Comment from lindalcreel

Excellent

That's a good way to look at things. I remember watching the old horror movies with my mother and the special effects were so bad back then, but still left us with the desired impact. With technology today, I've been known to jump when something surprises me, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

 Comment Written 22-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 22-Jul-2014

Ha ha, well, that's a good thing, Linda. That you can at least admit it, I mean. If the truth were known, there are many more who enjoy that heart-pounding rush a good scare provides. But, unlike you, they just don't or won't admit it.

Thanks for the review, my friend.

reply by lindalcreel on 23-Jul-2014

I remember the first time I watched "Salem's Lot" and I was by myself and pregnant because my husband was working night shift. I made the excuse of having to get up and go to the bathroom, but I was just checking to make sure their weren't any uninvited guests in the house. LOL

reply by the author on 23-Jul-2014

Hahaha-a-a-a! Yeah, Salem's Lot is a good one! It's hard to find on DVD, but it is coming back on in September on the Encore Channel as that channel is celebrating fifty years of Stephen King with his movies all month long. My DVR is already set, heh heh...

reply by lindalcreel on 23-Jul-2014

It she scared me.

Comment from barbara.wilkey

Excellent

Your contest entry is fantastic. I believe horror stories have been around since humankind told stories. Many people like that adrenaline rush. I, for one, am not too fond of it but that does not stop me from recognizing good writing when I see it. You should do extremely well in the contest.

 Comment Written 22-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 22-Jul-2014

Thanks so much for your kind comments and review, Barbara. You're right, not all of us care for the same things when it comes to what we choose to read. A former reviewer told me that scientists have proven that some people are born with what's called a Fear Gene. I guess I just happen to be one of those people, LOL.

Comment from Patrick G Cox

Excellent

Hi Dean Kuch,

I suppose it depends on whether one's system needs the boost or whether it needs a shock to kick it into gear.

Patrick

 Comment Written 22-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 22-Jul-2014

Hah ha, yep, you either live for it, or die tryin', Patrick. Thanks for the comments, my friend.

Comment from Halfree

Exceptional

As a lover of horror stories, really liked this. As A boy, some of my best afternoons were spent with Poe. Also like the harrow stories told on radio...you know TV without a screen.
What I dislike about many movies with a horror theme is the need to show the gore and blood. I can conjure up in my mind better scenes. Harrow is in the perception of reality..not the actual rerality.

Anyway, enjoyed the read...funny thing, about two days back I was reading Greek myths...Tantalus was one...Talk about justice....now his was a punishment fitting the crime.

Good read..Gave it a six..well because it is a six.

 Comment Written 22-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 22-Jul-2014

Hah, thanks, Halfree, I really appreciate you insightful feedback and exceptional rating, my friend. I too spent many an afternoon with Poe, H.P. Lovecraft and Robert Bloch as a boy. Not to mention those old cheesy EC Comics title such as, Tales from the Crypt, and The Vault of Horror. CREEPY and EERIE magazine, oh yeah, and HEAVY METAL magazine too? I had subscriptions to them all. I miss those good ole magazines...

Thanks again for the excellent review, Halfree. I sincerely appreciate it!

Comment from rod007

Excellent

This was truly an amazing piece of writing. The gem was that picture of an innocent child transformed into a monster. It was indeed a frightening surprise. Keep up the great writing.

 Comment Written 22-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 22-Jul-2014

Thanks, Rod, and I will certainly try to. I really appreciate the feedback, especially since you write in the horror genre yourself.

Comment from Twilightspire

Excellent

Yes! I love the pop-out. I haven't seen a good one of those lately.
I'm like you, I find horror more interesting and funny than actually scary. My kids and Ember make it a point to try and scare me daily, but can never quite get it.
I love horror as a genre. I feel you can get so much more emotion and truth when twisting the knife of a well told scary tale.
This piece was great because it really dove into what makes a great horror writer and shed a little bit more light on the not-so-mystery that is Dean Kuch.
Excellent work, my friend.
-T.J.

