Fredericton horror writer makes finding his story a Halloween game

Fredericton writer Joshua Paquin is giving people a spooky Halloween game this year and he's even including prizes.

Paquin has written a two-page horror story and hidden it along a walking trail outside Fredericton in the rural community of Hanwell.

He's posted the co-ordinates and a YouTube video on his website, the Dark Opera, instructing people on how to find it.

Paquin wants people to take a hike to find the story, then read it on the spot. The story is inspired by and set in that location, to add an extra spook factor to the trek. The story is hidden in a clearing along the trail. 

"It's one of the few places where it's open," said Paquin.

"It inspired me to write a story of an encounter in that location, what that would be like, especially in a creepy atmosphere."

Paquin wants people to enjoy the fresh air. He said the Fredericton area has great trails and more people should make use of them. 

"If it gets people out there and enjoying the trails, and enjoying horror, to be introduced to a new kind of horror writing, that's great. I love that," said Paquin. 

Information Morning - Fredericton7:54Joshua Paquin - Horror Cache

Philip Drost talks to a Fredericton writer who is inviting people to go on an adventure to find his horror story.

Tracking terror seekers

Paquin has added a prize to help push people to find his story. He put in a Tim Hortons' gift card for the first person to find it and he plans on adding more as people claim the prizes.

"It will be well maintained with prizes," said Paquin. 

He also included a log book so he can track how many people find the story.

This isn't the first time Paquin has hidden his writing. It started out as a game for his friends and last year he expanded it to anyone who wanted to participate.

He doesn't gain financially from his horror hunt, but he does it for the "love of horror."

He said he wants to introduce more people to the horror genre. He feels people get the wrong idea about horror. He wants to give people a thrill and scare, and isn't interested in writing about blood and gore. 

"Sometimes horror, be it because of the more mainstream pieces that are either too gory or what have you, seem almost inaccessible to people," said Paquin. 

"There's such a broad variety of horror, some that's a lot less intense that's entertaining for a much broader audience."