Corkers: Blood & Wine
The fourth in the sell-out Corkers series takes a step down a darkling path…
£30 – The Everyman Playhouse, Liverpool
Trev Fleming is an accomplished storyteller, who will beguile the audience with dark tales plucked from the dusty shelves of folklore and history. Joing him will be Dr Alex Carabine, the Gothic Academic with a Dark Aesthetic.
Throughout this dark night of the soul, we will be pairing delicious red varietals with these ancient and horrific stories, curated by the inestimable R&H Fine Wines.
Each eerie story will be paired with a carefully curated red wine, and Dr Carabine will lend her scholarly insight to the tastings. Her arcane knowledge will delve into the archives to unearth ghastly tales of the undead, blood drinkers and the macabre.
All for your delectation.
Not for the faint of heart, Corkers: Blood and Wine will chill your bones and tear your soul… Cheeseboards optional.
Please note: this is a live, in person event! But don’t worry, Trev and I are currently trying to figure out if we can stream it live and sell tickets to an online version of the event. Keep checking back!
The Haunting of Hill House Book Club
Come to Hill House, bring your tea in a cup of stars and pit your wits against the ghosts.
£25 – two hour session online
‘No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; […] Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within’.
Four seekers journey to Hill House on a quest to understand the strange phenomena that occur within its walls. An occult scholar, a glamorous psychic, a cunning card sharp and a fragile young woman intend to pit their wits against the haunting.
Join them by joining Dr Alex Carabine, a scholar of Gothic literature, who, honestly, has no parallels with Dr Montague, I swear this is totally safe, it’s just a book club, no one will be seduced by the shadows of Hill House, cross my heart.
Except, obviously, you will. Because Shirley Jackson’s novel is an exquisite Gothic ghost story in which vulnerability is echoed by the spectral unreality within Hill House, and family trauma infects its walls like a spore.
You will not leave Hill House unchanged. You will finish the book club with a deeper appreciation of this excellent novel. Why? Because:
There will be a half hour lecture on the female Gothic and Shirley Jackson’s additions to and subversions of the genre.
You will receive a prep document with some useful context, a bit of author biography and a carefully curated selection of questions to muse over in advance. Which will inspire…
A university-style seminar discussion of the book, led by me, Dr Alex Carabine, a Gothic literature scholar. I have taught The Haunting of Hill House on degree courses for four years and have ample experience supporting readers to explore the nuances of this strange and subtle text.
Sunday 30th November
Buy Your Ticket
4-6pm (UK Time)
£25, Zoom
PREVIOUS EVENTS
Frankenstein Book Club
A lecture, a university-style seminar, and a monster. And that’s just Alex.
£25 – two hour session, online.
Mythology, science and monstrosity. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a Gothic classic that is also considered the first Science Fiction novel. It grapples with religion and responsibility, love and solitude, violence and longing. Many film versions of the novel silence the creature, leaving him muttering inarticulately. But in the book, he is eloquent and educated, and through him Shelley engages with the Romantic philosophies of her day.
This book club is run by Dr Alex Carabine, a scholar of Gothic literature who has taught Frankenstein to university students for four years. Come along to enjoy:
🕯️ A half hour lecture on the Romantic Gothic and the influences of Milton’s Paradise Lost on the narrative
💀 A university-style seminar discussion (we’re past “the scientist is the monster”, yes? Let’s go DEEPER
🪦 And a chance to talk to other Gothic fans about this dark and amazing book
Read the novel before the new del Toro film is released in cinemas and annoy wow your friends with comparisons between the two! Preferably in the cinema, preferably during an atmospheric moment.
“Well actually, in the book..!”
I jest. But you can, if you want.
(I will.)
You’ll receive a Zoom link and a prep pack of discussion questions before the book club meeting.
Please note, there are multiple editions of Frankenstein. The 1818 text of Frankenstein is the original version of the novel. A significantly revised edition was published in 1831, with a new introduction by Mary Shelley. The 1818 is the preferred edition, BUT whatever copy you have to hand is perfectly fine. Most modern editions use both together and note differences in the footnotes. Read whichever one you can find, just don’t panic if during the lecture/discussion people refer to slightly different scenes or quotations. It’s all fine.
