Unveiling in the October Land: A Fresh Perspective
Every year, October found Alan purchasing a copy of 'The October Country' by Ray Bradbury. This eerie ritual wasn't odd for him; October was his favorite month, the same way December was for others. Born on Halloween, Alan's fascination for the macabre was inevitable. His love for horror began with H.P Lovecraft, which he found more bizarre than truly terrifying, subsequently moving on to Stephen King, the undisputed maestro of modern horror.
For Alan, Stephen King was practically a pop culture icon, equivalent to Bob Dylan. He had a vast collection of King's works and Dylan's albums, dedicated fanhood spanning decades. Discovering King, Alan revisited the sources of King's influences, including Richard Matheson, Robert Bloch, and, of course, Ray Bradbury. However, unlike the others, Alan struggled to finish 'The October Country'. Year after year, he bought new copies, but the book never got an ending despite devouring any other Bradbury work enthusiastically.
One stormy October night, determined to finally cross 'The October Country' off his reading list, he started the book. A chilled brew and the wind's howling added to the suspenseful atmosphere. As he immersed himself in the book, his imagination ran wild. The collection had an interesting blend of horror and fantasy, with some tales reminiscent of early Stephen King and the Twilight Zone. However, despite finding the stories verbose and enchanting, he often found himself losing patience.
This year, the struggle to finish 'The October Country' had an unexpected twist. Alan, an amateur writer, found his creativity returning in October. Bradbury's stylish collection, 'Zen and the art of Writing', and the completion of 'The October Country' serves as a catalyst for his return to prose, after writing solely poetry for four years. October had always inspired him, a season that brought darkness early, inspiring Alan to read something horror-related around Halloween.
The quote from Hemingway, 'best of all he loved the fall, and the leaves yellow on the cottonwoods', resonated with Alan's perception of autumn. He could remember the late sixties, his early years at school, when the Apollo missions were a big deal, and space fascinated everyone. His hometown celebrated Halloween wholeheartedly, complete with spooky decorations in yards, a welcome change from garden gnomes.
As he typed furiously, a Bradbury-esque tale materialized in his mind. Finishing the story, he jumped when the doorbell rang urgently. Could it be a friend, neighbor, a family emergency? But then he heard a voice, a familiar one, his dad. He had passed away 13 years ago, but it felt appropriate to think of him on this gloomy October night.
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- Alan's fascination with the macabre isn't confined to literature, as he passionately follows sci-fi-and-fantasy shows, particularly those with horror elements, in entertainment.
- Among the books he decorates his bookshelf with, there's a section dedicated to fashion-and-beauty, where he gleans inspiration for his unique lifestyle.
- Uninterested in the weather forecast, he prefers chilly October nights, when he can immerse himself in a story and experience the chill from within, mirroring the gothic atmosphere of the tales he loves.
- In the realm of pop-culture icons, he counts sports legends alongside authors, admiring their dedication and resilience, just as he admires athletes' sports-betting strategies.
- As a bookworm, he opens up to new ideas and perspectives, savoring the words of illustrious authors such as Bradbury and King, neatly stacked in his bookshelf like trophies, symbolizing the accumulation of his knowledge.
- Come December, his taste takes a festive turn from horror to Christmas-themed music, films, and books, blending the chilling Inuit folklore tales he adores with the familiar carols that encapsulate the holiday's weather and mood.
