Why I'm Watching: on Horror and its heroines, by K. DeCristofaro

Poetry, chapbook, 28 pages, from Bottlecap Features.

Why I’m Watching is a collection of reflections on the cinematic genre of Horror, and the women it’s filled with. Whether they are brewing potions, going down to the basement, or brandishing a shining weapon, the women in this chapbook are ones every Horror fan will recognize. K. DeCristofaro is fascinated and enamored by Horror movies and their vast and varied depictions of femininity, and this project began with a single question: why she’s watching.

When K. DeCristofaro looked around her Horror movie club one day, and saw a room full of women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, it inspired a curiosity in her about what draws us to this genre. In a world that sometimes seems so full of fear and darkness, why do we gather to enjoy more of it? This chapbook answers that question with resounding admiration for the craft and its characters, exploring the many lessons, journeys, and moments of beauty found within. In discussion with the films she so admires, through her poetry K. DeCristofaro also explores critiques and drawbacks of their stories, and the ways the world of Horror, and the world in general, has failed its heroines and the real women they represent.

Filled with references and homages to slashers, the paranormal, and creature features alike, each poem also explores themes of self-discovery, queerness, grief, hope, and the constant joys and battles of womanhood that come through loud and clear - no Horror experience required. K. DeCristofaro’s writing is expressive, heartfelt, and accessible, and she paints pictures as vivid and romantic as the blood effects of the 1980’s.

K. DeCristofaro is a poet and multidisciplinary artist living in Boston, Massachusetts with her cat, dog, and partner. She is a hobbyist green witch, an herbal tea devotee, a horror film enthusiast, and a joyfully bisexual force of nature. Her work can be found in publication by Beyond Queer Words, Nightshade Publishing, Messy Misfits Club magazine, and on Instagram at @herbalteapoetry.