February Horror Blogs

Sorry for the delay on blogs.  I have undergone a creative evaluation which took more time than considered.   However, I am now able to jump back on track.

 

Here are my horror movie and book blogs for February.  My paranormal blog should restart within the next month or so.

Movie wise, I have focused on romanticized horror icons for Valentine’s Day.

CLICK HERE TO READ!

 

Book wise, I have reviewed the first two volumes of “The Miss Hyde Novellas.”  This includes an author interview from Kindra Sowder.

CLICK HERE TO READ!

 

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Sweet Nightmares,

Alexander S. Brown

www.alexandersbrown.com

October’s Horror Blogs and Paranormal Blog

My horror and paranormal blogs are now available for October.

Movie wise, I have posted my first “Bloody Binge Blog” for Halloween.

CLICK HERE TO READ!

Book wise, I have reviewed the horror novel, “The House the Devil Built” by Benjamin Hively.  Included is an author interview.

CLICK HERE TO READ!

Paranormal wise, I have elaborated on how to perform ancestral worship.

CLICK HERE TO READ!

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Happy Halloween,

Alexander S. Brown

www.alexandersbrown.com

 

September Horror Blogs and Paranormal Blog

My horror and paranormal blogs are now available for September.

Movie wise, I have posted my first “Double Feature” entry for Labor Day.

CLICK HERE TO READ!

Book wise, I have reviewed the horror novella “Train Thoughts” by Jay Sigler.  Included is an author interview.

CLICK HERE TO READ!

Paranormal wise, I have elaborated on earthbound spirits.

CLICK HERE TO READ!

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Sweet Nightmares,

Alexander S. Brown

www.alexandersbrown.com

 

 

 

Paranormal Investigator, Horror Author, and Spiritualist Kalila Smith Speaks of Halloween

Kalila Smith has been a name imbedded in my head since I experienced the New Orleans Ghost Tours.  The first book of hers I ever bought was New Orleans Ghosts, Voodoo, and Vampires and I was hooked since.  For years, I had wanted to meet her and when I opened the guidelines for Southern Haunts: Spirits that Walk Among Us, I was beyond thrilled to work with her.  The first time I met her face to face was at a convention and we just happened to bump into one another.  We had that pause moment, where we looked at one another like we had known each other for a lifetime.  Then after a huge hug, we immediately clicked, and I have her to thank for my level of spirituality that I now have.  It is my greatest pleasure to interview a woman that I highly respect and that I feel is perfect to feature on my blog during the week of Halloween!

Kalila was born and raised in New Orleans. She personally researched and wrote the material featured on Haunted History Tours of New Orleans’ Ghost, Vampire and Spellbound tours. She is the author of New Orleans Ghosts, Voodoo, & Vampires, and Tales from the French Quarter, and Miami’s Dark Tales.  Her newest book is Afterlife Mysteries Revealed.

Her work as an intuitive psychic has been recognized for over 2 decades worldwide.

She has been featured on and worked behind the scenes on  television productions including Travel Daily, Places of Mystery, Secret New Orleans, Unsolved Mysteries, FEAR!, MTV’s On The Road, Blind Date, Hidden New Orleans, Urban Legends, America’s Most Haunted Places, In Search of…, and Supernatural Destinations. She appeared in the motion picture, “The St. Francisville Experience.” She wrote and directed “Journey Into Darkness… The Trilogy”, a video documentary, featured in segment in television broadcast in the US & UK.  And worked on and appeared in the documentary for Sony’s Playstation II game, Ghosthunter. She conducted all of the paranormal investigations for the local television show, “Haunted New Orleans.” She was a producer in the PBS documentary “Southern Haunts” New Orleans episode produced by Sky Dive Films.

Several of her true crime stories were featured in articles in Examiner.com and the National Crime and Punishment Museum Blog page.

