Latest news with #ShirleyJackson
CBC
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Arizona O'Neill recommends 3 haunting horror novels with a feminist twist
Arizona O'Neill has been a lifelong fan of spine-tingling horror fiction. From a young age, the writer and illustrator devoured the works of Stephen King, plunging headfirst into his eerie, chilling plots. This early interest marked her first foray into a genre long dominated by male authors and perspectives — until she discovered writers like Shirley Jackson. Jackson's haunting novel The Haunting of Hill House opened O'Neill's eyes to the gripping, spine-tingling stories women were telling in horror, pulling her even deeper into a genre she already loved. "I've just been a fan forever," O'Neill said. Today, she's immersed in feminist horror novels — a growing subgenre where female writers reclaim and reshape the genre to challenge patriarchal structures and the societal expectations placed on women. Rather than simply portraying women as victims, feminist horror places them at the centre, giving them agency, depth and complexity. "The main character is a woman, and it's the tasks of everyday life — marriage, having children, childbirth, that becomes the horror. Rather than being the victim, she causes the horror," said O'Neill. O'Neill is a Montreal-based writer and illustrator. She has published the illustrated book Est-ce qu'un artiste peut être heureux? and illustrated for books like Hoop Muses by Kate Fagan and Seimone Augustus. Her illustrated novel Valentine in Montreal, written by her mother Heather O'Neill, will be out on July 15, 2025. On The Next Chapter with Antonio Michael Downing, she shared three of her favourite feminist horror books — and why they've stayed with her. Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito In Victorian Psycho, Winifred Notty seems to be the perfect governess — devoted to her lessons and enchanting with bedtime stories. But beneath her refined exterior lies a dark secret, and as the story unfolds, a disturbing history and pattern of violence toward the children in her care begins to emerge. "Other governesses in literature … we watch them and we never know exactly what they're thinking. But [ in Victorian Psycho ], you're in her head. It's a first-person narrative … as she's thinking about murdering the children," said O'Neill. Virginia Feito is a writer from Madrid. She studied English and drama at Queen Mary University of London and advertising at Miami Ad School. She is a regular contributor to Vanity Fair Spain. Her debut novel is Mrs. March. The Lamb by Lucy Rose "This book is a reaction to the trope of the single mother mania … [who] can't function in the world without a husband," said O'Neill. The Lamb is a queer, gothic coming-of-age folktale about a mother and her daughter, Margot, who take in and secretly consume "strays" — people with no one else, seeking refuge in their home. But when a stray named Eden arrives, Margot's mother begins to feel something more than just hunger — and Margot must navigate the changes that follow. Lucy Rose is an author and film director based in England. She explores gothic themes, girlhood and horror, and her work has appeared in Dread Central and Mslexia. The Lamb is her debut novel. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia "In gothic, there's an emptiness feeling. You have this old, ancient evil, so something that has been there for many centuries. You know, I think of Dracula and he feeds off the people. Garcia takes this and she actually makes the house, the thing, that feeds off of the people," said O'Neill. Mexican Gothic is a gothic horror novel set in 1950s Mexico. It tells the story of a young woman named Noemí who is called by her cousin to save her from doom in her countryside home, the mysterious and alluring High Place. Noemí doesn't know much about the house, the region or her cousin's mysterious new husband, but she's determined to solve this mystery and save her cousin — whatever it takes.
Washington Post
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Many women ‘just don't want to' have kids. These books don't blame them.
When the writer Shirley Jackson went to the hospital to give birth to her youngest son in 1951, a clerk at the front desk asked for her personal information. 'Age?' the clerk chirped. 'Sex? Occupation?' 'Writer,' Jackson replied. 'Housewife,' the clerk countered. 'Writer,' Jackson insisted. 'I'll just put down housewife,' the woman told her. That Jackson's best fiction is about the debasements of domesticity is a cruel irony, one the dismissive hospital clerk no doubt failed to appreciate.
