So, Billy assigned me a theme for this post, and I think I know why: because if he had left me to just cut loose, you would’ve all learned who the REAL coffee-addicted writer is. So I’m not going to talk about that. I’m not going to say a single, solitary word about that. One pot a day since I was twelve. That’s all I’ll say about that.

Anyway, I’ve been invited here to talk about my love of the zombie genre. First, let me qualify what, exactly, that does and does not mean. I am a purist after a fashion, though I think my definition of a zombie, while rock solid, is flexible enough to encompass a whole lot of ground. All I insist on is that a zombie must at some juncture have been dead. I cannot equivocate on that point.

I have no problem with the shambling corpses of Night of the Living Dead, Return of the Living Dead, Cemetery Man, Zombie, Fido, The Walking Dead, World War Z, The Rising, etc., etc. They all fall wholly into the Venn diagram counter-splice area of “dead” and “re-animated.” I’ll tell you where I draw the line, though: zombie-like behavior in the still-living.

Evil Dead? Evil Dead II? Both inestimable classics of horror and gore, but nope. Sorry. Zombie-like, perhaps, but living people possessed by Kandarian demons is too far off the mark.

Planet Terror? Perhaps the virus causes zombie-like symptoms, but these still-living infected people are decidedly NOT zombies. Resident Evil IV? Perhaps the greatest Resident Evil game of all time, but, sadly, Las Plagas parasites are no replacement for actual, clinical death. 28 Days Later? Doesn’t count. The Rage virus, while it again exhibits many zombie-like symptoms, only affects living human beings. No death or re-animation. Not a zombie movie.

(Note: I have no issue with “fast” zombies provided they are indeed the resurrected dead. That is not my issue with 28 Days Later. For instance, the Dawn of the Dead 2004 remake also features fast zombies and I don’t disqualify it in any way, shape, or form. Ditto Zombieland.)

Do you remember those cuddly caring bear from the 1980's? Well, I have some good news. Mill Creek Entertainment has released the original 1980's cartoon onto DVDs this month with three titles: Care Bears: Beary Special Edition, Care Bears: Wonderland Wishes and Care Bears: Cuddles in Care-A-Lot, featuring six exciting adventures on each DVD.

Care Bears: Beary Special Buddies contains the first three 22-minute episodes of the 1985 series, which has two adorable adventures in each episode.

The episodes are:

• Camp - A camp counselor tells the children a scary story involving a phantom.

• The Birthday - Matt and Eddie learn they are soon to be big brothers to a baby girl and they decide to wreck their home that is until the Care Bear arrives.

• Braces - The Care Bears try to help a young boy feel better about wearing braces

• Split Decision - A boy wearing eyeglasses is teased by bullies and the Care Bears come to his rescue.

• The Lucky Charm - Proud Heart Cat and the other Care Bears join forces to help a young girl who is late for school.

• Soap Box Derby - The Care Bears help two girls build a soap box derby car.

If you want schedule next week's post, click here to find the next prompt question. To submit a question, fill out this form.

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My Answer: 

I would have to go with Norman Bates, the book version. In the book he is middle-age, short and overweight, so nobody would suspect of him of being a murderer. Unlike the movie sequels, Norman only has a small bit in the book version of Psycho 2 and he isn't in Psycho House. Though, I have read all the Hannibal books (and I've seen the movies & TV series), I neither liked or hated the character; therefore I didn't find the character scary; weird, but not scary. Norman Bates was scary because you didn't expect him to be the killer because he looks like the average next door neighbor (besides for wearing his mother's dress).

Linky List:

During no time of year is fear placed more at the forefront than during October, that month that culminates in a celebration of the dead or undead, that day we call Halloween. Should you find yourself afraid of sexy nurses or catholic school girls, you’re likely dreading the end of this month.

All kidding aside, there are a number of real fears that a holiday like Halloween can trigger. Because fear is a primitive emotion, it alerts us to danger and can often happen without reason. So, while we tell ourselves that thunder or darkness is without harm, we can’t believe this logic, we fail to respond to facts we know to be true. When these anxieties become more pronounced, fear becomes debilitating and more irrational.

Masklophobia

Especially problematic around Halloween given the abundance of costumes, Masklophobia is the fear of people disguising themselves in costume. It is associated with xenohabilzoophobia, which is the specific fear of people in animal costumes.

Both can include individuals sporting masks, sports mascots, and others attempting to disguise themselves. Many children suffer from this phobia but grow out of it as adults. For others, it remains a lifelong source of incredible fright.

Thanatophobia

This phobia is one of the most common because, inevitably, it happens to us all. The fear of death scares many of us, and Halloween embodies that. Referring specifically to fear of your own death, Thanatophobia differs from necrophobia which concerns itself with a general fear of death. What must it be like to suffer this phobia around Halloween, when people are dressing as the dead, the undead, and the about-to-be-dead? Terrifying!

Based on a true story, the movie tells the horrifying account of how famed paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren were summoned to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse which they recently bought. In fighting this powerful demonic being, the Warrens find themselves in the middle of the most terrifying case of their lives! 


The Conjuring 5 Things to know… INTERACTIVE GIFS!

1) The Conjuring is directed by the acclaimed James Wan, the Australian-born director of the fright-fests Insidious and the Saw series. His Twitter handle is @CreepyPuppet. Say no more.

Description: Mabel finds out her friend, Norman, is a bunch of gnomes who are in search of a queen. 

