Mstrust's #5: A Weird and Spooky Place

A Weird and Spooky Place is right, emphasis on "weird".



Your Scary Godmother is back and at it again. Eight years! Hot coffee chug!
Brace yourself, we're in for a whole season of food, seasonal books (hopefully some very scary ones), horror movies, baking competitions, kid's Halloween specials, and maybe a field trip, if you're good. If you're bad, two field trips.

As with previous years, we'll experience all things Autumn and Halloween here, and I expect you to hold up your end of the casket. Here are some ways for you to be involved:


1. Join September's ScaredyKit. I'm hosting and the theme is "Is It All In Your Head?", which means unreliable narrators. Come on, we're only a little crazy.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/343544#unread

2. Tell us what seasonal book or movie you recommend. Keep it brief, but we'd love to hear about it.

3. Take part in the yearly Halloween card exchange. It's fun to get Halloween cards, and I have lots of baby crickets in the backyard that I can throw in your card, free! PM me your address by Oct. 1st.

4. Want to see me really lose my mind? Visit my Substack, Autumn Lives Here, for strange articles, true crime, short stories. All kinds of stuff I don't do here.
https://jennifermorrow.substack.com/

Here's my Scare Scale that I use to weigh the amount of scary in each of my reads. Once again, I'll be implementing a Walking Dead scale. We're down to the last few episodes, but that's what they said a year ago. Anyway.

Scare Scale (tm)

1 Walker: not scary, maybe not meant to be. Could be a cookbook, or just a lame story. Remember that squirrely guy Randall?
2 Walkers: some tension, maybe a scary passage. Like Maggie, you can handle it.
3 Walkers: getting nervous. Eugene would break his neck running away.
4 Walkers: Is your name Rick? Carol or Darryl?


Oh, no. I only have one flashlight, one of those old metal ones that sputter like it's about to go out. Everybody join hands. We have to get to the basement, the place all good things happen. I have the party set up there. You say I didn't tell you that? This place has been boarded up for a while, it's known as the local "haunted house", ha! I'm sure it's fine.

Halloween Reads

1. We Sold Our Souls-4
2. 1922-4
3. Heck: Where The Bad Kids Go- 4
4. Yours Cruelly, Elvira- 3.5
5. The Mansion in the Mist- 3.5
6. Goosebumps Most Wanted: The Haunter-4
7. Goosebumps Most Wanted: Zombie Halloween- 4
8. The Smashed Man of Dread End- 4
The Dunwich Horror
9. Mexican Gothic- 5
10. The Dead Beat- 3.5
11. Spooksville: The Witch's Revenge- 3.5
12. A Very British Murder- 4
13. Tales from the Haunted Mansion III- 5

OK, I'm here, a little anxious, but full of anticipation.
My (maybe not the only) Halloween book is A night in the lonesome October - a chapter a day.

Edit: Touchstone was not working

Hey, Thomas! Glad you're here. Don't let the house scare you. It's five bedrooms, the kitchen is all new and I have a priest coming on Tuesday to exorcise the spirits. Fingers crossed!
You're so brave, being first across the threshold. Here's a gift:

That topper is...uh...TOPS! Zombies, Mickey with his flashlight. I may have to spring for some candy corn.

>5 mstrust: Oh, thank you, I love it - and it comforts me.

Happy new thread, Jennifer!

>6 weird_O: Hiya! I believe it's been determined that Fall has four food groups: pumpkin spice, maple syrup, candy corn and fun-sized anything. A scientific paper was published by Dr. Frankenstein or Frankenfurter, something like that.

>7 SirThomas: I'm glad you like it, I was thinking of the brisk weather to come.

>8 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!



G'head, everybody grab some

Happy new one, Jennifer.

I've never even heard of black nebula carrots until your thread! Where do you find out about these varieties?

Good luck cooling off!

Happy new one! I need to start gathering scary reads!

Trick or treat!

Happy new thread! Been busy with personal things and the start of a new semester at work so I’ve been lurking like a black cat at midnight—the best way to do it. Who needs flashlights when your eyes glow in the dark?

Happy new thread Jennifer!

Happy new one!

>10 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul

>11 pammab: I had never heard of it before browsing Baker Creek seeds website. I have just a couple sprouted now, along with some red carrots, but I sowed more black nebula yesterday. I'm dealing with the heatwave by bringing my squash, beans, choy sum and tomatoes indoors during the afternoon. Yes, it's even too hot for tomatoes. I check the weather app on my phone constantly and see we'll cool down a bit this weekend.

>12 drneutron: Yes! I have a big ol' stack and still went to the library to get some particular wants.

>13 PaperbackPirate: Right back atcha, Nicole!

>14 CassieBash: Nice to see you skulking around, Cassie! I'm sure you'll tap on the window when the time is right.

>15 quondame: Thank you, glad you're here!

>16 figsfromthistle: Thanks, good to see you!

First off the Autumn tbr stack!



1. We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix. In her late 40's, Kris finds herself a shell of her former self. She used to be a rockstar, now she works the desk at a chain hotel. She has so many regrets, a lot of it centered around "contract night", over twenty years ago, when Durt Work's singer, Terry, pushed to make himself the star, but Kris caused the end of both the band and their friendships.
Suddenly overcome with a desire to see her old bandmate Scottie, Kris shows up unannounced and walks into an ongoing situation, that Scottie has locked himself in the basement and unloads a barrage of craziness on Kris. It falls on her shoulders to save the world from the Blind King, but she can't do it alone and she doesn't know who to trust.

Kris isn't a woman the reader feels affection for, she tough and prickly, but she's also determined. The reader roots for her because she is the hero even though she sounds crazy. I read this for the ScaredyKit this month, but reading a Hendrix is always a pleasure.
4 stars
Scare Scale: 2.5. There are monsters and Hendrix is really good at writing scenes of characters in tight, claustrophobic spaces.

The new Autumn Lives Here is up! This volume: the most likely bat you'll meet, The Stand and a list of some bad things you could do on accident, like buy a murder house or fall in quicksand. https://jennifermorrow.substack.com/

>9 mstrust: Now THAT'S scary! My teeth are starting to itch just looking at all that candy corn.

Brach's uses corn syrup and fake butter flavor, making it really heavy. Try to find a candy corn made with honey. I like it much more.

Okay, let's start the season with a really simple Fall dessert- Apple Crumble. Here's a three minute video, no narration, and the recipe is in the description. I eat lots and lots of apples in Autumn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOyPyqRRnik

>21 mstrust: Candy corn made with honey! I didn't know such a thing existed. I have a bag of honeydrop candy open on my desk right now.

Love this thread!!! Happy New One!!

for a couple of years when we were all a bit younger I would read The Halloween Tree by Bradbury to my two younger brothers, a chapter a night in October leading up to Halloween. We'd sit out on the front porch swing in the dark and read it. My youngest brother Jack was born October 27th and he says that reading of Halloween Tree is one reason that Halloween is his favorite holiday today.
Lots of fun memories.

>23 laytonwoman3rd: Yes, it's delicious. I've found it at Sprout's, but I haven't looked this year yet. Hopefully it's the same.
Another candy to try is Werther's Maple Cream Caramel. I like it!

>24 hredwards: Glad you like it!
That's a nice memory to share with your brothers.
My Mike's birthday is Oct. 21st, but he mostly just goes along with my Halloween stuff, not overly interested. But he likes apple cider doughnuts and apple cider.

Hey, did you see that Peter Straub died Sunday? I’m thinking some rereads are in order for Scary Season.

You were the first I heard about it. Sorry to say that I've never read anything from him, and I'm sure I'm missing out. Drop a little review here if you do a re-read.

*******
To anyone who waits for Trader Joe's slew of pumpkin products each year, I hear that tomorrow is the day. Attack!

He's so friendly! Wave back, kids!

You can expect cocktail recipes on my threads, and this one looks really good. It's the Ghostface from Secrets of the Booze.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WM_FI5lov4

First icebreaker: What are you keeping an eye out for this season? A certain food, an event, a Halloween movie?
I watch for the special varieties of apples that come here only for a few weeks in Autumn, but we're also watching the posts from a u-pick orchard about 45 minutes away. I fill a cart with Trader Joe's pumpkin stuff each year. I'm keeping an eye out for new book releases. And we'll be in Vegas for a few days in October.

2. 1922 by Stephen King.
Wilf and his wife Arnette have become an unhappy couple over the years, something their fourteen year-old son Henry has to watch. Wilf owns 80 acres of Nebraska farmland that has been passed down to him and he wants to pass it down to his own son, which is what Henry wants too. Arnette owns 100 acres and hates farming and living such an isolated life. When a big pork slaughtering company makes an offer on Arnette's land, she wants to take it and go to the city, even though the company would make the land and water supply a disaster for the other farmers. Wilf and Henry do the only thing they can think of to stop Arnette, but it's the catalyst for for more tragedy.
4 stars
Scare Scale: 2 Walkers

>28 mstrust:. I am keeping an eye out for the birth of my first biological grandchild. She is due October 6th. I also look forward to all the little ghosts and goblins walking the streets.

Congrats! You're in for a busy season!

Peruse the most beautiful Autumn photos on Autumn Cozy: https://autumncozy.tumblr.com/

Happy new and spine tingling thread! We're still in the throws of summer here in Cleveland so not ready to celebrate pumpkins and ghouls just yet, but I enjoy your enthusiasm. :0)

>28 mstrust: Hocus Pocus 2!

>33 Carmenere: Hi, Lynda! Maybe we'll see you when you're feeling the Fall.

>34 PaperbackPirate: Good one!

The new Autumn Lives Here is up! The season is here! Scary short stories, seasonal viewing and the history of Mars chocolate bars.
https://jennifermorrow.substack.com/

Hmm…I’m always on the lookout for my next skull or skeleton. They’re like my Halloween version of potato chips—you can’t stop at one. Besides, this year our party theme is “Memento Mori” so anything funereal will fit right in.

Also looking forward to starting the gothic horror The Blackwater Saga by Michael McDowell on my phone’s Audible app once I finish my current listen. Should be later this week. I figure if I start listening now, I may actually finish sometime in October and maybe still be able to squeeze in another horror title before Halloween.

           

>36 CassieBash: Now that's the most unusual answer I think we'll get! Good luck on your hunt.
I read a little bit of McDowell a few years ago and I think it may have been part of that trilogy. Sorry, I'm blanking on the book.

>37 weird_O: I see you're taking it all in. Welcome!

Are you an Autumn ninja, just waiting for the seasonal products to arrive? Take a look at the biggest Trader Joe's haul I've seen. It's the new stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdubcugVrZY

>38 mstrust: Thanks! Though when I say skeleton or skull, I’m not necessarily talking about a real one—plastic will do. Though I do have a small assortment of found animal skulls and bones, including a small rat skull (probably from an owl pellet), what we think is a bat skull (also from an owl pellet), and a lovely opossum skull. We personally knew the old opossum, who died in his home in our wood pile one winter. Most of his skeleton was in poor shape by the time we found it, but the skull was in decent condition. He doesn’t seem to begrudge me since I have never been haunted by his ghost. :)

Six book set, actually. I’m debating how to count it in the 75 challenge—is it 6 books, or because it came as one download, is it just 1? Thoughts, everyone? I did read a review saying that the audio version is excellent (because a bad reader can ruin a good book), so I’m looking forward to this listen.

Unfortunately we live in an area where Trader Joe’s are not super common. I think there’s one around Kokomo? If there’s one closer, I don’t know of it.

>39 CassieBash: Not to many years ago I had a human skull left at my house and decided to get rid of it rather than return it to the person who left it. Checking whether ownership was legal and finding out that it probably wasn't I discarded all give-me requests from my more gothic friends and others' advice to bury it in the back yard and e-mailed a local policeman, a neighborhood liaison, who I'd had a couple of conversations with. After telling me to take it to the coroner's office downtown, he asked me for more details, which after a couple of other e-mails, I was able to give. He then came by and picked up the skull. The person who left it was initially pissed off, but later, realized it wouldn't have done her case any good if it was found in her possession.

>39 CassieBash: It never occurred to me that you would be looking for real skulls until I read >40 quondame:. She's opened a new door.
And if it six books, I'd count it as six books. They weren't published as one, so they're separate and good for you!

>40 quondame: :-D Morbid AND entertaining! I'm gonna find you some kind of gift for that story. And your friend shouldn't have a human skull if she's going to leave it behind like an empty Big Gulp.


Here ya go, Susan, all yours!

>41 mstrust: Thanks! She didn't have a choice. She left in an ambulance for mental care. She'd gone off her meds, been in car accident fatal to the other driver, though not technically at fault, and attacked me when I tried to load her bags in my car at the police station. It was messy.

Wow, that story got even more amazing, but sorry you were attacked. I'm gonna give you a stronger cupcake, but take as many as you'd like. You earned it. I don't think anyone can top that story!

>43 mstrust: Again, thanks! Sometimes life is a bit more exciting than expected.

>41 mstrust:, >43 mstrust: I’ll stick with legally obtained animal skulls, thanks. Owning a real human one just complicates things, especially if anyone looked at my library full of books on funeral customs. I’m always very careful to add “in theory” after I tell people that I know of several ways to make a human mummy. ;)

>44 quondame: When my mother calls and asks what's going on, I know better than to reply with "nothing", because she'll say, "That's good!" To us, something exciting happening is usually something horrible ;-D

>45 CassieBash: Good thinking. Your library + human skull = a buttload of lawyer fees trying to prove your innocence.