 Comment Written 22-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 22-Jul-2014

Thanks for the kind comments and review, TJ. I sincerely appreciate your feedback, especially being a writer in the genre yourself.

reply by Twilightspire on 22-Jul-2014

Anytime. I like getting to see why people write what they write. Mostly it filters out the same, but occasionally you get a real cool story out of it. :)

reply by the author on 22-Jul-2014

Thanks, TJ! :]

reply by Twilightspire on 22-Jul-2014

:D

Comment from Sandra Stoner-Mitchell

Excellent

I remember watching 'Jaws' for the first time, the music in the beginning when the girl was swimming, terrified me, I wanted to run out of the cinema. You are right, it has been around a long, long time, and people still beg for more. I have just posted a poem that one reviewer blamed you for turning me into a horror writer! LOL, I had to agree with her, I am too innocent to think these things up by my self. Oh and that little girl in the picture, I am off to the hospital in half an hour, if my blood pressure is still high, I will blame you for that too!!! LOL. Good luck in the contest, that's if the judges are still alive to vote for you!! :) Sandra

 Comment Written 22-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 22-Jul-2014

Oh, I love when I can warp the minds of the innocent. It's what I live for (LOL). Thanks for the thoroughly entertaining review, Sandra. I'm still laughing over that committee wise-crack, can't you hear me?

What's the name of the poem I supposedly inspired you to write? I'd really love to see what a good job I've done, heh-heh...

reply by Sandra Stoner-Mitchell on 22-Jul-2014

It's called 'Dead Man's Croon' catchy little isn't it? LOL. I am sure you will think its tame. xx

reply by the author on 22-Jul-2014

Well, we'll see. I'm off to read it right now, be back in a minute or two...

Comment from nancy_e_davis

Excellent

~They Story Of Tantalus> Should it be "The" Story?
These things you do on the computer? Really amazing!
I envy your talent. I am not a fan of horror so I don't know if what you say is true or not. I am more afraid of the evil in men, than Ghosts and zombies etc. LOL Well done as usual. Nancy

 Comment Written 22-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 22-Jul-2014

Thanks, Nancy, but the evil in man makes for some of the best stories in the genre. Have you never seen Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho? What about Steven Speilburg's Schindler's List? If those aren't horror stories, then I'm a monkey's uncle, ohh-ahh-ohh-ahh-ohh, LOL...

Comment from adewpearl

Excellent

crust-covered corpse - add the hyphen
I couldn't agree more about the difference between effective horror and slasher movie-type "horror" - this is why I love Hitchcock and get nothing out of movies that depend totally on a rising body count and lots of bloody corpses
tracing horror to the 70s? even in movies that is the assessment of somebody who has not bothered to examine the archives at even the most superficial level - dear God, everyone has heard of Hitchcock
good use of illustrative examples to trace horror way further back than the 70s - some people are idiots, one must assume LOL :-) Brooke

 Comment Written 22-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 22-Jul-2014

Thanks so much, Brooke. My thoughts exactly while I was doing research for this essay. The 70's? Really?! Hansel & Gretel, Grimm's Faery Tales, and yes, Psycho, all predate the 1970s. However, I could go on and on, but I won't (LOL).

I appreciate the correction too! If I only had a nickle for every...

Comment from Lulube

Excellent

So you just gave me a big plate of oysters then? lol so matter of fact with the dopamine cocktail, scare the shit out of yourself then go have sex. lol I can't watch those jumping out of the seat, cause I'm scared I'll have a heart attack. I just need the unexpected, there you are, and I'm jumping up and down but funny thing is, I can't vocalize anything for a split second. Nothing comes out. So much for me being attacked and yelling for help.
Very good information though and in your notes as well. The picture reminds me of a face I knew. lol

good work Dean

lulube

 Comment Written 22-Jul-2014

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reply by the author on 22-Jul-2014

Ha ha, thanks so much for being a good sport, Lulube. I'm really glad you enjoyed the essay, and that you can see where I'm coming from. Whoever the so-called "expert" was that horror became a genre in the 70's is just out of their mind! It's been around as long as mankind has, I'm sure.

reply by Lulube on 23-Jul-2014

didn't this expert that was probably born in the 70's, ever hear of Alfred Hitchock, the Bird's? I can still see those birds flying into the car windshield, thud thud thud

lulube imagine when man first saw what he looked like?

reply by the author on 23-Jul-2014

Haha, good point, Lulube!