Be afraid …
Some years ago I was invited to submit a horror story for an anthology. The brief was that it must include some aspect of contemporary technology. I said doubtfully to my husband, ‘I’m not sure this is my thing.’ His reply was bracing: ‘You’re a writer, aren’t you? So write something!’ And I did. The story, ‘Safe as Houses,’ was duly published in Phobic: Modern Horror Stories, by Comma Press. It begins with a woman hearing a baby crying over a baby monitor. But there’s no baby in the house. . . I scared myself writing it! That’s part of the fun.
A few months ago I was contacted by an actor, Stephen Tomlin, to ask if ‘Safe as Houses’ could be one of three ghost stories to be included in a series of Halloween readings that he was planning for the north of England. I was delighted to agree and I’ll be attending one of the performances at that Newcastle institution, the Lit and Phil on 1 November. I am looking forward to hearing something that I have written performed by a professional actor – a first for me.
For details of the other venues and how to book tickets, go to www.demiparadiseproductions.co.uk
4 Comments
Margot Kinberg
October 4, 2019I’m very happy for you, Christine! A well-deserved congratulations, and I know it’s going to be a fabulous event. Wish I could be there.
Christine Poulson
October 4, 2019Thank you, Margot. I too wish you could be there, I really do!
Susan D
October 8, 2019Gosh, just reading the premise is scaring me.
Well done.
Christine Poulson
October 8, 2019This actually happened to a friend of mine one night when he was working in a care home and some of the patients had monitors in their rooms. Of course it turned out that the monitor was picking up signals from a nearby house. But when he told me about it, the hairs went up on the back of my neck.