Vision:
“To Curdle the Blood and Quicken the Beatings of the Heart: Tales of Gothic Femininity” is an intended anthology that will focus on the theme of Gothic Femininity. A direct quote from Mary Shelley’s introduction of Frankenstein, Shelley states: “I busied myself to think of a story…One which would speak to the mysterious fears of our nature and awaken thrilling horror – one to make the reader dread to look round, to curdle the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart.” Gothic literature feeds on terrorizing its readers, yearning to keep them awake at night, afraid of the darkness that inhabits their bedrooms. Yet, for some readers, it is not the villainous beings or heroic characters who absorb their attention, but the female characters who are often presented as “predator” or “victim.” They are given roles such as: maternal figures, supernatural beings, and objects of desire. These roles may read as stereotypical, but Gothic writers gravitate towards complicating these female characters by including unpredictability, intensity, and uneasiness.
The anthology will include Gothic stories that incorporate tropes often presented in Gothic fiction such as: abandoned churches, animal carcasses rotting in forests, and dirt roads that lead nowhere. One can primarily focus on Southern Gothic, Midwestern Gothic, Southwestern Gothic, Northwestern Gothic, etc. The concluding goal of the anthology is to focus these characteristics around the greater part of the story: the female. Stories will focus heavily on female vulnerability, repressed sexual urges, damaged families, the struggle of coming of age, and trauma. With these specific elements, the collection will produce stories that are emotionally distressing, chilling, and suspenseful. The presentation of these stories will showcase the significance of women as an innovative perspective as they exhibit dominance, courage, and discernment.
Length of Stories:
This anthology will feature contributions up to 4,000 words in length.
Examples of what I like:
“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Halloween (1978, John Carpenter)
Carrie (1976, Brian DePalma)
The classics such as: “Jane Eyre” (Charlotte Bronte), “Wuthering Heights” (Emily Bronte), and “Mathilda” (Mary Shelley).
“Rivalry” by Chimen Kouri https://www.emotionalalchemymag.com/content/rivalry
“Possession” by Chimen Kouri https://www.instagram.com/p/B34q9lIlnhN/
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