SquawkRadio Comments

G’Morning Squawkers & Connie,

WoW this sounds like a very good book to read. Will have to check it out. Thanks Connie for sharing

Hugssss
Linda.H.

oh that sounds very good and very scary!!  I haven’t read a good scary story in ages.  And it has the added benefit of snow...I just might be able to picture what it looks again in Upstate NY.  *grumbling* can not believe its raining in January. Didn’t even need a coat yesterday for goodness sake! *shaking head*

You’re right, Connie, it is a definite read.  Love Straub’s writing.  The scariest book I’ve ever read was THE STAND by Stephen King.  When I finished reading that book, I thought, “This man’s a GENIUS.” THE STAND was scary in its own way, while THE SHINING (and I’m not talking about either of the movies) was the CREEPIEST book I’ve ever read.  I remember the first time I read it and getting to the part where she started reading the pages beside the typewriter....OH, MY GOODNESS!

I noticed you didn’t tell US what the scariest book was you’ve read.  Come on, ‘fess up so we can keep the bookstores in business.

Good morning, Connie.

If this is the second scariest book you’ve read, what’s THE scariest? I can’t read or watch scary things. Books with HEA and a little tension are about all I can handle. I read to escape,

For me, weather is one of the scariest things. It is NOT as predictable as the TV weather-person says. Notice how often they are incorrect. Folks are still golfing here..... in January!!!!!! I miss real winters. We have gone from experiencing all four seasons to just two. It’s sad.

I will be taking my brother for surgery at Mayo Clinic next month. Hopefully, I will see some snow then.

I usually don’t read the truly scary books. I have way too much imagination: the end result would be the loss of lots of sleep. Nope, can’t do it.

CLUCK! CLUCK! CLUCK!

Yes, I admit it.  I am a scary book chicken.  My imagination is all too vivid.  Combine that with the fact that I live alone and, I’d never have a good night’s sleep again.  It sounds like a great book, Connie, but I’ll be sticking with the feel-good HEA ones. 

Me neither....I can’t let all that scary in my head cuz my head takes it waaaaaay too far and then I won’t sleep and then the sleep I have left will be disturbed by nightmares and then I’ll be a tired bitch to my family--which is the scariest result of all. 

But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to being curious.

Can you give me hint to how it ends?

Ooooh, that’s a great book!  I really liked the movie too.  Alice Krige was oh-so-creepy and I still remember everybody in the theater gasping when they threw the flashlight and it went right through her. 

I really liked the Peter Straub/Stephen King collaboration TALISMAN too.  I have the sequel (BLACK HOUSE) but haven’t had a chance to read it yet.

Connie--I don’t read scarey b/c I’m a wuss and I dream about them BUT my son does so I ordered him this form the library in the hopes he’ll give up playing Guitar Hero for a bit and read.  I too want to know the scariest book so I can keep him reading!

PS LOVED Hot Dish!

Connie I been wanting to get your book Hot Dish since I seen it mention on here. I just went and used the last of my amazon giftcard for it. I can’t wait to read it. So excited to have bought it. Been wanting to read it for like ever Just wanted to say that

Hugssss
Linda.H.

Teresa and Connie, you guys don’t deserve the “chicken” appellation. I on the other hand do. Can’t find my dang squawking chicken avatar.

I like to read mysteries by Elizabeth George and PD James, but Stephen King or Peter Straub are way too scary for a nervous sleeper like me. Even Law 7 Order (and I love that show) can sometimes cause loss of sleep.

Linda, you’re going to really enjoy Hot Dish. I’ve read it twice already.

Good Morning Connie,

Sounds like a book for me.  I like to get a good scare.  In recent months, I’ve read some of Kay Hooper’s Evil Series...made a few hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

I’m always wanting to explore new author’s. Thanks for the reccomendation. 

Ann....prayers for your brother.

Ty Keira I am really looking forward to reading Hot Dish. I love the cover as well

Hugssss
Linda.H.

Ann I will keep your brother in my prayers hope all goes well.

Hugssss
Linda.H.