Sunday 5th October 2025
Event Has Ended
4-6pm UK Time
£25, Zoom
Writing the Horrors: She-Wolf
£20 – two hour session, online.
Writing the Horrors is a two-hour creative writing workshop where we’ll read, discuss, and write Gothic fiction together.
Gothic literature is full of isolation and fear – but writing it doesn’t have to be.
Picture a werewolf. Perhaps you imagine a man ripping open his shirt beneath the full moon, his body transforming into an animal. And that’s a natural visual, we even have a word for him: the Wolfman. The she-wolf, however, is a rarer creature. In this Writing the Horrors workshop, we will study the first ever female werewolf to appear in English literature. We’ll consider her identity as both a woman and a wolf. We will examine the multiple ways she’s monstrous, not limited to her physical transformations.
Join me, Dr. Alex Carabine (PhD, Gothic Literature), for a creative writing workshop that plunges into the eerie world of dark fiction. Drawing on my expertise as a Gothic scholar, as well as my years of university teaching, I’ve designed a workshop that blends literary analysis with creative exploration.
The workshop will begin with a fifteen-to-twenty-minute talk where I explain the history of the lycanthrope, and why Frederick Marryat’s The White Wolf of the Hartz Mountains is deeply subversive in its creation of a female werewolf. I’ll explain the historical context of the era, and how she-wolves have developed since. Then, we’ll move into a relaxed, seminar-style discussion. I’ll guide the conversation and share some questions in advance—so you’ll never feel unprepared!
In the second hour, we’ll write. Building on the themes and techniques we’ve explored, I’ll provide a carefully crafted writing prompt to inspire your own Gothic short story. You’ll have time to write during the session, and — if you’d like — share your work. This will give you the chance to give and receive feedback in a friendly, supportive space.
My workshops are welcoming, accessible events that are open to everyone—no degree or writing experience required. All you need is curiosity, imagination, and a willingness to explore the darker corners of fiction.
Spaces are limited, so make sure you book in advance! Once you have booked your ticket, you will receive a document with our seminar discussion questions, the Zoom meeting link, and instructions for how to access the short story.
Come along, and together we’ll study the Gothic to write the Horrors!
Sunday 19th October 2025
Event Has Ended
4-6pm UK Time
£20, Zoom
Writing the Horrors
The Uncanny
Writing the Horrors is a two-hour creative writing workshop where we’ll read, discuss, and write Gothic fiction together.
£20 – two hour session, online.
Gothic literature is full of isolation – but writing it doesn’t have to be.
A childish nightmare, a strange figure in the night. A woman whose silence is both eerie and beautiful…
Enter the dark tale of E.T.A Hoffman, whose story ‘The Sandman’ so disturbed Sigmund Freud that the psychologist created the concept of The Uncanny.
The Uncanny, wrote Freud, ‘undoubtedly belongs to all that is terrible — to all that arouses dread and creeping horror; … One is
curious to know what this peculiar quality is which allows
us to distinguish as “uncanny” certain things within the
boundaries of what is “fearful.”’ – Sigmund Freud, The Uncanny.
Join, me, Dr. Alex Carabine (PhD, Gothic Literature), for a creative writing workshop that plunges into the creepy, odd world of the original uncanny. We’ll explore how E.T.A. Hoffman creates a narrative full of nightmares, obsession and despair.
Drawing on my expertise as a Gothic literature scholar, as well as my years of university teaching, I’ve designed a workshop that blends literary analysis with creative exploration.
In the first hour, we’ll focus on the short story by Hoffman (available online). I’ll begin with a brief talk explaining the Gothic genre and Hoffman’s place within it. Then we’ll move into a relaxed, seminar-style discussion. I’ll guide the conversation and share some questions in advance—so you’ll never feel unprepared!
