A Short Hiatus
- January 04, 2021
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I’ve decided to take January off from blogging. I feel the need to recharge. So, see you in a month!
See Ya Next Year
- December 28, 2020
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When the Universe Giggles
- December 21, 2020
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I was notified that the plumber needed to come over and do some preventative maintenance. And he needed access to the water valve. Which is a royal PITA because it’s under the carpet that’s under my bed. Still, I’ve done this before.
Two nights before the appointment I chose to wash my kitchen floor. Because of course that’s what someone should do before men in snowy, dirty boots track through the length of my apartment.
And…the sponge mop broke in my hand. A new one will arrive next week and it had better have hidden gems or store magic spells for the price of a plain ole sponge on a stick with a wringer.
Maintenance is done. Have a good week, and for those who celebrate, a wonderful holiday.
Photo by Michal Matlon on Unsplash
Happy Holidays!
- December 14, 2020
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To everyone who celebrates this month, may it be a healthy and happy time. Tonight is the fifth night of Hanukkah and I’m happy to be lighting the candles each night.
I Bought Another Pen
- November 30, 2020
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That is all.
Pens, Pens, Pens
- November 23, 2020
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Sometimes writing by hand is the best way to get the creativity moving along. I have three pens that do the job.
Cover Reveal!
- November 16, 2020
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A new anthology by The Penheads, coming in 2021!
Spooky Books for the Season
- November 02, 2020
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Halloween is over, but we’re heading into the season of dark and cold, so why not curl up with a book? The kind that spreads delicious chills down your spine while you drink something hot and think you’re safe. The first one I’d recommend is a classic:
Dracula, by Bram Stoker
It’s called a classic for a very good reason. It builds quietly, pulling us into a different time and place until we’re caught in its net. And there are no sparkles here.
The next two came highly recommended, although I haven’t read them yet.
A Book of Horrors, by Stephen Jones (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
From Amazon: A collection of original horror and dark fantasy from the world’s best writers, including Stephen King and John Ajvide Lindqvist.
Harbor, by John Ajvide Lindqvist
Suspenseful and chilling. I’m easily scared but I might still read this one—during the daytime.
And finally, something for the younger set, although I think it’s good for adults too:
Great Ghost Stories of the Old West, Edited by Betty Baker
Who says ghosts only reside in houses? These tales are alternating scary, hauntingly beautiful, and mournful. What’s not to like?
Happy reading!
7 Movies Friends Suggest for Halloween
- October 29, 2020
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I asked a few friends to list their favorite Halloween movies. This is a mixed bag and some of the choices surprised me, but that’s part of the fun. Since I haven’t seen them, all descriptions are from IMDB.
1. House II: The Second Story (1987)
The new owner of a sinister house gets involved with reanimated corpses and demons searching for an ancient Aztec skull with magic powers.
A species of South American killer spider hitches a lift to the U.S. in a coffin and starts to breed and kill.
A young couple trying for a baby move into a fancy apartment surrounded by peculiar neighbors.
(Seriously creepy, folks, you’ve been warned.)
Homicide detective John Hobbes witnesses the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese. Soon after the execution the killings start again, and they are very similar to Reese’s style.
(Make no mistake, this is supernatural and dark.)
5. Arsenic and Old Lace (1969)
A drama critic learns on his wedding day that his beloved maiden aunts are homicidal maniacs, and that insanity runs in his family.
6. Abbot and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949)
Two employees of a secluded hotel investigate a murder on the premises in which the goofy bellboy is the prime suspect.
And finally, my choice for the unexpected, a B movie that’s so bad, it’s fun. The first time I watched it at a Halloween party, we had a good time afterward dissecting it.
7. The City of the Dead (Horror Hotel) (1960)
A young college student arrives in a sleepy Massachusetts town to research witchcraft; during her stay at an eerie inn, she discovers a startling secret about the town and its inhabitants.
(I saw this under the American name of Horror Hotel, but The City of the Dead is the title under IMDB. Go figure.)
What are your suggestions?
7 Classic Comedy-Horror Films
- October 26, 2020
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I’m not a big fan of serious horror films. It’s too hard to turn off the lights at night after I’ve watched, so I gave up (the exception is Bela Lugosi in Dracula and the version with Louis Jourdan).
But I love what I call spooky-funny films that may or may not actually involve the supernatural. Here’s my list: