It's finally Halloween! My house didn't get egged or TP'd last night. So I guess my neighborhood had a quiet Mischief Night. Now comes the fun part! I can't wait to watch all the kids suit up and threaten to play tricks on people unless they give them treats. It's a weird sort of custom when you think about it. (So I try not to think about it.) Since it's Halloween, here are my 13 (seemed like an appropriate number) favorite Halloween costumes based on literary characters.
It’s Mischief Night! If you watched the latest episode of ‘Blackish’, then you are familiar with the night before Halloween. Although hopefully no one is really taking it to “purge” levels (funniest episode ever). If you aren’t familiar with Mischief Night, it’s a night of mild vandalism and pranks, typically perpetrated by teens. (Think TP houses, egging cars, smashing pumpkins, etc.) Mischief Night, infamously also called Devil’s Night, specifically in Detroit, has turned up in TV, movies, literature and music over the decades.
Halloween is so soon. And what would my 13 days of Halloween blog be without at least one ode to undead bloodsuckers? From literature to TV to film, the popularity of these pervasive mythical monsters is unstoppable. I am not only a vampire fangirl. I also do my part to continue this cultural fondness for the fang. I’ve even sired a new vampire story fan—my 11-year-old daughter, who recently sank her teeth into ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ reruns. (While she thinks Buffy kicks butt she also keeps asking my why that Angel guy never wears his shirt.) Where did my fang-tastic obsession begin?
Only 3 days to go until Halloween. Now adults can have fun on Halloween. (It's allowed. Don't feel bad.) But, let’s face it, kids relish dressing up in costumes and stuffing themselves full of candy more than most of their adult counterparts. (I said most, not all.) In honor of that, here’s a list of great kid’s books to get those tots in the Halloween spirit. Don’t have young kids? Shhhh, don’t tell anyone but some of these will make even adults laugh.
Why do we read scary books and sit in dark rooms watching horror movies? Are we just morons? Let's assume in general we're a smart species. If that's the case, what draws us to haunted houses and movies about ax murders? Why are writers like Stephen King and R. L. Stein so popular? I think to understand that, we need to take a lesson from psychology.
One of my favorite Halloween traditions is watching The Simpsons 'Treehouse of Horror'. This year 'Treehouse of Horror XXVII' already aired on October 16. But it's the year 2016 and if you haven't seen it yet, it's pretty easy to figure out a way. Or, if you prefer, check out one of the classic episodes from earlier seasons. Not sure which one to watch since there are 27 of them? Stay tuned and I'll help you out.
All right, admittedly it appears delving into music might stretch the limits of a blog about writing and books. On top of that, I’m also connecting it to my Halloween countdown theme (night #6). Have I gone crazy? Not yet. I don't think. Stay with me, because I’m going to bring it all together. I promise. Let’s start with Bob Dylan.
K.L. Kranes 