I've also gotten back in to reading a lot in my free time because I have a hankering for horror stories. Unfortunately modern horror is such a letdown these days because everything is either way too predictable (and not in that "the author purposefully left a trail of breadcrumbs for the reader to follow" kind of way) or they just flat out botch the ending, don't explain anything, and think every book should "leave the reader guessing!" Like, there's a time and place that actually works. Like, if you lay the groundwork for me but don't want to tell the concise ending 100%, I should still be able to come up with one-three likely scenarios of how your books ends. For example, in Thinner (1980's horror by Stephen King), the main character basically re-curses himself after his wife and daughter are possibly both afflicted the curse. It could have all been a lie by the gypsy man just to mess with the MC further or he could have been telling the truth. It could make the rest of his family wither away just like he did, or it could cause them to have their own weird afflictions. We don't know. But it's fairly easy to guess. As for something like 'We Used to Live Here' (2024 horror), the ending not only makes zero sense but there's way too many plotholes, not enough answered questions, and an infinite number of possibilities that could have been the real truth. But that's what happens when plotlines are never tied up.

Anyways, I just really love Southern horror because I think it has its own special little punch or kick or whatever when its done right. It can't just be SET in the Southern US, there are just things that have to be there and if they are and done right, then it can make a story infinitely scarier. Southern hospitality is famous in its own right but it's super easy to make that horror-shaded. Where I live, there's a large swamp and the water is completely black; it's full of alligators and no more need be said, right? There's even a real life technically unsolved disappearance and murder in this location. I shouldn't even have to mention Civil Rights in the south though a lot of what happened is not my story to tell.

Basically, I just wish there was more Southern brand horror that was actually scary and done well. That's what I wanna do. Now I do love murder mysteries and wouldn't mind trying my hand at it, but I really really want to stay in my wheelhouse with this. I know horror. I've lived in this same place my whole life. They say to write what you know. I used to be so embarrassed of my Southern origins and wouldn't dare listen to country music or do any of that stuff. Then I grew up and realized what I actually didn't like was the ignorant ass racist bullshit I was constantly seeing from family members.