Boo!

In the blink of an eye it’s gone from March to October, and Halloween is fast approaching.  But this holiday promises to be different than usual.  Will there be a Halloween at all?  Gone are the days of light-hearted dressing up and trick-or-treating.  Last year, Halloween celebrations in my neck of the woods (northern California) were threatened by wildfires and power outages.  This year, we still have have the fires, but the pandemic might be the biggest threat to celebrating the spooky tradition.  

What will children do?  Is it safe to go out and about?  What about trick-or-treating?  Digging into a community candy bowl in close contact with others is probably not the best idea.  My husband already bought bags of Halloween candy that needs to be given away or I will eat it all!  I was thinking of making individual bags and placing them along the driveway for the kids to pick up.

Besides the candy, there are other ways to celebrate.  We have had Halloween parties in the past, but that’s out the window.  I love to dress up and have gone from full costume several years ago:

to a more relaxed version recently:

I doubt I will dress up at all this year, although I may throw on the t-shirt.  

We like to decorate the house and yard:

And I love to watch a good horror movie or revisit my favorite spooky stories:

  

My husband and I make it a tradition to visit a pumpkin patch every year, and this year was no different.  My idea of a pumpkin patch is paying five times more for a pumpkin than you would at the grocery store and having to lug it a lot further to the car:

My husband’s idea sounds like some sort of convoluted fairy tale about liberating the poor oppressed pumpkins from the pumpkin patch.  I tell him we can liberate them from the grocery store for 1/5 of the price, but he’s having none of that.  Having said that, it’s nice to get outside and enjoy the cooler fall weather.  It’s an al fresco activity with plenty of room for social distancing.  And there were plenty of fun photo ops:

What are your plans with the kids or grandkids this Halloween?  Do you have any fun Halloween traditions to share?

Angela Crider Neary is an attorney by day and writer by night. She is an avid mystery reader and especially enjoys reading novels set in interesting locales. She was inspired to write her first mystery novella, Li'l Tom and the Pussyfoot Detective Bureau: The Case of the Parrots Desaparecidos, by one of her favorite areas in San Francisco, Telegraph Hill.  Her second book, Li'l Tom and the Case of the New Year Dragon is now available.  To learn more, visit her on Facebook and Amazon.

HALLOWEEN NEW RELEASE! THE DARKER SIDE OF GOODNESS by CHERYL PIERSON

A generous demon is surprised when the human he tries to help on Halloween shows him The Darker Side of Goodness.


Join me in celebrating the release of my latest short story, a Halloween offering with all kinds of “twist” to it! Even better news? (What could be better than announcing a new release, you ask?) There may be a short film made of this story in the future!


I’m giving away a digital copy of this story to one lucky commenter today—so be sure to leave your contact information in your comment and I’ll draw a name tomorrow!


Blurb:
When Jack Daniels goes into the local bar for a drink on Halloween, he meets Christian Lightfoot, a demon who shows him the truth about his wife Ashley’s infidelity. Jack learns he’s about to become the recipient of a large inheritance, and his wife has plans for it—plans that don’t include him. Will he live in spite of her evil plot to murder him, or will he choose another path…and walk upon The Darker Side of Goodness?


EXCERPT from THE DARKER SIDE OF GOODNESS:


“Who are you?” The thought bounced between them, back and forth, like a ping pong ball. But Jack knew he’d thought of it first.


“Not ‘who,’ Jack. ‘What’ am I?” the smooth voice responded. Christian reached for his glass and took a sip of his drink. He let out a slow, deep sigh of satisfaction.


“It’s been a long time,” he murmured aloud. “Each year seems to grow longer and more tedious. But it’s worth the wait.”


Jack pushed his drink away. He’d had enough. Things were turning just a bit too weird. A sense of loss went through him. He’d been enjoying his time here at The Thirsty Traveler. Now, this odd stranger had invited a wave of unease into the bar. Jack looked around. He and Christian were alone. Everyone else had left. Even Dale was nowhere in sight.


“What does that mean?” Jack asked nervously. He could feel his palms getting clammy. He eased the stool back a couple of inches.


Christian shook his head. “No need to be afraid, Jack. You are my project this year. I wouldn’t dream of hurting you…not on this night, anyway.” He cocked his head. “Now, last night, perhaps you’d have had something to fear. Tomorrow, you’ll have to be on the lookout again. But tonight, you’re safe.”


Jack moistened his lips. “I am so out of here.”


“Oh, not yet.” Christian’s lips slanted upward as he watched Jack struggle to get down from the bar stool. He took another sip of his gin. “I have some things to say to you, my friend,” Christian went on, “when you’re ready to listen.”


Jack struggled to keep the dismay at his own helplessness from his expression. Panic edged his voice. “I just need to…to go home. Ashley will be wondering—”


“Ashley.” Christian spat her name as if it were something foul-tasting.


Jack looked at him in surprise. He stopped struggling.


“It should be clear to you, Jack. It should all be clear, by now. You need to cut your losses. Move on.” He gestured with his hands as he spoke, but didn’t raise his voice.


Panic filled Jack’s chest. Hadn’t he been thinking something very similar just a few minutes before Lightfoot had slid onto the stool beside him? And he hadn’t really ‘slid,’ had he? He had just appeared, with a glimmer and flash.


“Now, don’t be afraid, Jack. I know—I know what you’re thinking. ‘Who is this demon, and what does he want with me.’ Right?”


“Demon?”


Oh, dear God.



If you just can't wait to see if you've won, here is the Amazon link. It's also available at Smashwords and Barnes and Noble, as well as other digital outlets. Don't forget to leave your contact info in your comment!

http://www.amazon.com/Darker-Side-Goodness-Cheryl-Pierson-ebook/dp/B00NUGANR6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1411579230&sr=1-1&keywords=the+darker+side+of+goodness