Halloween

Halloween has come and gone and after a year off due to Covid, I feel like it changed. First of all, the decorations. Those who chose to decorate their houses went all out. I’m talking blow-ups-on-the-roof, macabre skeleton scenes, flashing lights, the works. Sure, there were some with just some cobwebs scattered on bushes, or carved pumpkins and a few other seasonal decorations. And of course, there were those, like us, who did nothing—do actual cobwebs from spiders, and dead mums count? Because if so, I win!

But the think I noticed is an abundance of scary, creepy decorations. Life-sized, or even giant, skeletons, grotesque scenes, blood spattered sheets (I’m pretty sure that was fake blood). It’s like Halloween manifested all of the horrible “what-ifs” from this past pandemic year and people everywhere displayed their fear for all to see. I don’t know, maybe it helped them. It certainly spooked me.

 

As I said, we didn’t decorate, although, perhaps feeling guilty for not getting into the spirit of things, my husband put up “smart bulbs” in our outside house lights, which flashed different colors, and a large, furry spider at the doorstep. I’ll do better next year, I think.

 

Another way Halloween has changed? The attitudes of the kids. The little ones, well, they’re little. They don’t really understand what’s going on, other than random strangers are giving them candy. But they seemed a little more wary, a little confused by my eagerness to approach them and give them things—I don’t know, maybe my joy was scary. And even the older kids were more subdued. There were a lot more “Please!” and “Thank you!” offered. A lot more waiting each person’s turn. They also seemed to accept without question my handing out the candy rather than offering them the bowl. I guess some good has come out of this ridiculous worldwide group project.

 

Whatever the cause of the changes, it was nice to get back to a normal holiday. And although my doorbell rang more than it has in ages, and I answered it more times last night than I have in almost two years, Halloween was fun and I hope the kids enjoyed it as much as I did.

Happy Halloween!

In celebration of tomorrow’s holiday, I’m spotlighting one of my books, which features a Halloween party given by a costume designer and prop department. Have you read it yet?

The last thing Valerie needs after escaping an abusive marriage to an alcoholic and rebuilding her life, is a broody, secretive, standoffish man. But that’s exactly what she gets when she becomes a makeup artist on the set of a hit sitcom and draws the attention of the series’ star. 

John Samuels hides a terrible past—a life of abuse and neglect. A successful acting career and the affection and support of cast, crew and friends, does nothing to convince him that he is anything other than an unlovable monster.

Will he learn that the life he’s been living has been built on a lie or will he be doomed to repeat the sins of his father?

Here’s an excerpt: As they pulled up in front of Michelle’s apartment, Valerie gasped. The prop department had transformed the entire exterior of her building from a 1960’s era apartment complex to a gothic haunted house. Broken tombstones littered the front yard, webs draped themselves across windows and ghostly faces peered out of windows. Mannequins dressed like Victorian skeletons rested under trees and against the entranceway.

John and Valerie entered the apartment as strains of ghoulish music played in the background. Although she’d been inside this apartment many times, tonight she didn’t recognize the place. The prop people had converted Michelle’s living room into an old library, her dining room into a ballroom and the kitchen into an old laboratory. On the floor of the library lay a fake blood-soaked carpet with the outline of a body. The walls resembled old oak paneling and antique-looking books sat stacked on small tables. Wall sconces provided dim lighting and created creepy shadows. Pleather-covered chairs provided ample seating for those monsters and goblins who wished to chat.

Moving into the ballroom, cobwebbed-covered chandeliers hung in corners and a long buffet table filled with food sat against one wall. As they walked over to it, Valerie laughed at the food — spider sandwiches (crackers and caviar), eyeballs (peeled grapes), witches brew (soup) nestled side by side with more traditional fare. In the laboratory, Michelle had set up the bar, along with axes, butcher knives, smoking test tubes and green goo. Sweaty monsters, whimsical animals and brightly colored devils danced, laughed and mingled through the rooms. 

Valerie weaved back and forth among the guests in the ballroom on her way to greet Michelle, while John headed to the bar in the laboratory. The music thrummed through her veins. Her heart beat in time with the bass drum, her breath flowed to the underlying harmony. A Frankenstein staggered into her, leered at her cleavage and rubbed against her in an erotic dance. His arms tightened around her waist and his whisky breath suffocated her as it puffed against her face. She pulled away from him as he laughed, shoved a Bloody Mary into her hand and careened off toward the other end of the room. Valerie looked at the red liquid and her stomach convulsed. She shuddered as the glass slipped through her fingers. It thumped onto the rug, the tomato juice a bright red stain on the beige carpet. The whiskey smell still moored in her nostrils, the icy chill of the glass still impressed in her fingertips, she swayed, no longer in time to the music.

A familiar curly wig caught her eye and she watched as John moved between the masses. He placed a hand against her back and tipped his head down to her.

“Are you alright?”

Valerie massaged her stomach to relieve her clenched muscles as she let him lead her out of the dancing crowd to the side of the room. With a deep breath, she nodded. John led her into the middle of the room to dance. His large form buffered her from the guests. As the B-52s began to play, Valerie relaxed and let herself get caught up in the music.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Skin-Deep-Jennifer-Wilck-ebook/dp/B00UGLRPZG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1509385430&sr=8-3&keywords=jennifer+wilck

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/skin-deep-jennifer-wilck/1108162104?ean=2940151547222

Halloween

It’s Halloween. I used to hate the holiday. When my kids were in preschool and elementary school, I swear, the holiday lasted the entire month. Even during middle school, the stress of finding the perfect costume and making the best plans started in September and drove me nuts.

But now my kids are in high school and for the first time, neither one is doing anything. One isn’t feeling well, the other just isn’t into it this year. They requested candy but without trick or treating, it’s no different from any other day (not that I buy them candy ever). It’s one of those “lasts” that make me realize how fast this year is slipping by and how many changes there will be next year.

I tried to force it this weekend with a trip to the pumpkin patch. I played the, “But it’s your last time at home and we need to pick out pumpkins together” card, and it only semi-worked. Like I said, one wasn’t feeling well and the other wasn’t into it. I got pictures, begrudgingly, only some of which I’m allowed to post.

We didn’t carve a jack-o-lantern. Instead, my husband did this:

I actually love it, but it’s different from previous years and I’m not sure I like “different.”

However, I think I’m learning that the times I’m going to like best are the ones I don’t force. The times when one goes upstairs to bed and comes down ten minutes later for “one last hug.” The giggles at the dinner table. The conversations that occur spur-of-the-moment. The little things that I notice while being present, rather than the big things that I set up and somehow don’t go as planned.

So yeah, my kids are probably too old for Halloween. And my giving them candy is really no different than any day of the year. And my husband was more into the pumpkin than they were. But I’m keeping my fingers crossed that somehow, at some point today, something is going to strike me and I’ll notice something sweet about the day.

And worst case, I’ll get the Reese’s all to myself.