October Writes Itself

It’s October, one of the few seasons with a true atmosphere all its own. I cannot think of the month without thinking of spooky nightscapes and haunted everything. The month isn’t only about the scares, but for me, it really inspires my writing to go dark for a month. In October, I write short (horror) stories.

This image is a print of a painting a great friend of mine, Cocoon, painted. I hope to use it as a book cover some day.

It’s October, and for me, it’s all leading up to Halloween. Since early childhood, I’ve been crazy about dressing up for the holiday. A few years ago, I engineered a haunted house as a fund raiser for Habitat for Humanity. More recently I won several costume contests, mine always being puns: Buck-an-Ear, Lactose Intolerant, etc…The most rewarding Halloween celebrations were with my children, introducing them to all the traditions: apple bobbing, pumpkin carving, and door-to-door Trick or Treating.

I have turned my attention to zombies this October. I’ve been reading and watching and studying up on them. I am no expert, nothing of the likes of Max Brooks (World War Z and The Zombie Survival Guide). I have, however, developed quite a relationship with my inner zombie, and I’m eager to put the polish to the 20,000 words of musings he’s shared with me on walks in the dark with my dog. (Stay tuned for that.)