3. Heck: Where The Bad Kids Go by Dale E. Basye. Eleven year-old Milton and his older Goth sister, Marlo, are killed by a falling decoration at the mall. Next thing they know, they're in Heck, a hellish place for bad children that is run by Bea "Elsa" Bubb, the Principal of Darkness. Marlo was indeed a bad kid, she loved shoplifting and being a problem, but Milton was a good kid who shouldn't be in Heck. To make things worse, the bully who led to Milton and Marlo's death is also in Heck, and he's so mean that he's quickly promoted to being in charge. Milton and Marlo are determined to get out of Heck, and to take another good kid, big Virgil, with them.
A really funny and original story, and I believe it became a series. I'll mention that the way from Heck to freedom involves crawling through the sewage pipes of the underworld, and it's graphic and gross, but the age group this is aimed at is 9-12 years of age, of which I am not. I still enjoyed it.
4 stars
Scare Scale: 1.5

>45 CassieBash: My husband's library is all true crime related. They wouldn't even ask him before pulling out the cuffs. He even has miniature gallows and a guillotine.

>47 mstrust: As a fan of youth fiction of all sorts, that one sounds fun. I’ll have to keep my eyes open for it.

>48 lowelibrary: Ooo, tough luck. Is your library more innocent-looking? If so, maybe keep your collection separate from his so you can plead ignorance when they come for him, lol!

In all seriousness, though, Banned Books Week is next week, so this is a perfect time to celebrate your right to read and revel in the fact that you _can_ own an extensive collection of true crime or death-related books and _not_ get arrested solely on that. I’m going to start Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood next week; it has been challenged and banned for sex, violence, and profanity.

>48 lowelibrary: :-D Sounds like an interesting guy. I remember being shown a Dickens adaption when I was in school, a scene at a public execution, and there was a dirty woman in the crowd holding a toy guillotine. She kept pulling the blade up and down with such glee that the whole class laughed.

>49 CassieBash: It was a lot of fun, I recommend it.
In Cold Blood is a great book!

Here's "3 Pumpkin Breakfast Ideas", a super-Autumny video that has some beautiful cinematography.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-7yx5nft4s

Sitting down with a huge mug of pumpkin spice coffee and watching the season premiere of Halloween Baking Championship is pretty great.

4. Yours Cruelly, Elvira by Cassandra Peterson. Her autobiography of growing up in Kansas and Colorado with a nice father and abusive mother. You've likely heard that this book was Peterson's coming out, where she revealed that she's been with a woman for twenty years. After all the things she reveals about her life, that's the least surprising. Who knew the Elvira make-up covered up extensive burns on her face and neck from an accident when she was a child, or that she began go-go dancing in her bra at fourteen. Her parents lost control of Peterson at a young age and her teen years sound like hormones gone berserk, leading to her being a seventeen year-old topless showgirl in Vegas. Throughout the book she discusses a brief relationship or one night stand with some pretty famous guys. There's also an extensive listing of all the small gigs and extra work that got her through years of barely scraping by, and that includes after she was playing Elvira.
This book would appeal to the Elvira fan and it shows how much work went into making this iconic character, but the book would also appeal to anyone looking into show biz types of the 70's, because they are here. She met anyone who was anyone in Vegas or rock music in general, including Elvis and Tom Jones.
3.5 stars
S.S.: 1

Oh my God, I am totally in! I love Halloween, freaking love, because it's the only season where I feel completely at home. I suppose this means that my actual home is hell, and I don't do well with heat or, frankly, actual zombies so I'm hoping hell isn't as bad as everyone says. It's probably not, because in reviewing Instagram life-style accounts I've have found that they are totally full of s*** so I'm hoping that early Christian and Renaissance accounts of hell are equally narrow, skewed, and so far off base.

As for a Halloween recommendation, I'm going to go to my current go-to which is The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Trembley. It's a heartbreaking novel, terrible and the kind of thing decent people shrink from. It's also the only apalogia for any other kind of non-Rockwell love that ever rang true.

Well, well...speaking of zombies, look who's back from the dead. I was starting to wonder if you were going to miss this year, so I'm happy to see you made it, and that you've brought your trusty pitchfork. Never leave home without it, do you?
*Sigh* I want to read Cabin, I do, I've tried. It was the one after Headful of Ghosts, wasn't it? Tell me, how much does the home invasion figure into the story?

The latest Autumn Lives Here is up! Pumpkin events across the country, pumpkin carving and a mutant book review.
https://jennifermorrow.substack.com/

So, what I've been watching: Trilogy of Terror, starring Karen Black. It's really something. I've got an upcoming piece about this one in Autumn Lives Here.
I'm halfway through The Disappointments Room starring Kate Beckinsale.
Mike is watching Dexter with me and we're at the point where the Trinity Killer has discovered Dexter's true identity. Love it.

Happy "new" thread, Jennifer! Sorry to be so far behind.

Have a thunderous Thursday! Love all the Autumn posts!

I swear I posted here yesterday, but it vanished!! Black magic for sure. LOL

>54 mstrust: The home invasion is central to the plot and takes up most of the book. And really terrible, heartbreaking, things happen.

>56 alcottacre: Hello, Stasia! You made it and you remembered to wear a bat costume, that's what counts.

>57 Berly: Huh, obviously something spooky is at the bottom of it. Glad you came back!

>58 SomeGuyInVirginia: Ugh, I don't think I can take it. I want a ghost.

Did I mention that over two trips to Trader Joe's (different locations) I was able to snag maple sea salt ice cream and popcorn, pumpkin ice cream ( the best), pumpkin risotto, pumpkin beer, pumpkin face mask and butternut mac & cheese?

Keep an eye on the fall foliage by checking into EarthCam. It's a bank of cameras all over New England and some other places. Click on a spot to see live.
https://www.earthcam.com/events/fallcams/

>60 mstrust: You know what's really weird? Trees in central Virginia started casting their leaves two or three weeks ago. Whackiness! The leaves didn't turn, they just fell.

Trimbley has written two books that you really must read; a head full of ghosts, and the cabin at the end of the world. Personally, I found his other horror books to be okay but not up to the same standard as those two, and his latest, the pallbearers club, I cannot even get through. Of course, I hate a epistolary novels and this is an epistolary novel with personal notes added. Just stab me in the third eye right now.

That is weird. Is it super cold already?
I loved Headful of Ghosts, didn't like Survivor Song, and liked his Prime short The Last Conversation. So he isn't a sure thing with me but I'll try more from him in the future.

Watching: the first episode of The Great British Baking Show started yesterday, so I leaped on that.
Finished The Disappointments Room and found the whole thing unnecessary.
I'm down to the last two episodes of season 13 of Supernatural.
And watching the Halloween Baking Championship.