Together, we’ll explore how the story works: what drives the characters, which Gothic tropes appear (or are subverted), and how the tale fits into the broader tradition. I’ll share insights into the history of the Gothic and how this unsettling story can speak to deeper truths.
In the second hour, we’ll write. Building on the themes and techniques we’ve explored, I’ll provide a carefully crafted writing prompt to inspire your own Gothic short story. You’ll have time to write during the session, and — if you’d like — share your work. This will give you the chance to give and receive feedback in a friendly, supportive space.
This is a welcoming and accessible event that’s open to everyone—no degree or writing experience required. All you need is curiosity, imagination, and a willingness to explore the darker corners of fiction.
Spaces are limited, so make sure you book in advance! Once you have booked your ticket, you will receive a document with our seminar discussion questions, the Zoom meeting link, and instructions for how to access the short story for free online (if you can’t source your own copy).
Please note: The Sandman is longer than an average short story, so do give yourself plenty of time to read it before our seminar.
Join me, and let’s read the Gothic to write the horrors. I can’t wait to meet you and hear your story!
Saturday 19th July 2025, 4-6pm UK Time
Writing the Horrors
Horrors in Progress
£10 – two hour creative writing support group.
Gothic literature is full of isolation – but writing it doesn’t have to be.
Are you a writer of Gothic or horror fiction? Are you looking for a supportive community of like-minded authors to give you feedback on your work?
Horrors in Progress is a creative writing support workshop where you can share your work in progress with a group comprised of your target audience, led by a world expert in Gothic literature.
What to expect:
- Bring 800 words of a piece of writing. You will read this aloud to the group. I know! Scary! But I promise everyone in the room will be rooting for you.
- The group will then offer you feedback on your writing. You get to set the level of critique you would like to receive. For example, you could be needing inspiration for what comes next if you’re blocked, or you might want people to pick apart your prose. It’s up to you! I will ensure that criticism is always constructive, so you leave the session knowing how to approach any issues that have been raised.
- Everyone will get the chance to read something and receive feedback. You are encouraged to give feedback – provided it’s supportive!
Finally: please don’t bring potentially triggering material (SA, child abuse, etc.). We deal with the horrors as Gothic authors and it’s not my intention to censor you. However, I have to protect the mental health of the other writers in the group. Any questions, please contact me!
Details:
12th July 2025
4-6pm UK time
£10, via Zoom
Spaces are limited!
About me:
I am Dr Alex Carabine, and I will be your host for the workshop. I hold a PhD in Gothic literature, so I have over a decade of experience in literary analysis plus world class expertise in the genre. I have also published short fiction and academic essays, and have also worked as a developmental editor for an open access publisher.
Sunday 12th July 2025, 4pm UK Time
Lucy Westenra Must Die
Queer Vampires and Monstrous Women in Dracula
£5 – one hour lecture, online.
Why was Lucy Westenra so dangerous that Bram Stoker had to kill her twice?
Her death is the most brutal in Dracula: staked, beheaded, and her mouth stuffed with garlic. But what made this teenage girl so subversive, so monstrous, that she demanded such savage destruction? Was it her beauty, her desires, or something more transgressive?
Join Dr Alex Carabine — the academic with a dark aesthetic — for a fun and incisive online lecture exploring Dracula, queer vampirism, and monstrous women. We’ll investigate Victorian anxieties and find out why Lucy’s brutal double-death still resonates with audiences today.
Date: Saturday 14th June 2025, 5pm (GMT)
Location: Online via Zoom
Tickets: £5
Duration: 45-minute talk + 15-minute Q&A (1 hour in total)
Alex holds a PhD in Gothic literature. She is the author of ”Old Knights of the Cross, Up to Date with a Vengeance’: Dracula as Unholy Grail Quest’, which was published in the International Gothic Association Journal earlier this year.
Sunday 6th July 2025, 5pm UK Time
Writing the Horrors: Darkly Ever After
Writing the Horrors is a two-hour creative writing workshop where we’ll read, discuss, and write Gothic fiction together.
