Down in the boneyard ten feet deep...

Shirley Jackson is rightly considered one of the greatest exponents of the short story/novel - her work, especially those stories concerned with the occult and paranormal, have exerted an influence far and wide - it is often cited by both Stephen King and Neil Gaiman (among others) as a major inspiration. 'We have always lived in the castle,' her last novel, contains one of the most mesmerising characters - Merricat Blackwood - in recent American fiction. Jackson, and the stories she penned, was quite unique. Initiates to her work should begin with her most celebrated story, 'The Lottery,' which can be readily downloaded from a number of free sites. classicshorts.com