5. The Mansion in the Mist by John Bellairs. Thirteen year-old Anthony has one friend, the old librarian, Mrs. Eells. When she tells Anthony of her vacation plans, he begs to go too, so they meet up with Mrs. Eells brother, Emerson, at an island rental.
One stormy night, Anthony finds an old chest in an unused room and climbs in, as teens do, to find himself on the grounds of a spooky mansion. He enters and finds a meeting of sinister black-robed people who are discussing the destruction of Earth.
This has some real tension, and Bellairs books are always good.
3.5 stars
S.S.: 2 walkers

Here's all of Spirit Halloween's new animatronics for 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_PlGYrqDKI

And here's the hiring process for Spirit employees. You might be surprised. Or not.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j49Nz7Ea1r8

I am only Season 6 of Supernatural. ; )

And Spirit would so hire me!!!

Came across a couple of scary books recently.

Mrs March, less scary is a really fun study of a wife afraid her husband’s a serial killer. Or maybe she’s going mad…

Road of Bones is about a couple of guys in Siberia traveling along the route gulag prisoners built. Bad things happen in the winter when it’s dark…

>65 Berly: Great, some one else who's playing catch-up! I think I've been going through Supernatural for five years now. I'd watch two in a row, then not at all for a few weeks. But now I'm trying to get in at least two a week. At this rate I'll beat the 2025 removal.
And I kind of admire how upbeat the hiring manager of Spirit is!

>66 drneutron: Thanks for the recs! They both sound good. And you might want to sidle over to this month's ScaredyKit to mention Mrs March, it fits the theme.

Yesterday we went to the donut shop and got pumpkin spice and apple spice donuts. At the grocery store I picked up pumpkin spice coffee creamer and black sanding sugar. We went to the nursery to look at dwarf citrus trees. And we drove all the way across Phoenix for a "spooky shops" event. The post looked very Halloweenie, but it was misleading. We had trouble even finding this skanky little storefront but it was a pop-up without signage. And it wasn't so much Halloween stuff as Goth. Plastic jewelry, homemade clothes. The people were very nice and I bought a couple of rings to give to my niece.

Halloween watching schedules

TCM: https://www.halloweenmoviesontv.com/turner-classic-movies-october-horror/

AMC: https://www.halloweenmoviesontv.com/amc-fear-fest-schedule/

Freeform: https://www.halloweenmoviesontv.com/abc-family-13-nights-of-halloween-schedule/

Syfy and Disney don't have their complete schedules up yet.

>64 mstrust: Love that Hiring process video.
Have you seen they made a movie about spirit Halloween stores? Christopher Lloyd is in it.

Yes, I put the trailer on my Substack. Looks fun!


And the new Autumn Lives Here is up. A visit to The Salem Witch Museum, the history of Smarties and more King:
https://jennifermorrow.substack.com/

>64 mstrust: is it weird that I think the video of a shirtless guy with a burlap bag over his head is hot? Or maybe it's just a thing from my prom? Yeah, probably that.

>71 SomeGuyInVirginia: I think it's well established by now that you are a unique and puzzling person. Shirtless and bagged is the most normal from you. Now, add in a bowl of tapioca and it gets weird.

Some things I've tried lately:


Elysian's Punkaccino. It's pumpkin beer with cappuccino. Not bad but not my favorite. Elysian's Night Owl Pumpkin Ale is my favorite one.
Elysian's Dark of the Moon Pumpkin Chocolate stout. Didn't like this one, it has a pretty bitter aftertaste.
Hank's Pumpkin Spice soda- tastes like molasses and spice, so good but rich.
Trader Joe's Honeycrisp Apple Cinnamon Greek yogurt- very delicious, not too sweet, has chunks of apple and lots of cinnamon.
Trader Joe's maple and sea salt kettle corn- bagged and ready-made, this has a nice maple flavor and the right amount of salt.
Trader Joe's pumpkin ice cream- my favorite pumpkin ice cream, this has a "cooked" spiced pumpkin flavor.



Something that is available that I haven't tried is the pumpkin spice latte scented deodorant from Native. Yes, it really exists.

>73 mstrust: I hear that TJs salted maple ice cream is the best ever. I'm not an ice-cream eater, but maple, oh my!

Well, you came to the right place, because I did try that and thank you for reminding me. The ice cream itself is mildly maple and vanilla, and there's a tasty salted maple ribbon going through it. It's delicious though a bit too salty for my taste, but I've never cared for salted caramel so you may think the salted maple is perfect.

>75 mstrust: Oh, I'm not a fan of salted caramel - I take mine straight, please. But it must be popular.

I think it's been harder to find plain caramel than salted these last few years. I see "caramel" and "salted" is always there too. I prefer plain.

6. Goosebumps Most Wanted: The Haunter by R.L. Stine. Sammy and some classmates are assigned a project, to either prove or disprove haunted houses. To accomplish that, the group decides to spend Halloween night trying to get proof at the local abandoned house that everyone says is haunted. The other kids think this is a good idea, but Sammy has earned himself the reputation for being chicken to the point that even his parents encourage him to go and see that nothing will happen. But the kids do experience a sinister presence and Sammy gets the worst of it.
This is the most intense Goosebumps I've read. Published in 2016, this has a more up-to-date feel. The kids are trying to mimic the ghost hunter shows and have expensive ghost equipment, but more than that in terms of updates is the acknowledgement of a boy who isn't brave. The only thing that seemed outdated was that Sammy is being constantly bullied and assaulted by a bigger boy, both in front of classmates and even in front of a teacher, who only tells the bully that his behavior is terrible, then goes back to teaching.
But this book is scarier than the usual Goosebumps.
4 stars
S.S.: 2 walkers

Golden fiddle week in Hell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmfKGZMkkMc

First Day of Autumn! I'm gonna need some maple coffee and a horror movie.

>77 mstrust: It used to show up in the fall for caramel apple making (I always thought that was a waste of both), but it's been a while since I could depend on it showing up.

>72 mstrust: my son shares Mr. King's birthday.

>80 quondame: Maybe those little containers of caramel dip?

>81 lowelibrary: Is your son scary too?!

I'm about a third of the way through the remake of Suspiria with Tilda Swinton. I'm watching Halloween Wars and glad to see the pumpkin carvers back, also Halloween Baking Championship, and jeez, The Great British Baking Show started again so I have to watch that.

>82 mstrust: Where do you find Halloween Wars and Halloween Baking championship?

>83 weird_O: So creepy...thanks!

>84 hredwards: Both are on the Food Network.

So who has the coolest Halloween stuff? I know, the funeral home still doesn't count.

Let's go with Total Wine, followed by Trader Joe's. For decor, go with the dollar store because, my God, we're in the apocalypse and everything's expensive.

>84 hredwards: I watch them on Discovery Plus.

>82 mstrust: Not scary, but definitely odd

I haven't gotten back to Suspiria yet. The original was strange too, but at least it had beautiful cinematography.

I watched The Oak Room on Prime. It the story about a ne'er do well returning to the small town bar his father had frequented, but it becomes more sinister as it goes on. Recommended.
And we went to Aldi yesterday because my sister said they have lots of Autumn stuff. So, I now have a pumpkin roll cake, frozen mini maple bundt cakes, maple Greek yogurt, maple vanilla and pumpkin spice whipped cream and pumpkin spice coffee creamer. It's a haul!

