DARK WEB: AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CREEPYPASTA — PART 27: JANE THE KILLER RE-REVISITED – AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH PASTASTALKER64

PLEASE NOTE, THIS FEATURE FIRST APPEARED OVER AT UK HORROR SCENE HERE.

ALL SUBSEQUENT CHAPTERS WILL APPEAR THERE FIRST.

Last week’s Dark Web feature saw me return to the polarising Creepypasta creation of MrAngryDog (MAD), Jane the Killer AKA Jane Richardson.

Loved and loathed in equal measure by Pasta aficionados, Jane is among the most well-known Creepypasta icons and has garnered a lot of attention from the fanbase since MAD’s first post to DeviantArt back in 2012, a post that has since come to be known as Jane’s Letter. However, there’s still some debate as to WHICH Jane is these fans’ favourite.

You see, Jane Richardson is not the only Jane the Killer out there.

Shortly after Jane’s Letter hit the internet, another web user, PastaStalker64, posted her own story to the web, this one titled Jane the Killer: The Real Story.

You can read it over at the Jeff the Killer Wikia here.

Unlike MAD’s story, in which Jane is described simply as a relentless, remorseless enemy of Jeff with little explained motivation (until the author’s subsequent updates in which it is revealed that Ms Richardson was once a popular, normal girl in a happy relationship with her girlfriend Mary, Jeff slaughtered her family, prompting Jane to volunteer for a government experiment of a drug codenamed ‘Liquid Hate’ which gave Jane near superhuman strength and stamina, at the sacrifice or her mental stability), PastaStalker64’s Jane Arkensaw is revealed to have been a part of Jeff’s life since before that fateful day in which Jeff was left disfigured by bullies. The story weaves key plotpoints from the well-known Jeff origin tale into a fresh narrative about a seemingly normal and caring young girl.

However, soon Arkensaw’s proximity to the deranged Jeff sees her fall under his malevolent gaze. Jane is subjected to a terrifying ordeal, during which Jeff sets her alight, planning to burn her skin so she will become ‘beautiful, like him’. The story finishes after Jane wakes in hospital, having received a mask from Jeff as a part of their twisted ‘courtship’ — a mask which she dons before heading out into the night to hunt her nemesis under her new name: Jane Everlasting.

In my first Jane the Killer feature I admitted that of the two origin stories, I might actually prefer this one because it feels a more natural part of the Jeff the Killer mythos. Sure, there are definitely some clunky moments, but as a Creepypasta and (especially) as a spin-off, I think it’s actually a pretty successful attempt at storytelling. PastaStalker64 was just a teenager when she penned the story, and while some of her inexperience shines through at times, she shows tremendous potential as a fiction writer.

Despite this decent effort, some elements of the Creepypasta fan community were rather hard on PS64 for her story, especially those who felt she had plagiarised MrAngryDog. MAD himself was pretty put out and made contact with PastaStalker64. Luckily the pair were able to resolve the issue amicably, agreeing that both Jane Richardson and Jane Arkensaw would be different, separate entities operating within the larger Jeff the Killer Universe.

From here Jane has gone from strength to strength and, minor disagreements between pro-Richardson and pro-Arkensaw fans aside, PS64’s Everlasting has built a large following, at least if the number of examples of fanart on DeviantArt, YouTube and other sites are anything to go by.

The character is even a regular in stories by other authors, including numerous takes on Jeff vs Jane (some of which are actually pretty good).

But of course, whether you adore or abhor Jane Arkensaw AKA Everlasting, she could never have existed without that first story by PastaStalker64. For this, PS64 is well-deserving of praise.

I reached out to PastaStalker64 to ask if she’d be prepared to answer some questions about her role in the creation of one of Creepypasta’s most iconic characters, and she kindly agreed. The interview follows below.

HHoH: Hi and thanks so much for agreeing to answer my questions.

The most obvious first — what served as your inspiration for the story?

PASTASTALKER64: Well some of the inspiration came from the original Jane the Killer, or rather the chaotic information surrounding her. I found out about her when I was about 14 years old, and didn't really know how to traverse the Internet. So when I couldn't find anything concrete enough for my liking  I thought, "Why not write my own backstory and spare others this headache?" The rest of the inspiration came from my own source of constant rage, and feelings of vengeance against someone who bullied me as a child. Then I just built up my Jane based on those feelings. Actually ever since I wrote Jane's story my rage has ebbed considerably.

HHoH: Which writers, horror or otherwise, do you consider yourself a fan of?

PS64: I don't really keep track of the authors I read. But the ones that immediately spring to mind are Scott Lynch and Stephen Jay Gould.

HHoH: Are you a Creepypasta fan? If so what is your favourite Creepypasta by an author other than yourself?

PS64: I'm not that much of a creepypasta fan anymore, but I still admire the way the authors blur the line between fact and fiction so easily. My favourite is Mr. Widemouth. The writing style is nice, and it's about a furby that tries to kill children, what's not to like?

HHoH: Some Jane fans are very passionate about the story. Are there any examples of fan art, such as films or readings, in particular that have impressed you?

PS64: My favourite reading definitely has to be by YouTuber AmneFar. She has the exact voice I imagined Jane would have and brings her to life perfectly. 

HHoH: I feel the character of Jane is wrongfully maligned by some segments of Creepypasta fandom. Have you read any of these negative comments? How do you feel about them? Have the fans been as vocal in their support as the dissenters?

PS64: I've read a few of the negative comments, and some of them are true. The writing is a little unclear at times, and some plot points are unneeded, I'll be the first to admit it.

But most of the negative comments actually seem to come from MrAngryDog's side of the fandom. It's mostly just "the original Jane was better" or something along those lines, which is more annoying to me than anything.

Fans have definitely been vocal in defence of this alternative version of Jane, and I doubt she would still exist if it wasn't for them. From outside the fandom it seems like things have calmed down and both sides of this fandom coexist peacefully.

HHoH: Mr AngryDog famously created the first version of Jane the Killer. He seemed a little upset at first over your version of Jane but it seems things were soon sorted out between you both and now you're friendly. How did that come to happen? Have you had much interaction with Mr AngryDog?

PS64: He actually contacted me a couple years after I wrote the story, probably expecting a fight of some kind. Instead I immediately apologized for plagiarizing his character, and we came to an agreement that both characters would exist separately as individual characters. We've only spoken the one time, but he seems to come across as a relatively level-headed individual.

HHoH: Do you have any other Creepypasta creations either in the pipeline or already out there that you'd like to share with our audience?

PS64: I only posted the one story, but I have tried creating other stories. None of them were up to my standards, or just seemed like knock-offs of stories that had better execution than mine, so I never finished or posted them.

HHoH: And finally will you ever return to the story of Jane? And what else can your fans look forward to from you in the days ahead?

PS64: I have tried writing a sequel at least five times, with three different narrators, different settings, and I didn't like a single one. I have a definite ending for Jane that I think fans would be satisfied with, but it's the middle I have trouble with and really getting inside character's heads (other than Jane). I might post a story sometime, but definitely not in the near future. I don't think fans should expect much from me otherwise.

HHoH: Thank you for speaking with us.