£20 – two hour session, online.
Darkly Ever After
A dark forest. The bite of an apple. A coffin made of glass.
Enter the vampiric fairy tale of Tanith Lee—where the victim is the villain, and the witch must fight to survive. Snow White is a story brimming with vampire symbolism, but what was Tanith Lee saying when she rewrote the fairy tale in blood and shadows?
Join, me, Dr. Alex Carabine (PhD, Gothic Literature), for a creative writing workshop that plunges into the decadent, uncanny world of the Gothic fairy tale. Explore themes of transformation, power, and the monstrous feminine through close readings, guided writing exercises, and atmospheric inspiration drawn from Lee’s blood-soaked narratives. We’ll study the rich, eerie affinities between fairy tales and the Gothic. Together, we’ll examine how death and beauty blur in Lee’s world. Then, we’ll write our own Gothic tales of terror – and live darkly ever after.
Drawing on my expertise as a Gothic literature scholar, as well as my years of university teaching, I’ve designed a workshop that blends literary analysis with creative exploration.
In the first hour, we’ll focus on the short story by Tanith Lee (available online). I’ll begin with a brief talk explaining the Gothic genre and its affinities with fairy tales, as well as Lee’s engagement with both. Then we’ll move into a relaxed, seminar-style discussion. I’ll guide the conversation and share some questions in advance—so you’ll never feel unprepared!
Together, we’ll explore how the story works: what drives the characters, which Gothic tropes appear (or are subverted), and how the tale fits into the broader tradition. I’ll share insights into the history of the Gothic and how these eerie stories can speak to deeper truths.
In the second hour, we’ll write. Building on the themes and techniques we’ve explored, I’ll provide a carefully crafted writing prompt to inspire your own Gothic short story. You’ll have time to write during the session, and — if you’d like — share your work. This will give you the chance to give and receive feedback in a friendly, supportive space.
This is a welcoming and accessible event that’s open to everyone—no degree or writing experience required. All you need is curiosity, imagination, and a willingness to explore the darker corners of fiction.
My workshops are perfect for lovers of dark fantasy, folklore, and feminist horror.
Spaces are limited, so make sure you book in advance! Once you have booked your ticket, you will receive a document with our seminar discussion questions, the Zoom meeting link, and instructions for how to access the short story for free online (if you can’t source your own copy).
Join me, and let’s read the Gothic to write the horrors. I can’t wait to meet you and hear your story!
Saturday 28th June 2025, 4-6pm UK Time
Dracula Sucks
Online Book Club Seminar Series
£100 – four week course, online.
Do you love vampires? Have you tried to read Dracula but found it unspeakably dull? It doesn’t have to be this way! Join me for a lighthearted book-club style seminar series where I will show you how to love the book that started it all.
Read Dracula with a Gothic expert.
Welcome to Dracula Sucks: The Bram Stoker Support Group!
Are you a fan of all things vampiric? Did you try to read Dracula and find it – well, a little dull compared to the Coppola film? You’re in luck! Join me, Dr Alex Carabine, for an online gathering where we read the book together and celebrate Bram Stoker and his iconic creation, Dracula.
I understand the disappointment of reading Dracula for the first time, because I felt it too. However, I have since come to love the book and want to share its fascinating history with you.
Over four seminars, I will draw on academic expertise, literary analysis, and vampire mythology to explore this pioneering and genre-defining novel.
The book will be split into four sections, so over the course of one month we will read one quarter of the novel each week and then meet to discuss what we have read. Each session lasts an hour and a half and will begin with a 20-30 minute lecture (given by me).
During this talk I will share my enthusiasm for the book by telling you what makes the section we have just read amazing. My lecture will be followed by a Q&A where you can ask me any questions, followed by a discussion of what we have read and learned thus far.
Each week, I will supply university-style questions ahead of the session to inspire the club’s readers, as well as excerpts from Dracula scholarship. How deeply you engage with this material is up to you!
