Last night I watched the movie The Conjuring with my family.  If you are looking for a grown-up, creepy Halloween dvd to watch, this is a good one.  I have to admit that I shut my eyes so many times I actually started getting sleepy at one point.  Some of the story elements in “The Conjuring” would work in writing a good horror or mystery story.  Without giving away too much of the plot, here are some things that would give your readers the creeps.

1.  Cute kids who innocently make friends with evil entities

2.  Husbands who leave to go work ridiculously long hours

3.  Paranormal experts who get scared

4.  Lots of unexpected events like grisly looking folks popping out in “don’t-go-in-there” basement

5.  The haunted house setting with a past nobody tells about until people are being jerked around the room by unseen forces

6.  Creepy music box, doll, or piano that plays by itself

Put all this together and you have yourself a horror story.  Now before you go all Stephen King on me, just remember that many of these elements were also in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.  See how well it works?

Do you have a favorite haunted house movie or book?  Leave a comment.

Thanks Misterio Press for a fun time at your Facebook Halloween party!