With Jeff as popular as ever, it seems that his nemesis, Jane, won’t be going anywhere either.

It’s great to talk to the creative minds behind some of our beloved genre’s biggest characters and stories, and for the next feature in this series I’ll be speaking with one of the creators of a creepypasta A-Lister.

You will know who He Is...

RAW REVIEW: VOLUMES OF BLOOD 2: HORROR STORIES

Those of you with good memories may well remember my review of the excellent indie anthology flick, Volumes of Blood, back in June of last year. If you can't, check out the review here.

It was a low-budget but imaginative single-setting genre movie that really impressed me.

So imagine my pleasure when producer PJ Starks over at Verite Cinema reached out to me asking if I'd like to review the sequel, Horror Stories.
This time featuring a selection of spooky tales all taking place within the confines of one house, the film once again gathers some of the most talented up-and-coming genre directors.
Is this a house I'll want to stay in?
Or is it one I'll be ready to condemn?
Read on…

VOLUMES OF BLOOD: HORROR STORIES (2016)




Dir: Sean Blevins, John William Holt, Nathan Thomas Milliner, Jon Maynard, Justin M. Seaman, James Treakle, PJ Starks
Starring: Barbie Clark, Warren Ray, Thomas Dunbar, Aric Stanish, Nathan Thomas Milliner, Kevin Roach, Shelby Taylor Mullins, Jacob Ewers, Erin Troutman, Christopher Bower, Caleb Shore, Kevin Arnold, Bridgette Michelle Hoover, Moses J. Moseley, Jessica Schroeder, Julie Streble, Jay Woolston, Cindy Maples, Eric Huskisson, Anne Welsh

SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I'll try not to spoil too much here but continue at your own risk.

The film opens with a segment, directed by Miliner, in which a group of hardened criminals (Clark, Ray and Dunbar) rob an isolated warehouse. However, while they are there their grizzled veteran leader tells the story of Atticus Crow, a man wrongfully killed on the site who now seeks revenge.

After the group proceed to scheme against each other, they come to realise that they may have more to fear than one another...

However, this segment is abruptly revealed to be a part of a movie within a movie, a modern remake of the slasher film, Murder Death Killer, from the first VoB. In a crowded cinema two obnoxious patrons, Nate (Milliner in an acting role) and Kev (Roach) loudly bemoan the state of modern horror. The pair are ejected from the screen and return home where they settle down with a movie, Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories. But they are soon joined by an unexpected guest.

From here — after a brief interlude entitled Trick or Treat, which features a young woman, Mallory (Mullins) besieged in her own home on Halloween night, with some pretty astonishing gore AND links the events of this movie to the first VoB — we get into (another) framing story, Killer House, about a young couple, Ash (Ewers) and Laurie (Troutman) being shown around a house by a creepy realtor, Mr Stine (Bower). 

As the couple visit each room we are given a terrifying glimpse of the house's troubled past.

The first of these stories, Feeding Time, features a young insurance salesman, Boone (Shore) who is desperate to make a tough sale. When he gets to the house he is met by a distraught and disturbed young Mallory (yes, the same Mallory from the Trick or Treat segment), who begs him for help with a monster in the house. One which needs killing...
In the next story, Blood Bath, a young man, Andrew (Arnold) and his wife Sara (Hoover), decide to start trying for a baby... and then the bathtub eats Sara. Andrew, who it emerges has neglected to take his medication for a psychological disorder, then faces the challenge of convincing his friend Steven (The Walking Dead's Moseley) and the authorities that his bath is a killer.
The following segment, Fear, For Sinners Here, is a timely Christmas tale about a woman, Carol (Schroeder) who seems to be struggling to cope during the Festive period. Then a sinister carol singer (Streble) comes calling...
In the final segment, The Deathday Party, we are given a look at the darkness behind the scenes of the marriage of a seemingly respectable couple, John (Woolston) and Almeda (Maples), when they are visited by their neighbours Fred (Huskisson) and Nancy (Welsh) for John's birthday. It seems Almeda has got her elderly husband an extra special treat this year...

THE BEST BITS (MILD SPOILER WARNING): The first movie was one of those rare indie flicks that manages to mask its modest budget and display impressive production values — well, Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories looks even better!

The multiple cinematographers for the movie are all on top form and deliver slick, polished imagery.

However, it's not just from a visual standpoint that this sequel surpasses the ambition of its predecessor. The film boasts a more complex and intricate structure, while the density of the plot is refreshingly rich. This is not just evident in the film as a whole, but in each of its segments.
While the original Volumes of Blood clearly had some sections that outshone others, the segments in Horror Stories are more consistent and it is far more difficult to single any out for praise.
If I was to be forced to, I'd probably pick the truly excellent Christmas tale, Fear, For Sinners Here as my favourite. Directed by Milliner, this is a more subdued story, rich with pathos and rides squarely on the shoulders of a pair of spectacular performances by the wonderfully fragile Schroeder and the superb Streble. 
The pair bring the story to life with frightening aplomb, while the majestic shooting and composition by Milliner ensures that this is a story that will live with you long after the end credits roll.
Throw in a pair of legitimately shocking plot twists and this is the finest anthology segment I've seen this year.
Another of my favourite sections, Murder Death Killer (again helmed by the seriously talented Milliner, who also gave us the impressive Encyclopedia Satanica in the first film), is a rip-roaring slasher movie homage combined with a crime thriller and left me itching to see more of Atticus Crow. Much like I loved this fictional movie's equally fictional predecessor in the first Volumes of Blood, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the team responsible for this segment will one day give us a feature length version of Atticus' bloody rampage. Please, guys, we need more!
It looks great (using the desolate, dusty landscape and shadowy interiors to ramp up the atmosphere), while the cast impress (especially the gruff and charismatic Ray).
In truth, the cast are strong throughout the entire movie, with standout performances from the absolutely awesome Bower (who NEEDS to be a continuing part of this franchise moving forwards), and the extremely likeable Caleb Shore in John William Holt's Feeding Time (he has kind of a 'Chris Pratt'-vibe about him that could lead to big things in his future); and his co-star Shelby Taylor Mullins — who more than delivers the goods with what is essentially a dual role. Feeding Time also features one of the more nightmarish pieces of imagery, while Mullins' other segment, the Sean Blevins-directed Trick or Treat, offers the most disturbing gore (no mean feat for a movie that also features an underground torture chamber and lawnmower rampage!).
You see, it's not just the pretty visuals that are polished and effective — the gore effects are also spectacular throughout. The final segment, which draws together both Killer House and Trick or Treat, all while tying in to the That's a Wrap framing story of the original VoB, is a veritable bloodbath and offers plenty of splatter, grue and guts for those of you who look your horror more visceral.
Speaking of bloodbaths, the segment of the same name also impresses, through it's trio of talented leads and the fact that it keeps the audience guessing right up until the conclusion of its brief, punchy runtime. It's also one with plenty of references to other horror flicks, and that's something that eagle-eyed viewers will be able to pick up on throughout the movie. Early on we are shown a message onscreen that this is a horror movie made by fans, for the fans. With these bountiful references, right through to the movie's classy dedication to recently departed genre icons, Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories really is a love-letter to the classic horror movies of yesteryear. It's intense, but it's also good fun, and isn't that what we really want from our entertainment?
Nowhere is this more obvious than in Justin M. Seaman's rip-roaring and surprising Deathday Party segment. With a top-drawer cast of seasoned actors, plus a grim dark vein of humour running through it, Seaman's short walks the difficult thin line of keeping its horror horrifying yet providing some wry laughs, and the segment is a real hit for it.
There are also laughs aplenty in P.J. Stark's Haters part of the film, with most of the quotable dialogue ('It Follows? It SWALLOWS!') coming from this snappy little framing story.
So in short, whether you want fun OR frights, Horror Stories is your place to go.

THE WORST BITS (MILD SPOILER WARNING): There's really very little to find fault with in Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories. I suppose it's worth reiterating that, while the production values are really quite excellent, obviously this movie is less polished than the year's big studio genre flicks such as The Conjuring 2 or Lights Out. That's not saying they're bad at all, but do please adjust your expectations accordingly.

I've seen some criticism for the less experienced members of the cast. Some of the crew do play roles onscreen in this movie, as they did in the first movie, and it's safe to say that not all of them show the same ability as the astonishingly funny P.J. Starks did in the original. However, for the most part I think the vast majority of the actors in this movie are genuinely great and even those who are less experienced deliver committed performances. I absolutely refuse to single out any weak links here, I think each and every person who appears onscreen should take real pride in their efforts.

Another area in which I've seen some criticism levelled at Horror Stories is the overly convoluted and complex narrative. Now, while I can sort of see the problem here, I also disagree with this argument. While no film NEEDS two (or possibly even three) framing stories to tie it together and, yes, this can be a little confusing at times (I'll admit, it's pretty easy to lose track of exactly which story is meant to be fiction within fiction), it's also brave and shows some real skill and intelligence. I applaud any effort to take risks and try something new in our genre, so I utterly support the filmmakers' decision.

A related critique could be that this causes the movie to run a little long, and clocking in at nearly two hours is quite lengthy for a horror movie. However, while the film may feel a little indulgent to some, I'm hard-pressed to think of any areas in which it could be trimmed without losing some of the charm that makes it so enjoyable. Maybe there's the odd minute or two here and there, but if anything, I wanted to see some of the stories EXPANDED upon, not cut back!

It can be argued that by the end of the movie the film loses a little momentum and perhaps this is true. There's a lovely twist reveal late on that suggests we'll be seeing more of the extended Volumes of Blood mythos, but this is then followed by a lengthy massacre sequence that doesn't really grip in the same way that a similar set-piece during the first film's It's a Wrap segment did. It's not bad by any stretch, it's just that it doesn't quite hit the height of some of the earlier stories.

THE VERDICT: The first Volumes of Blood was an easy recommendation. If you've seen that movie, you'll want to know how this sequel measures up. Rest assured, this is a natural extension and expansion on everything that has come before. It's a great second entry in what I really hope will become an ongoing genre franchise.
It's great fun and has some legitimately scary moments. With no real clunkers and a couple of genuinely brilliant segments, this is a fine horror anthology. I return to the message in the movie that this is a film made for love of horror and I think that really shines through. It's wonderful to see filmmakers so passionate about the genre that we all love and I hope that we see more of them, especially the truly great Nathan Thomas Milliner. If the original Volumes of Blood established P.J. Starks in my sights as a talent to watch in the future, this movie has made me a Milliner fan.
Is Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories worth your time? Absolutely, and I can't wait to see what everybody involved will come up with to entertain us next. 
Check out the movie's official Facebook page here for more information. Be sure to give it a Like while you're there too, show some appreciation!

If you haven’t already, do please check out and Like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House @HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.

DARK WEB: AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CREEPYPASTA — PART 26: JANE THE KILLER REVISITED – AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MR ANGRY DOG

In my last feature I returned to a Creepypasta story I’ve covered before here, the tale of the infamous Jeff the Killer. I was able to look at the tale with fresh eyes after managing to secure an interview with the creator of Jeff, Sesseur AKA KillerJeff.This week I return to another classic Creepypasta character — Jeff’s sworn arch-nemesis, the vengeful Jane the Killer.

Regular Dark Web readers may recall that I have mentioned Jane the Killer here before, and spoke up on what I felt was rather harsh criticism from the Creepypasta community.

For those of you unfamiliar with the story, the first appearance of Jane online came back in 2012 when DeviantArt user MrAngryDog posted an image and short story that has come to be known as Jane’s Letter. In it MrAngryDog tells of a twisted character who is hunting the psychotic Jeff to gain revenge for an untold wrong, so driven in her desire to punish him that she is even prepared to kill his prospective victims before he can to spite her adversary.
In time, MrAngryDog published further updates as to what made Jane the character she was, including references to a covert Government experiment that utilised a mysterious drug known only as Liquid Hate, which gave Jane tremendous abilities.

However, shortly after the publishing of Jane’s Letter, another author, PastaStalker64 wrote a story entitled Jane the Killer: The Truth, piggybacking on the success of Mr AngryDog’s own tale. You can read it at the Jeff the Killer wiki here.
This caused some confusion among fans of the character as the story of this Jane directed contradicted that of Mr Angry Dog. This confusion then led to conflict among the fandom, as different groups pledged their support to either Mr AD’s Jane Richardson or PS64’s Jane Arkensaw A.K.A. Everlasting. The rivalry between each camp became somewhat heated, while Creepypasta reader’s who took exception to either story would regularly vent frustrations on the wrong creator.

Furthermore, a particular hardcore group of Jeff fans also took exception to a character so opposed to their posterboy and proceeded to vent their own displeasure into an already pretty toxic situation.

In time Mr AngryDog had enough of PastaStalker64 using his original creation without his permission and contacted her over it. Unlike the vast majority of Internet communication, this was a conversation that was resolved in a surprisingly cordial manner — PS64 apologised to MrAD and the pair agreed that both characters could exist separately in the loose Jeff ‘canon’. You can read the whole exchange at Mr AngryDog’s Tumblr here.

However, even now Jane is a polarising character — drawing adoration from fans and pretty scathing scorn from opposition. As I’ve said before, I have tremendous respect for any artist who is brave enough to put their work out there, and while appreciation of art is certainly a subjective experience, all artists (especially those who blaze new trails) deserve to be commended for exposing themselves to the criticism of an audience.