Check out her short story “The Bequest” in Southern Haunts; Spirits That Walk Among Us.   Another short story, “The Devil’s Doorway” will be featured in the second Southern Haunts Anthology, and “Bayou Loup,” a werewolf story featured in “Luna’s Children,” a werewolf anthology.

What does Halloween mean to you?

Halloween is when the veil between our world and the spirit world is the thinnest.

What is your most memorable Halloween?

My most memorable Halloweens are the ones I shared with my kids when they were little.

What was your best Halloween costume? 

I was so busy one year, I just didn’t costume. I didn’t have time, I was worn out but then felt bad that I didn’t take part in the festivities.   When I got to work, I ran to Walgreens’ and picked up some cheap Halloween makeup and put white on my face and dark under my eyes and called myself a zombie!  I did my tours that night and everyone loved it!

What was your worst Halloween costume? 

A couple of years ago I did Medusa with plastic snakes and a wig.  The snakes were painted with a paint that caused my sinuses to close up and the bobby pins were stabbing me in the head.  It turned into the worst headache of my life.  Never again!

How do you celebrate Halloween today?

I work and I have worked on Halloween doing ghost tours, séances and readings for 19 years now.

Some people believe Halloween is a negative Holiday to celebrate. Why do you feel Halloween has such a controversy to it? 

Hollywood is usually to blame for giving a bad name to anything mysterious turning into something dark and evil.

What do you do to keep the ghost and ghouls away on Halloween night?

Well, we do séances and of course say prayers and sing to raise the vibration to keep lower vibrational spirits away.

What frightens you and why? 

New Orleans’ cockroaches.  Why? They fly.

What’s your favorite scary movie and why? 

One of my favorites that scared me beyond words was the Jeepers Creepers. Being stranded on a deserted country road with a monster after you, is pretty creepy. But I’m a classic horror buff. I like old school horror and anything Stephen King!

What’s your favorite horror book and why?

Cujo by Stephen King because as I read it, it was as if I was there.   During the car scene I actually felt very trapped and claustrophobic.   He really made that character come to life and it’s so frightening because it could actually happen.  What can be scarier?

Do you prefer slow burners or fast paced thrillers?

Both!  Just scare me!

What inspires your more frightening work? 

Legends I heard growing up in the bayous of South Louisiana.   I grew up hearing some really scary stories about ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and other monsters.

Do you plan to contribute to the horror genre in the future?

Absolutely! In fact, I’m sitting on a couple of short stories waiting for the right anthology to come along.

Where can we find your work?

www.kalilasmith.com    http://http://darkoakpress.com

Find Out What Scares Horror Author Michael West

Nearly, a year ago I had the pleasure of speaking with Michael West.  This introduction was when we began assisting with the podcast known as The Star Chamber Show.  It wasn’t until last September that I had the opportunity to meet him at an event known as Imaginarium.  Although we had the pleasure of speaking many times prior, it was here that we began fanboying out over the horror genre.  With his knowledge regarding scares and monstrosities, I am pleased to have horror author, Michael West on my blog.

 

Michael West is the bestselling author of Cinema of Shadows, The Wide Game, Spook House, Skull Full of Kisses, and the critically-acclaimed Legacy of the Gods series. He lives and works in the Indianapolis area with his wife, their two children, their turtle, Gamera, and their dog, King Seesar.

His children are convinced that spirits move through the woods near their home.

What does Halloween mean to you?

Halloween has always been a special time of year for me.  When I was a child, it was the fun of dressing up and getting free candy, sure, but it was also a time of year where Horror was actually celebrated.  Turn on just about any TV channel and find a scary movie or Halloween-themed show.  Stores are filled with monster masks and other spooky items.  Creepy, ghoulish stuff is everywhere.  I guess it all comes down to the fact that this is the one time of the year that I don’t feel like an outcast.

What is your most memorable Halloween?

I’ve had so many memorable Halloweens.  It’s hard to pick just one.

How do you celebrate Halloween today?

