October, The Writing Season

Today is chilly, easily the first sweater-weather day of the season. I'm still searching for a desk, and once this is done (hopefully tonight) I can place it in a dimly lit corner of the office and get back to writing.

With classes in Mid-term, I've put the story on the side. But now that we're heading back into a lull, and with the weather turning, I can start mailing out queries. There really isn't a single book that I'm fascinated with at the moment, too. This is perfect writing time.

Speaking of queries, the other day I must've mailed at least four queries via Yahoo! Yet to get a "We're sorry" from a single one yet means that the weekend looks good...

I've been reading a lot of ghost stories lately, and this makes me want to write something just for Halloween. Some short stories to put up on the site. I had this idea for a story of a vampire who is also a Horror Host on a TV station in Baltimore in the '80s.

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Sad Monday

The Ravens got their asses handed to them. I've been writing the film script all day, trying not to think too much about it. It's just a game, right? Well...

A Small History on Halloween in the States

Here's a link . This is a quick little read about Halloween and its development in the "New World". I've been a stanch believer that Halloween in America today is well and truly crafted here, though very much of traditions from the "Old World". But the conglomeration of the holiday is well and formed here in the States, from the carving of the first jack-o'-lanterns to trick or treating as a homegrown manifestation. A lot of these Halloween traditions were simultaneously developed up north with our Canadian cousins too, I'm sure. But with the bigger population Halloween became larger here in the States. And this story gives us some insight into the idea that while Halloween has some traditions that date back to pre-Christ times, what we celebrate here today in America is very much a melting pot of our own construction. This is important to me as this holiday is very much a part of the American experience and identity. If I have to say it aloud, I hav...

Jack-o'-lanterns in November!

Today most of America seems to have forgotten that the venerable jack-o'-lantern is not only an important symbol of Halloween, but also of Thanksgiving. As a kid this icon of Thanksgiving was a decoration you would see in people's yards throughout October and November; through most of autumn. Today you don't see it as much, with folks settling for simple uncarved pumpkins on the steps on the porch, or on bales of hay. I bring this up only because I'd like to see a return to the pumpkin-headed scarecrows staying around for more than one holiday. I'm keeping my jack-o'-lanterns out in the yard and on the porch until the day after Thanksgiving. It's time we keep the pumpkin-head scarecrow around all fall. This is a perfect way to repurpose your jacks into November, instead of letting them get tossed by some teenagers post-All Hollows Eve! However, there is something to be said for rotting jack-o'-lanterns after Halloween that just screams cool. Aging jacks ...

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