Rosemary’s Baby from the Future

Ghosts, Area 51, baby anti-christs, poltergeists, time travel, alternate dimensions: What do these things have in common?

Movies with paranormal stories that I will enjoy watching even if they SUPERSUCK. Take Cube, for instance. Cube was an early work of Vincenzo Natali of Splice fame. The acting was campy, the characters were unloveable, and the resolution intentionally unsatisfying. BUT I STILL WATCHED CUBE 2: HYPERCUBE! I know I'm not the only one with this affliction. If you ask me, people watch these movies, for better or for worse, because they want to know the truth about whether or not there is a spiritual realm, what happens after you die, and if one's perception of reality is accurate. If you can pull off writing a paranormal story that actually has depth and insight, you deserve a dish of gold stars.

A great source for paranormal stories is Coast to Coast AM. If you're not aware of Coast to Coast, it's a late night radio show that breaks "news" on ghosts, conspiracy theories, extra-terrestrials, and stuff that you had no idea people actually believed in. Did you know that there are people who not only believe in elves and faeries, but write books on the matter? Who are these people?!

The "depth and insight" part probably won't be found in the middle of the sleepless night while you huddle close to your radio. You'll have to step in with a well-crafted story.

Writing exercise: Spend the night in an abandoned haunted house with a bottle of absinthe, an ex-lover, and a Russian nesting doll that harbors a terrible secret. Write a descriptive passage about any uneasy feelings you might have.