Bring On the Holidays

You may have noticed over the past several weeks that I've really been getting into the Halloween spirit here on the blog. Since the beginning of September, my weekly book recommendations have centered around the spooky, the creepy and the suspenseful, and for the month of October all of my Five Sentence Fiction Friday posts have a darker twist to them. Why? Well, last year I swore off the holidays. I was so sick of all the holiday mayhem (Christmas in particular, but the rest as well) that I decided to take a year off. I did the minimal requirements for each and it felt so good to just give it a rest for a year. I really needed the break.

Now, I'm feeling refreshed. I'm ready to take on the holidays again, but in my own style. I'm embracing the parts I love while leaving out the activities I just don't feel up to. Take Halloween for example. I probably won't get dressed up or decorate the yard this year. But I'm reading a giant stack of spooktacular books to get in the spirit, and having weekly get togethers with friends to watch classic horror. I'm going to carve a pumpkin and roast pumpkin seeds and hand out candy to trick or treaters. And so far, I'm having a blast.

So, if you're starting to get a little sick of all the Halloween spirit hanging around here, I apologize. And don't worry, I'll keep most of my Christmas spirit off the blog. That's one of those holidays that can be a little too... everywhere. I plan on enjoying Christmas this year, but I won't be cramming it down anyone's throat. In the mean time, Happy Halloween!

Monday Book Review - We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Welcome to Monday and this week's book recommendation!

WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE by Shirley Jackson

 

Mary Katherine Blackwood lives at Blackwood Manor with her sister Constance and her Uncle Julian. The rest of her family is dead. The villagers have always hated the Blackwoods, but more so since the bad thing happened. And when a new visitor shows up at Blackwood Manor, everything will come to light.

Deliciously creepy and unexpected, this was another perfect read for the Halloween season. I especially loved the character of Mary Katherine, also known as Merricat, with her strange rituals, her devotion to her sister, and the tickling sensation I had while reading it that she knew more than she was letting on. The whole story is deviously clever, well written and perfectly dark.

If you're looking for a creepy Halloween read, you've found it.

The Horror!

Well, it's officially October and that means the Halloween season has begun. As you already know, I'm reviewing scary, spooky, creepy books until the end of October for Book Review Mondays, but I'd like to take it one step further. To help us get in the spirit, every week my girlfriends and I have decided to get together and watch classic horror movies. These are a few of the titles that we're thinking of. Maybe there's something here that will get you in the spirit as well.

 

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho

 

King Kong

 

Dracula

 

Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds

And of course...

 

The Nightmare Before Christmas

What about you? How do you like to get in the Halloween spirit? Are you doing anything fun/different/special for Halloween this year? Do you have any classic horror movies you love to watch around Halloween? (God knows, I only offered a small sampling!)

Looking for Something Spooky

Fall is here, with its bursts of reds and yellows and the delicious crunch of leaves underfoot. The whole world seems golden, and even though the crispness in the air signals the coming winter, I'm happy. Summer's been good to me this year (aside from the plagues) and I've decided to let it leave gracefully. I'm going to look at the bright side of things. Starting with my one of my favourite holidays: Halloween.

I know, I know, it's much too soon to start mentioning Halloween, and I'm not, really. But I am thinking ahead to October, and I've decided to throw a few macabre tales into the mix with my reading schedule. What better way to get into the mood for fall than with something spooky? I also plan to start baking a lot, now that the temperature in my house won't be a sweaty 27 degrees Celsius, but that's a lot less healthy for my waistline, whereas a good book is always good for you.

So, this is the part where I ask for your help. What's your favourite spooky, horror, mystery, thriller, etc? Do you have any suggestions that help put me (and anyone else reading this) in the mood for fall? I'll be sharing all my spectacular finds throughout October, so don't worry if you're having trouble finding something. (You can start with last Monday's book recommendation, Doll Bones.) Together, we will brave the fall and embrace all the good it can give us.

A Treasure Trove of Procrastination

One of the things I love most about Twitter and Facebook are the links people post to various articles and news items. They spark debates, make me laugh and fill countless hours I would have otherwise spent writing or cleaning my house. That's right. I particularly love them for procrastination. Which is what I'm doing right now.

I'm behind on my submissions, so naturally I decided to peruse the internet before getting started. You know, just to get my brain going. And what delightful, tantalizing items have I found? Well, first of all, it appears the publishing world just got a little sexier. It seems that Johnny Depp is starting a book imprint. Yes, the Captain of Quirky is dipping his toe into the world of publishing. I know I wouldn't mind if he was my publisher. Personally, I'd love the chance to pick his brain. If you'd like to read the article, just click here.

And what else did I find? Well, a visit to the internet just isn't complete without a visit to Writer's Digest. With Halloween coming up fast, you might be interested in reading their article, Top 5 Books for Halloween, And What They Can Teach You About Writing. I kind of wish I'd done my own reading list for Halloween this year. It would have been nice to burrow into some horror and get in the spirit. But time is not yet up, so if you'd like to find a creepy read, just check out the article.

I know what you're thinking. Do I realize I'm just instigating more procrastination from all of you? Yes. Yes I do. Misery loves company and so does procrastination. If I'm not going to get anything done, than neither are you! Enjoy!

(Evil laughter)