Date of Award
5-18-2026
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Document Type
Other
Abstract
Bitter-Milk Drunk is an autoethnographical manuscript in which I place my craft as a writer in conversation with horror — and the grotesque aesthetic as a whole — through a collection of personal essays and fiction. Each section contains one creative essay on the topic, and one short fiction piece incorporating its themes. The manuscript encompasses how horror and the grotesque have manifested and functioned in my life, how I have internalized it, and how my observations of others have informed the way I read and write within the genre. Bitter-Milk Drunk illustrates the psychological and cultural significance of grotesque literature (horror, grimdark, etc) as influential within the literary scene -- not to be dismissed as “low-brow." Works deemed "horror" can be highly effective forms of pathos in discussions of pressing social issues, and they construct safety railings for audiences to confront their traumas and phobias. Horror is a comfort for those whom perfection rejects, it interrogates our worst and most taboo impulses, and allows us to reclaim our victimhood. Horror is a form of escapism and critique, to the same standard as literary fiction. Bitter-Milk Drunk makes use of horror as a vessel for interpersonal inspection and reflection, and encourages others to do the same. The manuscript is being edited for later publication. The provided video is the May 18th, 2026 presentation on Bitter-Milk Drunk, and two readings from the manuscript.
Recommended Citation
Mei-Lin Backof, Audrey, "Bitter-MIlk Drunk: Knowing Horror Gently, Intimately, Uneasily" (2026). Canterbury Scholars. 20.
https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/canterbury/20