Mr AngryDog created Jane, there can be no denial of this fact. Whether you love or loathe the character, Jane has inspired a strong emotional reaction among the Creepypasta community, and for that reason Jane and her creator deserve to be celebrated.
I wanted to give Mr AngryDog the opportunity to address his fans, his detractors and you, my readers, so I was delighted when he so generously agreed to discuss Jane with me.
Our interview follows:

UK HORROR SCENE: First, would you consider yourself a fan of Creepypasta?
MR ANGRYDOG: Yes and no. As far as being a fan of creepypastas themselves, I am a fan of Lost Episode and Ritual creepypastas (i.e. Rugrats Lost Episode "Chuckie's Mom", Midnight Man, etc.) On top of that, Theory pastas have always piqued my interest. 
Those dealing with such things as true stories, crime, science, and space have always been my favorites. I am a fan of those such pastas. 
I consider Eyeless Jack, The Rake, Sonic.exe, The Red-Eyed Spirit, Mr Widermouth, and The Uninvited Stranger legendary favorites because they are the cornerstones of Pastas.
As far as me not being a die-hard fan is concerned, that was the result of some fans being either unhinged, downright obnoxious, not differentiating fantasy from reality, Bad [Insert name of fandom here] Groups, the need to psychoanalyze everything right down to the very little detail, starting Kill [Insert name of author here] Clubs online, and sending death threats and threats of suicide to other users and creators old and new, myself included. I've been bombarded with so much hatred and death threats for over the last few years, it has just become laughable.
Back then, it would just take a toll on my mental and physical health, and that's what caused me to go through alcohol abuse during that time. I maybe an active voice in the community and know there are fans with big hearts out there, so there is a little glimmering light at the end of the tunnel.

UKHS: Why do you think Creepypasta resonates so much with the fandom?
MAD: I think the reason why Creepypasta resonates so much with the fandom is because of the fans that are absolutely passionate and cheerful about their favorite Pastas, that drawings and fanfics just started popping up over night. Those fans are having fun, enjoying themselves. 
While there are really passionate fans who have fun and enjoy their favorite pastas, there are some fans who fuck up the fandom, acting like they know everything, and treat a well-written story like it's the biggest atrocity ever created by mankind, while some who look at a very badly-written Pasta — loaded with errors and anachronisms out the ass, and treat it like it's a pulitzer prize winner. The passionate and cheerful fans are basically the life blood of the fandom. :)

UKHS: What is your favourite Creepypasta by an author other than yourself?
MAD: Well, I have no favorite in particular, but if I had a choice, I would say Laughing Jack by Snuff Bomb. I wasn't reading a story, I was reading cinematic visuals, basically.

UKHS: Which writers, horror or otherwise, do you consider yourself a fan of?
MAD: I've always been a big fan of Michael Crichton, Clive Barker, Edgar Allan Poe, R.L. Stine (yes, R.L. Stine), and Anne Rice. Michael Crichton, especially, since his books always have to come with a soda and hot buttered popcorn while you read. They're THAT cinematic! :D

UKHS: In your own words, can you explain the story of Jane, her relationship to Jeff, Liquid Hate etc?
MAD: Jane Richardson started as your typical girl, the talk of the town who's got it all — a hot girlfriend, a job she enjoys, excellent friends, a loving family, and a great future. But in 2006, her world changed when both of her parents, Paula and Bruce Richardson were murdered by Jeffrey Woods Keaton (Jeff the Killer).
Her relationship to Jeff — hate/hate. She wanted him dead and in the grave for what he did!
As for Liquid Hate, here's how it came to be... The L.A.P.D were in pursuit of Jeff The Killer, but remained unsuccessful in their manhunt. They enlisted the aid of the FBI, who had Jeff on their most wanted list, they [the FBI] turned to the CIA. The CIA, searching for a way to create an anti-killer unit, needed a test subject. The Department of Justice became involved with the CIA in the creation of Liquid Hate, funded by the American Science Association.
The fundings for Liquid Hate were a total of $6.9 million dollars. Subjects will experience for the first minute and thirty seconds, violent episodes and homicidal tendencies, but will act and appear normal once the episodes cease.
Over twenty-five test subjects died because of the effects of the serum that was codenamed "Liquid Hate". There is an increase in strength, stamina, health, speed, and agility. Other results included increased alcohol, drug, and tobacco tolerance, running faster than a track athlete on steroids, taking on human appearances, accelerated healing, limb regeneration, and increased metabolism.
Jane Richardson is the one who survived.

UKHS: What served as your inspiration for the story?
MAD: Jane really began as an idea and a CGI avatar made on the chat program IMVU (Instant Messaging Virtual Universe), as SaucyJaney (that was my avatar's name). Saucy Janey was the female version of Saucy Jack, or the infamous Jack the Ripper. Saucy Janey began as Jane the Ripper, basically.
After reading the story of Jeff the Killer, and the other stories in the Jeff mythos, Jeff needed someone to kick his ass. Who? Jane.
After finding out that Jeff the Killer's picture may have actually been a touched up version of an overweight goth girl who took her life after being mercilessly bullied on 4Chan for her weight problem, I later made Jane the Killer — Jane Richardson, to eradicate Jeff, and to have people leave the memory of the deceased goth alone. So, in a way, Jane is the poor girl's avenging angel. :)

UKHS: What do you think the appeal of Jane and her story is?
MAD: The appeal of Jane Richardson and her story is, for one — she is very popular among the guys and girls, and is the most talked-about character ever. Ranging from fanfics, to other works of art, and even fan-made movies, people see Jane as a woman with potential, plenty of sex appeal, and a frequent favorite of cosplayers everywhere.
As far as her story goes, many claim the "Born of Science" story was better than Jeff the Killer's story. I also think this is mainly because of the cinematic style I put into creating it.

UKHS: The fans are very passionate about the story. Are there any examples of fan art, such as films or readings, in particular that have impressed you?
MAD: Yes, Jeff the Killer vs. Jane the Killer by YouTube user Movieunleashers is my favorite fan-made film. As far as art works are concerned, there are some that have caught my eye and made me go: "OMFG, THAT IS AWESOME!"
Some of the art works I've seen were pretty shoddy, but I didn't care. It was the uniqueness and style of the artist that I was captivated by. Every piece of art by the artist themselves, their own style is unique. That's what makes them unique. :)

UKHS: I feel the character of Jane is wrongfully maligned by some segments of Creepypasta fandom. Have you read any of these negative comments? How do you feel about them? Have the fans been as vocal in their support as the dissenters?
MAD: Read them? Yes, I have. Some of the negative comments are sometimes playful banter, some are humorous, and others are just downright abhorrent, obnoxious, and pretty damn horrid.
I've had a few ask me: "Are you the creator of Jane the Killer? If you are, go die in a hole."
I've had others make idle threats, and spew death threats — some have even gone so far as threatening to slit my throat, hoping that I go kill myself, suffer anal rape, you name it. Do I lose sleep at night because someone in the fandom threatens to kill me or hopes that I go and off myself? Hell no, I sleep like a fucking baby. It's all horseshit from those who fail to do research and suffer from severe jealousy that something I made has become quite popular and went viral, to be quite honest.
Those who have made false assumptions that I created Jane Arkensaw without failing to realize PastaStalker64 did, I usually have to correct them. Most of the time, I'm really nice about it.
For some who prefer to not listen and get their facts straight, then that really pisses me off, you know? So, all the comments and death threats I receive, it's a combination of comedy and tragedy. Why tragedy? Because those who waste their time typing out death threats are a tragedy, and the tears I cry from the tragedy are not tears of sadness, but tears of laughter because of how full of shit one is making said threats.
Yes, the fans have been vocal in their support as the dissenters and it is spreading like wildfire everyday! :D Their support for me is highly extolled and very much appreciated. <3 I LOVE YOU GUYS!