We normally put on a Haunted House in my garage and then have a pizza party for all my friends and family who help me pull it off.  Leading up to the big night, I watch Horror films on AMC and my brother usually holds a themed Halloween Party that I really enjoy.

What was your best Halloween costume?

My best costume was probably me Devil costume from 1991.  I carved cloven hooves out of wood and did actual prosthetic make-up.  That one went over really well and I won Best Costume at a few Halloween parties that year.

What was your worst Halloween costume?

There were a few Halloweens when we lived in an apartment and I worked for a movie theater.  I had to work on Halloween night, so my costume was my manager’s uniform. That was my worst for sure.

Some people believe Halloween is a negative holiday to celebrate.  Why do you feel Halloween has such a controversy to it?

Some see Halloween as a celebration of darkness and Evil with a capital “E.”  I don’t see it that way at all.  I see it as good, ol’ fun.

What do you do to keep the ghosts and ghouls away on Halloween night?

Usually, I watch Halloween.

What frightens you and why?

Two of my biggest fears are spiders and being eaten alive, which keep popping up in my fiction too.  I don’t know when the fears started or why.  I’ve had them as long as I can remember.  The other major fear I have is that something will happen to someone I love.  If you love someone, you know what that fear is like.  This person is your world, and the thought of losing them, of what the world would be like with them not in it, is just too horrible to even consider.

What’s your favorite scary movie and why?

John Carpenter’s Halloween.  It is just about the perfect scare machine.  The lighting, the cinematography, the acting, the score.  Oh, that score.  It just isn’t really Halloween until I sit down to watch it.

What’s your favorite horror book and why?

Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot.  King introduces to us some of the most memorable, likeable, characters, people you really get to know and feel a connection with, and then he puts them through Hell.  I’ve read it a half a dozen times over the years, and the passage where the vampire child is clawing at the window, begging to be let in, still makes my blood run cold.

Do you prefer slow burners or fast paced thrillers?

I like both.  Actually, my favorite stories start off as a slow burn and then end with fast paced, action – packed climaxes.

What inspires your more frightening work?

Sometimes it is a news story.  Other times, an idea just hits me when I least expect it.  Some are based on my own fears and the fears of people I know, and still others are inspired by events from my life.  The car accident from The Wide Game, for example, was based on an actual event that happened to me back in 1987.

Do you plan to contribute to the horror genre in the future?

I never set out to write a Horror story.  I like to say that everything I write is a love story, except the thing that threatens to drive people apart is not your normal everyday problems, but the supernatural.  All of my stories tend to have some dark slant to them, so yes, I see my work to continue to involve Horror in one fashion or another.

Where can we find your work?

You can find my work at my website, http://www.bymichaelwest.com

My publisher’s website, http://www.seventhstarpress.com/  and on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.

Vampire Author Linda DeLeon Speaks of Halloween

The concept of life and death can be interpreted and philosophized in many ways.  Horror author Linda DeLeon has always fascinated me due to her outlook on these subjects and it is these subjects she speaks about in regards to Halloween.  Besides being skilled in the literary world, she has also shown amazing talents with her exploration into the realms that some shy away from, such as palm reading and tarot card divination.  It is a pleasure to introduce to you, my readers, Mrs. Linda DeLeon.

Linda DeLeon was born in Richland Parish, Louisiana. When she was nine years old, she moved to Vicksburg, MS. She now lives in Dallas, TX with her husband, Rene. Her son, Cody, lives in MS and is currently attending Hinds CC and working toward a career in medicine. Mrs. DeLeon works as a nurse in the emergency room. Taking a dare from a co-worker, she began to write. With the encouragement of her fellow nurses, their entertainment became her obsession. With writing, she could combine her love of history and her deep fascination with vampires. Her endeavors resulted in Fall into Darkness and Veil of Time.

In March, 2014, her first short story Deidless was published in the anthology Southern Haunts 2: Devils in the Darkness. Since then, she has contributed to other anthologies that will be released in 2015. Presently, she is working on the first in a series of books to be published by Pro-Se Productions. Her novels will soon be available through Dark Oak Press.

