I’m not a winter person. I could do summer all year round. Or at least that’s what I tell myself .
But then autumn rocks up with her cosy sweaters and hot chocolate and leaf-strewn walks…and I kinda like it. Takes me while to accept the warm days are gone, but once the pumpkins come out, I’m pretty much sold on the idea of Halloween in all its guises.
But, like pretty much everything in my life, the best bit about Halloween is the stories. I’ve always loved horror movies and dark tales. I grew up on Grimm’s, and Doctor Who, and The Singing Ringing Tree progressed from The Lost Boys, to Interview with a Vampire, to Near Dark; squealed and laughed at The Evil Dead, hid behind a pillow watching The Thing, couldn’t turn the lights out after Critters. Oh, and Stephen King. Lots of Stephen King.
I even did a horror elective at art college. We read Jekyll and Hyde and talked about the implied homosexual relationships in 19th century literature, and watched Dressed to Kill and wondered what the hell Michael Caine was thinking. My final project for that class was an envelope that I left in my tutor’s pigeon hole. It was a pile of photographs; increasingly intimate creeper shots of a friend I’d roped in to help me. The first shot was of him in the street with hearts drawn around him, then more pictures of him out and about, then at school, finally through the windows of his apartment. The last few were a set of Polaroids; him with his shirt off, tied to chair with fake blood on his face. The penultimate photograph in the series was his fake-drowned body in a bath full of blood; the final image being, of course, a creeper shot of my tutor, with the same creepy hearts drawn around him.
The end result was kinda unsettling.
But I got an A.
Basically, what I’m saying is that I could ramble on forever about the importance of ‘the Final Girl’, why torture porn is not my jam, and why The Woman in Black in the theater gets scarier every time I see it (I’ve been four times…it’s much, much worse when you know what’s coming) — but I want to know what floats your boat on Halloween? Will you be snuggled under the duvet reading The Tutor by Bonnie Dee (highly recommended way to spend the night) or will it be popcorn and Bruce Campbell in Bubba-Ho-Tep (Elvis vs the Mummy, what more could you want!)?
Let me know in the comments and I’ll randomly pick one reader to receive a $10 Amazon giftcard and one free book from my back catalogue.
Or if you’d prefer, you could hold out for my contribution to Criminal Delights coming out early next year. Let’s just say, I’ll be putting that college elective to good use as I write it. Sign up to the Criminal Delights mailing list to get news about the all the releases in the collection.
Don’t forget to hop on over to the other authors on the trail! There are plenty of prizes up for grabs. And don’t worry…they don’t bite. Well. Not much. Happy Halloween!
RJ Scott – $20 Amazon Gift Card
Angel Martinez – $25 Pride Publishing Gift Certificate
V.L. Locey – $10 Redbubble Gift Card
Jordan Castillo Price – Ebook or Audio of Reader’s choice plus JCP Swag Pack
J.L. Merrow – Ebook of both newly re-released werewolf novels Camwolf & Midnight In Berlin.
Rick R. Reed – Ebook of A Demon Inside from DSP Publications
Charlie Richards – $20 Amazon Gift Card
Amber Kell – $20 Amazon Gift Card
Eli Easton – $20 Amazon Gift Card and second prize of ebook copies of Gothika #1-4
Charlie Cochet – 3 x $10 Amazon Gift Cards
Meredith Russell – $10 Amazon Gift Card
Now that you mention the Mummy… hmm, does thatfall under the horror category too? I watched the Mummy (Fraser versions) and Anne Rice’s books. And I love me some paranormal books, too. But I never consider myself a horror fan – horror movies scared the crap out of me. Especially Asian horror movies, perhaps being Asian it just feels too close to home so… no. Just no. 🙂
I think my family and I will go to the cemetery/columbarium. So technically don’t have any plan to watch any movie but if so, probably the 90s Are You Afraid of the Dark Series.
Like you lots of Stephen King. But my favorite horror/thriller is Psycho. It’s the psychology of scaring one silly that’s makes it an awesome horror
I don’t do scary movies, I am more a Charlie Brown halloween kind of girl, but I love paranormal romance. I do love Steven King books though, I just don’t do the movies.
I usually watch all the movies of a scary franchise on Halloween. I think this year I’ll watch Resident Evil again. The title song of the first movie alone gives me the chills. So evil! (Like The Mummy, as i read in another comment: the song is enough to have you scared for the rest of the evening!).
AliceMLT@hotmail.com
I love scary movies but what I love more are true ghost stories…… I love seeing them look and hear the paranormal around them! So I’ll be watching Ghost Adventures with my family…… of course after trick or treating with my babies!
I can’t do horror movies but I love thrillers like Split but this year I’m dropping off my son at a party and going to dinner with my wife on Halloween ??
I will be snuggled under the covers reading a good book.
Insidious is my go-to scary movie and we’ll be watching tonight in fact! ?
Love Bruce Campbell and the Evil Dead movies & television show!
I don’t watch a lot of truly scary movies. I’m more into Young Frankenstein.
I like campy older movies like Evil Dead, Child’s Play, Nightmare on Elm Street, etc. 🙂
Unfortunately, Halloween is a work night and, since I have to get up super early the next day, I won’t have time to do much other than take my son Trick-or-Treating and hopefully find some time to read more of then anthology Devil Take Me (which is perfect for Halloween reading).