7. Goosebumps Most Wanted: Zombie Halloween by R.L. Stine. We meet Mario, his younger brother, and neighbor Ivy in 1944. The Manzetti boys have just moved into the neighborhood, right across from the graveyard, and discover their basement has a trap door. When the kids go down to explore only two come back.
Decades later, Mario's son and his family, including grandson Kenny, move into the house to care for him. Mario has spent his life talking about zombies, a weird quirk that he's passing on to Kenny, who now believes zombies exist.
Another Most Wanted that has more character development than you'd expect from a Goosebumps.
4 stars
S.S.: 1.5 walkers

Hi Jennifer! It's been a while since I've been by your thread -- glad to see things are as spooky as ever over here :)

>89 mstrust: I've only been to Aldi in Europe and really wish they would expand their US operations to WA :(

Yep, still spooky here, and glad you're looking in!
We went to an Aldi that is 20 minutes away, but they're building one very close to me, which will be great. I'm having a cup of pumpkin coffee with pumpkin spice creamer and topped with the Aldi pumpkin spice whipped cream. It's really good, and a lovely pale orange color.
And for anyone who thinks that's too much pumpkin, the whole thing tastes like what I'd order from a coffee drive-thru.

We made it over to a Spirit yesterday and it was nice to stroll through what they had, but so much of the shelves were empty.
We went for pumpkin beer at Total Wine and ended up getting Christmas presents too. Went to the nursery and got a red lantana for the front yard and a Mexican firebush for the back.
Mike and I will be taking his mom to Scottsdale today to have some nerves in her neck deadened. It'll take a while, so we'll poke around Old Scottsdale while she's in the doctor's office.

Btw, anyone else watching Tales of the Walking Dead? I really like these stand alone stories. One week it's a noir, the next a haunted house story.

Reminder- If you're taking part in the Halloween card exchange, PM me with your address by Saturday.

The latest Autumn Lives Here is up! A psycho pumpkin, a phobia and a recipe for ube chocolate chip cookies. Come see me there!
https://jennifermorrow.substack.com/

8. The Smashed Man of Dread End by J.W. Ocker. When thirteen year-old Noe's family finds an amazing deal on a house on a cul-de-sac, they grabbed it and move in weeks later. Noe and her little sister are fine with the move until Noe notices a group of girls standing in the street watching the new family move in. One girl gives Noe an ominous warning to stay out of the basement at night, but Noe isn't one to take warnings, and she discovers a monster that slips out of the basement cracks at night. Turns out that he isn't just in her basement, the Smashed Man can climb out of the cracks of any of the homes on the dead end that have kids.

Good scares, and the least helpful mentor possible in the form of grumpy Fern, an older woman who is tasked with observing the Smashed Man but not interested in protecting the kids he's after.
4.2 stars
S.S.: 2 walkers

You are certainly enjoying those children’s horror books!

It’s truly autumn in our house. Not only are we eating and drinking pumpkin spice and burning pumpkin spice candles, but we’ve started the big bar of pumpkin spice soap!

I'm having fun with the kid's horror, which I tag as "children's scary" in my library. I have a few more, but I'm juggling about six books at the moment and some are horror and I think I have two non-fictions going. September has gone by quickly.

My house is decorated too, and I've broken out both maple and pumpkin spice coffees. Last night I used a little maple syrup in my chicken marinade (along with mustard, dried onions, chili flakes). And I had a ramekin of maple whipped cream.
My current seasonal soap is pumpkin spice for the kitchen, which doesn't smell of anything really, and fig soap in the shower.

You are really very well prepared...
We are still busy with laundry - after 4 weeks of rehab has accumulated a lot. Thank God there was also some rain in the time, otherwise there would be no plants here at all.
Right now I'm busy with a fairy tale. but since it's by Stephen King, maybe it counts.
On Saturday I start with A night in the lonesome October, then we see further.

Four weeks away would be a lot of laundry. I spend all day on just a week of laundry when we return.
Oh, you have the new King! Hope it's good. One of my reads now is Mexican Gothic, so I'm two years behind everyone else.

From That Mitchell and Webb Look, and featuring Olivia Coleman, meet the worst real estate agent:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OUY5jGiv7E&t=45s

And I see that today is Charles Addams' death day.

>98 mstrust: Not quite everyone; that’s in my queue, too.

>101 CassieBash: Okay, I'm not the very last.

We're heading to Aldi again this morning for more pumpkin stuff. Our state fair started last Friday when temps were still 102. We'll go, but maybe next week when it will drop down to 95.
What I've watched: Comedy of Horrors, an indie comedy horror anthology on Prime. One of the stories stars a couple of guys from Adult Swim.
On the 5th season of Dexter, 14th season of Supernatural. Also watching Creep and a Thai horror anthology that is very good but I can't remember the name.

>100 mstrust: Love Charles Addams!!
Just found out my oldest Grandson in 8th grade is playing Pugsley in a musical version school play Halloween weekend.
Can't wait to see how he does. This is a first for him.

I do too! I have a big coffee table book of his work and he was so funny. Congrats to your grandson for landing the role!

The Dunwich Horror by H.P. Lovecraft. The story of the outcast Whateley family, which suddenly gains a new member when somehow the grossest Whateley, Lavinia, has a baby boy. Wilbur grows at four times the speed of a normal baby, growing huge, learning to read and write and study the dark arts. He quickly becomes a huge, devious and threatening man who stalks the libraries of universities trying to get his hands on restricted ancient materials.
Creepy, tense, weird, and with a team of hero librarians!
S.S.: 3 WALKERS

Happy First Day of October!!! Whoohoo!! I am pulling out all my decorations tomorrow. Can NOT wait!! Also I already bought Halloween cards...!

>67 mstrust: and thank for the heads up on Supernatural. Pulling them in 2025? I better get a move on watching the series!

>100 mstrust: Sadness. Loved the Addams Family.

2nd day of October! And glad you're excited too, because it's the best month of the year!
I know, Netflix pulls so many things I want to see before I can get to them. I never got around to seeing Bladerunner.

Well, I'm sitting here with a Dunkin pumpkin cold brew, and we picked up a couple of bags of Halloween candy bars that won't make it to Halloween 'cause we bought what we like. But I'm happy to see that my new-ish neighbors have put up a Halloween display in the yard, so they'll be giving out candy and may draw the kids to our street.

I finished Creep, and that title is a good one, there are two characters in the movie, just two, and one is very creepy. It's a modern horror, but there's no blood in it at all.
I'm going to watch My Best Friend's Exorcism, which just started on Prime.