UKHS: You mention PastaStalker64, who famously created her own version of Jane the Killer after you created the original. It seems things were soon sorted out between you both and now you're friendly. How did that come to happen? Have you had much interaction with PastaStalker64?
MAD: Well, at first, I wanted to confront PastaStalker64 for allegedly plagiarizing Jane the Killer in the first place because I got so sick and tired of the confusion. Many who speculate that I made Jane Arkensaw and made false assumptions. I made Jane Richardson, not Jane Arkensaw. When I went to talk to PastaStalker64, I had no response for quite some time. After telling her that I was the original creator of Jane the Killer, she didn't expect me to be kind and pleasant in my greeting. But I was. :3
We both had a good talk, and she said she made Jane Arkensaw just for fun and because she was bored. She didn't intend for her version to become popular and have poor reviews. PastaStalker removed her story from the CP Wiki and that was that. But somehow, on the JTK Wiki, her copy still exists, and I'm surprised that nobody removed it...?
She liked my version of Jane the Killer very much, and after things got sorted out between us, we became sort of like, acquaintances. I haven't spoken to her much lately because of so much going on, but we're still on good terms and there is no animosity between us.

UKHS: Do you have any other Creepypasta creations either in the pipeline or already out there that you'd like to share with our audience? And do you intend to return to/expand upon Jane's story in the future?
MAD: Yes, I do, as a matter of fact: The Elysian Theater and The Doctor Is Out... TO GET YOU!
As for my intention to expand upon Jane's story, yes. That's already happening. Me and a friend of mine are working around the clock to expand upon the story even further, even including a backstory and stuff that was left out. Part one is already finished, but part two is now underway!

UKHS: Can you tell me a little more about your other projects?
MAD: The Elysian Theater focuses primarily on what happens when an aspiring celebrity never gets her dreams of being famous realized and takes her anger out on everyone by killing, and imprisoning herself in the theater where she is under the dellusion that she is still a star.
The Doctor Is Out... revolves around a woman who becomes too amorously infatuated with her doctor to the point of where she has to pay her medical bill with her life. Moral of that story is — stay out of doctors’ offices and hospitals if you are horny.

UKHS: And finally, where is the best place for my readers to check out your work, especially regarding the expanded Jane story?
MAD: Well, as far as the expanded Jane story is concerned, I will be more than happy to send it to their email boxes in PDF format. As far as other stories are concerned, they are in storage on my deviantART page. If they want to look at them, I will be honored to note it to them. :)

Mr AngryDog is clearly a passionate, creative man and it’s genuinely uplifting to see such an individual taking pride in his work and continuing to create new and exciting stories for the Creepypasta community.

Who knows, maybe his next work will contain the next Jane the Killer?

DARK WEB: AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CREEPYPASTA 25 – AN INTERVIEW WITH SESSEUR/KILLERJEFF

PLEASE NOTE, THIS FEATURE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED AT UK HORROR SCENE HERE. ALL SUBSEQUENT CHAPTERS WILL APPEAR FIRST THERE.

Long term readers of this series of features on the darker side of Internet fiction may remember that the very first feature I wrote was on the dark posterboy of Creepypasta, Jeff the Killer. 

Based on a decidedly disturbing image of ‘Jeff’s’ nightmarish face, Jeff is one of the oldest and most popular creations among the CP community. However, as big an icon as Jeff has become, his origin has been shrouded in mystery and more than its fair share of controversy. 

As I wrote before, Jeff’s earliest appearances seem to be as an image posted to the website, newgrounds.com, in August 2008.

The post claims that Jeff is actually summoned through a ‘Bloody Mary’-style game. Those who wish to call Jeff must switch off the lights, then sit cross-legged in a closet and, while turning their head back and forth, repeat the following saying three times: ‘He’s in here with me.’ Upon doing this, the player is instructed to close their eyes and call out to Jeff. He is then said to appear, his face mere inches from the summoner’s and begin to scream at them. The only way to dismiss Jeff is to compliment him — failure to do so will result in something KillerJeff ominously refers to as ‘a nightmarish field trip’.

Pretty soon a number of ‘backstories’ for the picture sprang up, one of the very first of which was in a comment that accompanied the picture on newgrounds in which, when questioned about why Jeff looks the way he does, KillerJeff replied: ‘I was holding a container full of acid when I slipped on my soapy floor and it spilled all over my face, luckly someone heard my cry for help and took me to a Hospital, the doctors fixed my face up and vola, I’m sexy!’

It was this origin which formed the basis of a video uploaded to YouTube by user Sesseur on 3rd October 2008. Sadly, Sesseur’s YouTube account has since closed, but the video used the popular Jeff the Killer image as well as another, rougher looking draft of the picture along with text accompanied by The Posie’s track, I Guess You’re Right. Once again, the story told of an accident involving a slippery bathroom floor, a bucketful of acid, devastating facial injuries and a subsequent psychological breakdown that lead to Jeff becoming a serial killer. In 2011 another origin story for Jeff was written, one in which his facial injuries were caused by a gang of bullies, a story which has since become the most popular backstory for Jeff.

Yet as popular as this version of events became, the originator of the Jeff the Killer legend seems to have been forgotten. Sesseur has since disappeared from YouTube, but there is a DeviantArt account in that name. Of course, a shared name on the internet means nothing (I’ve seen Catfish, I know the web is full of phonies and fakers) so when I managed to make contact with this Sesseur I remained cautious.

However, KillerJeff still seems to be the oldest source for Jeff the Killer and is notoriously difficult to contact… until now.

After months of looking (and plenty of dead ends) I managed to contact KillerJeff directly who confirmed that he and Sesseur are indeed one and the same. What’s more, he confirmed that the DeviantArt account also belongs to him.
It seems that both Sesseurs, plus KillerJeff are one and the same individual — one Jeff Case, a 22-year-old man from the eastern United States.

Needless to say, I was pretty excited by this breakthrough, and even more delighted when he agreed to answer my questions about the creation of one of the internet’s most infamous monsters for you, my readers.

What follows below is an interview with the original creator of Jeff the Killer.

HICKEY'S HOUSE OF HORRORS: The most obvious first – In your own words, tell us a little about Jeff the Killer?

SESSEUR A.K.A. JEFF CASE: He’s a tortured soul, once living a normal life, until an accident turned him into a disfigured freak that society shunned due to his appearance. He decided to become what they see him as and tried his best to murder as many people as he deemed wicked.

He and his brother both hide out in a regular suburban New Jersey home with a very dark story behind it. Jeff’s brother Liu makes sure Jeff is hidden (he even managed to convince people that he died in surgery), hiding bodies that Jeff returned to the house hold, alluding police so no one would be suspicious of the Hodek household. Liu doesn’t murder people, he doesn’t want Jeff to be a killer but their bond is very strong so they both end up being crime brothers. Jeff does the killing, Liu does the providing.

HHoH: What served as your inspiration for the character?
S(JC): Just sheer boredom, I was 15 years old, and I wanted to make something that would be a meme, I decided to make a short story and the picture I had since late 2006 was a perfect visualization of the main monster for Jeff the killer. In 2008 I made a simple 5 minute video of Jeff’s backstory. I never expanded the story there, because it was meant to be a short urban legend, until 2011 where someone took the story and popularized Jeff, however, vastly changing him from my vision of Jeff.

