s2, but s1 was really good!

limetown: follows one lia haddock, a public radio reporter, as she tries to unravel the mystery of what happened at limetown. all she knows is that 10 years prior, over 300 men, women and children vanished. horror, mystery, and some sci fi elements. presented in a found footage kinda way. i really enjoyed it, especially the first season. complete.

mabel: horror (big on the haunted house type specifically), sapphic romance, fun take on the fair folk/fae! follows anna limon, an in home carer who's trying to get in touch with her client's estranged granddaughter. evolves into a big fae-horror-romance-thing! really interesting romance tbh. amazing imagery and prose- lots of prose + almost poetry, but it's really good i promise. currently on a post season hiatus

spines: horror but it evolves past just horror in an interesting way (keeping the horror bits, of course). follows wren, who woke up in an attic surrounded by the remains of a cult ritual without any memories of who she is or what she was doing. she searches for answers, encountering creepy shit along the way. really interesting take on the super-secret-organization-that's-always-been-there trope! really good ending. one of the main characters is nonbinary + there's other lgbt main characters.

mirrors: by the people who did spines. also starts as horror but evolves past just horror (it's also sci fi). follows three women in three different centuries who are all experiencing the same haunting. phenomenal take on ghosts! like i can't articulate how cool this angle on ghosts is! s3 is supposed to start this year :] one of the main characters is sapphic, and her wife is a supporting character.

the six disappearances of ella mccray: also by the people who did spines and mirrors. evolves past just horror but keeps more of the horror elements? follows the 6 povs of the people who witnessed the surreal disappearance of ella mccray. each saw something different and surreal, and as they search for her, surreal things start happening to them. unsure abt the status of s3 but s1 and s2 are really good! lgbt main characters, including a trans lesbian (played by a trans woman!)

the bridge: horror. follows the crew of watchtower 10 on the transcontinental bridge that spans across the atlantic ocean. i listened to it back in like 2016-2017 so my memory is hazy, but i remember really enjoying it! currently on hiatus.

within the wires: sci fi... horror..? i listened to the first season a few years ago and enjoyed it and i've continued to hear really good things. it's by the people who make night vale! my memory isn't great but iirc the first season is a sort of romance that's formatted as a set of relaxation/meditation cassettes. it's a few seasons in and i think each is generally self contained, im unsure if it's currently running or not

the orbiting human circus of the air: also by the night vale people! again i listened to this a few years ago so im hazy. follows julian the janitor who works at a radio station that broadcasts from the top of the eiffel tower! surreal but in a wholesome way, iirc! i remember tearing up with happy tears at the s1 finale ^^' really good music! i think the second(?) season ended recently

stellar firma: i've only listened to a handful of episodes, but i've liked what i've heard. sci fi improv comedy that follows the newly made clone david 7 and the mess that is trexel geistman as they try and design custom planets. i think it's currently running but i dunno

rusty quill gaming: also another one that i've only listened to a few episodes of. actual play pathfinder (basically d&d) podcast set on an alternate earth. alex newall (martin's voice actor) is the dm. i've heard really good things from a lot of people! i think it's currently running but again i don't know for sure

right! that's. that's what i got.

i mentioned @/theradioghost earlier (shes behind midnight radio) but i would absolutely recommend looking at her rec list tag! she has impeccable taste

#ask #anon #podcast recs #cae speaks #mine #long post #<- incase the read more doesnt work

[bluerosesonata]

The Legacy of Aika Village

[This will be the first of a few mini-articles I plan to post here, just about different things I’m passionate about. Please indulge me.]

This article originally was written back in early April- since then, Nintendo announced that the “Dream Suites” would be coming to the latest update of ACNH, as “Dream Islands.” As such, I thought it would be timely to finally post this.

Update: On July 2nd, the original creator of Aika Village made a tweet announcing their plans to remake Aika for Dream Islands in New Horizons! The legend lives on!

Image Credit: thumbnail from chuggaconroy’s playthrough of Aika Village on Youtube.

Animal Crossing And Horror: The Legacy of Aika Village

With a lot of the world in lockdown, Animal Crossing New Horizons has become a creative and social outlet for many, leading to a lot of people who never played Animal Crossing to engage with it for the first time. I’m sure most of you have encountered the various types of people present in the Animal Crossing community by now, but there’s a type of Animal Crossing players that a lot of people didn’t realize exist, and have existed, for a while now: The Horror Town Creators.