Curse of Chucky
Director: Don Mancini
Starring: Brad Dourif, Fiona Dourif, Danielle Bisutti, Maitland McConnell, Chantal Quesnelle 
Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment 
Release Date: October 8, 2013
Retail: $29.98
ASIN: 0DTPRZ10
Running Time: 1hr 35mins. (Rated) 1 hr 37mins. (Unrated)
Rating: R/Unrated

Review:

It’s been twenty-five years since the living doll Chucky first freaked out audiences with the 1988's Child's Play, proving that a killer doll can be big at the box-office. Child's Play 2 & 3 followed in 1990 and 1991. Seven years later, Chucky would return in Bride of Chucky, bring the franchise into the horror-comedy genre. The franchise seemed to be over when the distasteful Seed of Chucky came out in 2004. Nine years later, the killer doll is back in the direct-to-video reboot sequel Curse of Chucky, which is written and directed by the series creator Don Mancin, marking the 25th anniversary of the series. Brad Dourif returns to voice Chucky, and with the help of makeup, lighting, and a black & white flashback, he also returns as Charles Lee Ray. Brad's own daughter, actress Fiona Dourif, stars as Nica.

Four years after the ending of Seed of Chucky, a mysterious package arrives at the house of Sarah and her paraplegic daughter, Nica. The package contained a Good Guy doll, which they both have no clue who could have sent it. An accident occurs and Sarah dies, leaving Nica alone in the big house that is until her older sister Barb arrives with her husband Ian, their daughter Alice and the nanny, Jill. With the help of Father Frank, Barb tries to convince Nica to sell the house, which she refuses to do.

Meanwhile, her young niece has become attached to the talking Good Guy doll that calls itself Chucky, while Nica plays an old home video for Barb, Ian and Jill, where Nica notices a strange man in the background of the video - a man who resembles the serial killer Charles Lee Ray.

When everyone turns in for the night, it is time for Chucky to play! The body count rises as Nica learns a long forgotten family secret - a secret that has brought Chucky into her home to finish a twenty-five-year-old vendetta.

Halloween is right around the corner, and for most kids, that means: candy, candy and more candy! If you wear braces, this holiday can create some "sticky" situations. Some candies have the potential to damage your braces and prolong your treatment time. Don't let poor candy choices lead to a "frightful" Halloween and an emergency trip to the orthodontist! It's important to avoid certain treats and take care of your braces to ensure the success of your orthodontic treatment. Let's look at a few types of candy orthodontists, like the staff at Barbieri Orthodontics, recommend skipping this Halloween season:

Chewy Candies​

Chewing gum, caramel, taffy, and other chewy treats are a bad idea if you're wearing braces. These sticky, chewy candies can pull your orthodontic devices off your teeth. Mishaps like this can send you back to the orthodontist to have your appliance repaired, and can slow down your treatment time. It's best to avoid this type of candy, not just during Halloween, but during the entire course of your orthodontic treatment.

Hard Candies

Certain candies can be dangerous to bite into while wearing braces. Hard candy, lollipops, and candies that contain hard nuts can break your brackets or wires when you bite into them. It's smarter to play it safe and stick to softer candies while you're wearing braces. It's not just candy that can be too hard on Halloween.
Candy-dipped apples are probably one of the worst Halloween offenders, being both hard and sticky at the same time. Even popcorn, commonly found at Halloween parties, can pose a problem: the small hulls can get lodged behind your brackets and irritate your gums.

 
Revealed
A House of Night #11
By P.C.Cast & Kristin Cast
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub. Date: October 15, 2013
ISBN: 978-0312594435
Pages: 320

Review:

#1 New York Times bestselling vampyre series may be coming to a close next year, but you can grab a hold of the 11th installment of the series today with the release of Revealed: A House of Night Novel.

Despite falling to her death, Neferet has barely survived and is battling her own demons, Queen of Tsi Sgili, but she finds a way take back her mind and body, resulting in the death of a human - Tulsa's mayor!

After the murder, the residents of Tulsa blame the House of Nights for the mayor's death, which was clearly a vampyre attack. Our heroine, Zoey Redbird, and her pals knows that someone from the House of Nights is responsible. Things get worse when the police begin investigating and the entire area wants the House of Nights to pay for the crime.

Then, of course, the red fledgling Dallas is out to destroy Zoey and anyone associated with her, including Stevie Rae and Shaunee.

Even more trouble as Zoey is not feeling herself, she is more stressed and she's just feeling weird. If it isn't her constant boyfriend issues, then maybe it has something to do with Neferet being on the loose again.

The Heat
Director: Paul Feif
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Day: October 15, 2013
ASIN: B00E8RK5OC
Running Time: 117 minutes
Rating: R

Review:

This summer's box-office hit "The Heat" starring Oscar Winner Sandra Bullock and Oscar Nominee Melissa McCarthy was released to Blu-Ray & DVD today, including the unrated cut version exclusively to Blu-ray with over 2 hours of funny extras - Mullins Family Fun; Von Bloopers; Deleted, Alternated & Extended Scenes; Acting Master Class; and 5 commentaries including director Paul Feig and Mystery Science Theater 3000.

The director of "Bridesmaids" brings us the only summer film with women as the leading roles. The Heat stars Sandra Bullock as an uptight FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn; despite being a skilled investigator, her arrogant attitude keeps getting in her way. She takes an assignment in Boston to track down a ruthless kingpin known as Larkin in the hope of being promoted.

Ashburn teams up with a foulmouthed Boston detective Shannon Mullins (played by Melissa McCarthy), which the two don't exactly hit it off, as Ashburn is more by-the-book, while Mullins is more about action. As they investigate, they realize Mullin's own recently-released-from-prison brother, Jason, is connected to Larkin.

Ashburn and Mullins must work out their differences, if they plan on capturing Larkin.