Friday, August 07, 2009

The Next Big Mash-up

Perhaps it will soon be a truth universally acknowledged that a writer in possession of a good public domain novel that can be populated with things that go bump in the night will not be in want of a publisher.

According to this post over at Wake the Dead Podcast, the success of mixing zombies with Austen may result in a new sub-trend of classic literature ~ paranormal/horror mash-ups. We can look forward to at least one: Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters.

Uh-huh. And that faint spinning sound you hear in the background is probably Jane doing 1000 rpms in her grave.

I wonder how many more classic lit reads will end up being repopulated with monsters and mayhem:

Around the World in 80 Nights
Beneath the Shores of Silver Lake
Far from the Maddening Zombie Crowd
Ivanhorror
Jane Eerie
Les Monstre Miserables
Little Undead Women
Moby Demon
The Blood-Scarlet Letter
The Count Dracula of Monte Cristo
The Great Ghost Gatsby
Uncle Tom's Cabin of Doom
Vanity Were


I hate to admit it, but I kind of like the idea of Little Undead Women. Jo and her sisters would have made interesting vampires. Hey, Beth could get staked! Okay, I know, shut up.

What about you guys? Any classics you can imagine as the next big mash-up? List your potential titles in comments.

25 comments:

  1. The Grave Gatsby. : ) My brain isn't functioning enough to elaborate. I'm surprised I came up with that much tonight.

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  2. Oh, I love "Ivanhorror"! :)

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  3. Potential title?

    "For Whom the Elves Troll".

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  4. Caroline1:41 AM

    I already saw a listing yesterday on Publishers Marketplace for Mansfield Park and Mummies.

    No, this is not a joke. I am dead serious.

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  5. Anonymous2:29 AM

    I hate you.

    *gets out shotguns for the damn plot bunnies*

    :p

    Word Verification: Waveses (and waveses of plot bunnies, yes, precious...)

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  6. I'm pretty fond of Moby Demon myself. That one would be serious fun.

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  7. "Far from the Maddening Zombie Crowd"

    I'd read this one ;)

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  8. Anonymous6:50 AM

    I would love to see a cover of Little Undead Women! Maybe a vintage picture of the girls with teeny tiny fangs and a little bit of blood?
    This post tickled me this am. Thanks Lynn!

    I am expecting Crystal Healer in the mail this week for review! Can't wait to dive in!

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  9. Huck Finn,Portrait of a Serial Killer
    Of Mice and Wolfmen

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  10. Now you have me thinking of A Farewell to Arms with ghouls and demons.

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  11. Adding any and all sorts of paranormal creatures to Wuthering Heights could only be an improvement!

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  12. This is my ping comment.

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  13. Anonymous8:17 AM

    Okay, I have to participate:

    The Graves of Wrath
    Pride and Vampire Prejudice
    Madame Boo-vary
    Of Elven Bondage
    Tess of Amityville

    Alright, I'll stop. But, I love the concept!
    Tami
    Jacksonville

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  14. Anonymous8:26 AM

    Okay, a few more since my co-workers are now into the game:

    Field of Zombies
    Tom Saw-yer-head-off
    Catch-her and she dies (That is stretching the Catcher in the Rye titale a little bit).

    Take care!
    Tami
    Jacksonville

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  15. Old Man and the Sea Beast?

    Of Mice and Mermen?

    Waiting for Godot and Ghouls?

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  16. I suppose it's one way to get people to read the classics.

    Great Deadpectations.

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  17. LOL

    When PP&Z first came out, my husband had the idea to rewrite 20K Leagues Under the Sea with what he called "merpires" - mermaid vampires. (vampmaids?) Original, no? I'm so proud of him *G*

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  18. The Phantom Tollbooth.

    ....oh, wait a second. :-)

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  19. I love "Jane Eerie".

    Don't forget that Seth Grahame-Smith's next book is going to be "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter." Not a mash-up with classic lit, but with important historical figures at least.

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  20. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Coffin

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  21. Ok, I could totally write A Connecticut Yankee in King' Arthur's Coffin!

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  22. I think you're missing a huge market with the Political Romantic Thriller:

    Little Women Protect and Defend: the Louisa May Alcott/Tim Flynn story about three sisters who must balance their lives as secret service agents as they grow as women.

    And, of course, the Kay Hooper/Tom Clancy novel: Rachel's Hunt for Red October: The cold war tale of a CIA analyst conducting a search for an Iron Curtain spy, while maintaining a forbidden love with her counterpart in the KGB. She will be forced to chose between love or country when it is revealed that her target and lover are one in the same.

    Finally, may I offer the Danielle Steele/David Baldacci novel; Simple Genius Secrets: The love story between the widowed president and his National Security Advisor.

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  23. Wuthering Frights is all I can come up with at this time of night, sorry. Great post.

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  24. Little Undead Women
    Uncle Tom's Cabin of Horrors

    *howling*

    Alices Adventures In ZombieLand!!!
    Through The Zombieglass!
    To Kill a Vampire
    A Tale of Two Zombies
    Vampire Shrugged

    And hey! Porno's have been doing it for years!

    Amie

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  25. Anonymous2:34 AM

    I want to do a reworking of Hamlet, with vampires as The Players.

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