These players were the subject of a brief write up on Polygon by Patricia Hernandez [Hernandez, Patricia. “Animal Crossing: New Horizons is now a horror game, thanks to fans.” Polygon, 24 Mar. 2020. https://www.polygon.com/2020/3/24/21190826/animal-crossing-new-horizons-horror-game-decorations-scary-nintendo-switch-blood-spatter-pattern.], who posted an article featuring quotes and pictures of people creating horror themed towns and rooms in New Horizons, but only made a brief mention of the legacy of horror that many of these players are striving to recreate: The Nightmare Suites of Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

(These next few paragraphs are a bit of a self-indulgent aside, so feel feel to skip ahead.)

Horror gets a bad rap. Horror artists get comments like “lmao what SCP is this,”  “that’s fucked up,” or get flippant remarks about it all “looking the same.” Horror writers get made fun of for only writing “three types of stories.” Even the term “creepypasta,” which has evolved into shorthand for “horror stories independently published online,” still carries the stink of derision from the typo-filled, often poorly-written shock stories the term originated from. Despite this derision, horror, as a genre, is MASSIVELY popular (and profitable as well!). There’s an undeniable appeal to it.

More importantly, horror always finds a way to adapt itself to different mediums. As one can easily see by the success of horror podcasts like the NoSleep Podcast and The Magnus Archives, it isn’t even limited to a visual format! Like fear and dread itself, the horror genre crawls on, inexhaustible, undying, and ever-present, always returning to us in ways both novel and familiar.

Horror lovers are a tight knit, but welcoming, community, and that’s one of its biggest strengths and weaknesses.The biggest drawback is that a lot of really cool stuff produced will never be experienced, let alone documented, by people outside the community. And that’s what prompted this post. I was trying to explain the Dream Suite horror movement to my cousin, and despite my best efforts, didn’t find a lot of coverage about them, beyond the fact they existed. Worse, most of those were articles written five years ago. Even so, I’ll link to a few of them at the end of this post, as they’re definitely worth reading.

For me, I wanted to share my experience of the horror town phenomena with people outside the community. The Nightmare Suites movement was really something magical, and I know that I, personally, am still trying to recreate that magic in New Horizons. And hey, maybe once you’re finished reading this, you will too.

The Dream Suite

Before we can talk about Aika Village, we need to explain the feature that made this whole movement possible. In the 2012/2013 3DS game, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, there were two areas in every town: The village, and Main Street, which laid beyond the train tracks that ran across to the north of every town. Main Street was home several important structures, including the town shop, the Happy Home Academy, and the Post Office. Later on, more structures could be unlocked and built as public works projects, one of which was the Dream Suite.[“Dream Suite.” Nookipedia, 25 Apr. 2013, nookipedia.com/wiki/Dream_Suite.] 

As for how it worked, Nookipedia explains it best:

To begin a dream, the player must lie down on the bed and pay Luna 500 Bells. They may then choose to visit a random town, input the Dream Address of a specific town to visit, or search for a town. They may then choose to visit a previously visited town or a random town, or to input the dream address of a new town to visit. While dreaming, the player may walk around the town and perform actions just as they would in the real world, but their actions will have no effect on the town.

While dreaming, the bed will be on the dream town's plaza. Luna and Lloid stand near it until the player decides to wake up. Players can borrow tools like a shovel and axe from Lloid to use within the dream. If the player lies on the bed a second time, they will leave the dream and anything they have in their pockets will be lost.

The player cannot go to Main Street or enter any buildings with doors besides homes. Additionally, messages left on the bulletin board cannot be read; instead, the board displays the town's name and Dream Address…custom designs on display in the town, such as on the ground and in houses, will be visible. The player who uploaded the town can also be found walking about. When spoken to, they will say their recorded greeting.

In essence, the Dream Suite takes a snapshot of your town at the moment you ask Luna, the NPC running the Dream Suite, to share a dream- this includes your outfit, the way  you decorated your home, the items laying around town, etc.

The most important aspect of this feature, and the one that I feel had the most impact on the Nightmare Suite creation movement, was the method of discovery. If you didn’t know someone’s code, you would be sent to a random dream of a random town, from anywhere in the world- and this is where I feel my personal experience of being in the community departs from the articles that have already been written about the Nightmare Suites.

The Urban Legend of Aika

In the years leading to 2013, I was going through some rough shit. I won’t go into details here, but video games had become my entire life. Coming into the summer of 2013, I didn’t have any friends I kept in touch with, and I was “starting over” in a city where I knew nobody- things were looking up, but outside of tumblr, I didn’t have anything even resembling a social life. Animal Crossing: New Leaf was a stabilizing force of my life during this time, and really helped me. I had the Shampoodle haircut guide saved to the camera roll on my phone, for pete’s sake.

It was in the beginnings of my friendship with a group of girls (whom I sadly no longer even have contact with), where a lot of our initial bonding happened because of anime and RPGmaker horror games. We were sitting together in the campus dining area, me playing on my 3DS, when I first learned about the Nightmare Suites.

“Have you heard about Aika Village?”

I hadn’t.

“It’s this really creepy town in dream suites, I heard about it from a friend online.” Later that day, she linked me to a tumblr post compiling a series of codes leading to different “creepy dream towns,” the first one being simply labeled as “Aika Village.”

That dream village became a phenomenon: people would write up their interpretations and theories about it, and even lead to a few articles and videos on gaming sites like IGN and Killscreen, which is why I’m not gonna even bother going into the content of the village itself.

And So, The Dream Begins…

This, in my opinion, was the draw of the Nightmare Suites. Without a way to directly share codes from your 3DS to your social media, the discovery and sharing of Dream Towns was like that of urban legends- like virtually passing notes in class, or sharing scary stories that “totally happened to a friend of my cousin’s sister” at a campfire. It felt like a cool discovery- something exclusive and scary and weirdly intimate. They had a mystique to them, a mystery of who their creators were and what they “really meant.” But above all that? They were cool as hell.

The Nightmare Suites used the limitations of the game to try and create an unnerving atmosphere in ways that were reminiscent to me of the RPGmaker horror game subgenre, and for me, created a lot of memories of excitedly typing in my once a day dream suite visit late at night in my dorm. I never lacked variety- there were so many people either influenced or inspired by Aika to make a horror town that there are entire lists and tumblrs dedicated to collecting those codes. (I even played around with the idea of making my own horror town, but never found the right inspiration, instead dedicating my time to making themed homes and custom outfits based on different anime characters.)

The sad fact that so many of these towns have been altered or overwritten, if they’re available or accessible at all, is in itself, a part of their urban legend-like appeal. While many of us may never get to experience these towns, the stories about them endure, in lists on long-abandoned blogs and youtube videos from people’s playthroughs.

And that mystique is the real legacy of Aika; While the Nightmare Suites may be gone, the wonder and dreamlike memories many of us hold from our chance encounter with it will never fade. You could even say we’re a bit…haunted by it.

#bluerose txt #bluerose-writing #acnh #acnl community #acnl horror #acnh community #aika village #nightmare suites #dream suites #dream islands #game essay #video game writing #video game journalism #personal essay #bluerose-essay #original writing #nonfiction writing #animal crossing #animal crossing new horizons #urban legends

[heavensmortuary]

1, 16 and 19?

Ooo lets see

1. Tell us about your current projects; what are they about, how's progress, what do you love most about them?

I have two main WIPs I work on outside of OC writings. The first one is Mirage, a horror and weird fiction novel, podcast and inktober collection taking place in the little town of Mirage. Its a story that incorporates folk horror, nostalgia, haunted houses, southern folklore, government conspiracies, hope, and a whole lot of regrets taking form of a three headed dog. The progress is good actually! I did my inktober themed as Mirage last year, and I intend to do the same this year to expand the world while I write. I think I love this one a lot because of how close the setting is to my heart and childhood; the stories I grew up with and the things my grandparents belived, all tied into a story that reflects on how nostalgia can skew our worldview, and talking about the quest for a permanent home, a true hometown.

Annnnnd the second WIP is unnamed for now, but its a sci-fi novel about ancient gods, a heaven-stealing thief, dragons, lost honor, and grumpy assassin who now has to care for a child. I am making decent progress; its been on the back burner while I work on Mirage, but I am enjoying the process greatly while I build up these characters. I love this one so much because it reads like something I would have loved to read when I was younger.

16. Tried anything new with your writing lately?

Not really to be honest; I already use a bunch of mediums because nothing holds my focus too long!

19. Is there something you always find yourself repeating in your writing?

UGH SO MUCH STUFF. Unfortunately I have this nasty habit of over describing things like atmosphere and characters, and not much action takes place and I'm really trying to get better at it ajjskdjd!! I like to use sounds in my writing, just senses in general. A click of claws on the floor. The pop of electric lights blinking on. The sharpness of gasoline and the sting of burnt hair. I also write about abandoned places a lot. Forgotten things are remembered in my writing I guess. And ghosts.

#thank you for bearing with me jsjsjsjd #thanks for the ask! #kat of the night #asks