What we’re about
The horror genre has always been part of art and life. It carries the whole breadth of human emotions and it's more complex than a few jump scares. Join this club to delve deep into horror from all perspectives, biographical, historical, technical, emotional, psychological, or just absolute fun to scare and be scared.
The focus lies on your subjective experience of horror, how/why/what/when it makes you feel a certain way. Its goal is to have a community that challenges and likes to be challenged with all sorts of themes within horror, while having a blast. There are no experts and there's no gatekeeping here. Everyone, 18+, is welcome, doesn't matter if you are an alien, a werewolf, a witch, a demon or a mother in law, just come with an open mind.
While this group might discuss subjects (under the context of the material we are reading or viewing), related to sex, politics, religion, culture and other beliefs/convictions/lifestyles, we encourage people to connect through what makes us human beyond our structures, which is in part what the genre achieves... all of us know fear and through it we can learn more about ourselves and others.
What we are not:
-An academic group, this is not a purely technical dissection of horror
-A true crime group
-A ghost hunting group
-A cult
-Practitioners of the occult group, any type of ‘intermediaries of the spiritual world’, exorcists
-Fortune tellers of any kind
-"Just a Halloween group" (No Juan, it's more than that, you don't get it)
-Pyramid schemers (oddly terrifying)
Format:
-Two separate meetings will be held each month one for the book discussion and one for the movie
-You can sign up for both, everyone will have the same warnings about when you can RSVP for the events. RSVP usually opens 3 weeks prior to the event, so you can be on the lookout if you are interested
-Attendees will choose one book and one movie every meeting for it to be discussed on the next one
-Meetings will take place at one of the Howard County Libraries
-Please read our event information and details on what to expect each meeting
-Watch parties are not a formal event of this group, but coordination outside of it can happen
-Book and Movie challenges:
While most of the year people can nominate, pitch and vote any book or movie that they want, there will be 4 movie and book challenges on 2024.
What does this mean?
In the months of March, June, September and December, a member or group of members choose a specific category of horror, for everyone to nominate books and movies within those parameters.
Recent examples have been:
-Dec '23 Book and movie challenge: Foreign books and movies that you haven't read/watched
-March '24 Book challenge: Body Horror by women authors only
-March '24 Movie challenge: "If looks could kill", iconic fashion in horror
-June '24 Book challenge: Horror graphic novels only
-June '24 Movie challenge: Campy horror only
-Sept '24 Book challenge: Stephen King only
-Sept '24 Movie challenge: Monster movie only
If you want to be the architect of a challenge you just let me know.
Basic Rules:
-Your profile needs to have at least your real (first) name in order to participate
-Be respectful
-No gatekeeping
-No elitism (including film, music or literature snobs)
-No judgment
-Don’t spread hate
-Masks are not mandatory but if you’re more comfortable wearing them, please do so
-If possessed, (including flu or diarrhea) stay at home
-We will all clean up after ourselves at the end of each meeting
-What happens in the group stays in the group:
Our subjective experiences, thoughts and feelings make this group richer. This community encourages fun, but also allows emotional intimacy and sharing of personal experiences through the genre. Building this requires acceptance, respect and support. Please do not discuss (or gossip about) personal information or intimate details of what members have disclosed about themselves. This also includes no trash talking about any members of this group. Do not talk about it after the meeting has ended. Do not EVER talk about it in social media or with non members. If you cannot be respectful of others you will be removed.
Due to the nature of horror, particular themes may be triggering for some people. It is the responsibility of the individual member to have a good radar of their own triggers and safety in order to choose if and how to participate in meetings.
Should you want content warnings you can use these websites:
Parents guide section of IMDB
https://www.doesthedogdie.com (it's extensive, not just pets dying)
https://www.unconsentingmedia.org
https://thiscouldbetriggering.tumblr.com
https://booktriggerwarnings.com
https://triggerwarningdatabase.com
https://teaandinksociety.com/book-trigger-warnings
PS. you are welcome to come dressed up as any (or your favorite) horror character.
