Hello all! I’m Kosoko Jackson. You might know me from some young adult novels I’ve published, most recently The Forest Demands Its Due, or from some of my romantic comedies. But I’m so excited today to talk about my new novel, The Macabre, which comes out September 9th.
The Macabre is a dark fantasy horror novel that follows Lewis Dixon, a down-on-his-luck painter who is invited by the British Museum to show his art in a gallery about former British colonies. But, to his surprise, when he gets there, he’s actually there because of his connection to a painter from the 1800s who created ten cursed paintings, and the British Museum needs his help tracking them down around the world.
The Macabre is a story about art, colonialism, artists, history, and who gets to write it, all wrapped up in a globe-trotting, spooky adventure. Obviously, art is a BIG part of the novel, so I wanted to share seven paintings that not only inspired the book but also creep me out!
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Francisco de Goya, Saturn Devouring His Son
I love creepy things, and (spoiler) cannibalism is one of my favorite horror tropes for many reasons. The painting has such strong historical context that it fits perfectly in the novel, which blends history and art beautifully.
When I first started researching The Macabre, I debated including some cannibalism elements. They didn’t make it through edits, but there is a painting in the book that hints at this one. If you read it and spot the reference, email me!
Ken Currie, Morbid Face
I stared at Morbid Face for about an hour when I first saw it. It’s so haunting and creepy and reminds me of Pinhead and other classic horror villains. But there’s also something so longing and real about it, like loneliness that makes me feel isolated, and I really love that feeling.
The stark contrast of black and white is brilliant and evokes such a powerful response. If I weren’t so scared of it, I’d want a copy in my apartment.
Francis Bacon, Study After Velázquez’s Portrait of Innocent X
I hate this painting. But at the same time, I love it. When I look at it, it feels like static in my mind, and I’m reminded of the Psycho shower scene. I’m not sure why, but that music plays in my head. It feels like blood is dripping down the painting.
It’s haunting, like a moment we aren’t supposed to see, and yet here we are, looking at it. There’s also something disjointed about it that makes me curious, but also like if I stare too long, something terrible will happen.
Edvard Munch, The Scream
This feels like a bit of a cop-out because who doesn’t love The Scream? But when I was first imagining this book, this was the painting that came to mind. It’s the classic image that invokes raw feeling.
There’s a direct reference to The Scream in the novel, a bit of an homage to how this project started. It was also my introduction to art history back in high school, so I like to think that without The Scream, this book wouldn’t exist.
Salvador Dalí, The Face of War
For a while, when plotting the book, I wanted to explore some weirder paintings, ones that leaned more into surrealism. Dalí, of course, came to mind. The Face of War reminds me of the terrifying short story I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream, which I think about at least once a month.
There’s no one-to-one reference to this painting in the book, but it holds a strong place in my heart because of how haunting it is and how it pushes the boundaries of art, a central theme in The Macabre.
Henry Fuseli, The Nightmare (The Dream)
As someone who suffers from sleep paralysis, something I experienced often while writing this book because of the stress, this painting haunts me. It’s not as overtly creepy as the others, but it does something I love: it makes fear personal.
A lot of people can relate to sleep paralysis, and this image puts a face to that terror. Shouldn’t art put a face to what scares us? That’s exactly what this painting does. It also makes me wonder: when I have sleep paralysis, is this little creature sitting on my chest?
Pieter Bruegel the Elder, The Triumph of Death
I think a lot about war, death, and the legacy we leave behind. Part of that comes from my love of history; another part is growing up in a country that has always been at war for as long as I’ve been alive. I also reflect often on how war, whether physical, cultural, or psychological, shapes who gets to write history. This piece, though a literal representation of war, triggered all these thoughts at once, in an all-consuming way that forced me to confront my mortality in a way I DID NOT LIKE.
Okay, those are my seven! What are yours? I hope these inspire you to pick up The Macabre during launch week and reflect on the role art plays in your life. Art is essential to how we see the world, connect with one another, and shape the legacy we leave behind.
If you’re an artist yourself, I hope you check out this book, because, in my mind, it explores what it means to be an artist, the expectations we place on ourselves, and the ones society puts on us. And how totally wild those expectations can be, and how they can change your art for better or worse.
Happy reading! And don’t let a sleep paralysis demon sit on your chest.
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