[Note from Frolic: We are so excited to have author C.J. Cooke guest posting on the site today! She’s talking all things spooky books and movies. Take it away, CJ!]
Halloween is my favourite time of year. It probably sounds strange, but I enjoy being frightened – research shows that ‘controlled fear’, or seeking out scary opportunities when we know we’re safe, releases dopamine in the brain, making us feel good. There’s something to be said about diving into a scary movie or book at the time of year when everything is beginning to slow down and darken. My new novel, The Nesting, takes place in Norway during the Arctic winter, when there’s daylight (a weak dusk – not full sunshine) for just a couple hours’ every day. The ever-changing Norwegian landscape – from vivid snowy peaks to black flats dotted with houselights – was the perfect setting for my gothic thriller, which I’m imagining anyone who also loves these dark nights will enjoy reading by an open fire with a hot cocoa (or cheeky glass of wine). I’d also recommend the following films and books for a spooky evening thrill: