During this ghostly season, we creatures of PRH Audio are asking our colleagues: what’s the first story that scared you? What’s the tale that ruined clowns forever or made you develop bedtime rituals to avoid monster detection? It’s time to share those scares. And so without further a-boo—ahem—adieu, share we will…
“I read Harry Potter—the books that were out, anyway—the summer in between second and third grade, and I read them alone, because my mom wanted us to finish reading Laura Ingalls Wilder together before diving into Hogwarts. There was this big spruce tree outside my bedroom window that made me think of Lord Voldemort, and I couldn’t tell my mom about it because I didn’t want her to know I’d read ahead without her, so I just sat in my bed cowering and telling myself, IT’S A TREE!! IT’S JUST A TREE!!!”—Heather Job, Associate Publicist, Definitely Not Afraid of Voldemort Trees
If Lord Voldemort fueled your childhood fears, your next listen is:
Don’t miss this monster of a New York Times bestseller, a stunning and dark reimagining of Frankenstein that internationally bestselling author Stephanie Garber raves is “exquisitely disturbing.” Like a creepy tree twisting in the wind.
“The first story that scared me was “The Green Ribbon” from a book of scary stories called In a Dark, Dark Room. It’s about this gal named Jenny, who always wears a green ribbon around her neck. She falls in love with a fellow named Alfred, who understandably asks what’s up with the constant ribbon accessory. Jenny tells him to let it go, and he does—they eventually get married and grow old together, until Jenny gets sick and winds up on her deathbed. She tells Alfred he can finally know the true meaning behind the green ribbon (sidenote: the hygienic implications of constantly wearing a ratty old ribbon around your neck are also horrifying): she unties it, and her head goes cascading to floor, showing that she was a zombie girl with a detached head the. Whole. Time. Not only did Alfred find out his wife of x many years was in the legion of the undead, but Jenny’s head keeps talking after it rolls off, bellowing “I told you you’d be sorry!” Basically “The Green Ribbon” is a story that teaches you to trust no one, especially if they’re wearing a gross old ribbon around their neck that they refuse to talk about. They are a zombie and you need to haul tush out of there.—Erin Murphy, Creative Marketing Assistant, Creepy Ribbon Aficionado
If “The Green Ribbon” was your first short story scare, your next listen is:
Selected stories from Gray Matter, Graveyard Shift, and The Lawnmower Man. Download on a dark night and hang on to your head!
“ANYTHING by Jennifer McMahon!”—Aaron Blank, Exec Producer, Most Likely to Survive a Haunted House
We agree! And our Jennifer McMahon audio pick for Halloween is:
This haunted house tale has it all: restless spirits, spooked residents, and a bog that won’t quit.
Looking for more scary good listens on audio? CLICK HERE to never sleep soundly again.