2. Enter the link to your terrifying tale in the haunting list below (enter your Blog Name and the direct link to your post answering this week’s question. Failure to do so will result in a curse).

 

3. Visit other haunters in the list and comment on their posts. Try to spend some time on the blogs reading other posts and possible become a new creeper.  The purpose of the hop is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.
 

Goosebumps books by R.L. Stine.

Linky List:

2. Enter the link to your terrifying tale in the haunting list below (enter your Blog Name and the direct link to your post answering this week’s question. Failure to do so will result in a curse).

 

3. Visit other haunters in the list and comment on their posts. Try to spend some time on the blogs reading other posts and possible become a new creeper.  The purpose of the hop is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.
 

I haven't been trick-or-treating since I was in the 5th grade, but I guess if I ever did go trick-or-treating again I would probably take Carly Beth, as she would be wearing the scary Haunted Mask from the Goosebumps books. I'm sure she would scare all the other kids away, so we could have all the candy for ourselves.

Linky List:

With Halloween only a few days away, I thought it would be nice to feature a post strictly on one of my favorite holiday specials - Garfield's Halloween Adventure, which aired on CBS on October 30, 1985. I may have been only a 4-year-old at the time, but I have fond memories watching the animated special. My mom recorded it on a VHS tape, so I could watch it yearly.

The special was directed by Phil Roman based on the screenplay by Garfield's creator Jim Davis. It centered on Garfield learning that you can get free candy on Halloween night just by dressing up and going door to door saying, "Trick-or-Treat." This gives him a great idea - he will throw on a costume and bring Odie along with him, so he can get twice the "candy, candy, candy, candy!"

After digging through their owner's (Jon) stuff in the attic, Garfield puts together a pirate costume and goes as Orange Beard The Pirate Cap'n and Odie goes as his First Mate, Odie-the-stupid. The two pets go door to door collecting bags full of candy. Before they call it a night, Garfield wants to go trick-or-treating at the houses across the river. The ferry boat doesn't run at night, so there is good chance that they can receive a huge loot of candy there!

Garfield & Odie go trick-or-treating!

Garfield and Odie hop into a rowboat and of course Odie does most of the paddling that is until he loses the oars. For a few minutes they think they are lost, but eventually they find land - a small island with a creepy house. Garfield and Odie sneak in and try to warm up in front of a fireplace, but they are quickly startled by a creepy old man who tells them a scary pirate story. As it turns out, the pirate tale is real and the ghost pirates are turning to tonight for their treasure!

It has been nearly 37 years since the Gothic horror novel Flowers in the Attic written by the late V.C. Andrews was published. While the book was considered "trash" by critics and librarians, readers, especially teenagers, were entranced by the Dollanganger children. The incest storyline between an adolescent brother and sister is still taboo by many libraries, which is why the book and its sequels are still banned in some places around the world.

Three sequels, Petals on the Wind (1980), If There Be Thorns (1981) and Seeds of Yesterday (1984), were released before V.C. Andrews' death in 1986. The prequel novel, Garden of Shadows, was unfinished before her death, resulting in a ghostwriter (Andrew Neiderman) being hired to finish writing it, as well as writing each and every new V.C. Andrews title that followed.

Due to the popularity of the original book, Hollywood soon took notice. In 1987, the film adaptation of Flowers in the Attic was released to negative reviews from critics and fans, mostly due to the incest storyline not being used, as well as other changes, especially the film's ending. The only interesting factor from the movie is V.C. Andrews cameo that was filmed before her death.

The Dollanganger franchise seemed to be dead until a made-for-television version of Flowers in the Attic aired on Lifetime earlier this year. Despite being a watered-down adaptation, the film did use the incest storyline and stayed more faithful than the 1987 version. Though it received mixed-reviews from critics, the TV-movie received high ratings for Lifetime, resulting in a Petals on the Wind going into production within a few weeks. The sequel was also a watered-down-version of the book, but it did well-enough in ratings that Lifetime ordered the adaptations of If There Be Thorn and Seeds of Yesterday, both set to air sometime in 2015.

Being released today is the semi-sequel to the Dollanganger series, titled Christopher's Diary: Secrets of Foxworth written by the ghost author (Andrew Neiderman) under the name V.C. Andrews. The original series is beloved by fans, so entering back into the Dollanganger world is a little risky, especially since the last batch of ghostwritten books have received mixed to negative reaction from fans, mostly due to the way the books are now written, which is aimed towards a teenage audience instead of adults. Plus, the books have been lacking that Gothic feeling that V.C. Andrews was known for.

That being said, I was still interested in reading Christopher's Diary: Secrets of Foxworth, which I
received an advanced galley copy back in late August.

With Halloween right around the corner the season to be spooked is upon us! As the leaves slowly change and fall from the trees, the cold wind blows in, and jack-o-lanterns light up windows, the world looks a little more ominous. It’s the perfect time of year to get scared out of your mind watching a great horror film. There are generally two camps when it comes to horror films; those who prefer the classics before it because all guts and gore, and those who love the edge modern technology has give to the genre. So, in honor of both of those camps, and Halloween, let’s take a look at the five (arguably) best horror films from each time period. While these are entirely subjective lists, chances are you’ll agree with at least a few.




This classic Hitchcock film has long served as a shining beacon in his trophy case of horror and suspense films. Based off the 1952 novella of the same name written by Daphne du Maurier, it tells the horrific story of what happens when nature turns on man, or more specifically in the film, woman.

Hitchcock based the film around his trademark “Hitchcock Blonde”, this time an unknown actress named Tippi Hedren. Hedren plays the San Franciscan socialite Melanie Daniels in the film who is present to a growing number of mysterious incidents involving birds. After two separate incidents involving attacks by seagulls and sparrows, we soon realize that it’s all the birds that are out for blood. As more and more people begin to report bird attacks they start to increase in frequency and aggressiveness before reaching a frantic climax (which includes the infamous telephone booth scene.)

What the film managed to do was create an irrational fear in all of us since we’ve all been around flocks of birds. Hitchcock was a master at manipulating reality and making his viewers completely terrified of the everyday. The Birds is a shining example and is still regarded as one of the best horror films of all time.


Another gem in Hitchcock’s resume is this 1960 thriller that made all of us completely terrified to take a shower for at least a week after watching it. The film follows Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh) as she goes on the lamb after stealing money from her office to help fund her pending marriage. As she flees the scene and tries to evade the authorities she comes across the rundown and largely empty Bates Motel with it’s strange proprietor Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) who takes care of the hotel and his aging mother Norma.

From there the film delved into completely uncharted territory with its violence and sexuality, but these only served to create even more buzz for the film with lines around the block when it hit theaters. It’s also proved to be one of the most successful horror films of all time with a box office take of $32 million for a film made on only $800,000.


Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Ira Levin, this 1968 Roman Polanski film put a whole new sense of fear into expectant mothers thanks to it’s creative storyline involving carrying the spawn of Satan. Starring Mia Farrow at the titular character in her most famous role, it follows Rosemary’s difficult pregnancy that sees her become so ill it appears as if she’s slowly dying, a far cry from the typical glow and fullness that typically comes with pregnancy.

As her body is thrown into turmoil she slowly begins to question those around her including her strange neighbors and new friends of her husbands. She soon uncovers the truth about what’s happening to her, the shocking role her husband played in it, and the shocking secrets of those around her.