HHoH: Which idea came to you first, the image or the story?S(JC): The image was made first, then 2 years later a story was made for it.

HHoH: Speaking of the story, there seems to be another very well-known origin story out there, which describes Jeff’s battle with bullies and subsequent disfigurement in a fire. What are your thoughts on this ‘alternative’ take on your character?
S(JC): It helped bring Jeff to fame, but it ultimately turned Jeff into what he wasn’t at all.

HHoH: Are you a fan of Creepypasta? If so, what is your favourite Creepypasta by a creator other than yourself?
S(JC): Back before the teeny boppers made creepypasta wiki to get their pasta fix, there was only a few good pastas on Encyclopedia Dramatica, the real scary stuff, none of that fan stories you’d find all over the pasta wiki.
I wasn’t really a fan of one specific one, but I really enjoyed the urban legend ones, none of the narrative stories that Jeff was turned into, but a story that was told by someone else, in a way that would really make you wonder if it was true or not. Those are the gold stories.

HHoH: Which writers, horror or otherwise, do you consider yourself a fan of?
S(JC): To be honest, I’ve got no horror writer of any that I look up to or can say I’m that big over. I know about Steven King, but I only know him for the movies that are based off his work. I know of H.P Lovecraft only by name and some characters. I am very fond of David Lynch’s style of horror, very surreal, nightmare-like, subtle. Jeff is not David Lynch inspired, if any horror writer/director was to be compared, it would maybe be Wes Craven, since Jeff will be slasher horror once I get to working on a full Jeff story.

HHoH: What work of your own are you most proud of?
S(JC): The ones that were deleted along with my youtube channel, due to people who didn’t agree with me creating Jeff and made it their goal to hide the fact that I’m the creator, so I have my pictures to be proud of, and the saved stories that will be within the Jeff-verse (non-official name) based on my percocet-laced dreams.
I’m really eager to get my fictional universe out there to whoever is interested in the mythos that goes beyond Jeff himself, but other characters and events. It’s a really exciting thing for me and I hope that it all comes into full fruition — maybe then Jeff won’t be the only thing people ask from me.

HHoH: I did notice that your YouTube channel had been deleted. What happened there? Is there anywhere else I can send your fans to watch the origin story?
S(JC): People who think I’m a phoney is what happened. Many people tend to disagree with my version of Jeff and all they do is flag their problem away. Sadly there is no other video that I possess, someone might have a copy video somewhere, I do hold on to hope that I get my account back soon.

HHoH: The fans are very passionate about the character. Are there any examples of fan art, such as images, films or readings, in particular that have impressed you?
S(JC): The ones that don’t display him in sexual situations relieve me, and there are the ones that really have a different and cool spin on him — some are impressive that really make me think: “Aw shit, I want to do that with him too!”

HHoH: By the same token, are there any unauthorised attempts to cash in on the popularity of your character that have upset you?
S(JC): Many, but I’ve taken it all in my stride, as my production company (who’re going to help make Jeff more than just a story online) take care of the people who unfairly take the credit and money without any compensation for me. I welcome all the fan works, but when it comes to the monopoly of my creation they should understand how wrong it is to take what I made for themselves. I even get people telling me that on messages that it’s going to be for profit, no joke.

HHoH: Arguably the most popular spin-off is Jane the Killer. What are your thoughts on that character/story?
S(JC): In all honesty, I don’t read any of those fan stories that tend to go against what Jeff is about, so my opinion is pretty much neutral.

HHoH: The Jeff the Killer image is one of the most recognisable in all of Creepypasta. Where did it come from? Did you create the image yourself, and if so, what acted as the base model for your pic? I’ve heard rumours that it could be based on animals or even the Overly Attached Girlfriend meme.
S(JC): When it comes to the Overly Attached girlfriend, it wouldn’t make sense due to the fact that Jeff was around in 2006, and OAG was around like 2010-2012, something like that, so that speculation is rendered null.

HHoH: There has also been some controversy over Jeff the Killer caused by web users who claim the image is of a young lady named Katy Robinson who committed suicide after being bullied by trolls on 4chan. Would you care to address this?
S(JC): Oh yes, those rumors, I know all too well. The Katy Robinson one has become a little in-joke at this point, people speculate that it was a photoshopped version of her, because a person on 4chan said so, and they took the bait because 4chan is known to be creditable. I really wish that one day these rumors of Katy and Jeff would die, but people are people so I expect this to last until 2027 if Jeff is still relevant.
Jeff is a latex mask, that was worn. Three pictures were taken, two made it online. I’m not sure about the 3rd, I think it was sideways in the bathroom instead of the closet. One picture is unedited where the eyes are red around and the mouth is open, the edited one is where the eyes are blackened, and the mouth is smudged a little with Photoshop to make a smile.
The clothes worn during the two pictures were a white T-shirt and blue jeans. That’s the real Jeff a creepy mask.

HHoH: Do you still have the mask or any other pictures of it? Can you remember where you bought it? I’m sure readers would love the chance to own the same mask that inspired Jeff.
S(JC): The mask was purely man-made from latex and I think a little other material to have it cover the whole head, plus a wig ensemble. The pictures taken were long gone, and the mask was put in the closet after use so it’s definitely long gone. 

If I had that mask with me, there’s no telling how valuable it would be. But I do know that with every success there is merchandise, so I’m sure fans will be getting professionally made masks of Jeff instead of that crudely put together one that was the original.

HHoH: What else can your fans look forward to from you (and Jeff) in the days ahead?
S(JC): Aside from Jeff, I got a truck load of stories that I’ve been saving until the right time. New Characters, even ones that I will be in the process of purchasing from creators that don’t want nothing to do with them, a really rich world that I hope everyone will enjoy!

HHoH: Is there any link you’d like me to send my readers to so they can discover some more of your creations? Or any in particular that you’d like to share?
S(JC): Deviant art is a good place to get the idea, soon I’ll be adding more pictures and story, so stay tuned!

Come back next time, when I’ll be revisiting another classic Creepypasta tale, complete with an interview with the man who created it.

DARK WEB : AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CREEPYPASTA – PART 24: BEDTIME

THIS FEATURE FIRST APPEARED AT UK HORROR SCENE HERE. ALL SUBSEQUENT CHAPTERS WILL BE PUBLISHED THERE FIRST.

As children there are few times in which we’re as likely to feel the icy suffocating grip of panic as those moments in which we wake in the middle of the night, our familiar room transformed into something unrecognisable by the cloak of darkness.

The imagination of a child is more than capable of filling the murky gloom and eerie silence with any number of otherworldly monsters, pushing them over the edge to tears and hysteria.

But what if these monsters were to be more than a figment of the imagination?

This week’s feature covers a story, plus a series of sequels, that examines this exact scenario — and has become one of the most popular and highly-regarded Creepypastas for the skilful manner in which it does so.

This story is Michael Whitehouse’s Bedtime.

Unlike a lot of the stories I’ve covered in this series, there’s very little doubt as to where this Creepypasta originated. On 8 August 2012, prolific author Michael Whitehouse (under his Redditor name Mike_Rants) published Bedtime to the nosleep subreddit.

