Skylar Black
Bio
I'm a freelance writer with an interest in true crime, entertainment, and a wide range of other things.
Stories (23/0)
Free-Range, Organic Terror: The Mystery of Cattle Mutilations
Cattle mutilations are, to believers, a surefire sign of extraterrestrial activity. The phenomenon has been occurring since roughly 1606 when an outbreak of it was reported in the official court records of James I of England. Since then, there have been various incidents, usually in outbreaks of multiple bovine victims. But what exactly is happening t the cattle? And why?
By Skylar Blackabout a year ago in Horror
Alone on Death Mountain: The Dyatlov Pass Incident
In February 1959, nine hikers from the Ural Polytechnical Institute died mysteriously on the slopes of Kholat Syakhl, a remote mountain in northern Russia. Something made them cut their way out of their tent in the middle of the night and run for their lives, all the while unprepared for the freezing temperatures. When their bodies were discovered, their injuries were inconsistent, and the reason for their frantic escape on that fateful February night remains unknown. What happened to the hikers at Dyatlov Pass?
By Skylar Blackabout a year ago in Criminal
A Lazy Girl's Guide to Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes
I know what you're thinking - "I haven't used my makeup brushes all year!" Or maybe you've been practicing while you've been hanging out at home. Get it! Either way, your brushes are probably looking a little bit neglected. Maybe you went to a fancy function in February and just haven't had the energy to give them a good clean since then. Maybe you've gotten your miles out of them, and have now just realized that they're getting kinda gross.
By Skylar Blackabout a year ago in Blush
8 Awesome Sci-Fi Reads That Will Twist Your Mind
Sci-fi is one of the oldest, best-known genres in literature. Its roots lie with Mary Shelley and her iconic novel Frankenstein, and since then, blockbusters like Dune, Ender's Game, and I,Robot have arisen from the depths of his mysterious, fantastical genre. From the flying cars and robot nannies featured in The Jetsons to the sinister dystopian government systems in The Hunger Games, sci-fi captures global attention. Here are some great sci-fi novels that blew my mind.
By Skylar Black2 years ago in Futurism
Halloween Horrors: The Poisoning of Timothy O'Bryan
One of my clearest memories of Halloween growing up was the ritual when we got home. My mom would take my sister and I's pillowcases of candy, spread them out in two neat piles, and check to see if there was anything tampered with. I imagine that millions of parents all across North America do a similar thing on October 31st every year.
By Skylar Black2 years ago in Criminal
Polybius: The Birth of a Video Game Legend
Urban legends are an integral part of childhood. We have monsters under our beds, and witches who live in abandoned houses. Some locales have more specific legends—Mothman in Point Pleasant, VA, or Ogopogo in the Okanagan in Canada.
By Skylar Black3 years ago in Gamers
The Making of a Monster: Jason Voorhees
Friday the 13th is arguably one of the most iconic, well-known horror franchises ever created. The centerpiece for this franchise is, of course, Jason Voorhees - the king of all psycho killers. Though he had a slow start, only appearing in flashbacks and hallucinations in the original Friday the 13th (1980), he quickly became an icon as he slashed his way through film after film (there are currently 12, but who knows if they'll make more). But how did Jason go from an innocent kid who drowned in a lake to the subject of a collective pop culture nightmare?
By Skylar Black4 years ago in Horror
5 Horror Movies for the Age of the App
Nowadays, there's an app for everything. Apps for getting food, apps for finding taxis, apps for making friends and talking to friends you've already got. Apps to make your dog look like he talks. Apps everywhere. So of course, there are horror movies that have emerged in response to the age of the app. Unfortunately, all of these selections have HORRIFIC ratings (the highest is a 6.1 on IMDb), but these first pioneers could be a picture of what is in our future, so check them out anyway.
By Skylar Black4 years ago in Horror
The Top 10 Asian Horror Movies to Binge this Halloween
Along with manga, music, and fashion, horror movies are one of Asia's main cultural exports. With different censorship laws, different legends to draw from, and unique cinematic styles, Asian horror movies are uniquely terrifying, especially to a Western audience that's unfamiliar with some of the legends and themes. Here are the 10 best Asian horror movies to binge this Halloween.
By Skylar Black4 years ago in Horror
5 Amazing Online Tools for D&D Enthusiasts
Dungeons and Dragons (which I'm shortening to D&D from here on in) has been around for decades, ever since Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson published their original box in 1974. Back then, it was all pen to paper - MAYBE you had a handheld calculator to handle the numbers. But it's the Digital Age now, and there are tools out there to make all aspects of D&D easier for players and dungeon masters (DMs) alike. Here are 5 that I've checked out since I started playing.
By Skylar Black4 years ago in Geeks
Going Punk: A Writer's Guide to the Punk Side of Sci-Fi
When you hear the word "punk," what do you think of? Hoodlums on skateboards? Or maybe a kid wearing black eyeliner and their bangs all swept over one eye? Punk means different things to different people, but the word—and everything that goes with it—has forged a new meaning in the genre of science fiction.
By Skylar Black4 years ago in Futurism
