Tuesday, July 28, 2009

10 Week Book Giveaway--Week #7

10 Week Countdown to the release of my new book: Alma

For details about this contest visit here. But basically, all you have to do is answer this week's question in the comments and on Friday, I'll choose one of the names and announce the winner.

Okay, for some reason I've been thinking about scary books and movies this week. Maybe because I'm reading one of Dean Koontz' Odd Thomas books. They are a little creepy, but not what I'd call down-right scary.

My question this week is: What is your first memory of either a scary book or movie?

Mine is watching a vampire movie at a sleepover when I was probably ten or so. I still remember some of the scary scenes in it. I didn't sleep much that night. I also started reading authors like VC Andrews, Mary Higgins Clark, and John Saul as a teenager. After a few years of that, I never did really go back to reading the scary stuff.

14 comments:

Kate said...

The first scary movie I ever saw was Gremlins. I must have been about eleven at the time. I couldn't sleep for weeks after that.

Anonymous said...

The first memory I have of watching a scary movie was when I was about six or seven and accidentally came across it on the television one night. I don't remember the name of the movie, all I know is that it had clowns, giant spiders, and flying people. I couldn't sleep for weeks and have been afraid of spiders ever since.

Lu Ann Brobst Staheli said...

I was probably about 9 when I got to go to my first movie at the local theater with a friend. There was only one screen back in those days and the feature was "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane." Oh my gosh, was Bette Davis SCARY in that one? She even fed the pet bird to her invalid sister. Whenever I run across the film on AMC, it still gives me the creeps.

Rebecca Irvine said...

My first was Wait Until Dark with Audrey Hepburn. I saw it at one of my first mutual activities and was scared silly. They had three televisions (before there were giant screen TVs) set up on the edge of the stage at church and all the kids sat on blankets on the floor. I still dislike watching scary movies, even that one.

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

The first scary movie I saw that really scared me--well,I don't even know the name of it. I've looked it up before but can't remember. I think it's called soemthing like "The Bear".

Anyway, my family was on vacation and we were in a hotel room. My dad insisted on watching this movie. My younger sister and I were terrified. This bear has mutated b/c of radiation in the water or something, and it eats people's heads. We saw a scene where it ate a dad and his two kids' heads off their sleeping bags while they were camping. And this old Indian guy tried to stop him, but he ate the Indian too. And the crippled guy on the stretcher. And the guy who poked his head out of the teepee (but only the heads).

My sister and I see this, mind you, from the peeks we took every once in awhile while screaming our heads off (no pun intended) under the hotel bed. I can't remember how old we were. Seven and five, eight and six. We were young. I still can't believe he didn't change the channel.

Jen said...

Oh wow. I think my first (and last) experience with a scary one was "The Exorcist", which I had never heard of until showing up at a friend's birthday-sleepover. The entire time I was hiding under a sleeping bag, hoping not to see or hear! But you know when the music in a movie lets you know when something dramatic is going to happen? Yeah, that's when I peeked! Then I wished I didn't! After that, I couldn't sleep, and had to call the folks for a rescue! What a big sissy I was... ok, am! (It was a nasty nasty movie though!) Never have I had any desire since to even see a trailer for a scary movie!

Fun question!

Heather Moore said...

You guys are bringing back freaky memories. I think The Watcher in the Woods was pretty scary--the book and the movie. I watched part of the Exorcist one night when I was babysitting. Not a good idea. I still haven't seen the whole movie.

I'm really curious about that Audrey Hepburn movie now, and the Betty Davis movie.

Oh I just remembered The Shining. I don't think I can ever watch that movie from start to finish. Maybe in small snatches.

Sandra said...

Watching Psycho at 12 a.m. By myself. While I was baby sitting. In a creepy old house that made lots of noise. And the parents didn't come home till almost 4 a.m.

I am still uncomfortable taking showers when I am the only one in the house.

Hmm, think this has anything to do with me getting my degree in Abnormal psychology?

Taffy said...

I watched 'Pit and the Pendulum' in 7th grade. It was our Halloween party AT SCHOOL! SCARY! Then we watched 'The Birds' but I laughed through that movie :)

Kami said...

The first scary movie I remember was "Chucky". You know, the crazy doll that likes to kill people? We watched it at a sleepover with a bunch of us girls. We all ran and hid our dolls that night. We were terrified that they would wake up and slash us in the night.

Julie Wright said...

The first scary movie was my bloody valentine. It was an 80s slasher film. My dumb brother made me watch it because he knew I couldn't help but peek between my fingers. It freaked me out for years. I HATE being scared.

A. W. Rees said...

My first experience with a "scary" movie, was when I was six or seven. You know how your perspective is so tiny at that age that things appear more amazing or more funny than they really are? Well, the first movie that really scared me sick was "The Great Mouse Detective." It makes me laugh just thinking about it, but when I was little, I can remember, quite vividly, when the detectives are in the toy store and they slowly edge their way to the rocking cradle and, as they peer in slowly . . . SCCCREEECCCH! The stupid, ugly little bat with creepy eyes gives them a wicked grin and pops out of the cradle! After watching that movie for the first time, I was terrified of bats and mice. I didn't watch "The Great Mouse Detective" again until I was fourteen. :)

Heather Moore said...

The Great Mouse Detective? That's pretty funny it was scary. But I remember my son being deathly afraid of Snow White. Also, I don't think any of my kids have liked Mulan.

I haven't seen My Bloody Valentine--older brothers are a pain. I only have a younger brother and he was a pain, so I can only imagine an older one :)

Pluperfect said...

The scariest movie I ever saw was "The Thing". My mother had to be convinced that I was mature enough to watch it. It is probably about 60 years old, so no one will have heard of it.