You can read the story here.

In the story, Michael describes a series of incidents that occurred in his childhood home. When he was eight years old, Michael writes, he and his brother were each given their own bedrooms. Michael’s room was an odd, narrow shape, and he was given the bunk beds that he and his brother had shared prior to the move. Like any young boy would, he promptly claimed the top bunk as his own.

That first night, the young lad wakes having been disturbed by a noise. Still groggy, it takes him a little while to realise that he can hear movement… and it’s coming from his bottom bunk. Disturbed, he gives away his position, which causes the mysterious presence in the lower bunk to become agitated, wheezing angrily and thrashing about, prompting Michael to cry out for help.

When his mother checks on the boy there is no sign of any intruder, but the feeling of fear continues into the next day.

The following night he is visited once again by the mysterious entity and it becomes quite clear that the thing in the bottom bunk wants one thing and one thing only — our young protagonist.

These events continue night after night, until one day the boy makes a terrible mistake and fills the bottom bunk with obstacles — which prompts the nightmarish visitor to come to his bunk instead…

The story is pretty simple but it works incredibly well. Whitehouse’s writing style echoes that of the classic Victorian ghost story writer, the likes of the James’ (Henry and M.R.) or Blackwood. It’s highly descriptive and focuses a great deal on evoking a sense of dread, something which becomes palpable by the time the story reaches its spine-chilling climax.

It plays on our natural fear of the dark (something that, when it reaches a severe enough level has been called achluophobia, lygophobia, nyctophobia or scotophobia), a fear that is especially common in children. By featuring a young protagonist, Whitehouse’s story works on two levels: first, it inspires more sympathy as children are smaller, weaker and less capable of coping with such horrors than an adult character; and second, it transports us back to our own youth and encourages us to remember the days when the dark, or rather the imagined threats concealed within, were so haunting and terrifying to us.

The creature in the story, complete with the twisting, wringing sheets, is reminiscent of the nightly visitor in M.R. James’ iconic Oh, Whistle and I’ll Come To You, My Lad and the phenomenal 1968 BBC adaptation directed by Jonathan Miller. Later descriptions of it as otherworldly, almost arachnid presence also tap into one of the most widespread phobias, all while imbuing it with a predatory aspect.

In short, the whole thing is impeccably crafted to terrify the reader.

And terrify a huge audience it did, with pretty much universal acclaim from the NoSleep community. So imagine that same community’s joy when Whitehouse rewarded their support with a sequel, Bedtime: The Aftermath, a mere two days later. You can read the story here.

In this chapter, Michael goes on to describe another childhood incident, this time in his new room. He writes of a series of encounters with an otherworldly intruder who appears to him each evening sat in a battered old armchair at the end of his bed. Much like the first part of Whitehouse’s story, these visits soon take a decidedly threatening turn.

Some readers reacted with displeasure towards the sequel as they felt that Michael’s superb first story had such a wonderful conclusion, but for the most part, the vast majority of Michael’s fans were delighted to see the story continue.

And this was not yet the final chapter of Bedtime, with another sequel, Bedtime: My Fears Realised, published to NoSleep on 17 August 2012. You can read that chapter here.

Whitehouse’s third chapter outlines his decision to return to his childhood home to confront and banish his fears once and for all. Needless to say, the visit does not go well, and what is worse, this chapter concludes with the startling revelation that something may have followed Michael home. This is another wonderful chapter in the story and finishes on an exquisitely crafted double chill that had readers clamouring for more.

Thankfully for those readers, they had but one week to wait before a fourth chapter was published, this one entitled Bedtime: Something Wicked This Way Comes. Check it out here.

As if the events of the first three parts of Whitehouse’s story weren’t bad enough, it is in this fourth chapter that the incidents with the monstrous entity really escalate. In this part Michael reveals that the nightly haunter has turned its attentions not just to our narrator, but also those close to him. It describes a truly nightmarish scenario that leaves our protagonist at rock bottom and with only one option available to him — to put an end to his torment.

It’s another fantastic story and really pulls on the heartstrings, ensuring that the reader roots for Michael and feels his anguish at the loss of his beloved Mary.

The altercation described in the story is terrifying and surprisingly graphic, but it needs to be, because it is this chapter that finally spurs our hero on to stop playing the victim and take the role of aggressor in the game of cat and mouse between he and the wheezing thing. By now the fans were gripped and eagerly awaited the concluding part of Whitehouse’s story.

They had to wait a mere five days before the fifth and final chapter, Bedtime: Sleep Tight, made its way to NoSleep. Read it here.

In this thrilling conclusion to the series, Michael takes the battle to the thing in a series of life-threatening clashes. I shan’t spoil the conclusion here, but rest assured it matches up to the quality of the preceding chapters.

As is so often the case when a Creepypasta becomes a smash, Bedtime was soon shared and uploaded to all the usual web sites, including the Creepypasta wikia and Creepypasta.com, where Whitehouse himself posted the story. It proved to be just as popular here, drawing even more admiring eyes to Whitehouse’s work.

This in turn translated into the usual examples of fanart, including some fantastic readings on YouTube, arguably the finest of which is by the always excellent Otis Jiry for the good folks over at Chilling Tales For Dark Nights. I thoroughly recommend checking it out here.

Yet as brilliant as some of these adaptations are, none of them could have existed without the work of one man: Michael Whitehouse.

The charming, articulate Michael was kind enough to agree to speak to UK Horror Scene about the creation of Bedtime, and you can read his words right here.

HICKEY'S HOUSE OF HORRORS: Hi Michael, thanks so much for agreeing to speak with me.

The most obvious question first — what served as your inspiration for the story?
MICHAEL WHITEHOUSE: It happened to me. When I tell people that they usually look at me with an expression which says this man is quite mad. I imagine your readers doing the same. It would be truer to say it’s a memory I have. I’m pretty skeptical about these things. I always say seeing is not believing because the human mind is so easily tricked. For that reason I tend to think that it was some sort of sleep disturbance, perhaps sleep paralysis. That being said, the memory is so strong that it does make me wonder occasionally, and not in a good way. Some people might think I say this to be dramatic or promote the story, but that’s the truth of it.

I would like to say that I changed a couple of details of course for dramatic effect, the last line of the story for example, but for the most part it’s what I remember.
People often refer to Bedtime as a creepypasta, but it actually appeared first as a story on the subreddit No Sleep. For those who have never visited it, NoSleep is a subreddit where people share first person horror stories which “are real”. NoSleep was quite small at that time, but I received enough encouragement that I went on to write four sequel stories. I had been reading a few posts there, as well as acquainting myself with creepypasta, and decided to share a story or two. It was the first one I shared, and after appearing on the website creepypasta.com it was embraced by the horror community in a big way. It changed my life, and without getting too maudlin about it, I owe that to everyone who has read, narrated, shared, and listened to Bedtime and its sequel stories. Most of all to those who come back for more.

