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Ten Essential October Reads: "October Dreams"
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October is here, and with it comes Ten Essential October Reads. With the countdown to Halloween ticking away, there's no better time to look at some books that really capture the spirit of the holiday, whether it's the childhood traditions of trick-or-treating and playing pranks, the essence of a cool autumn day, or the dark things that scurry through the shadows. Throughout the month, I'll be spotlighting ten books or stories that I think capture the magic of the season. Today's entry: October Dreams, edited by Richard Chizmar and Robert Morrish.
Imagine the greatest Halloween party of all time. One attended by people who are there looking for more than an excuse to put on a costume bought at Party City and get loaded; instead, this one is attended by those with a true love for the holiday. People who want to celebrate All Hallow's Eve, the season of autumn, and the possibility of things beyond our understanding. Those who wear masks so they can mingle with the spirits who, on this one night, return to walk among us.
There's a huge bonfire, and hot dogs on sticks, and the sweet tang of apple cider hangs in the air. Every now and then someone throws a big handful of dead leaves on the fire, and the smell of fall fills the air. Someone is telling stories. Actually, lots of people are telling stories. The people at this party are storytellers, and their specialty is things that go bump in the night. People like Ray Bradbury and Richard Laymon. People like Ramsey Campbell, William F. Nolan and Poppy Z. Brite.
Tonight, many of them are sharing their favorite Halloween memories. Gary Braunbeck is telling about the time his Alice Cooper costume got him in trouble at Catholic school. Christopher Golden is telling about the time he used his mother's prosthetic hand to scare the old lady down the block. Douglas Clegg is remembering how he saw a witch when he was four years old.
Some of them are also doing what comes naturally: telling stories. Spinning yarns. Tim Lebbon's got a good one about a man who loses his daughter on Halloween. Dean Koontz knows a good one about a creepy old pumpkin carver. Peter Straub, Douglas Winter, Charles L. Grant - they've all got a tale to tell on this fine Halloween night.
Cemetery Dance is throwing the party; they call it "A Celebration of Halloween," and never has a subtitle been more apt. Cracking open this anthology during the month of October is just like being at a party with all these people, sharing fond memories about why this particular holiday is so special to so many. It's over 600 pages of memories, stories, and legends. It's a great tribute to a special time. And it is, without a doubt, an Essential October Read.
Previous Essential October Reads
Pet Sematary by Stephen King
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