I subscribe to author Joe Hill's newsletter and was struck by how aligned I am with him on October, autumn nights, and how 'the buildup to Halloween is everything.'
His perfect words:
"As far as I'm concerned, October is the best month of the year and Halloween is the best holiday. Here in New Hampshire, the dusk smells like woodsmoke and crushed leaves. The air is sharp and crisp and reminds you that you're alive. The night comes soon and the morning comes slow and nothing tastes quite so good as that first cup of hot tea with a cider donut.
"It's a month for reading old, tastefully terrifying ghost stories by the likes of M.R. James and Algernon Blackwood and watching black-and-white horror films.
"As with Christmas, the build-up to Halloween is everything—the night itself is just a silly bit of fun, especially if you have kids, and you all go out in costume as a family. My twins were Ewoks last Hallow's Eve. It's looking like knights this time around.
…
"Don't eat so much candy you get a cavity. If you hear screams at night, that's probably just kids, running house to house, collecting candy bars in their pillowcases. PROBABLY. Have fun, sleep well—if you can—and I'll be back to visit your in-box before turkey day." - Joe Hill, Escape Hatch 057, October 01, 2024
I never read him, I think, but now I think I need to. That's pretty much what I think. Oh and I love classic ghost stories this time of year.
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