By "spooky" I mean "commonplace", and by "beyond the grave" I mean "the comfort of my office chair".
Happy Halloween! Tonight, through the magic of disguise, I will transform myself into Thor Odinson, donning a cheap blonde wig, a red blanket for a cape, and a $7 foam hammer intended for use by a toddler. For Asgard! Joining me will be my oldest son Teddy, dressed as the Incredible Hulk, my youngest Ozzy as Buzz Lightyear, and my lovely wife Jessica as sexy Pixar cowgirl Jessie. I'd say I can't wait to go trick-or-treating, but I've already dipped into the bag of chocolates a week ago - but that won't stop me from eating more tonight.
It's been one year since Clyde and his band competed in the Fright Night Band Fight, and 113 years away from the worst night of Zaul Jarreux's undead life.
I don't know why, but I must have a thing for putting Halloween events in my stories. I guess I'm fascinated by the holiday. When I was a very young child my family didn't celebrate Halloween, because the church we attended convinced us that the harmless, creative fantasy aspect of the holiday and its pagan origins were inseparable, and therefore the whole day was purely evil.
I remember turning off the light when any trick-or-treaters knocked on our door, pretending not to be home. I'm glad my parents' views changed and I was able to dress up and celebrate a few years later. One of my favorites is when my wife and I wore matching dresses, and me and my band played a show at my sister's house.
Aside from personal reflection, I'm also using this post to update goings-on with the above-mentioned Zaul and his adventures in my recent work in progress, Sons of Sludge. The first draft is roughly two thirds done, and the completion of this project couldn't come any sooner. I hope once I reread it, while editing for the first time, I can fall in
love with the story and characters again, because I'm losing enthusiasm. I feel like I've been writing this forever. I'm planning to power through November and finish it by the end of the month, but who knows.
And once I complete a second or third draft, I'll start submitting it to literary agents. I think this story might have a better chance than Float at a traditional contract because it has a more mass appeal, what with zombies being all the rage with the youngsters nowadays. Then it's onto the Float sequel. I can't wait for everyone to read what I have coming for them!
Stay safe tonight - don't get tangled up with malicious musicians wielding magic instruments, and eat candy, not human flesh. Watch a scary movie or two.
Oh, and high-five to myself, for sneaking in an October post at the very end of the month. I almost didn't make it.
