Women in Horror Month: One for the books with these memorable authors

1. Shirley Jackson – The Lottery

Women in Horror Month -Shirley Jackson – Courtesy of Miskatonic

I remember reading Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery in English Literature class in high school. A devout reader of Stephen King, after experiencing that short story I could understand how my favorite author was inspired by her works. 40 years later, I am still haunted by this tale.

For those of you that are fans of The Hunger Games, I encourage you to give this work a chance. You will see many correlations between “tribute” and what happens to the “winners” of The Lottery. Interestingly enough, this property is being developed as a theatrical production by Paramount Pictures.

Of course, the action takes place in a quaint small town in New England. The Lottery is an annual event to benefit the community harvest to ensure that it is bountiful. I don’t want to get into the details about what happens so just suffice it to say that the outcome is terrifying and will stay with you long after you have finished reading the tale.

That is the hallmark of great literature as far as I am concerned. Just the mere fact that I can remember all the details of Jackson’s effort is testament to what a talented writer she was and the lasting impression that she left on countless generations.

There are so many exceptional female writers in the horror genre. My list only scratches the surface. The internet is full of talent waiting for discovery.

Do you have a favorite female horror writer? Let us know in the comments. We want to hear from you.