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Not everything that is dark

Is dreary

Not everything that is horrific

Is scary

Not everything that is ghost-filled

Is haunted

Not everything that is known

Is understood

Not everything that is dead

Is gone

The post The Misrepresentation of Ghosts – A Poem by Sheila English appeared first on Storyteller.

A couple of years ago I discovered a love for digital art. I’ve done photography for years.  I’ve never done professional photography, just stuff for myself, but I feel I was relatively good at it, just not an expert. But, then I saw some digital art on etsy that I loved and thought I would take original photographs and then alter them into art.

I’m super excited about the artwork. I now have a page on my website just for my art- https://sheilaenglish.com/artist-page/

Currently, I’m working on a set of Gothic-themed artwork. I have the art on my Instagram and sometimes I ask people who follow me to help me choose the piece that will go on my artist site.

I wanted to share some of the artwork on my blog.

I took a picture of the Golden Game Bridge in 2019. I love San Francisco and go there as often as I can.

I have a typewriter collection and took several typewriters with me for photographs and later, to digitally enhance the image. This was taken at the Headlands in Fort Bragg, CA. I blacked out the background and highlighted the typewriter for a lonely effect.

This started out as a photograph of a dead raccoon’s carcass I came across while walking my dog. I took a picture of the skull and then layered it and colored it red through an app called Photoleap. I have several apps that I use, plus software like photoshop, but Photoleap is my favorite.

These are new and I’ve not decided which I’ll put on my artist website.

I took this at the headlands in Fort Bragg where there is a tiny and ancient graveyard. I call this piece Horror-Novel.  Not only does the tombstone look evil, but the typewriter appears to be disintegrating… dying.

Last, but not least are these dolls with a Photoleap filter that I’ve layered. Dolls can be scary in the right context.

I update my website periodically when I have enough new material to warrant that. I plan on continuing on with the Gothic theme, but from time to time I change things up, as with the Golden Gate Bridge which is more science fiction.

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The post Loving Gothic Fiction Reviews! appeared first on Storyteller.

One definition of Gothic is-  of or relating to a style of fiction characterized by the use of desolate or remote settings and macabre, mysterious, or violent incidents – Gothic novels

That’s the definition we like best!

We’ve chosen five of our favorite historical Gothic novels and given you links so you can read them, legitimately of course, for free!

1. Frankenstein– A mad scientist tries to play God by reanimating a man made up of pieces of the dead. The creature comes to life and the battle of who lives and who is the actual monster begins. Originally written in 1818 by author Mary Shelley, this novel is considered the first science fiction to be written.

2. Dracula – A clever and sophisticated vampire terrifies England as he attempts to set up his life there at any cost. A dark castle and ominous landscapes. Written by Bram Stoker.

3. The Castle of Otranto – Considered by many to be the first-ever Gothic novel. Written in 1764 by Horace Walpole. In a faraway medieval realm, Manfred, an arrogant and evil prince, rules with an iron fist. Banishing his wife to the castle dungeon, he confines — and plans to wed — the lovely Isabella, fiancée of his recently deceased son. The prince’s plans are foiled, however, when a well-meaning peasant helps the young woman escape through the castle’s underground passages. Grisly, supernatural events further aid in fulfilling a prophecy that spells doom for the prince and justice for Isabella’s rescuer and rightful heir to the throne.

4. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson – Another scientist looks to improve upon God’s work as he uses chemistry to alter himself in ways he never imagined. And in ways that bring terror to London.

5. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – Gothic romance, an old mansion with secrets and a little paranormal this is a classic! Jane is abandoned but makes the best of her education she is given and becomes a governess. The master of the house has many secrets and it is dangerous to love him. When she does, there is a big price to pay.

The post TOP 5 GOTHIC HISTORICAL TO READ FOR FREE appeared first on Storyteller.

I’ve always known the story of how Mary Shelley’s League of Supernatural Hunters came to be.  I’ve written a short story about it and thought that would be the end of it. But my agent had other plans. He wanted readers to fully understand where the League came from, how it started and what the rules were. So, my plan has changed and I’m writing a trilogy to explain all the details, of which there are many, about the League and how it works today.

The challenge in writing anything historical is that you have to immerse yourself in that time period. Mine begins in 1816 which is the Regency and Georgian eras. I had to be careful not to mention items, procedures, events or people that were not of that era. For example, I have a scene where Mary Shelley is being hypnotized by Dr. John William Polidori, but the word “hypnotize” wasn’t used then. So, instead, I talk of Franz Mesmer and get the idea of what Polidori is doing by that reference.

Another example is the scene where Mary is looking at photographs. But, this is 1816 and photographs weren’t readily available until 1822. I had to change the scene and show them as small drawings instead.

I admit that I didn’t follow the dialog of the day exactly. If you have read The Vampyre or Frankenstein you can see why. It’s almost as though you need to learn the language of the time to understand it easily. I wanted my readers to have a seamless time of understanding the story on the written page.  So, please do forgive me for that. I know readers who love historicals like it to be accurate.  Do know that I spent hours and hours researching for the book. I have so many books about Mary Shelley’s life I feel like I actually know her. Side note: I love her!

The books are Gothics and the first one- Mary Shelley’s League of Supernatural Hunters – follows the story of how Frankenstein was written as well as following the story of Frankenstein as written by Mary Shelley. It’s a blend. The real life of Mary Shelley blended with the story of Frankenstein into a new work of fiction where the two are as one.

I’ve read the initial version of Frankenstein (1818) and then the later version with Mary Shelley’s introduction and explanation of how she was inspired to write the novel.

I hope people enjoy it regardless of what they know of Mary Shelley or the novel Frankenstein. I tried to make it as original as possible with my own take on why Mary did the things she did and how she actually met Frankenstein, the creature who she named Adam.

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