It was with great sadness that I read of David J. Skal’s passing. I had a fan girl admiration of the fan boy who became a knowledgeable and esteemed author of non-fiction books that examined horror through a historical and cultural lens. To honor his memory, I dug out my copy Hollywood Gothic: The Tangled Web of “Dracula” from Novel to Stage and Screen. As soon as I opened the book, I felt my eyes well up with tears. Before even getting into the introduction, Skal had set a tone with a quote that was guaranteed to go straight to a genre lover’s heart: “Don’t have any picture shows here,…

Despite Cemetery Dance’s hot-off-the-press trade paper and e-book editions of his 1989 novel The Night Prophets, it took a bit of coaxing to get author Paul F. Olson to agree to an interview. Paul, like many writers, is self-effacing and a trifle leery of the spotlight. He is justifiably proud of his brilliant novella “Bloodybones” having been nominated for the 2017 World Fantasy Award. But in general, this rather quiet Midwesterner doesn’t sound his own trumpet. He obligingly answered my questions, and I am most grateful. For more about Paul and his writing, visit his website: https://paulfolson.com How would you distill the plot of The Night Prophets in twenty-five words or less? Starting with…

Early October in the suburbs of Southern California. It was already happening: a witch here, a skeleton there, wraiths hanging from palm trees. And before you could say “Poltergeist” there was, scattered among the cacti and succulents, a proliferation of ghoulies and ghosties and things that go bump in the night. It was positively…scary. Making matters eerier, there’s a contrast between the perceived notion of the season (cooler temperatures, falling leaves) and the locale. It appears barmy when the weather is so balmy. Applying the methods of an anthropologist, it’s possible to view the setting of this holiday ritual with bemused interest. Tile roofs and cul-de-sacs, subdivisions dictated by homeowners’…

Prior to the pandemic, it was a ritual to travel to the Cambria Scarecrow Festival. Cambria is a lovely town situated in California’s Central Coast. Denizens of Cambria enthusiastically participate in this month-long seasonal tradition, placing mannequins/scarecrows at store fronts and in open spaces. It’s hard to not appreciate the cleverness and creativity exhibited in this exuberant celebration of Halloween.  The joy of the season is infectious. And reveling in it at a picturesque seaside town that features fine food and libations added an extra treat to the already bountiful delights of trick or treat. To learn more: Cambria Scarecrow Festival

Horror fans have fondness for certain critters: cats, bats, spiders, corvids are among them. While I appreciate all those beasties, there’s a special place in my heart for owls. When this aspect of my personality became common knowledge, my small collection of decorative owl tchotchkes and artwork mushroomed. Friends and family no longer had to scratch their heads about what to give me as a gift. My home was transformed into a quasi-aviary bedecked with inanimate owls. In April of 2022, a live owl came into the picture. For roughly a month, it used a tree outside the master bedroom as its homebase. This resulted in comments such as “Don’t…