I love scary books.  This is the third time this book has been recommended to me.  Third time is the charm so I’ll be going to Borders, this afternoon.  I just read “The Case of the Missing Library” by Ian Sansom which was very good.

This sounds pretty freaky! I don’t know if I have room in my reading list for all these great books.

Keira,
The only thing that really gets to me is if I read more than one serial killer book in a row.  Then I’ll start having nightmares.  Stephen King/Peter Straub/Dean Koontz stuff tends to bother me less because it’s more in the realm of fantasy whereas graphic serial killer thrillers feel like they could happen. 

(But I don’t like anything with spiders!)

Connie, you must be getting our weather!  A typical winter day in my corner of Virginia is 40-50s and rainy.  It’s supposed to be 76 here today.  It’s nice but it does make me feel too guilty to stay inside and read.

I’m with the wuss crowd.  I can read some scary stuff - but only during the day.  I have to switch to something lighter-hearted for evening reading.  I can’t even touch Steven King’s books - is Peter Straub as scary?

For those of you about to read HOT DISH - it’s a great read and one that can even be read at night!

Connie, that book sounds good.  Will have to add that to my list.

Connie, didn’t they make a movie based on that book? That was one of the most eerie, frightening and mesmerizing stories that I have ever seen. I loved it! I hated it …because it was sooo spooky. The scene with the woman’s face in the window haunted my thought for a long, long time. If the book is half as good as the movie…and I suspect that it is better because a movie is rarely as great as a book… then this story truly is a classic.

Oh yeah, Connie, please don’t tell me what the scariest book that you have ever read is. I don’t want to know.  Because if it is Worse than Ghost Story than It’ll really creep me out… and my DH hates it when I want to sleep with all of the lights on.

Sounds eerie.  I will have to check it out the next time I am at the bookstore.

I haven’t read this book, but I do remember the movie--creepy!  Sometimes, I can do the scary book thing, but most of the time I end up freaking myself out--hearing noises, having nightmares, etc.

That’s usually why I go with the HEA.  By the way, Connie, I’m almost finished with HOT DISH and it’s fabulous!

where is my blaanket???

I saw jurassic park with my hands in my ears and eyes parcially shut. since it is a bit hard to read a book that way, the scariest thing I manage to read is the newspaper. (and Roald Dahl’s ghost stories, but those are a bit funny also)

cluck cluck cluck

That sounds like a really good book!

Thanks for the recommendation!  I’ll save that book for the next cold and rainy day

I have never read the book but I saw the movie. That was such a scary movie but I loved it.  I might have to pick up a copy of the book.

When I was in elementary school I read Dean Koontz’s the House of Thunder. While I’ve probably read scarier books since then, that still holds the Scariest Book Award for me. I distinctly remember being torn between wanting to read slower to keep things from happening and wanting to read faster so I wouldn’t have to sit there scared out of my mind any longer… I also learned that it’s quite difficult to read while covering one’s eyes. *g* The House of Thunder remained one of my favorite books for years. (I especially loved the slight romance in it… not surprising, considering where my reading interests ended up.  )

So Connie, time to dish on your nomination for scariest book.

I live in Minnesota too and I know what you mean about the weather. Right now, it’s sunny and cool outside, I can see all the grass through the patches of slush on the ground, and my car is free of ice. And this is January we are talking about! Where’s all the snow?

Oh yeah, I forgot all about mentioning the weather! I’m sitting her in Iowa… with a temperature of 42 degrees! What happened to winter?!?

I no longer read scary books or watch scary movies.

Sounds like a good book!  I have one of his in my TBR pile that I should read!

Is this one of those books I’d read and then sleep with the light on for about a month?

:O).

I couldn’t get through the NR flower trilogy… too scary…

what can I say I am a wuss.

& omg.. this is a movie? I remember watching an 80’s one back in the day… is this the same one?

I am a little slow today… i-l today. brain really shuts down, you know?

I don’t read scary books. The nightmares aren’t worth it.

I normally don’t read scary thriller/mystery novels but this one sounds rather intriguing. I think I’ll give it a try. Yet another book to throw on the TBR pile *sigh*.....That pile has only gotten perpetually bigger since i started reading these blogs and posting on the forums, lol.