Two new podcasts to catch:
Buried Bones is hosted by investigator Paul Holes and historian Kate Winkler-Dawson. There are lots of true crime podcasts, but this one takes on old crimes. Winkler-Dawson lays out the facts and Holes sees if he can figure out whodunnit.
https://www.exactlyrightmedia.com/buried-bones
And if you want scary stories, the new season of Full Body Chills has started.
https://open.spotify.com/show/6cuTPDOa0zhGb0pWY3KJt3

9. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Set in 1950's, the story of wealthy and glamorous Noemi, whose father receives a disturbing letter from his recently married niece, Catalina. As her domineering husband refuses to bring Catalina back to Mexico City for an evaluation, Noemi is persuaded to go to the remote mountain village to see for herself if Catalina is ill, an if so, to her home.
Becoming a resident of High Place, the crumbling, once grand house of the Doyles, is to be shackled by rules. The family had come to Mexico from England decades ago to open a silver mine, and their money and power, though long gone, created an isolation that is ruled over by Howard Doyle, an emaciated patriarch who is dying. Noemi's every move is watched by the family and she's rarely allowed to see her cousin. Stubborn and unwilling to give up and leave when she can, Noemi stays at High Place and begins digging into the strange family dynamics.
Starts out as an atmospheric gothic that proceeds into a real horror.
5 stars
S.S.: 3 Walkers

The new posting of Autumn Lives Here is up, and it's free to read. Trilogy of Terror, Leopold & Loeb, and a library haunting.
https://jennifermorrow.substack.com/p/autumn-lives-here-ff8

We had a massive duststorm last night that went on for hours, with whistling wind and a wall of dirt and sand. Mike had to drive home in it and get around street lights that were out and shaking. It ripped off a section of our shingles and tore out a pencil plant, but I think that's the worst on our property. I'm sure I'm going to see torn up trees and other damage when I drive around today.

>109 mstrust: Ooh, I have this one on my Kindle unread. I should try to read it during spooky season.

It a good one if you want spooky. I expect it will be optioned for a movie if it hasn't already.

>111 mstrust: We're having downpours all day long. Not problematic, but we are not in need of rain, either. Wish I could send some your way.

:-D Rain has never peeled the shingles off our roof, so I'd take it! The roofer just left and he'll get back with an estimate that will hurt, I'm sure.

>109 mstrust: I just listened to an interview with Garcia talking about the Daughter of doctor Moreau on CBC radio Monday. I quite enjoyed both books. Glad you liked this one!

>111 mstrust: Sorry about the dust storm! It must be quite a cleanup after.

Happy mid week!

I'll be getting to her other work, and it's good to see her Moreau book gets good reviews too.
I drove around yesterday and saw lots and lots of broken trees, including a huge one in the park that was pulled up by the roots. But that happens with every storm here, even the ones that seem like no big deal rip trees up. I'm surprised a tree survived here long enough to get that big.

Check out the work of ceramic artist Mitchell Grafton, who makes whimsical and horrifying teapots, cups and vases.
https://www.instagram.com/graftonpottery/?hl=en

Halloween cards went out this morning, so if you signed up, it's coming!

>118 mstrust: The British think holding your pinky out is actually rude and crude. You’d never see a more refined monster like Dracula doing this…. :D

>120 CassieBash: Then the artist did a great job of capturing how infamously rude King Kong was. I hear you couldn't get a thank you out of him for anything.

Robot Chicken's Big Horror Brother: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1qJSuV7P5U

>108 mstrust: A marvelous gif. I used Google Lens to identify it, but it suggested it was Peter Boyle. I could see that was not correct. A click on "Find image source" took me to pages with Zombie with Headphones GIF. Ooookay.

And speaking of Peter Boyle, I used to have lunch with his dad when I was in elementary school. Back in that day (early '50s), we kids walked to school (for me, it was uphill only to school, not both ways), and we'd go home for lunch. Pete Boyle had a kid's show on Philadelphia tv (channel 3) called Lunch with Uncle Pete. He was always sketching. I couldn't find a sample of a sketch, but here's a promo photo of Uncle Pete:

          

You opened up a can of worms by asking about that zombie gif, so here goes: that's Bub from George Romero's Day of the Dead, 1985, played by character actor Sherman Howard, who went on to have a very active career, appearing on Seinfeld and Malcolm in the Middle and lots of sci-fi and thrillers. And he's handsome. The DOTD actress who was the lead admitted to having a little crush on him...and done.
I didn't know Peter Boyle came from a show-biz family. I see the resemblance.

10. The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs and the Perverse Pleasure of Obituaries by Marilyn Johnson. Former editor of Esquire and Life staffer, Johnson pursues the people behind one of her interests, reading newspaper obits. She meets with several of the most followed obit writers in NYC and London, and attends an obit writers convention in New Mexico. She studies the various styles of obit by newspapers big and small, and looks at what sets the great obit apart from the standard. She discusses the obits of the famous and great obits written about the non-famous, and talks to writers who took on the post-9/11 obits.
Published in 2006, this is a study of a particular type of writing, and it involves more travel and humor than you'd likely expect. One of those books that sent me googling people mentioned.
3.5 stars
1 walker

This is my 10th Halloween read, but my 75th overall, so I made it.

>124 mstrust: Congratulations on 75 reads for 2022!

Sneaky with the 10., but sneaky suits October.

Congrats!

>124 mstrust: Congratulations on reaching 75, Jennifer!

>125 quondame: Agreed, it is sneaky ;-).

Congrats on reaching 75!!!

Thank you, thank you! Because I separate my Autumn reads from the rest of my yearly reads, I was surprised to find this was my 75th. I knew I was near it.

>125 quondame: >127 FAMeulstee: I don't know why I make my Autumn reads a new and separate count, other than being able to organize another reading area on LT. I've done it this way for years but I'm going to try to control it next year.
>126 CassieBash: >128 hredwards: Thanks! I should celebrate with a piece of candy!

There's still time to make a creepy clothing choice for Halloween. BlackCraft Cult has stores in both Anaheim, Ca. and Salem, Mass., and they specialize in Goth clothing and more. Need a witchy bikini, dark arts onesies for the baby, or a pentagram pool float? They got it.
https://www.blackcraftcult.com/

Congrats on hitting the goal!

Thanks!

Well done with the tenth 75th book, Jennifer.

Congrats on reading 75 books!

>133 PaulCranswick: >134 figsfromthistle: Thank you both!

11. Spooksville: The Witch's Revenge by Christopher Pike. Adam, Sally, Watch and Cindy enter the castle of the local witch, Ann Templeton, hoping she can heal Watch's dimming vision. Ann meets the kids, but only after they have found and put on hexed necklaces that give them something they've always wanted, with dire consequences. They spend the day being terrorized while searching for a way out of the castle.
A fun volume in the series.
3.5
Scare Scale: 1.5

Pumpkin beer report!
I've tried a few more brands (It's all for you, Damien!) and here's what I think:

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin Ale- Not bad. The cans are a pint serving and 9% ABV, so one was enough for me. It took a few sips to get accustomed to the flavor, but I did.

