Paula Cappa's Blog

AWAKEN THE GOTHIC WITHIN.

January 2026 is International Gothic Reading Month (IGRM). Journey through modern ghostly landscapes, cursed castles, and the dark chills of Gothic romantic mysteries.

January is now the official month for readers to dive into all forms of Gothic literature every year. IGRM is sponsored by the Society for the Study of the American Gothic.

Are you an author of Gothic? A reader, librarian, bookseller, publisher, blogger, podcaster, teacher, or student of Gothic literature? We invite you to join us.

Visit the website for details, a suggested reading list, and how to participate in International Gothic Reading Month in January 2026.

https://americangothicsociety.com/int...

Gothic spirit lives on! Please leave a comment or like if you are a Gothic fan.


The International Gothic Reading Month Committee:
Paula Cappa, Director
Alexia Mandla Ainsworth
Barbara Beatie
Ruthann Jagge
Carey Millsap-Spears
Arline Wilson

Sponsorship: Jeffrey A. Weinstock
President, Society for the Study of the American Gothic

A Gothic Triumph for the new film Frankenstein? What do you think of Guillermo del Toro's reinvention of Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein'? My review, images, and critique of the book and film on my blog.

https://paulacappa.wordpress.com/2025...

What are you reading for this final week of Halloween's spooky autumn? Need a ghost story? Ghosts, witchcraft, and magick vie for power on Draakensky Windmill Estate. "Intricately crafted and lavishly realized. A feast for lovers of the modern gothic."—Christopher Hawkins, author of Downpour, member of HWA Chicagoland Chapter.

"Stylised, haunting and seriously Gothic, Draakensky will creep into your dreams."—William Meikle, author of Haunted Scotland and The Ghost Club.

"With vibrant description and elegant prose, prepare yourself for a magickal reading experience."—Kenneth W. Cain, author of Hell, Delaware, and editor of Fear of Clowns.

https://www.amazon.com/Draakensky-Sup...

From #crystallakepublishing

First Place, Gold Medal Winner, BookFest Book Awards.

"Cappa is a skilled craftsman. This is a sturdy, old-fashioned Gothic thriller, anchored by a fully dimensional heroine in the vein of Mrs. de Winter or Jane Eyre."—Boze Herrington, US Review of Books

Draakensky: A Supernatural Tale of Magick and Romance

Are you a writer of dark Gothic fiction? With a dash of fantasy? "Magickal Gothic"? I invite you to post your novel's book cover and one link in the comments on my blog this week. "Conjuring the "Magickal Gothic."

https://paulacappa.wordpress.com/2025...

Magickal Gothic is defined as Gothic suspense, ghostly, magickal powers or hidden realms, psychological/emotional tension, and maybe romantic intrigue.

Please stop by!

Queen of Gothic! August 30 is Mary Shelley's birth date. Stop by my Reading Fiction Blog and celebrate this woman writer. Free short stories and an audio too. If you love horror, sci-fi, Gothic, and the brilliance of Mary Shelley.

https://paulacappa.wordpress.com/2025...

Celebrating Lovecraft's birth date today, August 20. His poem "The Garden" is a ghostly verse that is sure to haunt. At Reading Fiction Blog. Stop by my Author of the Week, HP Lovecraft and explore "The Gothic Lovecraft."

https://paulacappa.wordpress.com/2025...

At Reading Fiction Blog, you have access to free short stories by famous contemporary and classic authors. Check out the Index!

Today is National Book Lovers Day! August 9th.
Let's celebrate books, writing, and reading. Stop by my Reading Fiction Blog:

https://paulacappa.wordpress.com/2025...

The Supernatural Life of Ghost Trees! I have a ghost tree in my backyard. Stop by my blog and hear all about what is haunting it. Also, get a FREE read of Algernon Blackwood's short story "Ancient Lights" (audio too) featuring a man walking through a supernatural forest and his weird and threatening encounters. Excellent vintage tale by a master horror writer. The audio is thrilling! Blackwood excels at writing wilderness horror stories. "Even the smallest clumps of nature can be dangerous." At Reading Fiction Blog:

https://paulacappa.wordpress.com/2025...

Literary Birthdays! Today we remember Emily Brontë. If you like Gothic intrigue and mysterious hauntings on the English moors, Wuthering Heights' Heathcliff and Cathy! A deep dive into love, betrayal, romance, and the power of ghosts.

https://www.writerswrite.co.za/litera...

Wuthering Heights
A Life of Emily Bronte (Blackwell Critical Biographies) by CHITHAM

"The Haunting in the Old Bedford Oak." Here's a flash fiction story for you on my blog (free 5-minute read) about the haunting, unshackled power and passion of the oak tree. This is a real tree in Bedford, New York. Come walk the path to The Bedford Oak.

https://paulacappa.wordpress.com/2025...