scary books books | Austin Macauley Publishers

It is that time of the year again, when the temperature drops and the nights become longer, and it is the perfect time to delve into one of your favourite horror novels. Scary books are the perfect addition to a hot cup of cocoa and a cosy blanket on a long lazy afternoon.

We have the perfect guide to the best horror novels to keep you up during chilly nights. Knowing which books to buy just in time for fall will give you more time to enjoy reading. With the busy holiday season coming up, it is always a good idea to use this downtime to catch up on some fun reading. Keep these horror book recommendations handy the next time you go book shopping:

Getting into a Spooky Vibe

Getting into a spooky vibe is always a good idea before getting out to buy some scary books. A great way to do this is by visiting your local market to find some little additions that can add some spooky flavour to your surroundings.

Here is a great list of items you can find easily at any local retail outlet:

Large and small pumpkins are a great way to add some frightening aesthetic to your home.
Pre-made cobwebs are also a nice addition to the corners and doorways of your home. Add a few fake spiders to make it even spookier.
Lightening is a quick and easy way to change the look of any room or space. Try some nice neon and flickering light additions to the outside and entrance of your home to give that eerie effect.
Recorded noises that can be played on command will be sure to get a scream from a few guests!
Create some horrifying footprints by dipping your hands in red food colour and printing on tiles, windows and floors.
Create some scary mummy candles by wrapping glass jars with white bandages and placing led candles inside. Take a black marker and put yes and a mouth on your candles to make them more terrifying.
Create a horror reads corner where visitors can pick up a book or two to read.

Spooky Activities to Celebrate the Season

After creating the aura and environment, why not get into the mood by participating in fun activities with friends and family? We have come up with some great book-related horror activities that you can do in a group or just with your kids.

All you need are some basic craft supplies like scissors, coloured paper, glue sticks, wobbly eyes and glitter.

Scary bookmarks – Kids love making bookmarks, and for this season why not try some ghoulish characters? All you need are basic supplies and a little imagination.
Book character finger puppets – Why not make some spooky finger puppet characters from your favourite scary book?
Make scary horror book A great way for you and your kids to get into the reading spirit is to re-create their favourite chilling book cover.
Why not re-create the ending of your favourite horror novel? This is a great creative activity that requires your kids to use their imagination.
Carve your favourite book character into a pumpkin. Not only fun but a great way to add some terrifying décor to your home.
Create horror book flash cards. You can do this by creating flashcards with book names on one side and horror authors’ names on the other. You can flash the book title and have your friends guess the book’s author.
Play charades where your friends or kids can guess the title of your favourite horror book as you act it out.

Host horror book club meetings with your friends. This is a great way to encourage your social circle to read and share your thoughts on a book you can all read together.

Horror Books That Will Send Chills Down Your Spine

Here are six horror novels that are the perfect reads for those long cool nights. You can purchase them by following the links below. So waste no more time and get these before they are gone. Buy a few extra for friends and family, and you can create some great fall gifts.

6 Horror Books to Keep You Frightened This Fall

With this guide, you are well on your way to purchasing some chilling horror books to curl up with. Grabbing a good book or two from this list to read this fall will put you in a spine-tingling mood.

With so many interesting new horror books on the market, it may seem difficult to choose. Knowing what kind of horror books you like to read will make it easier for you to shortlist what to buy.

Here is hoping you enjoy the cooler weather and read some great new books!

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Writing a scary story plot is no easy feat. It needs practice and a good command over your craft to write something that can send chills down your readers’ spines. But like any story, writing horror books follow a basic pattern of developing an outline, setting the environment and creating characters. We have listed some basics of writing a scary story plot and have laid out the anatomy of a horror story. So let’s dive into writing your best horror novel.

Setup an Environment

First things first, you have to set up an environment for your readers. In a movie, it is easy to frighten the viewers with the help of visuals and background music, but in writing, you will need to explain the environment in such a way that it creates a feeling of fear. Write about an empty house with unusual sounds coming from a room, the main character getting trapped in an empty elevator or visiting a new town in a forest where everyone looks peculiar.

Tap into Your Own Fears

One useful tip when writing horror books is to first write down your fears and then use them in the story plot. You can better explain your fears and can write about them at length. Don’t try to frighten your readers with something you are not afraid of because then you won’t be able to properly explain it.

Use Fear of Unknown

One of the frequently used tricks to writing successful horror books is to instil the fear of the unknown in your readers. We, humans, are designed in a way that we are afraid of the things that are out of our control. So by adding an element of unknown fears, you can craft out an engaging horror storyline for your readers.

Add A Horrifying Element to an Ordinary Moment

As every story you write should be close to reality to make it more believable. The same goes for a scary story plot. It is more frightening when you add an element of horror to an everyday situation. The main characters go out for a walk but loses their way and end up in front of an abandoned old house with their names written on the house walls or door. Or a young mother is alone in her house but she hears unusual sounds coming from their old storage room. Take such everyday scenarios that people can relate to, and then add an element of horror in it.

Show – Don’t Tell Your Story

We have already discussed how in writing horror books you have to create an environment for the readers to go through a certain emotion you want them to feel. A good story shows the readers where to go, without telling them. Avoid over-explaining a scene. Let the readers connect to your story and picture the scene in their minds.

Don’t Go Overboard with Gore and Violence

Avoid using excessive violence and giving gory details. It can become distasteful after a certain time. If you keep giving the same details about a violent act in a story, your readers will feel bored and lose interest. Instead, add these details in a place where they will impact your readers.

Read How Popular Horror Stories Are Written

It is always wise to keep a check on the kind of stuff that is trending in the readers’ community.

Read about the popular books and novels available in the market so you get an idea of how the stories are written and what makes them popular among the masses. We have selected our 3 popular horror books to help you get an idea of the stories that are readers’ favourite these days.

Is It A Ghost? by Lienah Higazi

This is a story of a young girl Erika Darlington. She starts noticing that a guy lives in her room, who is only visible to her and no one else can see him. She feels unsafe in his absence and is comforted by his presence. All is going well until he starts talking to her. To read more of this bone-chilling horror book, buy it here.

Heptagram by A. Jihini

The story of losing loved ones, Heptagram follows Ghassan’s journey who is in trouble after Yassine goes missing in the early hours of a holiday. A story full of surprises and a soul finding journey, this is undoubtedly one of the best horror books. You can get a copy of it here.

Count Dracula’s Society by Yousria Abomosallam Elsayed

When the world gets sick and tired of the evils of society, they start making pleas and prayers, and then a miracle happens. Suddenly, the media stops broadcasting its usual high rating news about war, its atrocities and destruction. Entertainment has also become free of all immoral programs. They are more focused on rebuilding the spiritual and moral supremacy of man and establishing peace and justice throughout the world. To read this book, buy it here.

End You Story with a Twist

Just as the beginning of a story needs to be impressive and engaging, the end also needs to be a memorable one. Try adding an unexpected twist to the end of the story such as a character who was helping the protagonist to get out of trouble was the villain’s friend who was trying to mislead the protagonist. Or make the love interest of the hero turn out to be a member of some cult. Adding an unexpected twist to the story will leave a memorable impact on the readers.

So, get down to writing a horror story by using these tips and tricks. Let your imagination lead you to craft an engaging story and soon you will have written a spine-chilling horror storyline.

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6 Books to Keep You Up During the Chilly Nights