As many of you know, I’m a HUGE horror fan.  Have been since I was little.  And in honor of both Halloween and some of my favorite authors, take a look at some of my favorite books.

1. The Shining – Stephen King

Quite possibly the scariest book ever written.  The movie is pretty good – but it doesn’t hold a candle to the way this man puts together words.  With the simplest descriptions, he cares the hell out of me time and again.  A psychological breakdown is one of the most frightening concepts – because you know what’s going on, even though you have no control over it.

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2. The Exorcist – William Peter Blatty

As some of you many know, very little terrifies me quite as much as the concept of demonic possession.  Now, I didn’t read this book until after I saw the movie, and it was probably a good thing because I sort of knew what to expect.  THIS BOOK SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME.  Scared me to the point where I had to sleep with the lights on for weeks.  I’m sure most of you know the basic story… the 11-year-old girl possessed by a demon.  If you haven’t read it, you should.  Just leave the lights on when you go to bed.

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3. Coldheart Canyon – Clive Barker

Not necessarily Mr. Barker’s scariest story ever, but definitely one of his most bizarre.  Take one pompous actor recovering from surgery-gone-wrong, add in a reclusive manor and a seductive woman who may or may not really be there.  Sprinkle in a bit of paranoia, some delusions, and a haunting or two to fill out a history laced with debauchery and old Hollywood secrets, and this is what you get.  Another in the psychological breakdown series, I have to say that I could not put this book down.

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4. Dracula – Bram Stoker

Corny and cliche, I know… but you know what?  Mr. Stoker started the vampire revolution.  He made the bloodsucking fiend a legend, and for that, I thank him.  And every Twi-hard out there should, too, because without this book, the Cullens wouldn’t exist.  Told in a series of letters and journal entries, the book chronicles the fears and trepidations of all involved, all for the sake of destroying a monster.  Personally, I’m a bit sympathetic toward the Count… all he ever found himself guilty of was loving Mina Harker.  A must read for any budding horror aficionado.

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5. Frankenstein – Mary Shelley

Have I ever told any of you how much I love this story?  While it’s last on my list, it is probably the cornerstone of my horror education.  This book is much scarier for an adult than it is for a kid having to read it in school because it deals with love and loss, and is such a romantic tragedy that my heart breaks for Adam every time.

For those of you who don’t know, Adam is the monster’s name.  Frankenstein is the doctor who built him.  Poor guy…all he ever wanted, much like Dracula, was someone to love him.

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So those are mine.  Now it’s your turn… for a chance to win your pick of my books, tell me your favorite scary story of all time.  And don’t forget to leave me an email address or Facebook link!