~Meredith~

Another book to add to my wish list.  I love the scary stuff.  Thank you for recommending it.

Ooh sounds good, will have to pick this one up. Been awhile since I read anything scary

My deep respect goes out to anyone who can read horror books and watch horror movies (especially the ones from Korea, Japan, and Thailand). Or play Silent Hill.

I cannot watch horror movies without hiding behind something or someone or taking off my glasses. But I remember watching Ghost Story with eyes wide open because there was Fred Astaire. How I adore him.

The most memorable scary movie experience was watching Kenneth Branagh’s Dead Again wayy back in 1991. The repeated scissors/sharp blades imagery gave me shivers. Nicole Kidman’s The Others was another scary one for me.

I cannot read horror books because I get creeped out easily. Reading a few pages of Stephen King’s IT made me sick. I have less problems reading thrillers with graphic scenes - I just skip them if they get too gory. But I stopped at Silence of the Lambs. Couldn’t read anymore Hannibal Lecter books.

Ooh, I *love* GHOST STORY!  I read it over 20 years ago and never forgot it.  I picked up another copy of it at the used bookstore recently, and it’s definitely time for a re-read!  I really enjoyed the old movie too…

Yes, I remember this movie..yikes! It did scare the bejabbers out of me..
I hear ya Pamela, ‘The Shining’ and ‘The Stand’ were the creepy jeepy for me. I remember distinctly avoiding tunnels after reading ‘The Stand’...
I do like the clever ghost movie ‘The Sixth Sense’..thought that was brillant!

The Shining never affected me like it should have because i was using it as an excuse to pretend I was scared and hold the hand of a boy I was in love with. 

Love always trumps fear, eh?

I love ghost movies & books. I have yet to find one that scares me though hmm. Anyone have some ideas on a good scary movie or books that would scare me *G*

Hugssss
Linda.H.

I’ll have to pick up Ghost Story.  It’s been ages since I’ve read a really scary book.  I used to love scaring myself as a child with Agatha Christie, Poe, and Sherlock Holmes books.  I got away from them when I found romance novels.  This one sounds really good though.  Thanks for sharing it Connie.

I am sure someone else has brought this up but I remember this book as a movie with, of all people, Fred Astaire and Sir Lawrence Olivier in it.

I think I’d like to read the book now because it takes place in Upstate New York, where I live.  However, it is by no means winter like outside as we took the kids bike riding in the 70 degree weather.  Fact is, this freakishly warm weather for January is starting to get scary!  My kids are starting to get bummed that it hasn’t snowed yet!

santa!

ditto on the weather thing. and REally.. this was a movie with Fred?

I am so confused. I must be thinking of the wrong one in the 80’s

Ms. Mary.. I really LOVE the word “bejabbers” lol

Yes, if I remember correctly Fred was in it and it was the late 70s.  It was on late night.

Still the scarriest book for me was “The Amityville Horror”, more so than the movie ever was.

I loved “Dead Again”. 

I can’t read Dean Koontz.  I got an audiobooks of his once and that was disquieting enough for me!

OH MY GOD, I took a popular fiction course in college and had to read Ghost Story.  I’ve never been so scared in my entire life.  In my dormitory, surrounded by 700 other people, I was in a state of utter terror.  THat’s a great book, but I’d never re-read it.

I don’t really care for ghost stories or scary books as a general rule.  My favorite is “Whispers” by Erin Grady. It’s a ghost story; it’s not scary, but it is suspenseful and beautifully written. It was the first book I’d read of hers, but it won’t be the last.

Mai

Add me to the chicken list.  I can’t read scary books or watch scary movies but I admire those that can.  I’m just too much of a wimp. 

Oh yes, the weather.  Here in Albany, NY we set a record high of 71 degrees.  I can’t believe this is January!! 

--dorothy

I am surprise myself AnneriAilin. The weather for the pass few days was so hot and it’s January *G* Where is the snow? btw I am in New Jersey.

Hugssss
Linda.H.