Plagiarism

[Visit the new website - www.thehorrorgrove.com]

I've recently become aware that there are a few writers on websites across the internet duplicating my exact stories as if they wrote them. The disclaimer that is located on my site, 'Urban Legends are public domain but my stories are not.' has always been there and they are choosing to ignore it.

If you wish to share what I've written word for word then don't be a douche, leave a link back to my site. That, or at least have the decency to rewrite my story so it isn't exactly the same. My posts were created back in 2010 so there is no doubt as to who wrote the story first.

Copying other writers' work is such a huge issue in the literary field and people like those I've seen across the internet pretending my work is their own are frauds.

Back to my website however, more stories coming soon!

-Kay

Kay from 2023 - rest assured if you see these stories on my new website www.thehorrorgrove.com that this is my new website and i've copied my stories over!

2 reasons I probably wouldn't survive a horror film.

[Visit the new website - www.thehorrorgrove.com]

Here in Urban Legends and Horror HQ I like to think I'm a little knowledgeable when it comes to the horror genre, I may not bother myself with every horror film I come across but I've seen more than enough to give me a good idea of what to expect of those situations.

So naturally, being a long time horror lover, I just assume that I would ass-kick my way through any bad guy or evil doer without even breaking a sweat. 

This however, would probably never happen.

Reason 1: I am the shower scene girl from any horror film ever.

I may have seen any horror film I could get my hands on and read every single Point Horror book as a child but I also forget this stuff at crucial times. 

Let's take a more or less recent example. Before I moved to my current house, I lived in a tiny cottage with my better half in the countryside. He was at work, it was nighttime and I decided to take a shower. So there I am, in our tiny shower minding my own business. Mid shower I hear a few noises but as a fearless woman I obviously brush them off... I wish. What actually happened was that I promptly turned off the shower, wrapped myself in a towel and crept down the staircase to see what the noise was.

Oh hi there Mister Evil Killer Guy, it's me, half naked shower lady presenting myself for slaughter.

My entire knowledge-base of DOs and DON'Ts of the horror genre literally evaded me that night. What if there actually was a machete wielding hockey player in my living room? Right there I just became the most pathetic death in a Scream sequel.

Typical Shower Scene. GIF source http://scream.tumblr.com/

Reason 2: I am the worst person ever in "crisis" situations.

A lot of horror films tend to feature some typical character roles: the leader, the loner, the beauty, the smart one. Some real worldly situations have taught me that unless I have someone to tell me what to do in a crisis, I probably won't do very well.

Take two weeks ago for example. I'd put the washing machine on and just finished washing the dishes, noticing that the water was draining pretty darn slowly in the sink. I finish up in the kitchen and come back into the living room to watch my boyfriend playing Xbox, casually mentioning that the kitchen sink wasn't draining properly. A few minutes later I go back into the kitchen to check on the water only to find that the sink was overflowing with water all over the floor. What do I do? I shout for my boyfriend. Multiple times. He immediately rushes in to see me, staring at the sink, water flowing everywhere and promptly grabs a few pans and empties the water out of the sink.

My reaction, freeze and call for help. His reaction, actually do stuff to you know, help the situation.

This wasn't the first instance of this happening. We've had a small fire that I discovered in the kitchen and upon my discovery, I shouted for my boyfriend. Our dog ran out of our garden into the street, I shouted for my boyfriend. In horror films, the damsel in distress is mostly always killed pretty quickly, sometimes in a towel because she just climbed out of the shower to investigate a strange noise.

So there you have it, I am one big disaster in crisis situations. I can picture it now. An evil toy clown comes at me with a comically large knife. Instead of dealing with that myself, I call for my boyfrie- Oh wait he killed me already. 

Yeah, he's tiny. And what? Image from: El Grimlock, Deviant Art

There are probably a lot more reasons I'd be a good target for most film bad guys but the good thing about this is, now I know my weaknesses. I can work on them and then promptly begin the ass-kicking if I ever need to. Unless my boyfriend is nearby, then he can do it.

Are there any reasons you wouldn't survive the first act of a horror flick?

Your Stories...

So for the past couple of weeks I've been ill and my motivation to write has been at a low. I've since recovered and will be trying to get some stuff up for your perusal. In the meantime, if YOU have a scary story or myth to tell please email kay@urbanlegendsandhorror.com and I'll look through any stories submitted and post it on here with full credit and a link to your own blog or website. 

That's IF I get anything in! 

I also have a upcoming project I'll be working on which hopefully people will enjoy. 

So keep an eye on the site, now I'm better I can dedicate some time to my writing!

Hope you're all having a wonderful day!

- Kay

Films that scare you?

[Visit the new website - www.thehorrorgrove.com]

As horror fans go, I'd say I'm a pretty good one. Whilst I don't watch every single horror film I can get my hands on (whilst most would see this a blasphemous, I really can't watch badly made films - which I suppose a lot of horror falls into) I can say that I've seen A LOT of horror. 

Some may never let their child watch a horror film and yet I was permitted to watch such films at a young age. I guess this led to my fascination with the horror genre, I watched films and not unlike a lot of children/teens my age back then I was a HUGE fan of the Point Horror book series (and Point Horror UNLEASHED for us hardcore horror fans). So after overloading myself with scares from an early age I guess it's safe to say that as of now, I don't really become too scared by horror films anymore.

I guess the last horror film that actually scared me was Paranormal Activity 1. Before the inevitable groan escapes those lips of yours, let me defend myself. I was 19, I had just started University and I only had 1 other girl on my floor. We went to watch the film at the nearby Cineworld and well you know what girls are like. Fear breeds fear and boy was she scared... 

I mean you can hate the PA franchise all you want but when you are lying awake at night all alone and you are replaying the film in your head. Picture the scene of Katie being yanked from her bed by her leg. Really. That nonsense is terrifying and that is all my brain could think of that night.

After the Paranormal Activity incident I've been tense during horror films but never scared. My good friend Jordan keeps egging me on to watch Mirrors which I am yet to indulge in. The problem is, mirrors scare me in real life. Seriously. I expect to see a serial killer in the reflection behind me at all times of the day in my bathroom so I'm not entirely sure if watching a horror film based on mirrors would be a great idea for me...

I feel like  I need a good scaring, I'll hate myself afterwards for it (a horror fan who is terrified of the dark) but this can't be it for me. Almost 23 years into my life and there are no longer horror films to keep me awake at night?

I remember watching Darkness Falls when I was roughly 13 maybe 14. That film ended with me falling asleep in the light beams of my TV on the floor. It has now been uploaded onto UK Netflix... Maybe it's time for a relapse into childhood scares!

If you're reading this and you have *the* perfect film to scare the pants off me do comment or send me an email at kay@urbanlegendsandhorror.com.

- Kay

Re vamped the site!

After a couple of years finishing a degree along with other distractions, the website is finally back to the top of my priorities list. 

A new look for the site along with a custom URL (www.urbanlegendsandhorror.com) completes the makeover for now. Once I've gathered a story or two to post for your enjoyment the site will be back in regular business.

For now you should enjoy the new look, read my old stories and follow (or bookmark!) so that you have a front row seat for the new wave of stories and articles that will be coming in!

If you are a horror blogger, you have a story you think would fit right in or you just have something to say, feel free to get in touch with kay@urbanlegendsandhorror.com

For now, adios! I've been working on the revamp all day and now I'm about to go play some games.

                                           

                                                                   - Kay