Win a digital copy of LADY IN THE MIST and one of Alicia Dean’s backlist
Each author participating in the Sultry Suspense Showcase will be giving away a prize to a lucky commenter on their post.
I still LOVE Halloween
I love Halloween. Always have. Even now, at fifty-one years of age, the holiday still excites me. I love the scary movies, the atmosphere, the costumes, the weather. My three children are all grown, but I passed on my legacy to them. They also love everything Halloween-ish. When they were little, I didn’t buy store bought costumes, I put together fun, cute costumes that were more unique than the droves of princesses and power rangers and ghosts and vampires roaming the neighborhoods. The kids loved it and so did I.
I find it disappointing that there doesn’t seem to be as many trick-or-treaters as there used to be. I suppose it has something to do with parents’ fear of the way the world has become and that something bad might happen to their children. Even when I was young, my parents feared the same thing and were very cautious about where we trick-or-treated. They also inspected our candy carefully. But, I remember going from house to house with my siblings until my orange plastic pumpkin with the black handle was so heavy, I could barely carry it. I wish our world was a safe enough place where children could still experience the fun and excitement of a good ole’ traditional trick-or-treat night. I miss opening the door on Halloween to all the adorable children in their costumes and hearing the enthusiastic ring of ‘Trick or treat!’ I also miss dressing my own children up and all the fun things we experienced during the holiday. At 19, 26 and 28, I doubt they’d still let me put cat ears on their heads and a tail on their leotards and paint whiskers on their cheeks. 🙂
What do you love (or dislike) about Halloween? What are your fondest memories?
Contest Time
One lucky commenter will win a digital copy of LADY IN THE MIST and a copy of one of Alicia Dean’s backlist. (http://www.aliciadean.com/). Winner will be selected using random.org on 10/8.
Blurb:
Upon her arrival in Shoal Harbor, Maine, Lily Jackson hears eerie moans that the locals claim are the ghostly cries of the unfortunate Breckenridge women. Running from loss and setback in Cincinnati, Lily needs the job as semi-psychiatric caregiver for Andrew Breckenridge, but the storm she has to weather from the oldest Breckenridge brother is severe. Clinton Breckenridge is a brooding man used to getting his own way, and he’s not convinced Lily is the right person to help his troubled younger brother.
Even as Lily starts picking up the pieces of Andrew’s tortured psyche and finding out his dark secrets, another mystery looms before her. Andrew’s lover has gone missing in recent months and no one knows what has happened to her, or if her voice has joined those of the other Breckenridge women. Before she knows it, Lily finds herself in danger—thrust directly into the eye of the raging storm.
Thank you for featuring my gothic mystery romance novella, written under the pen name, Winter Frost. Writing a post about Halloween was so much fun! Happy Friday!
I do enjoy Halloween though it’s not my favorite holiday. My favorite part is handing the candy out. Even when we lived out in the country and had only two kids stop by our place, I always made sure I had lots of candy for them, and for us as well. LOL
LOL, Jannine. Yes, I always get candy that I like, too. In case I don’t get many trick or treaters. I should get the stuff I hate though. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
Ooops…Sorry, Jessica…called you Jannine. I was thinking ahead about replying to her comment. Forgive me! 🙂
My girls haven’t given up trick-or-treating and they’re 13 and 15. We still have those old plastic pumkin buckets with the black handles… Yep, my mom saved them for me. LOL I just shopped for pieces of my younger daughter’s costume. And I fully agree, putting together an original idea is much better than the store bough variety. She and her BFF are going as Thing One and Thing Two from The Cat in the Hat. Should be very cute!
That does sound cute! You should post pics on FB and tag me. How cool that your mom saved the buckets from when you were a kid. Have a fun Halloween!
I buy the Halloween candy early and buy it several times because the whole family gets into it. The portions are small so we don’t feel too guilty but we really enjoy the sweet treats all month!
Hahaha. I know what you mean, Monica. It’s only me living in the house now, so the bag I bought had better last until Halloween.
Thanks for stopping by!
Congrats on the release. This book sounds fantastic. an’t wait to read it. My favorite part of Halloween is handing out candy and seeing all the children in costume.
e.balinski(at)att(dot)net
Hi Joanne. Thanks for the congrats. I hope you enjoy the book if you get a chance to read it. I really loved writing a gothic mystery romance. I hadn’t read one in years and years. Writing one really took me back to my youth. 🙂 I appreciate you stopping by!
I love Halloween, I enjoy handing out candy to the kids =)
I also love that Halloween signals Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner.
Thank you for participating in our Sultry Suspense Showcase!
Thank you for having me. I agree…this time of year, we get three wonderful Holidays! Can’t beat that. 🙂
I love the costumes, that’s my fav part of Halloween!
Hi Timira,
Yes, the costumes are so much fun! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
I like getting to be something that I’m not on Halloween. thanks for the giveaway. lisagk@
You’re welcome…thanks for stopping by!
Hubs got more into Halloween with the kids than I did. I, too, made their costume. The best was Hubs’ design. Ms. Pacman. He made the head from yellow tagboard & I made a yellow “gown”. Thanks for helping me remember that fun time.
LOL. How cool! I was obsessed with playing Ms. Pacman. (As an adult, I’m ashamed to admit )
Halloween is not a big thing in Australia. I do enjoy hearing about how you all enjoy this time.
I hadn’t thought about the fact that it’s not a big deal overseas. Thanks for stopping by!
I have the same memories, Alicia, and the same regrets that Halloween isn’t what it used to be. In the community where I now live (a neighborhood with TONS of kids), I haven’t even seen a child dressed in costume in the last three years. Not a single child. The first couple years we lived here, I bought tons of candy in anticipation, now I don’t bother. What happened to Halloween? I’m sure you’re right that fears of predators had much to do with it, but not even parents are walking kids around.I read that Halloween is becoming a much bigger holiday for adults (second only to Christmas, I think), and I can only assume it’s those childhood memories prompting those in my generation to have some fun. Hmm…now I have to think about what to wear this year!
Yes, Leah. I think it has become more a holiday for adults. Let me know what you decide to be. 🙂 Maybe you should go as Adrienne’s Ghost? LOL. Good point about how parents aren’t walking kids around like they used to. Not sure what’s happening.
While I am not a big fan of Halloween, my whole family is. They love to carve pumpkins and go trick or treating. Last year we had 110 trick or treaters, we have counted for the last 7 years, and have to buy alot of candy. My husband loves to where costumes, its so funny to watch him try and find the “perfect” costume, last year he was a mummy, 130 rolls of TP and long underware. This makes it alot of fun for my kids, (not so much my 16 yr old) Hope everone enjoys their Halloween!
Wow. 110 trick or treaters? I guess we now know where they’re all going…to your house! That is so cool that your huband gets that involved. Good grief…130 rolls of TP? He is devoted. Thanks for stopping by!
My best Halloweens were when my son was young. I would make his costumes and we would go out as a family. Never was one for haunted houses-my mind is too logical I think. I still like being home to see all the little ones come to the house. Some day-not too soon I hope-I’ll be going with the grandkids!
Thank you all for stopping by! This event runs through Nov 28 please visit us for more great RS authors.
Congrats to Annette you are the winner of Winter’s contest!