What does Halloween mean to you?

I love Halloween.  Fall is my favorite time of year.  The days get shorter and nights are longer.  There is nothing I love more than a dreary, cloudy day.  The whole atmosphere is filled with mystery.  What horrors lie just beyond that veil of dense fog.

What is your most memorable Halloween?

There are so many.  One of my favorites was when I dressed my son up for his first Halloween.  He was a black cat.

How do you celebrate Halloween today?

I decorate and watch as many horror movies as I can.  I love Syfy channel’s 31 Days of Halloween.

What was your best Halloween costume?

Most years, I am a vampire, of course.

What was your worst Halloween costume?

I’m sure there are many.

Some people believe Halloween is a negative holiday.  Why do you feel there is so much controversy in regards to this night?

People hate, discriminate, and criticize what they fear and/or do not understand.  I say all the time, and throughout history it rings true, that the basis of hate is fear.  This is an issue in which I have strong feelings about.  It is better if I do not pursue this issue further.

What do you do to keep the ghosts and ghouls away on Halloween night?

I welcome the ghosts year round.  As for the rest of the, I simply turn the porch light off.

What frightens you and why?

I have one fear – snakes.

What is your favorite scary movie?

I have many.  I love all vampire movies, unless they are cheesy.  I would have to say my two favorites are Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Sleepy Hollow.

What is your favorite horror book?

I found Stephen King’s The Stand under my desk in 8^th grade.  I read it and was hooked.

Do you prefer slow burners or fast paced thrillers?

I like a lot of blood and action.  I guess my answer would be fast paced.

What inspires your more frightening work?

I tend to get aggravated easily.  My next thought would be ways to kill someone and hide their body.  I know that is not normal, but it’s me.  What can I say?  I have always felt that my life revolves around death.  Maybe that is why I see things differently than the regular person.

Do you plan to contribute to the horror genre in the future?

Most definitely. I will keep writing as long as I can.

Where can we find your work?

Right now, my books are available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  I have just joined two new publishers: Pro Se Productions and Dark Oak Press.  When those works are available, I will list it on my website.  www.ldeleonbooks.com

The Goth Librarian Speaks of Halloween

Years ago, at the event Southern Fried Comic Con in Jackson, MS, I had the pleasure of speaking on a panel with author Kimberly Richardson.  Upon this panel, she and I discovered we had quite a bit in common.  After purchasing her book Tales from a Goth Librarian, and she purchasing my book Traumatized, it would be nearly a year before we would see each other again.  The next time we bumped into one another was at Midsouth Con in Memphis, TN.  The first thing we did was hug one another and then fan girl/boy out over how shocking each other’s work was.  It wasn’t long after that I began contributing to her Dreams of Steam Series.  Before we learn what Kimberly Richardson AKA The Goth Librarian thinks of Halloween, here is some of her back story.

After found as an infant crawling among books in an abandoned library, Kimberly Richardson grew up to become an eccentric woman with a taste for jazz, drinking tea, reading books, speaking rusty French and Japanese, playing her violin and writing stories that cause people to make the strangest faces. Her first book, Tales from a Goth Librarian, was published through Dark Oak Press and named a Finalist in both the USA Book News Awards for Fiction: Short Story for 2009 and the International Book Awards for Fiction: Short Story in 2010. Ms. Richardson is also the author of The Decembrists (Dark Oak Press) and Mabon/Pomegranate (Dark Oak Press), the upcoming books Tales From a Goth Librarian II, The House of Ginkgo and Open A, as well as the editor of Realms of Imagination: An Urban Fantasy Anthology and the award winning Steampunk anthology Dreams of Steam and the award winning sequels Dreams of Steam II: Of Brass and Bolts, Dreams of Steam III: Gadgets and Dreams of Steam IV: Gizmos, and the upcoming Dreams of Steam V, all published through Dark Oak Press. Ms. Richardson is also a contributor to the anthologies BLACK PULP and the upcoming ASIAN PULP, both published through ProSe Press, Garbanzo Literary Journal Volume III, published through Seraphemera Books, and Luna’s Children: Stranger Worlds, a werewolf anthology published through Dark Oak Press. Other short stories and poetry by Ms. Richardson have been published through Sam’s Dot Publishing/Alban Lake Publishing, Midnight Screaming, and FootHills Publishing.  Ms. Richardson is also the Programming Director for Memphis Comic and Fantasy Convention, a sci-fi convention held in Memphis, Tennessee.

