Blog Posts

The Dark Harmony: Why cosy, Coastal, and Gothic Are a Perfect Match
At first glance, placing "cosy" and "gothic" in the same sentence feels like a contradiction. One promises warmth, comfort, and order; the other thrives on dread, decay, and the unraveling of the psyche. Yet, when you add the "coastal" setting to the mix, these two opposites find a perfect, atmospheric middle ground. Here is why this unlikely trio creates such a magnetic pull for readers and writers alike. 1. The Safety of a cosy cottage vs. The Terror of the Tide The essence of "cosy" is the internal space—the roaring... Read more...
The New Age of Murder Mystery: Embracing the Anti-Trope
We all love a good scare or a thrilling whodunit. But a large part of what makes the murder mystery and horror genres so comforting—yes, comforting—is their reliance on familiar tropes. Tropes are the cogs in the murder mystery machine, promising a certain amount of order to the chaos and the assurance that the puzzle will ultimately be solved. Take everyone's favourite Locked-Room Mystery, where the victim is found dead with the doors bolted and windows secured from the inside. The payoff is a fiendishly clever solution; let's face it,... Read more...