Thursday 27 October 2011

Halloween Guest Blog: Savita Kalhan picks her scariest reads and you could win a copy of The Long Weekend!




Product details:
Publisher: Andersen Press Ltd.
Release date: October 2nd 2008.
Ages: 12+



Sam knows that he and his friend Lloyd made a colossal mistake when they accepted the ride home. They have ended up in a dark mansion in the middle of nowhere with man who means to harm them. But Sam doesn't know how to get them out. They were trapped, then separated. Now they are alone. Will either of them get out alive? This gripping and hypnotic thriller will have you reading late into the night.



Happy Halloween! It’s great to be here!

My Top 5 Scariest Books

Okay, I’m going to be really honest and tell you that I am a big scaredy cat when it comes to reading horror. I’ve got worse as I’ve got older, I think, but I don’t know why! When I was in my teens I read a lot of horror. It used to scare me to death and I couldn’t sleep afterwards, but I read it anyway. I read Stephen King’s Carrie, and then everything else that Stephen King had written. I read Dennis Wheatley’s The Devil Rides Out and his other occult stories. I read William Blatty’s The Exorcist, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

I’m not sure how many of those I would re-read now! Not all scary books are horror books, or vampire books, books about the occult or other dark magics. When I was in my teens, I read The Collector by John Fowles, and the main character seriously creeped me out. Before that, I read Flowers in the Attic by Virginia Andrews, which me and my younger sisters found really scary – but none of us could put it down! We had to read the whole series.

My present list of top scary books (in no particular order) –

The Silence of the Lambs – Thomas Harris
There is something about the cannibalism of Hannibal Lecter that makes me feel physically sick and to never want to leave the house.

The Exorcist – William Blatty
The ultimate story of possession in all its macabre, violent ugliness. Scary!

The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson
This has got to be one of the best ‘haunted house’ stories ever written. Not gory or bloody, but scary.

The Amityville Horror – Jay Anson
This is a very different ‘haunted house’ story to Shirley Jackson’s, but I found it really frightening. All the more so because it’s supposedly based on the experiences of a real family!

The Road – Cormac MacCarthy
I’ve just read Richard Matheson’s I am Legend, and almost put it as the fifth book in this list. But there was something about The Road that was very, very frightening. The book is so well written, so evocative of the bleak despair humanity has sunk to. There were a couple of scenes where I really felt scared. I really recommend it.

Dark Matter – Michelle Paver
Yes, I know I’m only allowed to name my top 5, but I’m sneaking this one in because I really loved it. It’s a ghost story, and if you haven’t read it then you’re in for a treat!

Here’s a link to a website run by librarians for all sorts of spooky, horror, ghost, vampire, zombie, monster books should you need ideas for Halloween reading... http://monsterlibrarian.com/horrorfictionlistya.htm

Okay, now it’s your turn – tell me your favourite scary books in the comments section. One lucky person is in line to win a copy of my book, The Long Weekend. 

Watch this trailer and see how creepy it is for yourselves!






Thanks for inviting me, Leanna. It was great fun!


*******************

Thanks for the great guest post, Savita!

To enter to win a copy of The Long Weekend leave a comment and your email address letting Savita know your favourite scary reads! 
I will accept entries until November 3rd 2011.
Competition is open to EVERYONE!
COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED!
WINNER ANNOUNCED SOON!
You can still comment on the post, but you won't be entered into the giveaway.

26 comments :

  1. Basically anything STEPHEN KING gives me a perfectly lovely scare.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've been having a scariest film debate with my Teen. I picked Sixth Sense. She went for The Others. Not so sure about books. I think when reading the fear has to be something I can relate to. I certainly found Dark Matter very frightening as I have a problem with total dark. The most scary thing I've read recently was about a group of girls potholing in Torn by Cat Clarke.

    I've already read and reviewed The Long Weekend which I loved, though I saw it as more of an action-film (Die Hard for kids) than scary, horror movie, so not entering the competition.(http://ourbookreviewsonline.blogspot.com/2010/09/long-weekend-by-savita-kalhan.html)

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill is my all time favourite scary read - there's no gore, just a deliciously creepy build up of tension. The stage version is equally good and there's a movie adaptation coming out soon. :-)

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  4. I love Stephen King's It. Please enter me in contest. I would love to read this book. Tore923@aol.com

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  5. I haven't read those books, but I have watched the movies The Silence of the Lambs, The Exorcist and The Amityville Horror. Yes, these movies scared the living hell out of me. I don't even know if that's correct, but they were creepy. :) My favourite scary book is The Devouring by Simon Holt. This series (devouring) is creepy and after reading it I slept with the lights on! Scary!!

    nina.happyendings@yahoo.co.uk

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  6. I'd have to go with just about anything by John Saul. His books scare me pretty bad.

    ~Kayla
    kcrochet002@gmail.com

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  7. My favourite scariest book is probably "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier,and it is a kind of strange pick. I think wthe reason I chose it has to do with the fact that it is so well written - in terms, especially, of atmosphere. The whole book is written on the edge of a knife where if you lean too far to one side you will topple over into a dark mysticism taht might kill you. It is a thriller and agothic mastepriece.

    Thanks!

    Ammy Belle
    apereiraorama @ gmail com
    http://lateintothenight.blogspot.com/

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  8. I would have to say Salem's Lot!

    k_anon[at]hotmail[dot]co[dot]uk

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  9. I love the shining and rose red by stephen king. He is the master of horror!

    chelle2006 @ aol.com

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  10. Possess by Gretchen McNeil :)

    Thanks <3


    starlight023(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  11. Anythung from Stephen King :)
    Thank you so much for the chance to win!
    Rathouska(dot)jana(at)gmail(dot)com

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  12. The Devouring series by Simon holt.

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Graveminder by Melissa Marr is a pretty scary one!

    thegirlonfire27 at gmail dot com

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  14. I don't like scary books so I have not read any on this list except for The Road, which is so haunting and scary in its desolation.

    iwouldratherbereading(at)gmail(dot)com

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  15. First time I read "It" by Stephen King I was scared half witless!! Wasn't as scary once I saw the film and realised John Boy walton was in it though!

    egcomps@rocketmail.com

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  16. The Shining by Stephen King is the classic that just gives me shivers!

    baychriz at gmail dot com

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  17. Thanks for the giveaway! Stephan King books creep me out! :p

    Email: osnapitzAngiex3(AT)aol(DOT)com

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  18. The scariest book I've ever read has to be Stephen King's It - a clown in the sewers...and adult don't noticed all the bad stuff - and it comes back every 30 years...scary! :)

    notanotherbookblog(at)hotmail(dot)co(dot)uk

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  19. Christine by Stephen King scared me so much when I read it (well, I was 10. I shouldn't have read it!)

    aliasgirl at libero dot it

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  20. I found The Body Finder really creepy but I loved it and found it addictive =)
    booksforcompany @ gmail.com

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  21. everything of Stephen King is very scary
    but the exorcist is the top one..not by king of course!
    thanks

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  22. Stephen King and Joe Hill are my favorites in the fear department.

    jennifer(@)fictitiousmusings(.)com

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  23. I'll say Damnation Game by Clive Barker. I read it in high school and had to sleep with the lights on for a while!

    neurotoxicdoll@gmail.com

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  24. Hey ! The Haunting of Hill House–Shirley Jackson is my favorite too! Best book ever.
    thebookish96(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  25. Pet Sematary by Stephen King really scared me!
    mittens0831 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  26. I love Stephen King, and most anything by him scares me. However, The Ruins by Scott Smith really, really got me.
    goonie4ever(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete

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