So whether you’re a die-hard fan or just looking to sink your teeth into something new, this support group is the place for you. Share your favourite Dracula moments, discuss vampire lore, and connect with fellow enthusiasts from the comfort of your own coffin… I mean, couch.
Dracula sucks – but reading the book doesn’t have to!
Spaces are limited to 15 people so attendees get all the benefits of a small university-style class where their insights are valued and they are treated as individuals. By the end of the four weeks, you will have a deeper understanding of the Gothic mode, a richer appreciation for vampires and, hopefully, some new friends. All this – and no essays!
“Welcome to my house! Enter freely. Go safely, and leave something of the happiness you bring.” – Dracula.
WRITING THE HORRORS
The Sinister Worlds of Shirley Jackson
£20 – two hour session, online.
What is Gothic literature? How can we create dark atmospheres and complex characters without falling into stereotype and cliché? How does Shirley Jackson make the mundane so sinister? Join me to answer these questions and write a creepy short story of your very own.
Write Gothic Literature with a Gothic Scholar.
Writing the Horrors is a two-hour creative writing workshop where we’ll read, discuss, and write Gothic fiction together.
Drawing on my expertise as a Gothic literature scholar, as well as my years of university teaching, I’ve designed a workshop that blends literary analysis with creative exploration.
In the first hour, we’ll focus on a short story by Shirley Jackson (available online). I’ll begin with a brief talk introducing the Gothic genre and Jackson’s place within it. Then we’ll move into a relaxed, seminar-style discussion. I’ll guide the conversation and share some questions in advance—so you’ll never feel unprepared!
Together, we’ll explore how the story works: what drives the characters, which Gothic tropes appear (or are subverted), and how the tale fits into the broader tradition. I’ll share insights into the history of the Gothic and how these eerie stories can speak to deeper truths.
In the second hour, we’ll write. Building on the themes and techniques we’ve explored, I’ll provide a carefully crafted writing prompt to inspire your own Gothic short story. You’ll have time to write during the session, and — if you’d like — share your work. This will give you the chance to give and receive feedback in a friendly, supportive space.
This is a welcoming and accessible event that’s open to everyone—no degree or writing experience required. All you need is curiosity, imagination, and a willingness to explore the darker corners of fiction.
The Gothic tells what the world tries to hide. Speak the unspeakable: write the horrors.
Spaces are limited, so make sure you book in advance! Within 24 hours of booking your ticket, you will receive:
- an email with the Zoom meeting link,
- instructions to access the short story,
- a document of seminar discussion questions
Can’t wait to meet you and hear your story!
Saturday 31st May 2025, 4-6pm GMT
Online Coffeeshop
Poetry Support Group
£30 – full course, online.
NaPoWriMo, or National Poetry Writing Month, is an annual project in which participating poets attempt to write a poem a day for the month of April.
Write poetry with a scholar of literature.
The Online Coffeeshop is a poetry writing support group in honour of NaPoWriMo! We will meet online for a daily half hour community writing session. I will read a poem (or excerpt of a long poem) at the beginning of each meeting, giving some literary analysis of its form, history, themes and imagery. The rest of the session will be dedicated time for coffee, contemplation and writing our own daily poem (hopefully inspired by what we have read that day). Attendees will be invited to talk to me, or each other, for insight and inspiration.
Each week you will receive an ‘anthology’ of the poems I will be using, so you can read them in your own time (if you wish!). These anthologies will lead us across four influential eras of poetry in English. There will be no sessions on Saturdays and Sundays, but I will send out an email including my analysis of the daily poem (found in your weekly anthology) and some inspirational prompts for your own writing.
Please note: I will be picking out the most interesting and most fun poems, and making them as diverse as possible.
Week One: Ballad poetry.
Week Two: Romantic poetry.
Week Three: Victorian poetry.
Week Four: Modern poetry.
All you need is a cup of coffee (or tea) and something to write with. By the end of April, you will have a deeper understanding of the poetic tradition, plus your own poetry collection!
Literature Unlocked 