Paranormal Week - Things That Go Bump in the Night

Happy Halloween!

There are all kinds of creatures that go bump in the night. Wolves, ghosts, witches, black cats, zombies, and vampires are a few. Movies and TV shows have given us numerous paranormal offerings. Who can forget Bela Lugosi's Dracula? Lon Chaney's Wolfman? There's Cassandra Patterson's "Elivira," The iconic "Halloween" movies, "Scream," and "Nightmare on Elm Street," make our pulse pound. I'd be remiss if I didn't include the creepy "Twilight Zone" TV show from the 1950's and the campy "Dark Shadows" series. Harry Potter and the "Twilight" series appeal to the younger audiences of today. One of my personal favorite paranormal series is "Underworld."

Underworld has the perfect mix of action, romance, mystery, and nail-biting suspense. Plus, it makes me think. Kate Beckinsale gives "Selene" depth, striking a great balance between Selene's vulnerabilities and physical prowess. The back story is interesting and the story going forward in Underworld 4 is compelling.

Question: I'd love to find out who your favorite paranormal character is. Or your favorite movie/show. Why? What stirs your paranormal heartstrings?

Leave a comment to the question and your email and I'll pick two winners to receive a FREE PDF copy of "Heart of Moldavia," and "Under a Christmas Moon."

Tomorrow: A Look at the Moldavian Moon Series

DB Authors Speak up! What they were for Halloween

Enjoy this fun post as several DB authors talk about Halloween.




SADIE & SOPHIE CUFFE
Authors of: Arrow that Flies
"Sadie and I decided to dress up as farmer/writers, just for the day. hahaha. If we wore costumes, the goats would freak out! Although it would've been fun to dress up the goats... hmmmm, I'm thinking Nigerian Dwarf Unicorns. LOL."





CELIA YEARY
Author of: Texas Promise and Texas True
"I'm going to be a woman with silver hair sitting in my jammies with my feet up on my recliner, with a glass of red wine, my Kindle open to a Western Historical romance, and watching--half-heartedly--whatever we decide to watch on TV. P.S.We live in the country--it's dark as a dungeon out here--no street lights--our house sits back in trees--no Trick-or-Treaters come to our house."



BARBARA SCOTT
Author of: Talk of the Town and West of Heaven
"This year I have door duties. so I will not be anything. My most memorable Halloween was when I was Miss Piggy. I could not wear my glasses due to the pig nose and to stay in character. I was going to a party at a co-worker's I'd never been to before. I arrived and did not recognize anyone at the party. I was given a drink. Everyone complimented me on my costume. It wasn't until 20 minutes later when no one who came in was familiar that I finally realized I was at the wrong house. My co-worker lived three houses down the street!"




STEPHANIE BURKHART
Author of: Danube in Candlelight and Victorian Scoundrel
"I was going to go as Spongebob (and I still might because time is not on my side) But I got everything I need - including a blonde wig - to be Daenerys from Game of Thrones. I even got the dragons."




JILLIAN CHANTEL
Author of: Redemption for the Devil
"I'm going as a 1920s Gatsby girl. We're dressing up at work. I actually told a friend I got a great Gatsby dress and then realized my unintentional pun. Lol."






DANIELLE THORNE
Author of: The Privateer and By Heart and Compass
"I'm going as a voodoo witch, or Tia Dalma, from Pirates of the Caribbean. I dyed
my hair brown and rolled it in dreadlocks. Crazy, but fun. We "act" at our
neighborhood Haunted Mansion which also features pirate ships and now a swamp
with Tia Dalma's hut."







MARION KELLEY BULLOCK
Author of: Christmas Stranger and He Wants Me Dead
"Several years ago, I was "Bashful, the clown," stretchy face and all. In our parade, I I danced in the street. Can't manage that now. It almost did me in back then. But it was fun!"


So...fess up. What were you for Halloween?
Smiles
Steph

Trick or ... Samhain

Trick or ... Samhain?

Halloween. Such a frightening holiday. Where's the romance when one is being asked to produce a trick or prepare for a treat? I thought I'd take a look at this fun, yet gholish time of year.

Is halloween really that ghoulish?

Halloween has its roots in Celtic Ireland. Over 2000 years ago, the Celts were in firm control of the Irish lands. Typically, 1 November was the start of their New Year. The summer was ending, the harvest was over and the cold winter was marching in. The Celts believed on the night before the new year the boundary between the dead and the living worlds were blurred. The dead returned to earch damaging crops and wreaking havoc. The Celts called this night Samhain. (prounouced Sow-in)

They raised bonfires and wore costumes to scare away the dead, burning crops and animals in sacrfice to the Celtic gods.

In 43 AD., Rome had influence in the Celt lands, merging two of their holidays into the festival, "Feralia," and "Ponoma." In Feralia, they celebrated the dead and Ponoma was the goddess of fruit and trees.

In the 800's Christianity began to show it's influence. 1 NOV was All Saint's Day and was called Allhallowmas (from the middle english) and the day before was known as Allhallowmas eve or soon... Halloween.

As early as 1911, Halloween was written about in American papers as we know in in America. I was curious to discover that England did away with Halloween during Henry VIII's reformation. Do any of our British authors or readers care to weigh in? I'd be curious to know if that's the case.

As for Jack 'o Lantern? After playing a couple of tricks on the devil, the devil got mad at him and refused to let Jack into hell, leaving Jack with only a burning coal to light his way on early. Jack put his coal in a turnip and it acted as a lantern. The Irish called him "Jack of the lantern" but he soon became Jack 'o Lantern. The Irish didn't find pumpkins until they immigrated to America.

Have a fun and safe halloween everyone!
Steph