Fucked Up Deep South Gothic

[ViolentPanda]

we could write one collectively. so what do we definitely need?

a) a dwarf
b) a preacher
c) a swamp
d) a storm and / or some kind of infestation or plague
e) a brutal rape and / or murder
f) drunkeness
g) a vital scene in an abandoned, doorless old Chevy in the woods
h) a crowd scene of stupid but fundamentalist hicks bearing down on a wronged or innocent party and setting about them

An old granmaw sitting on the porch-cum-jetty of her swampy home, smoking a clay pipe and gobbing into a Civil War era shell casing she uses for a spitoon.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

not really - Dwyer's on ignore

Anyway, I've read bits of Faulkner and it's more serious and less OTT than I'm looking for really. I'm really hoping for a mutant dwarf preacherman living in a swamp.. or something..

In other words, the cartoon version.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

An old granmaw sitting on the porch-cum-jetty of her swampy home, smoking a clay pipe and gobbing into a Civil War era shell casing she uses for a spitoon.

Don't forget the WOBL (aka "wise old black lady").

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Quintessential expostion of the dysfunctional South...

http://www.lil-abner.com/

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

And the cute little pickaninny.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

And the cute little pickaninny.

Even better if they can dance and sing.

 

[butchersapron]

They can all sing and dance.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

They can all sing and dance.

 

[hiccup]

Carl Hiaasen's novels have lots of swamp action in them. They're not deep south. Or particularly gothic. But (Floridian) swamps and giant albinos with strimmers for arms do feature heavily.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

The Dark Secret of Harvest Home - Thomas Tryon.

The Prince of Tides - Pat Conroy

 

[blinky_bill]

I am impatiently waiting for Finn by Jon Clinch to come out in paperback.

http://www.artsjournal.com/bookdaddy/2007/03/_a_review.html

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Carl Hiaasen's novels have lots of swamp action in them. They're not deep south. Or particularly gothic. But (Floridian) swamps and giant albinos with strimmers for arms do feature heavily.

I was just going to mention Hiassen. There's nothing more deep south than the florida panhandle.

Dub, read these: Tourist Season, Native Tongue, Skin Tight, Sick Puppy, Double Whammy. The early books are the good ones.

 

[DotCommunist]

I was just going to mention Hiassen. There's nothing more deep south than the florida panhandle.

Dub, read these: Tourist Season, Native Tongue, Skin Tight, Sick Puppy, Double Whammy. The early books are the good ones.

there's lots of two in one paperback editions around in chariddy and second hand bookshops. Not sure if that is how they were published round your neck of the woods jonny. I just recently read double whammy and Torist Season.

They are enjoyable reads yes, but all very similar in tone. I read them as twisted crime stories set in a fucked up south, with a heavy dose of conservational mourning. Good, not great imho

 

[hiccup]

I was just going to mention Hiassen. There's nothing more deep south than the florida panhandle.

...

*looks at map* Yeah, s'pose it is really. And me a geography graduate. Tsk.

 

[Pieface]

Carl Hiaasen's novels have lots of swamp action in them. They're not deep south. Or particularly gothic. But (Floridian) swamps and giant albinos with strimmers for arms do feature heavily.

I need to read that one

 

[hiccup]

I need to read that one

Tis in this one I think:

http://www.carlhiaasen.com/books/skin.html

 

[ViolentPanda]

The Dark Secret of Harvest Home - Thomas Tryon.

Published in the UK as "Harvest Home".

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Published in the UK as "Harvest Home".

I've never understood why they use slightly different names for books in the US and UK.

 

[Dubversion]

I've never understood why they use slightly different names for books in the US and UK.

Can be lots of reasons - often to avoid clashes with similarly titled releases. Or because the title involves an idiom or term or something that just won't work in another market. Or sometimes - and in the case of The Madness Of King George - simply cos Americans are dumb

No idea why in this case though

 

[secretsquirrel]

In my adolescence, I used to be a fan of Poppy Z Brite - not sure how she'd read at my current age. Mind you, having just skimmed her wiki bio she apparantly identifies herself as a 'non operative transsexual' - seems like a good starting point for writing S.Gothic style!

Also, it's not really S.Gothic (Mid Western Gothic?!) - but have you ever read Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury? A v.twisted tale written in some of the most wonderful prose. Oh, and it's chock full of freaks...

 

[milesy]

they were fucking ace last week

they fucking were as well.

i'm gonna go out and do me some readin after readin this here thread.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Or sometimes - and in the case of The Madness Of King George - simply cos Americans are dumb

No idea why in this case though

Thanks a lot, Dub.