Story intended to elicit a strong feeling of fear.
Such tales are of ancient origin and form a substantial part of folk literature. They may feature supernatural elements such as ghost s, witches, or gothic novel . Classic practitioners of the horror and gothic genres include {{link=Walpole, Horace, 4th earl of Orford">Horace Walpole , Mary Shelley , E.T.A. Hoffmann , Edgar Allan Poe , Sheridan Le Fanu (1814–73), Wilkie Collins , Bram Stoker , Ambrose Bierce , and Stephen King .