Four Peaks Pumpkin Porter- This is an Arizona brand so you may not find it, but it's very popular here. I liked this porter, it was full of creamy molasses/pumpkin flavor but not overpowering. I'd call it balanced and without any bitterness.

Lakefront Brewery Pumpkin Lager- From Milwaukee with a 6.1% ABV, this was slightly sweeter than most pumpkin brews, and it's a lager, which isn't the norm in pumpkin beers. I liked it and would recommend it.

I'm here I'm awake! Did somebody say 'beer'?

>109 mstrust: Oohhhh that sounds good.

I said beer! And so far, my favorite is still Elysian Night Owl!
I highly recommend Mexican Gothic. The atmosphere really grows on you. *Nerd humor.

So let's see what Halloweenie things I've been doing. I had an urge to see one of my favorites the other day, so I found The Innkeepers on Freevee, I believe. Such a great movie.
I watched last week's The Walking Dead on Saturday and started The Djinn. Anyone else watching the Creepshow series?
We hit Aldi again yesterday and I bought more bottles of the maple and pumpkin spice whipped cream (thrilled to find they had them in stock), and got a box of pumpkin Cheerios and Hostess iced pumpkin cupcakes.
I made pumpkin walnut bread on Friday. And I've been working on my Substack articles. I have a special volume coming up.
Well, what Halloweenie stuff have you been doing?

Oh, and I got a new keyboard, as my last one, at just a year and a half in, had started freezing and lagging like crazy. I tried all the "fixes" I came across and nothing worked, so I'm loving this new one.
Also, check out the Fall cams posted in >60 mstrust:. The trees are turning, especially in the Saranac Lakes area. Beautiful!

A lovely American Psycho-inspired cocktail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaxU0W-kY2w

>139 mstrust: Watched Candyman over the weekend. The original one. Not impressed. Watched Children of the Corn also the original one, (which I had seen in theaters originally because S King) and was amazed at how unscary it was. I didn't remember much about it. So two not scary movies, maybe I just wasn't in the mood.

>140 hredwards: I've never seen it all, I usually come across it when it's halfway through so I don't watch it. It's been many years since I've seen the original Children of the Corn, but that boy Isaac was scary enough that I mention him in an upcoming Substack. Creepy little bastard.
I'm about twenty minutes into Crimson Peak, which I've never seen before and I'm surprised to see Bobby from Supernatural in it.

Here's professional pumpkin carver James Hall showing how to carve a pumpkin at many different levels of skill:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0irTfZpKx4

>141 mstrust: I liked Crimson Peak. I watched Monstrous last night with Christina Ricci.
It was one of those psychological mystery movies that wants you to think it's a ghost/monster movie. I thought it was kind of a muddle and all over the place as far as plot goes. Disappointing.
Agree about Isaac. He was creepy. Movie might have been scarier if they focused more on him.

Ricci appeared in The Lizzie Borden Diaries a few years ago, which I expected to be great but it was unwatchable.

>139 mstrust: Grows on you. *SNERK*

We went to the fair last night and couldn't find a parking spot, or rather, all the businesses and lots around the fair tripled their fees and we weren't willing to pay $40 or more to park for two hours. The church parking lot we've been parking in for years went from $15 last year to $35 this year. We drove in a circle around the fair and saw up to $60 to park. People were charging $40 to park in their driveway. We drove away and went to the Fry Bread House for dinner, which was great.
We'll try again later in the month.

Public access tv has never been so exciting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBnPnqs1O7U

Congratulations for reaching the magic 75 - Have a wonderful (or scary?) weekend, Jennifer!

Thanks, Thomas! I'm sure I'll find something spooky to watch this weekend.
Have a great weekend yourself!

Jennifer, you were such a cute child.

Why thank you! And look at my jaunty traffic cone hat!

Over the weekend, we've watched two excellent movies. Studio 666 is the comedy horror made by the Foo Fighters, in which Dave Grohl is possessed and murders his band one by one. Also stars Whitney Cummings, Jeff Garlin and Will Forte. And Kerry King from Slayer.
Also saw Hereditary starring Toni Colette and Gabriel Byrne. And all-around tense atmosphere that turns horrific. You think you know what's gonna happen with the girl, that it will be a Shining deal, but it isn't.

Here ya go, Jack! He's rarin' to go!

We took Mike's mom out for a German dinner last night for her birthday.
Received my first Halloween card Saturday- thank you, Kathy!
Picked up a pumpkin cheesecake at Trader Joe's, and some milkweed and cornflower seeds and more plant containers.
We're having a beautifully mild day after a sudden raging storm that started Saturday afternoon and went all night. Broke off half a shutter and broke some plants too.

I’m baaaack and feeling autumny. I’m in the middle of Bradbury’s October Country and totally enjoying it. I remember I first heard about it on your thread. Let me tell you, I’m looking over my shoulder quite often as I read it. Oooo shivers

I still haven't read October Country but have had it waiting for this month on my Kindle for I don't know how long. I still hope to get to it. I've been juggling way too many books this month and need to return a pile to the library.
Glad to hear you're enjoying the Bradbury!

12. A Very British Murder by Lucy Worsley. The subtitle on my book says "The curious story of how crime was turned into art", while LT's subtitle is "The story of a national obsession". Either fits, as this is historian Worsley's study of infamous British murders that caught the public attention, making both victim and murderer famous.
Worsley discusses famous cases such as the Red Barn Murder and the Madeleine Smith poisoning, and the formation of the Metropolitan Police and rise of crime detectives such as Mr. Wicher. And she discusses how death or murder became a form of entertainment, whether it was the real public executions or detective novels.
4 stars
S.S.: 1

>154 mstrust: Adding to my list. Sounds good!!

It is! I always enjoy her PBS specials.

A new Autumn Lives Here is up! Birds, a scary book review, and a short story debut. Come get Halloweenie!
https://jennifermorrow.substack.com/p/autumn-lives-here-c2f

>138 SomeGuyInVirginia: Thanks for the booozy Halloween card, Larry! Expect yours any day now!

>157 mstrust: Thank you for the wonderful story and the book recommendation.
Have a wonderful weekend Jennifer!

I'm so glad you liked my creepy little story, thanks for the feedback!
I'm currently in Las Vegas, we're celebrating Mike's birthday today. I see cake in my future.

Hope everyone gets a good scare this weekend!

Then Happy Birthday and a wonderful time!

Thanks, I think he had a fairly good time ;-D

13. Tales from the Haunted Mansion III: Grim Grinning Ghosts. A group of ne'er do wells are hired to bring a shipment of very special artifacts to the mansion in the middle of the night. Marge and Pascale were actually hired, and massive mean guy Declan pushed his way into the high-paying job. He'll regret that, because the trio is met by the mansion librarian, who terrifies them with the backstory of each item they are delivering, and why it belongs in the haunted mansion.
5 stars
2.5 Walkers

Brought home from the trip:
Vegas Knockout
Haunted
The Sound and the Fury
Travels with Charley
Zombie Apocalypse!
The Walking Dead Psychology
RL's Dream
Slappyworld: Fifth Grade Zombies
The Great Smelling Bee
The Forgotten Skills of Self-Sufficiency Used by the Mormon Pioneers- Mom had that for me, don't know where she would have gotten it.

