"Nobody likes a clown at midnight".

It is no secret that I absolutely love horror fiction and worship at the alter of Stephen King.He is an absolute hero of mine,and alongside Truman Capote, he is my fantasy 'If I could meet one person',as he has been such a massive cultural influence on my life.I read Carrie when I was about 10 and have been hooked ever since. Well I am now completely obsessed with his son Joe Hill and wax lyrical about him whenever I get the chance. I have read all his books thrice over;Heart Shaped box, Horns and Twentieth Century ghosts, all of which are beyond brilliant. I am currently re-reading the latter and am yet again compelled to carry out my propaganda.

Twentieth Century ghosts is a collection of stories,all within the genre but like his father he is such a crafted,genius writer that he transcends being defined or put in a box. The stories are twisted,sad,horrific,beautiful,poignant and most importantly indelible once they have entered your consciousness.
In particularly are two stories 'Pop Art' and 'Voluntary Comittal', they are both  outstanding works of literature and so conceptually original. Pop Art is a short story about a boy who befriends an inflatable boy.It is only 26 pages long but says more in 26 pages about mortality, love and belonging than most writers could hope to achieve in a lifetime. Voluntary Comittal, is next to 'Hancarved Coffins'(in Music for Chameleons) the best novella I have ever read. It is just plain weird and spectacularly haunting. The story centers around an autistic child who is obsessed with building things from cardboard boxes. The story is told from his brothers perspective recalling a childhood memory of things being very,very amiss within the walls of one of these cardboard dens. Like nearly all great horror writers the skill lies in what is not said but can only be imagined.
I guess with King as a father it's a genetic gift but quite extraordinary that he should be as good as he is.
I have always wanted to be a writer since before I can remember and am currently working on my first 'serious' piece and have found it to be enpowering,cathartic and at times deleriously joyful process BUT  it has given me a whole new appreciation for writers,especially those who can achieve sheer perfection so effortlessly. As Stephen King once said himself "You cannot hope to sweep someone away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you"(this is one of many quotes I regurgitate from Mr King).

Well,in the case of Joe Hill, officially swept.