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A Local Cryptid

@michelleheller.bsky.social

300 followers 120 following 2.2K posts

Michelle Heller (she/her) Horror Author | Movie Fanatic | General Weirdo Definitely, totally human, don't worry about it 🚫NO GEN AI🚫 https://linktr.ee/Michelle_Heller

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · Mar 20

Hohoho!

I have switched platforms, solving a lot of purchasing issues for non-US buyers.

Links to the new store pages are in the comments!

#HorrorWriter #Indie #HorrorComedy #WriteSky #Booksky #HorrorAuthor

The release poster for my novel, The Worst Summer Of My Life. On the cover, a bored employee sits with her head resting on her hand. She wears a hot dog hat because she works at Wienervana, a hot dog stand inside a theme park.

Text around the cover, with arrows pointing to it:

"Idiots in cults"
"Horrors within your comprehension"
"Stressed out fast food employees"
"Female Protagonist (wishes she wasn't)"

"A gory, funny, cosmic horror adventure - Some guy I just made up"

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 2h

Sorry to tag you again, @joshuafrantic.bsky.social , but if you could share my friend's updated GoFundMe we'd appreciate it! It's gotten worse :(.

A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 2h

Please share this far and wide. Our medical system is so broken.

A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 2h

On top of all this. Her husband is a government employee and has been furloughed as a result of the shutdown. They have lost 60% of their income. She's suffering in pain every day. And nobody will call her back. If she could at least experience some financial respite, that would be great. 🧵

A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 2h

She is still trying to get in touch with someone, anyone, almost three weeks later. Meanwhile, they cancelled hwr surgery. Essentially, Amanda will only get care, at this rate, whenever she goes septic. AKA, the hospital is only going to help her when they're legally required to. 🧵

A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 2h

Due to the debt incurred from her initial emergency (almost 90k now), the hospital refused to perform the surgery that would fix these problems unless they paid an upfront fee. The hospital then became impossible to contact about WHAT THAT FEE EVEN IS. 🧵

A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 2h

Amanda has Crohn's. It is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the digestive tract. She disappeared from our writing server on Discord for a while and came back to inform us she'd been hospitalized. A fistula has formed. And an abscess on top of that.

A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 2h

Hey friends! Now that I have a moment I'd like to share my friend's GoFundMe again. There's been an unfortunate update and she could really use all the help she can get. The full story is in this link, but I'll do a TL;DR here. 🧵

Donate to Making up lost wages after a string of hospitalizations..., organized by Nathan Sprayberry

Hi, I'm Nathan and I'm fundraising because Amanda, the love o… Nathan Sprayberry needs your support for Making up lost wages after a string of hospitalizations...

www.gofundme.com

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 2h

Same!! I also love it when a reader points something out that I didn't do on purpose. Lmao

A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

It's honestly so enraging. At this rate she's only going to get the care she needs when it goes septic.

What kind of world do we live in where an official medical policy just amounts to "we will only help you if you're dying".

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

🙏

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

Pardon the typos, voice texting is the bane of my existence lmao

A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

If her GoFundMe could get shared as far and why it is possible, I would greatly appreciate it. Her husband works for the US government, which as we know is collapsing so he is not getting an income right now.

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

In addition to racking up almost $90,000 worth of debt, the hospital she's staying at would not perform a surgery to remove an abscess/fistula unless they paid an upfront fee. The hospital then ghosted them about what this fee was until they canceled her surgery. She is not doing well.

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

Thanks for another fun week! I would like to use my spotlight this week to draw attention to a friend in need instead. A beloved member of my writing community on discord has been suffering from Crohn's disease in a catastrophic way this year. 🧵

Donate to Making up lost wages after a string of hospitalizations..., organized by Nathan Sprayberry

Hi, I'm Nathan and I'm fundraising because Amanda, the love o… Nathan Sprayberry needs your support for Making up lost wages after a string of hospitalizations...

www.gofundme.com

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

#HorrorWritersChat

I think I lean towards desperation. The supernatural plays a role, but the concept of doing everything you can and STILL not getting out of it always has the most tension.

Eryn McCee @erynmccee.bsky.social · 3h

Q4.
Do hang around for the outro, in around 10 minutes.

Which is the easier route? Or the more satisfying?

#HorrorWritersChat

Q4
In your stories: is desperation scarier than the supernatural?

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

"Everyone deserves compassion and grace"

"Yes"

"Except for me :)"

"nO-"

A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

#HorrorWritersChat

I write popcorn horror, mostly. I'm looking to entertain and spook everyone that may enjoy my brand of weird. Sometimes my characters are well off because it's nice to live vicariously, lol. Other times it's more close to home. It depends on what I need for the story :B

Eryn McCee @erynmccee.bsky.social · 3h

#HorrorWritersChat Q3.

Who do you scare? As a writer, it's our chance to bite back, perhaps.

Q3
Do you write horror that scares the poor, the wealthy or everyone equally?

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

My generation (millennial) was raised on that mantra lol. Don't complain, someone has it worse. Don't brag, it's stuck-up. Now we're all bottling everything up and don't think we're good at things. 🤣

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

I do, thankfully. My support group is fantastic. And also in the same boat lol. We're kinda there for each other all at once

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

#HorrorWritersChat

Hmmmm.

I'm not sure it does. I actually don't think a lot about theme when I write. I'm a pantser lol. There's definitely deprivation/scarcity of safety for all of my poor characters. They usually survive.

Usually.

Eryn McCee @erynmccee.bsky.social · 3h

Q2. So many of you are diving in courageously. I salute you. Don't worry, now we go more abstract.
#HorrorWritersChat

Q2
How does scarcity or deprivation shape the worlds you build in your stories?

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 3h

#HorrorWritersChat

Heya pals, it's Michelle Heller from The Swamp! I write mostly comedy horror but that's just by chance. I love all horror.
I am one bad day away from having nothing and it's wearing on me, friends. I feel guilty about feeling bad because so many have it worse. So I just carry on.

Eryn McCee @erynmccee.bsky.social · 4h

Oh right then here we go, if it glitches I'll wait till it's back up then fire the next.
Can't say fairer than that. Hi #HorrorWritersChat, let's talk riches. Or poverty. Moral or cash, I don't mind which.
Horror is one of the more egalitarian genres I think. More room for poor...

No links please.

Question One
Assemble, horror bods!
Tell me what kind of horror you write, and how poor are you - financially or morally? You choose....

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 21h

I ADORE this movie

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A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 22h

They pumpkin spicing the dongs now

Quest 64 Official @quest64official.bsky.social · 1d

A Local Cryptid @michelleheller.bsky.social · 1d

ULTIMATE FORT

Reposted by A Local Cryptid

wargen @funeralpig.bsky.social · 1d

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. One for practice and the other one is the "main" grave.

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