What does Halloween mean to you?

It means a time to say goodbye to the lighter side of Life and to prepare ourselves for the Dark. It is by no means a sad time rather a time of reflection and of magick.

What is your most memorable Halloween?

I don’t really have one; every Halloween has been wonderful!

How do you celebrate Halloween today?

I usually just watch a scary movie or pay homage to the dead.  This year, however, I am going to see the Shakespearean play Richard III.  I love that play and this version should be spooky enough!

What was your best Halloween costume?

I dressed up once as a farmer when I was a child, complete with hay stick to chew on!

What was your worst Halloween costume?

I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad costume.

Some people believe Halloween is a negative Holiday to celebrate.  Why do you feel Halloween has such a controversy to it? Because although there are “spooky” elements associated with the holiday, people think it to mean the Devil and Satanism.  That is simply not the case.

What do you do to keep the ghosts and ghouls away on Halloween night?

Keep them away? Um, why?

What frightens you and why?

You know what scares me, Alex.  That is my answer!

What’s your favorite scary movie and why?

The scariest movie I ever saw was The Orphanage.  Scared me so badly I actually hid behind my coat and cried.  Yes, I really did cry.  Anything dealing with dead children bothers me greatly.

What’s your favorite horror book and why?

Bag of Bones by Stephen King.  Something about the story touched my soul and wouldn’t let go.  It bothered me to read it but I read the entire thing and, although I’m glad that I did, I will never read it again.

Do you prefer slow burners or fast paced thrillers?

I like both, although I tend to write the slow burners.

What inspires your more frightening work?

My imagination and the fact that it has no limits.

Do you plan to contribute to the horror genre in the future?

Um, is that a trick question? LOL

Purchase works by Kimberly Richardson by visiting the following URL:

http://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-Richardson/e/B006VEN2M2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_5?qid=1413606560&sr=1-5

Horror Author Dean Harrison Speaks of Halloween

In early 2014 at Mobicon in Mobile, Alabama, I had the opportunity of meeting and paneling with horror author Dean Harrison.  When I decided to do my Halloween interviews in regards to the world of arts and literature, Mr. Harrison was one of the top names that came to mind.  Not only is he a great horror author, but his knowledge regarding Halloween and the horror genre is favorable to all who enjoy thrills and chills.

Dean Harrison is a longtime fan of horror fiction. Though he’s spent time out in the “real world” working as a shoe salesman, a security guard, an investigator, a loss prevention detective and a journalist, he’s consistently returned to what he loves doing most – writing horror fiction. His short stories can be found in the horror anthologies:

FEM-FANGS, FELL BEASTS, RELICS & REMAINS, and CHRISTMAS IN HELL. His debut novel is THESE UNQUIET BONES. More is to come.

Dean lives with his family in his hometown of Mobile, AL, a city rich in ghost stories.

 

What does Halloween mean to you?

It means good times for my inner child. It means dressing up as my favorite monster for a little trick or treat, and a little mischief on a night lit with jack-o-lanterns, plagued with bats, and haunted by ghosts, goblins, and other delightful horrors.

What is your most memorable Halloween?

