In this edition of Gothic Vault, Erzsebet advises "Your loyal servant and forlorn lover of the beatific Agnes" that a ghost is the least of his problems.
Category: Thoughts
How You Met Your Doppelganger
The Covid lockdowns brought us face to face with our own doppelgangers - via Zoom.
EVIL Takes on the Gothic Doppelganger Trope
The television series EVIL is a delicious smorgasbord of Gothic imagery and tropes. Season 4, Episode 12 (Fear of the Other) serves up a unique approach to the doppelganger trope. Note that mild spoilers are in this post, but they are hidden behind an expandable "details" section.
The 5 Biggest Suprises of My First Year as a Full-Time Writer
I retired from my career as a software engineer in June 2023. Just over a year later, I reflect on the surprising, exhilarating and terrifying transition from the corporate world to the creator economy. This post explores the five most unexpected takeaways of the last year.
Throwing Shade: The One-Legged Loner of the Medieval Bestiary
Sciapods are one-legged monsters who use their giant foot for shade in the Dog Days of Summer.
Identifying Characteristics of Gothic SciFi
Gothic... science fiction? What does that mean? This post is an overview of the primary characteristics I'm referring to when I describe my novels as Gothic sci-fi.
My Contract with You, the Reader
I reject the parasitic treatment of readers as consumers and in this post, I make concrete pledges as to how I will comport myself as an author.
Use the Beauty of Museum Collections to Enhance Scenes in Your Fiction
A realistic setting to use as a backdrop for scenes in your next novel could have been painted hundreds of years ago. Many museums have digital scans of their collections. Leverage these invaluable sources to create an authentic sense of place.
How to Identify Quiet Art
Quiet Art (noun): Evocative works typified by the sublime absence of "things happening."
Researching the Middle Ages Was Mind-bending
My dual-timeline novel, Aulisyn, required research into Medieval Europe; these are some of the surprising mental constructs I encountered.
Erzsebet Carmean 