Spooky New Englanders?

[alonewiththemoon]

I'm trying to think of spooky authors, artists, etc associated with New England to use in PR for Raks Spooki--something along the lines of "a regional showcase of dancers from the land of H.P. Lovecraft, Edward Gorey, ..."  Any suggestions for other personages?  There's also Stephen King, who is a little more commercial than I would really like to reference, but at least he would represent Maine.  I'd also like to stay away from people like Lizzie Borden or events like the Salem witch trials--more of a focus on the creative than the destructive, you know?  Thanks for any suggestions...

Comments

[peregrinekt.livejournal.com]

isnt edgar allen poe from boston ?

[alonewiththemoon]

I think he might have been from Boston, but I always associate him with Baltimore...

[peregrinekt.livejournal.com]

i think you should claim him as an honorary resident anyway :)

[peregrinekt.livejournal.com]

headless horseman guy?

[rojagato.livejournal.com]

Washington Irving and his stories are associated with New York.

[peregrinekt.livejournal.com]

hey, its almost new england :)

[alonewiththemoon]

yeah, but one of my own ancestors from NH was a Hessian, so I'm comfortable laying claim to that story ;-)

[alonewiththemoon]

Washington Irving--that's a good one!

(though my first thought, of course, was "mmmm, Johnny Depp...." ;)

[xenoglaux]

Originally, but then he moves to Maryland and did most of his writing there.

[rojagato.livejournal.com]

True (although he lived in Virginia before going to Maryland), but the Boston connection may not be too much of a stretch:

He was stationed at Castle Island during his brief Army service (and published his poetry collection, Tamerlane, anonymously as "A Bostonian", while there), and may have heard a local story associated with the Island there that contributed to The Cask of Amontillado.

NYC represent!

[cassel.livejournal.com]

He wrote the Raven whilst living in New York.

[cassel.livejournal.com]

He was born there.

[rojagato.livejournal.com]

Nathaniel Hawthorne is probably a stretch, as are Emily Dickinson and Melville.

[rojagato.livejournal.com]

John (Aegypt) Crowley? More fantasy than horror, though.

Dr Suess is another stretch.

[alonewiththemoon]

oh hey, Pat Keck! I should probably strive for more famous people, but she's a great source of inspiration :)

[spitcurl.livejournal.com]

Jack Kerouac. Ok, so he wasn't spooooky, but black turtlenecks, smoky rooms, dark and anguished poetry...you can't tell me the Beats did not have some influence on the goth scene... ;)

a bit of a stretch...

[anechoic.livejournal.com]

...but i think Rob Zombie's from Haverhill.

[pamelasbelly.livejournal.com]

I've always thought Joyce Carol Oats was pretty gothic ;). Although she is from New York as well...

I vote Rob Zombie!

[alonewiththemoon]

Ooh, Joyce Carol Oates! Good one! I'd say that Chappaquiddick book qualifies her, if nothing else.

I'm trying to stay away from musicians that people might actually choose to dance to ;-)

[pamelasbelly.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I feel like I might need therapy after reading one of her novels. She can really tap into some disturbing psychological stuff. Makes me curious about her personality in real life.

Georgeous writing with disturbing imagery - gotta love it

This page may help

[crematia13.livejournal.com]

http://www.horror.org/ne/links.htm

Re: This page may help

[alonewiththemoon]

oh, cool! Looks like that will help, thanks!

ha, one of the writers there (Meg Smith) is also one of my dancers who is performing :-)

[pamelasbelly.livejournal.com]

Do you think Alice Hoffman is too sparkly fantasy? Some of her stuff is dark and creepy like "The Ice Queen", "Blackbird House", and "The River King". Even "Practical Magic" had a dark edge. Her stories almost always take place in New England (mostly MA) and she lives in the Boston area.