HHoH: Which writers, horror or otherwise, do you consider yourself a fan of?
MW: Most of my influences come from the late 19th and early 20th century ghost story writers. M. R. James, Algernon Blackwood, W. W. Jacobs, Sheridan LeFanu, E.F. Benson, Oliver Onions, Edith Nesbit – the list goes on, and so could I; I’ll stop there. Needless to say I write often in the ghost story genre, and it’s a genre I love dearly.
Then there are the weird fiction writers like Ambrose Bierce, H. P. Lovecraft (despite his racist ways), Clark Ashton Smith, Robert E. Howard, etc.
It goes without saying that I’m a huge fan of Poe (both his poems and prose), but I also love more modern writers like Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Neil Gaiman.
Outside of horror I admire Hemingway and Orwell, although I don’t write like them and they’d probably consider my work overly descriptive.
I love Tolkien, The Hobbit was the first full novel I ever read, and I go back to Stoker’s Dracula every few years. I also love a bunch of comic, radio, and film script writers, but I won’t bore you with another list. Okay, I’ll stop there, but there are so many wonderful writers past and present that it’s easy to be overwhelmed by who to read next!

HHoH: What work of your own are you most proud of?
MW: I wrote a story called Forgotten Valentine (read it here), which, if not the best thing I’ve written, it’s certainly the most important to me. It was the story which got me writing again after a few years away from it, even before I shared Bedtime, and it’s the first story I ever wrote that was more. Not just filled with bones which rattle in the night or an unseen breath by the reader’s ear; it was about life. I’m reminded of when Bradbury said he first knew he’d written something moving, and that was a big moment for him. Forgotten Valentine was, and is, that moment for me.

HHoH: What is your favourite Creepypasta by an author other than yourself?
MW: You’ll get me into trouble with this one! I’m lucky to count many of the great creepypasta writers as friends. It’s very difficult to boil it down to any one single story. Needless to say you can’t go wrong with anything written by Vincent Vena Cava or Milos Bogetic. Leon Chan is excellent and underappreciated. William Dalphin, M. J. Pack, Slimebeast, Bloodworth, Matt Dymerski, Anton Lesch, T.W. Grimm… Again, the list could go on.
If I had to pick one story though, I’m going to have to be boring and predictable and say Dathan Auerbach’s Penpal. It’s a rip-roaring read, and while it initially started off as a NoSleep story, I think most would consider it to be a creepypasta classic, certainly the first ever creepypasta novel. It has all of the ingredients: first person narrative, childhood fears, adult insecurities, and heart as well. It’s written in a very matter of fact style, but that only heightens the feeling that it could have happened.

HHoH: The fans are very passionate about the story. Are there any examples of fan art, such as films or readings, in particular that have impressed you?
MW: A lot of people have adapted Bedtime in different ways. It was adapted into a play in London for a short time, and I was even in negotiations at one point to have it turned into a pilot for an anthology TV show, but unfortunately that fell through, I even wrote a script.

In any case, there are some great narrators out there who have read the story. I’d have to highlight CreepypastaJr as he was the first high profile narrator to do the entire Bedtime series, which brought me a lot of new readers early on, and he did an amazing job.

I'd also give special praise to David Cummings and the Nosleep Podcast who did a brilliant version and have always been so supportive of my work.

HHoH: I've heard an excellent reading of the story by Otis Jiry over at Chilling Tales for Dark Nights. What were your thoughts on the adaptation?
MW: I’m a big fan of both Chilling Tales for Dark Nights and Otis Jiry. Otis lends a level of gravitas to every story he reads, and his adaptation was no different. He has such a wonderful voice, you can hear a character moment in every nook and cranny of each word. I’m actually producing my own anthology horror series podcast called Near Midnight at the moment, with Otis lending his talents to episode 3 of the first series.

HHoH: You have a few stories up at CTFDN, what encouraged you to work with them? Is this an ongoing partnership and what else can we expect to see the guys there cover in the future?
MW: CTFDN has always been really welcoming to me which I put down to Craig Groshek, the founder, and Jeff Clement who used to be a producer there. The production value is always so high. I’ve signed a bunch of stories over to them so that they can do their own narrations. I’d love to write some exclusive stories for their podcast at some point, we’ve talked about it, so fingers crossed down the line that’s something which can be hammered out.

HHoH: You're a prolific writer, regularly releasing stories to the web. How do you keep the creative juices flowing? Is writing a process that you enjoy or is it more about getting your stories out there to an audience?
MW: I love writing, so much so that it’s my full time job. Not that it says anything about the quality of my work, but I’ve probably released more stories than any other writer in the online community. I’m not exactly sure why that is, I think it’s because I try my best to finish projects and write every day. That’s the biggest challenge as a writer. The tale goes stale, and you want to move onto something else. Staying the course is the hardest thing to do, but the most rewarding.
Continually putting out material is difficult. While I write full time, most of that is as a freelance writer, even a ghost writer. I write other people’s stories or articles for their websites to pay the bills, and then when it comes to writing my own stuff sometimes the tank is empty. It’s incredibly frustrating. Hopefully in the next couple of years I’ll be able to write fiction full time if my book sales keep up, then it’ll have been all worthwhile and I can focus on what I love.

HHoH: Finally will you ever return to the story of Bedtime in the future? And what else can your fans look forward to from you in the days ahead?
MW: After writing Bedtime, I wrote four sequel stories. Then I started tidying up the stories so I could publish them. Writing is strange sometimes, it takes you places you didn’t even know you were going. Now, those stories have grown legs, wings, and tentacles, and I’m sitting here with a finished draft of a novel called Bedtime: A Ghost Story. I’m nervous about putting it out because the original story has so many fans, but I’m really excited to be releasing it in the next few months. Can’t wait to see what people think. Hopefully, they’ll like it.
I also have two horror novellas which really just need edits – The Mermaid of Porthleven which I’d describe as The Goonies meets Lovecraft, and The Sins of Abigail Flesh, which is a supernatural detective story. On top of that I have about 30 short stories, some of them released others gathering dust, so I’ll probably put them together as a couple of short story collections at some point. I’ve already released a horror novella called On A Hill and two short story collections, The Face of Fear, and The Horrors of Christmas, but it’s been some time since I’ve published anything else other than the free stories I release regularly. The next six months are going to be pretty crazy with three books coming out.
As for other projects, I run a Youtube channel called Ghastly Tales () and a podcast of the same name. It started off as a solo project, now we have a great team of people there and I love it! We make horror narrations, plays, and films. It’s a blast, and something I hope can grow and grow into the future.
Thanks for the interview, it’s been a pleasure.

To read more of Michael’s work, do check out his official site: www.michael-whitehouse.com plus his social media accounts at https://twitter.com/HorrorOfMike and www.facebook.com/Michael.Whitehouse.Author  

Much like those names of accomplished and talented authors that Whitehouse was kind enough to list, he is one of the finest talents exhibiting his skills in the genre. It is the discovery of horror gems by the likes of Michael and his contemporaries that has fuelled the growth of Creepypasta into something as popular and enjoyable as it has become. In the hands of writers such as these, that growth won’t be slowing any time soon.

Join me again next time for another exclusive interview with one of the fathers of Creepypasta — the creator of one of the most iconic and popular characters in the genre.

If you haven’t already, do please check out and Like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House @HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.