In a chilling personal anecdote, Jackson awoke one morning while writing the book to find a note on her desk that said in her own handwriting. Though she attributed it to sleepwalking, it deeply unnerved her and fueled the psychological intensity of the novel. 4. Real-Life Psychic Researchers
A 2012 film titled House on the Hill is actually based on the horrific real-life murder spree of serial killers Leonard Lake and Charles Ng in the 1980s. House on the Hill
While researching haunted houses, Shirley Jackson found a picture of a California mansion with a "diseased and decaying" air. When she asked her mother about it, she was shocked to learn that her own had built that very house. The house was eventually burned down by townspeople who believed it was cursed. 2. The Winchester Influence In a chilling personal anecdote, Jackson awoke one
Many believe the "impossible" architecture of Hill House—with its doors that won't stay closed and rooms built inside other rooms—was inspired by the Winchester Mystery House . Sarah Winchester built that sprawling estate with staircases leading to nowhere and doors opening to drops, supposedly to confuse the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles. 3. The "Dead Dead" Note Real-Life Psychic Researchers A 2012 film titled House