Welcome to The Dissection Room!
I know what you’re thinking…
“What the holy hell mother of almighty calamity is ‘The Dissection Room’?”
A just question, m’lord.
You’re reading this either because you’re already a much-valued subscriber to my newsletter, or because you’ve seen the Dissection Room announcements on social media and decided to find out more. The aforementioned newsletter was formerly just that: news relating to my writing endeavours. Y’know, my stories being featured in publications or winning the odd award, etc.
But who really, REALLY actually cares about any of that?!
So I began switching stuff up.
I’m a horror guy, so reviews and analyses of the latest releases were always going to be par for the course – as were musings on the craft of writing, as well as previews and snippets of my own fiction – but I decided to begin weighing in on the occasional cultural and current affairs issue, too.
The response was positive. The people had spoken. A pivot was needed.
My fiction and commentaries on the horror genre would remain, but the newsletter would be overhauled, and with it the Gavin Gardiner Horror website. Not only would my cherished subscribers receive more substantial, frankly more INTERESTING instalments worthy of their time, but they’d also have access to a hub, an area of the website where they could browse past posts by various categories, tags, subjects, and date searches, and even submit suggestions for the next topic to be dissected!
In an instalment I wrote as I was just beginning to touch on somewhat contentious issues – this particular instalment going by the name The Wakefield Quran controversy – I said the following:
“Yes, I’m primarily a horror novelist, but it’s my aim to start speaking out more honestly. I want to connect with YOU not just through my fiction, but through shared values of right and wrong in a world gone haywire. I correspond with many of my readers on a regular basis, and those friendships are important to me. Sure, my candour with regard to potentially delicate subjects may push some of you away from me, but isn’t that for the best? Friendship should be founded on honesty, and it’s my hope that these pieces will only bring me closer to those of you who stick by me.”
“It’s alive!”
Frankenstein, 1931, Universal Pictures
In figuring out the direction I’d take this brand new blog, I made the above snippet something of a mission statement for myself. I really do want to connect with my readers on a more personal level, and offer friendship to those who feel ostracised or even bullied out of expressing their thoughts and opinions in our current cultural climate.
How far will I go in tackling some of today’s most risky subjects of public outrage and division? That’s yet to be seen. All I know is that I sympathise with the readers who’ve reached out to me to express their discontent. The stifling of voices, the suppression of select political and cultural positions, the censorship of free speech: these are real-world concerns many have expressed to me in the safety of private messages and emails. If wading into riskier waters in my writings can alleviate some of the alienation and concern these friends share, then there’s got to be some worth in the endeavour.
Yes, FRIENDS.
Because friends are people you take a chance with. You open up, lay on display thoughts, opinions, and anxieties not everyone gets to see. This is what I plan to do for you via these writings, and if you stick around for the ride, then maybe we can find comfort in one another. Who knows? Maybe there’ll even be the odd chuckle to be had too.
Out with the old, in with the new…
So what do you need to do now?
If this landed in your inbox, then I sincerely thank you for your subscription. Check out the new Dissection Room hub by hitting the button at the end of this post, where you can navigate previous issues by date, subject, keyword - anything really! I hope you’ll hang around for this exciting new chapter.
If you’re not yet subscribed, I invite you to either do so now by scrolling down past this post, or maybe just to check out the Dissection Room hub to see if all this is your kind of thing. This is merely the launch, but I have exciting plans for the future of The Dissection Room that I’d love for you to be a part of. Please consider signing up today, and I promise to do my best to shed some analytical and unapologetic light on all things horror, writing, and current affairs.
Whoever you are, thanks for sticking with me. I want to offer you the best horror my mind can muster, as well as insights into the craft of writing, and – in a world gone bonkers – dissections of the most important things going on today.
Hold tight. Shit’s going down.
Welcome to The Dissection Room.
–GG
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You’re always welcome back in…
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