No matter the topic, everything is more impactful when you know a little about the person behind the work. If you feel so inclined, check out these facts about me:
- I have three degrees: an Associate of Arts in Humanities, a (double) Bachelor of Arts in English: Cultures, Rhetoric, & Theory and Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, and a Master of Arts in Rhetoric & Composition with a focus in media and professional writing, all from Ohio University
- I’m a Scorpio (surprise, surprise)
- I own over 80 Funko Pops. My horror/spooky Funkos include: Elvira, David from The Lost Boys (1987), Lily Munster, Thomas & Edith from Crimson Peak (2015), Sabrina Spellman with Salem, some Tim Burton characters, & a whole bunch of Harry Potter Pops. I recently received Funko’s 13 Day Spooky Countdown Calendar with horror minis, which I will begin opening 10/19! I’ll share each day’s unboxing on social media, so join me on By Night’s other online platforms!
- I wrote a fantasy book when I was 12. I mean, it’s awful, but I did it! I still have the “manuscript”
- Favorite horror novels: The Shining by Stephen King, Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, Dracula by Bram Stoker, The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, and many, many more
- Favorite horror movie(s): The Love Witch (2016), The Shining (1980), Psycho (1960), The Wolfman (1941) ; basically, I cannot choose, please don’t make me
- Scariest movie I’ve ever seen: The Great Mouse Detective (1986); yes, I’m serious, don’t judge!
- Scariest (non-cartoon) movie I’ve ever seen: The Babadook (2014) by Jennifer Kent
- Favorite horror/cult film directors: Ari Aster, Anna Biller, David Fincher, Joel Schumacher, Jordan Peele, Jennifer Kent, Darren Aronofsky, Guillermo del Toro, and Neil Jordan
- Favorite horror/thriller writers: Stephen King, Anne Rice, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Shirley Jackson, J. Sheridan Le Fanu, Bram Stoker, Richard Matheson, Joe Hill, Jennifer McMahon, Daphne du Maurier, Gillian Flynn, and, naturally, Edgar Allan Poe
- Something surprising about me: I love doing domestic stuff. I live alone, and I find cooking, cleaning, and creating a comfortable space for myself to be fulfilling and enjoyable. Like, I actually look forward to doing laundry. I’m just that fun. One of my intentions for this blog is to share my favorite fall-ish recipes and spooky/cozy décor ideas to enjoy any time of year, so stay tuned for that!
- My dream vacation destination at the moment is Sleepy Hollow, New York. Yes, that Sleepy Hollow. It’s a real place! Washington Irving’s story has been one of my favorites since I was a kid, and I hope to visit one autumn weekend and really take in that spooky colonial village
- My favorite horror icon is Vincent Price. I am currently working on a full blog post about what an amazing person he was
- I have been a consistently hardcore fan of Panic! At The Disco since I was 11 years old. I have seen them live 11 times (which is actually not that much compared to some fans I have seen online). They have some horror-esque music videos from a couple of their eras, so maybe a horror music video post at some point..? I think yes
- I started as a creative writing major in college, but I took a couple workshops and realized it was not for me. In my final semester of undergrad, I changed my focus to rhetoric and composition. I completed my M.A. in the same field, which somehow led to the library profession (which I love and hope to be a part of for a long time)
- One of my hobbies is collecting horror DVDs and different editions (and formats) of classic horror novels. I have a “treasure hunt” list in my phone of books to look for when I go to local bookstores. My most recent find is a graphic novel of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde *swoon*
- My (current) favorite place in the world is Athens, Ohio. I lived there for 4 years to complete my B.A. and M.A., and it was so, so hard to leave. The university’s campus, those brick streets, the small college town vibe, the local cafes, restaurants, and shops…ugh. I miss it. If you have an opportunity to visit that magical town, please do so
- I absolutely love horror comedies and campy horror. Young Frankenstein (1974) by Mel Brooks, Transylvania 6-5000 (1985) by Rudy de Luca, Shaun of the Dead (2004) by Edgar Wright, and Jennifer’s Body (2009) by Karyn Kusama are just a few of my favorites. I feel like comedy and horror come from similar places, particularly from things that scare us or make us uncomfortable. The results are typically very different approaches, but horror comedies are an entertaining acknowledgment that these genres are not so different after all
I hope you learned a little something about me before we really get into the content I am excited about for this blog. I’m currently working on my first-ever film blog analyzing the feminist camp horror masterpiece, The Love Witch (2016) by Anna Biller. In the meantime, connect with me on social media (see the Social page) or at bynightblog@gmail.com !
Until next time,
Jordan
By Night 