The Stine's came from the Halloween Emporium, along with a bag of Graveyard Shift coffee from Coffee Shop of Horrors.

Just went through several days of mail and jackpot! Thank you Kim(Berly) for the cool Halloween card!
And


Visit Autumn Lives Here for the new post, which is just crawling with creepy kids.
https://jennifermorrow.substack.com/p/autumn-lives-here-067

>164 mstrust: Ooh, you got me with a BB for Tales From the Haunted Mansion! Looks to be my level of spooky!

Karen O

This is the second of the series that I've read, and the author, who has also written for The Walking Dead series, hits the tone of the Haunted Mansion characters perfectly.

>167 mstrust: I found four volumes, and requested them all from my library! Thanks for the heads-up!

Karen O

You're welcome, and I hope you like them as much as I do!

Catching up on so much—we’re busy getting ready for our annual Halloween party so I imagine I’m forgiven my lapse. This year’s theme: memento mori.

So…congrats on 75, happy birthday, I was too distracted by the cute black cat to notice the snazzy traffic cone hat, AND you can never go wrong with Ray Bradbury horror and science fiction. Oh, and Isaac is a twisted so-and-so. Did I miss anything?

>165 mstrust: That is a cool creepy view of someone walking through the cemetery.

Loved your take on creepy kids, did not realize the actor that played Isaac was 25. Wow!

>170 CassieBash: Hope it's a spooky party, have fun!
Thanks for the thingaversary and Mike's birthday wishes. He had chocolate cake on his birthday and got to pick the restaurants.
Ah, you've visited Autumn Lives Here, hope you had fun rummaging around there!

>171 hredwards: Isn't it a spooky gif? It pleases me.
Thanks for a subscriber of AHL! I felt it was time for a volume that was dedicated to creepy kids because what would Halloween be without them? And yeah, I was surprised to find that Isaac was 25 at the time. Must have been rough trying to get a date or a drink.

>172 mstrust: Love the school picture!

Also love the card! Many thanks!

>172 mstrust: A little research into the actor that played Isaac says he suffered from a growth hormone deficiency, which is why he isn’t particularly tall. (Like me—I prefer to think of my height as “fun size”.) Being only 5’2” myself, I sympathize. But he did get to be Cousin Itt in the Addams Family movies, so that’s a plus!

>173 SomeGuyInVirginia: So glad to hear it arrived!
I'm going to complain that there's been too little Larry this season. Frowny face.

>174 CassieBash: I'm 5'3", which makes me too tall for that Cousin It gig. Damn it!

>124 mstrust: Congratulations on reaching 75 books!!

Thank you!

Got a few minutes to be terrified? Here's Close Your Eyes, a horror short:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZAafmCPSjs

Here's Travis Gienger, who grew the heaviest pumpkin at the 49th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off last week. He set a new US record at 2,560 and won $23,000 for it.

I've watched The Beast with Five Fingers from 1946, starring Peter Lorre. Highly recommended, the effects are better than expected and Lorre is perfect.
Also watched Trick r Treat, Scooby Doo!, the new one that got so much attention for Velma's coming out. It's pretty funny and very meta.
I gave 1973's Messiah of Evil a shot, but the lead character was played by a very beautiful actress with the personality of a dishrag.

Happy Halloween!

>179 mstrust: Wow thats huge!

It's here! It's here! Halloween is like Christmas with the devil! Happy dance, happy dance, dance to the muuuusic!

>180 figsfromthistle: Happy Halloween!
I'd love to attend a pumpkin weigh-in.

>181 SomeGuyInVirginia: It's here! I'm glad you're alive! Thought you might have been sacrificed by your coven already, but let's just see what happens tonight, shall we?

Well. My little Halloween thread got quiet this year so I didn't throw out all the horrible and fun stuff I had planned. I'll punch holes in the lids and put them in the basement for next year.
But I'll leave some treats because I don't want my house to be egged.

*Grab some eats-


*Read my Halloween edition of Autumn Lives Here: https://jennifermorrow.substack.com/p/autumn-lives-here-000

*Listen to the 13 Days of Halloween: Devil's Night podcast: https://www.grimandmild.com/13days

*Want a spooky story about demons and rock & roll? Told to The Foo Fighters? And lots and lots of swearing? You got it.
Scene from Studio 666: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BASNuElXE3w

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween! 🎃

Happy Halloween, Jennifer! Hope it’s spookalicious!

>184 hredwards: >185 LibraryLover23: >186 Carmenere: Happy Halloween to you all!
>186 Carmenere: So far, so good; I've only dived into the candy bowl a couple of times so far.

Happy Halloween!

We had a lot of guests cancel last-minute (2 people had deaths in the family, a couple fell ill), but the ones who attended had much fun, and our cemetery is impressive. I’ll have to post some pics. You know your outside decorating is great when you live out in the country and instead of zipping down the road as usual, drivers creep by instead to gawk.

Tonight’s going to be quiet for us—we’re not prime trick or treat territory. For those of you in better-frequented areas, I hope you don’t get too many tricks…unless you’re hoping to trick back….

Thanks, Cassie! Sounds like fun, and no doubt your parties are a must for the attendees.
For the first time, our street had half the houses decorated and ready for trick r treaters, who never came. Our next door neighbors even set up a table at the sidewalk and sat there waiting. We didn't have a single kid.

But today is our wedding anniversary and Mike brought me a bouquet last night and we exchanged cards. We opened a bottle of maple pecan "sipping cream" liqueur and had a little bit.

Happy anniversary, Jennifer and Mike! Why am I not surprised that November 1st, the day after Halloween, is your anniversary. :0)
Best wishes for many many more.

I was a bit concerned by my lack of trick or treaters last night but when all was said and done I’d estimate about 50 kids came through. Decent weather in the 60’s helped out.

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Belated Halloween!
Happy Anniversary!

Happy belated anniversary and happy Dia de los Muertos, because the death fun doesn’t stop at Halloween!

>190 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda! We did meet at a Halloween party and have our first date on Nov. 1st, so that's why we married on that day. Isn't Halloween romantic?
Wow, we haven't had 50 kids on Halloween in all the years combined that we've lived here. Even the two boys next door didn't come over and I thought for sure we'd see them.

>191 quondame: Thanks!

>192 PaperbackPirate: Thank you!

>193 CassieBash: Thanks, Cassie!

I'll make a new thread in a while. Still thinking about a theme of some kind. And I need to reshelve my stack of Halloween reads that I didn't get to, which is most of them.

My new thread is up! Run, run!