Honestly, no one Halloween from my childhood sticks out as most memorable. They were all a lot of fun: trick or treating with my three siblings and friends from the old neighborhood, enjoying the brisk night air, the spooky decorations, and the suspense of wondering just who, or what, might jump from the shadows and scream BOO, the goose bumps. And then there’s going home to watch scary movies and snack on candy, while my imagination continues to run wild with every creak and bump I hear in the dark.

How do you celebrate Halloween today?

My wife and I go to a friend’s house for a big Halloween bash. There’s a roaring bonfire by a placid river, jack-o-lanterns burning under mossy oaks, food, drinks, music, dancing, and mischief. Plenty of mischief. It’s a blast. And of course, we all wear costumes. That’s a requirement.

What was your best Halloween costume?

Werewolf. I do believe I freaked people out, even unwittingly scared a couple of kids (nieces and nephews included).

What was your worst Halloween costume?

For one Halloween party I dressed in all black and wore a silver skull mask. After a while at the party I got frustrated with the mask, because it’s kind of difficult to eat, drink, and socialize while wearing one. So when anyone asked what I was supposed to be, I said I was Bob Seger.

Some people believe Halloween is a negative Holiday to celebrate. Why do you feel Halloween has such a controversy to it?

I think it boils down to an ignorance, or misunderstanding, of Halloween’s history, especially among some religious groups. Personally, I don’t believe Halloween bothers God. I come from a Catholic upbringing, and my family celebrates Halloween. I have fond memories of the Halloween bizarre the Catholic school I attended (from preschool to eighth grade) put on every fall. We got to wear our Halloween costumes and play cool games, win cool prizes. I even remembered a haunted house they built in the gym one year. It was a lot of spooky fun. It wasn’t until high school (my introduction to the public school system) that I discovered some churches frowned upon the holiday, but that’s their problem. We Catholics love Halloween.

What do you do to keep the ghosts and ghouls away on Halloween night?

Keep them away? Hell, I invite them in and offer a drink!

What frightens you and why?

What I see and read in the news, because it’s real. The horror novels I read, the movies I watch, they don’t frighten me because I know they’re fiction. It’s the horror taking place in the world that terrifies me, because it is actually happening. It’s real. Wars, terrorism, diseases, economic turmoil, violent crime, and natural disasters; hearing about it fills me with a dull sinking dread, and the only way to escape it is to choose not to pay attention, but I don’t like to be uniformed.

What’s your favorite scary movie and why?

Halloween, because it is a true horror classic that never fails to give me chills. And it doesn’t rely on shock and disgust, blood and guts, to terrify. It uses sound, suspense, and atmosphere to raise the hairs and prickle the skin.

What’s your favorite horror book and why?

John Farris’s SON OF THE ENDLESS NIGHT, because it is an epic horror read. Think THE EXORCIST but on a much larger scale. I highly recommend it, and Farris’s writing is gripping and brilliant.

Do you prefer slow burners or fast paced thrillers?

I like for there to be build up, but I don’t like a story to drag, so I guess I’m somewhere in between. Plus, it depends on my mood.

What inspires your more frightening work?

My nightmares.

Do you plan to contribute to the horror genre in the future?

I have projects in the works.

Where can we find your work?

I have short stories published in various horror anthologies, and a novel (THESE UNQUIET BONES) published by Omnium Gatherum. You can find my work here:

http://www.amazon.com/Dean-Harrison/e/B008F18L70/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1412386005&sr=8-2

and here:

http://deanmharrison.wordpress.com/

Author Guest H. David Blalock Reflects on Halloween

At last, October is here. Although I plan to contribute more reviews on Halloween themed entertainment, I thought it would be fun to invite a few authors and artists throughout October to share their views and memories of Halloween.

Our first featured guest is a prolific author known by his fans as H. David Blalock. His writing talents are superb examples of diversity within the literary world. Some of his horror stories can be found in the anthologies Southern Haunts: Spirits that Walk Among Us and Southern Haunts 2: Devils in the Darkness. Look for his name again in the upcoming Southern Haunts 3: Magic in the Moonlight. Even though these are only a few titles, be sure to check out his series The Angel Killer Triad, now available where books are sold.