I am all about all things Halloween. I’ve spent the month watching old school scary movies, making homemade caramel apples and popcorn balls, and reading old favorites like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Ray Bradbury’s October Country. Also, it just isn’t Halloween unless I re-read Familiar Spirits by R. Cooper and this year I read (and loved!) her new release in the series, Nothing More Certain.
I use to like scary movies then Texas Chainsaw Massacre happened and i was done. So since i have a little one i will be out Trick or Treating then getting the little monster ready for bed and then watching Hocus Pocus.
Samantharozyczko@gmail.com
Don’t do horror movies. But like The Mummy
I love Halloween but I’m not into scary movies. Lol I do love Hocus Pocus and could watch it all the time. looney589@msn.com
We watch House on Haunted Hill and Halloween
I have always been too much of a chicken to watch scary movies and even my books I read are more paranormal romance instead of Stephen King style!!
They used to play marathons of Addams Family and The Munsters. I still wish they did that. That’s what I love to do. Sit and watch those two shows
I grew up with Halloween and I watch it every year, but Pet Cemetery scared me and creeped me out so much I only watched it once.
I loved The Mummy! I would have preferred it as adventure, but I can see it being horror.
I’ve rewatched movies like Shaun of the Dead and the Lost Boys because they’re not actually scary. The last scary movie that I watched was probably the Woman in Black.
We plan on just staying home and giving out candy. NO scary movies for me.
I like my horror in name only – Rocky Horror Picture Show. It was the first DVD I ever bought and I watch it every year at Halloween.
Some of the films I like, I’d The Mummy trilogy, Constantine, Blade etc I don’t consider Horror more Paranormal adventure. True horror films to me are things like the Saw films or any where body parts get lost. These are a strong Nope for me.
Halloween is the only one I’ll really watch. The rest are cuter stuff like Charlie Brown or Garfield.
I will be taking the kids Trick or Treating and we also have a couple of parties to go to. I doubt I will even have the time or the energy this year to watch or read anything scary.
Like some of the ladies, I can watch horror movies, but I can read horror books. I even love some monster sex. Hah!
I like horror movies but not all, some are really badly done.
Yes, Shaun of the Dead, I was just reminded… 28 Days Later or Constantine? Unbreakable/Split and the upcoming Glass… I do prefer some sort of HEA in my “horror” though!
I will start watching the fun ones like Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice, and the Nightmare Before Christmas. Then, my husband will talk me into watching something like the Orphan, The Ring, or The Babadook, and I will be scared out of my mind.
nightmare on elm street caused me to not be able to sleep for weeks
Wow. Bonnie Dee’s The Tutor was a wonderful read!
Really, though, I enjoy a lot of her stories.
I am more into reading this year than watching scuury movies. I have watched Heredity and The Babadook and both freaked my ish out. I had to relax with the lights on for the rest of the evening after watching each.
I’m not celebrating Halloween since it’s not a custom in my country. Having said that, I just did a marathon of “The Haunting of Hill House” last weekend, which I thought was good enough as my contribution to Halloween somehow *lol*
I like watching horror movies but it hard to find ones I can really get into. I think this year I’ll be under the covers with a good book.
I have 3 kids, so we will be trick or treating Halloween night with friends of ours. Then I will be home snuggled under a blanket NOT reading anything scary. Lol
We don’t have a huge following in my country, but I always have candy ready incase some of the kiddies in the neighborhood come trick or treating.
I had forgot about Bruce Campbell. Evil Dead is a classic as was his Elvis in Bubba-Ho-Tep. But, I will probably be giving out candy.
I was reminded of enjoying Brendan Fraser’s The Mummy movie(s) at another stop on the Halloween Scare Trail, but I don’t tend to think of myself as watching horror. Beetlejuice is more my speed! Maybe this year I’ll actually sit down and see the whole thing of The Nightmare Before Christmas, which somehow I’ve never yet done. *hides face*
I’m not really a horror fan at all but The Mummy and Beetlejuice were good
I’m not much of a horror fan.
Not a horror fan.
Psycho is my favorite scary movie.
Love Alien ? movies.
Super scary and some blood too!!
I’ll probably see a couple of SPN episodes. Found the TNT airing schedule for Halloween. Will grab some of those. Maybe start with The Pilot!
I want some old-school cheesy Elvira like Halloween movie!
Both options look appealing to me. I guess to make it a complete experience, I’ll watch a horror movie first, only to go to bed later with a scary ghost tale… No sleep guarantee!
I don’t care for horror, really. But Splice counts, right? 🙂
I spend it with my family, usually trick or treating. Sometimes we do coordinating costumes for our whole family if the kids want to do it..
I don’t watch a lot of horror films but I’ve always loved The Adams Family films.
I prefer to watch comedy horrors e.g. Black Sheep, Warm Bodies or A Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
Loooots of scary films, that’s always my default setting on Halloween. I particularly love the Japanes and Korean ones. But not popcorn; I’m more of a crisp’s girl 😛
I saw someone else mention the “Charlie Brown Halloween”. I would have to agree that is more my speed, although I do like the MM paranormals.