I loved the audio of your writing! It was hilarious to hear your rendition of the word “necronomicon.” It is funny that I could tell right away that you were reading from a text rather than pontificating. I can understand how the duplicitous “Mr.Right” of this story could be terrifying to a woman. When he calls from behind her and reveals his true villainous self, he intentionally calls her a “bitch” which might be the curse word deployed by a sexual predator, reinforcing the terror for a female reader. King also does an excellent job of anticipating the reader’s thoughts. As she reached for the keys above the closet, I literally connected it to Bluebeard’s tale and then King states it while it’s fresh in my mind (almost like the author “knows just what I need” ha!). In the end, had the man not killed Tony, would he be as revolting? I still think he would be. He was completely formless and chameleon, making his offering into exactly what she needs in the moment. Nothing is true about him. There was no true intimacy, so there was never the possibility of true love. It reminds me of several male psych majors in college who seemed to take courses to figure out the female psyche and form an image of the “perfect man.” Patrick Bateman types always are creepy though I’m sure they are intriguing for women. Something about perfection does not sit well with actual imperfect human beings that we are.
Authored by the “Mad Arab” Abdul Alhazred and bound in human skin, the Necronomicon chronicles the pre human history of earth (and the outer cosmos). Tales of Cthulhu, The Elder Race, the Mi-go and much other dark and esoteric knowledge lie within its cursed pages… Lovecraft himself had to explain to corespondents and fellow authors that he had invented the thing from whole cloth. Over the years, many hard core fans of the Mythos have refused to believe H.P on this point. After all, he would say that, wouldn’t he?
I am reading King through your podcast, thank you! This is great.
The pov of writing for a womens magazine vs a mens feels like a uniquely horror challenge. I wonder how science fiction or other genres might write their stories differently if they knew it was being published in a mens magazine or a womens magazine?
Shaina, I disagree with your assessment about how Ed Hammner should be more powerful at the end. His power came from voodoo. When Beth broke the totem it destroyed his hold over her. There are other forms of magic that he had used in the past that are referenced when she discovers all of the stuff. I think it’s all considered sympathetic magic (don’t quote me on this because I’m probably wrong), but it all involves some personal item of the individual and then him invoking some spell to control the outcome. In fact, I think (again, probably wrong) that her name written in big red letters with a grease pencil on the ad for the nostalgia dance is part of the magic as well and the thing that enabled them to win.
But, I do know (and so would everyone else alive and watching TV during the 70’s) that breaking the totem doll would destroy his voodoo hold over her. Voodoo was a thing in the 70’s and you saw it over and over again. So, it would have been common knowledge back then.
Also, airports did used to have white courtesy phones and they would page people to pick them up exactly as depicted. Airports still do this but they no longer have the white courtesy phone. Now, they ask you to go to a specific counter to get the message or to use their phone.
I’ve never read this story, but I was so hooked by your summary! I’ve been hearing in podcasts and reading in articles a lot recently about the fear that comes with modern relationships, particularly for those using online dating. It really is so true that red flags are meant to be caught by a family or community, not by an individual person trying to navigate all the complexities of a new relationship alone.
I loved the audio of your writing! It was hilarious to hear your rendition of the word “necronomicon.” It is funny that I could tell right away that you were reading from a text rather than pontificating. I can understand how the duplicitous “Mr.Right” of this story could be terrifying to a woman. When he calls from behind her and reveals his true villainous self, he intentionally calls her a “bitch” which might be the curse word deployed by a sexual predator, reinforcing the terror for a female reader. King also does an excellent job of anticipating the reader’s thoughts. As she reached for the keys above the closet, I literally connected it to Bluebeard’s tale and then King states it while it’s fresh in my mind (almost like the author “knows just what I need” ha!). In the end, had the man not killed Tony, would he be as revolting? I still think he would be. He was completely formless and chameleon, making his offering into exactly what she needs in the moment. Nothing is true about him. There was no true intimacy, so there was never the possibility of true love. It reminds me of several male psych majors in college who seemed to take courses to figure out the female psyche and form an image of the “perfect man.” Patrick Bateman types always are creepy though I’m sure they are intriguing for women. Something about perfection does not sit well with actual imperfect human beings that we are.
Authored by the “Mad Arab” Abdul Alhazred and bound in human skin, the Necronomicon chronicles the pre human history of earth (and the outer cosmos). Tales of Cthulhu, The Elder Race, the Mi-go and much other dark and esoteric knowledge lie within its cursed pages… Lovecraft himself had to explain to corespondents and fellow authors that he had invented the thing from whole cloth. Over the years, many hard core fans of the Mythos have refused to believe H.P on this point. After all, he would say that, wouldn’t he?
I am reading King through your podcast, thank you! This is great.
The pov of writing for a womens magazine vs a mens feels like a uniquely horror challenge. I wonder how science fiction or other genres might write their stories differently if they knew it was being published in a mens magazine or a womens magazine?
Shaina, I disagree with your assessment about how Ed Hammner should be more powerful at the end. His power came from voodoo. When Beth broke the totem it destroyed his hold over her. There are other forms of magic that he had used in the past that are referenced when she discovers all of the stuff. I think it’s all considered sympathetic magic (don’t quote me on this because I’m probably wrong), but it all involves some personal item of the individual and then him invoking some spell to control the outcome. In fact, I think (again, probably wrong) that her name written in big red letters with a grease pencil on the ad for the nostalgia dance is part of the magic as well and the thing that enabled them to win.
But, I do know (and so would everyone else alive and watching TV during the 70’s) that breaking the totem doll would destroy his voodoo hold over her. Voodoo was a thing in the 70’s and you saw it over and over again. So, it would have been common knowledge back then.
Also, airports did used to have white courtesy phones and they would page people to pick them up exactly as depicted. Airports still do this but they no longer have the white courtesy phone. Now, they ask you to go to a specific counter to get the message or to use their phone.
I’ve never read this story, but I was so hooked by your summary! I’ve been hearing in podcasts and reading in articles a lot recently about the fear that comes with modern relationships, particularly for those using online dating. It really is so true that red flags are meant to be caught by a family or community, not by an individual person trying to navigate all the complexities of a new relationship alone.