Before we jump into our interview, here is a little back story on Mr. Blalock:

Born in San Antonio, Texas, David spent the majority of his formative years in Jacksonville, Florida. At the age of 16, his family moved to the Panama Canal Zone where David finished school and entered employment with the Department of Defense as a Powerhouse Electrician. Hiring into the FAA, he returned with his wife and two daughters to the States and settled briefly in Gulfport, MS. He later moved to Memphis, TN, as an Air Traffic Controller for the Memphis ARTCC where he remained until retirement.

David’s writing has appeared in numerous anthologies, magazines, webzines, and writer’s sites. For more information on David, his work and appearances, visit his website: www.thranKeep.com .

What does Halloween mean to you?

Not nearly as much today as it did when I was young. Nowadays I don’t see as much meaning in it as I did when trick or treating was my main goal. Today, it’s just another holiday.

What is your most memorable Halloween?

We used to have some remarkable Halloween parties. At one in particular, I remember a bonfire that precipitated a particular set of events, including: a significant amount of liquor, several attendees, a can of gasoline, a large blue flash, melted boot soles, and the first and only time I have ever seen a human being jump straight up in the air and then be displaced several feet before hitting the ground, running at full speed.

How do you celebrate Halloween today?

I usually spend it quietly, sometimes with friends and family. I live in an area where there are few kids and we seldom have visitors, so I enjoy the quiet time.

What was your best Halloween costume?

When I was a boy I probably had a couple but I can’t remember. I’ve slept since then.

What was your worst Halloween costume?

I would have to say the one I wore a few years ago, during one of our Halloween parties: the Kingpin from the Spiderman comics. Don’t ask.

Some people believe Halloween is a negative Holiday to celebrate. Why do you feel Halloween has such a controversy to it?

Because it has a religious background to it. The real name of the holiday is “All Hallow’s Eve” and it is actually supposed to be the first of the days that is reserved for praying for the dead. The others are All Saints Day (Nov 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov 2). By associating the sacred days with pagan symbols, ghosts, ghouls, etc. those who object are scandalized.

What do you do to keep the ghosts and ghouls away on Halloween night?

I find that a good single-malt whiskey does wonders.

What frightens you and why?

I find today’s splatterpunk and gore off-putting, not because it’s repulsive but because it has nothing to do with real fear. To me the fear of death is humanity’s common understanding of its mortality. What really frightens me is not what I know is inevitable but what I don’t know: the unknown. Will it kill me or will it do something that might make me wish I were dead? Worse, will it do something that will affect me beyond that veil?

What’s your favorite scary movie and why?

The Robert Wise film The Haunting (1963), co-written by Shirley Jackson and Nelson Gidding. It was based on The Haunting of Hill House and did a fantastic job conveying the atmosphere and emotion from the novel while maintaining an understated quality that made the fear that much more exaggerated to me.

What’s your favorite horror book and why?

I really can’t nail that one down. I have many favorite horror authors. Lovecraft, Maachen, Bierce, Dunsany, Chambers, Campbell… I could go on and on.

Do you prefer slow burners or fast paced thrillers?

The slow burners are my favorites. They build atmosphere and let you become part of the story before digging in with their claws.

What inspires your more frightening work?

I like to think I’ve continued the ideas and concepts put forward by the masters of the first half of the 20th century. Psychological horror to me is much more effective than just the shock value of today.

Do you plan to contribute to the horror genre in the future?

Yes. I look forward to writing more and editing more in the next few years than I have done in the past.

Where can we find your work?

I have work available from several different publishers. Most of my work is available from Amazon (a list of currently available titles is at http://www.amazon.com/H.-David-Blalock/e/B00JPGRLAM/) and all online booksellers as well as the publisher websites. My website (www.thrankeep.com) has links to work at webzines.