I just finished the outline for a book called, tentatively, Shelter. It’s a haunted house story at its core, but I’m hoping there will be enough unique elements to keep people reading. The outline has me psyched to write it. However, it has to get in line behind the other work I have to finish first.
However, it got me thinking. What is it about haunted houses/places? There are a bunch of paranormal investigation shows, hundreds of hours of video of one kind or another (such as movies) which discuss our fascination and/or fear of haunted places. I wonder to myself why.
It reminds me of the monologues from Rose Red, the television movie, about houses and how they can be born bad and go as mad as their inhabitants. Is the possibility of madness the reason we are afraid of haunted places? That it is simply a reflection of our own madness and thus the place is not haunted at all, but we are?
I want to explore this further. I’ve started rereading Stephen King’s discussion of Horror as a genre, Danse Macabre, again. I really do love that book, partially because the copy I have was put out the year I was born. I’m sure there are others who have discussed Horror as a whole, but it’s my favorite. I may spend some time on the research of this when I’m not otherwise swamped. Maybe before I begin the book so that I can make sure I’m getting my archetypes right.
What’s your theory on haunted houses/spaces?
Alledria is the author of multiple books including the She Becomes Death universe and the Fate Circle Saga. Check them out here.