Irish Times
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Róisín Ingle: I have a list in my head of unwritten letters. Now I will write them
George Bernard Shaw wrote a lot of letters in his lifetime. Many of them were short, grumpy notes turning down invitations for social events or speaking gigs or gala dinners. My favourite narky 'no thank you' letter of his, and there are lots to choose from, was written after the Pygmalion writer was invited to address a branch of the Labour Party in Britain. 'It would be easier and pleasanter to drown myself,' was his one sentence reply in that 1922 letter. If we're honest, many of us would like to respond this way to certain invitations but would never have the nerve. Shaun Usher of Letters of Note has done a great service with his books and online curation of interesting letters through the centuries. This is where I came across George Bernard Shaw's gloriously truculent ripostes, along with a 1953 letter from author Shirley Jackson in response to a reader who didn't enjoy her work: 'Dear Mrs White, If you don't like my peaches, don't shake my tree, Sincerely Shirley Jackson.' I'm stealing that next time I get hate mail. Usher's contribution to the literary world is increasingly valuable given that the art of letter writing has mostly gone the way of the Dodo, the 46a and refreshments on most Irish trains. This is old news, of course. People have been going on about the lost art of letter writing for years. Still, the crisis, if that's not too strong a word, does seem to be escalating. READ MORE In Denmark last month, the postal service declared it will deliver its last letter at the end of this year. Since 2000 the number of letters sent in that country has declined by more than 90 per cent. They are eliminating 1,500 jobs and 1,500 of their bright red post boxes, citing the increased digitisation of life in Denmark, where people routinely have driving licences and even passports on their phones. At home, An Post reported the volume of letters has fallen by 8 per cent in the last year, and by 50 per cent in the past decade. A massive 93 per cent of those letters are generated by business or Government bodies. Only a surprising and sad-sounding seven per cent are personal cards and letters. I can't remember the last time I wrote a letter. I know I wrote a letter to George Michael in the 1980s. He never replied. I wrote one to Paul Young asking if I could do harmonies on one of this songs. Never heard back from him either. I wrote a couple of letters to Jim'll Fix It and, for obvious reasons, I'm relieved nobody there ever got back to me. Aged 21, I wrote a five-page letter to a boyfriend, worried he was about to dump me. After I sent it to him, he arranged to meet me in a cafe. The letter revealed we wanted different things and made it easier for him to end things, he said. It wasn't me it was him, in other words. But really it was me and my ardent, lovesick letter which had scared the Bejaysus out of him. 'I think you want a husband,' he said presciently. I got married a couple of years later, which is another story. I think about writing letters a lot. There is a list in my head of people I want to send them to, some I know personally and others I don't, but that's where they stay, ink never darkening paper. These are people I want to thank, or commiserate with, or support or compliment or just correspond with in the old-fashioned way. I send texts, but the letters in my head remain unwritten. It's a shame because I love receiving post of any kind. One of the perks of my job is being sent books, often before they are published. But an even bigger bonus is that readers occasionally get in touch. Some of them even write letters. [ I got a D in pass maths in the Leaving Cert but I addressed the Society of Actuaries in Ireland dinner Opens in new window ] My postbox in work had been empty for a couple of weeks. I felt a little pang every time I walked past the pigeonhole. Complete tumbleweed. The other day I walked past my empty cubbyhole again. The emptiness seemed wrong somehow and so I did a bit of rooting around. My post had been put in someone else's pigeonhole by mistake. There was a lovely big pile with my name on it in someone else's mailbox. Books yes, but mostly handwritten letters from readers. I went to a cafe and spent a gorgeous half-hour opening the envelopes, smoothing out the paper and reading the contents. Some made me laugh. Some made me cry. Thanks to all of you. I've decided I am going to write one letter a week. I can do it. (I make the bed every single day now, an activity which for years felt beyond me.) I've even ordered a new writing set from an Irish company called PawPear. Páipéar, get it? Their website, has an abundance of beautifully designed boxes of paper, envelopes, pens and cards. Kim Whyte, the woman behind PawPear, describes letter writing as 'a quiet rebellion against the send button'. Emails and texts disappear into the ether but letters are folded away in boxes, like the one I have in my bedroom filled with messages from readers and friends who have been so generous with their words, especially in the last couple of years. My weekly missives might not be of George Bernard Shaw or Shirley Jackson quality but they'll be old-school, quietly rebellious letters all the same. I hope the recipients like my peaches.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Critical MASS: Lunch, poetry readings
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)—Critical MASS is preparing for its free three-day event, which will feature innovative art that 'challenges the boundaries of creativity.' According to Artspace, Critical MASS is in its 13th year of showcasing visual, literary, and performing arts talent. 'This annual exhibition and Best in Show competition has become a highly anticipated event, bringing together a diverse range of artists and their innovative works,' says Artspace. On Thursday, April 10th, at Caddo Common Park: The free 'lunch and lit' reading will take place at 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., serving food from Simply KC and Demented Dessert & Coffee 'while the air is filed with light jazz and the sounds of poetry, spoken word, and literary works from your favorite writers!' says Shreveport Regional Arts Council. Followed by a Performance Showcase at 4 p.m. On Friday, April 11th, Artspace, located at 708 Texas Street, is hosting an exhibit at 5 p.m. featuring a diverse range of artists and their innovative works. More Entertainment News Saturday, April 12: Critics will give feedback to the artists featured at 10 am, Solo Show Critical Review at 12:30 p.m. Critics' Panel 'The Art of Critique: How to be a Critic' at 1:30 p.m. The Critics include: Shirley Jackson Award-nominated writer, literary arts critic, Misha Rai Performing Arts Critic, Dóri Bosnyák, manager of the Presidential Lecture & Performance Series at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX., Executive Director of the Tyler Museum of Art and visual arts critic, Caleb Bell, and Arts writer, journalism teacher, and Critics' Manager, Professor Lauren Smart. DISCLAIMER: KTAL NBC 6 is a listed sponsor of Artspace and SPAR. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
