Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. Forget the candy, today is all about the costumes. Oh! the Costumes! I planned my outfit a year in advance. At right, I am Superwoman and my cousin is Tinkerbelle at age 4 or 5. Other memorable years: Peter Pan, a genie, a two-headed monster (with my cousin), a valkyrie (and my brother went as a viking), Cleo-catra (based on the egyptian cat goddess Bast and the queen Cleopatra), a fairy princess (wasn’t everybody?), Lucy from the book Dracula.

Recommended Halloween Books:

1. DEMON BOUND by Meljean Brook, because Alice (AKA the Black Widow) would be a great costume. She makes giant spiders come out of her mouth!
2. 50 WAYS TO HEX YOUR LOVER by Linda Wisdom, because witches are classic.
3. THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF VAMPIRE ROMANCE edited by Tricia Telep, because Vampires are also classic.
4. HAPPY HOUR OF THE DAMNED by Mark Henry, because zombies are….you got it!….also classic.
5. THE LAST TWILIGHT by Marjorie M. Liu, has nothing to do with Halloween, but it scared me enough that I had to sleep with the light on.

Recommended Halloween Movies:

1. HOCUS POCUS staring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. Best. Halloween. Movie. EVAH. The witches are hilarious. The songs are smashing. The costumes…oh the costumes! I’ve often wanted to go as Bette Midler from this movie.
2. THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. This is halloween! This is halloween! Halloween! Halloween! La, la, la, la, la! And it’s romantic too!
3. SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES based on a story by Ray Bradbury. Freaked me out when I first saw it as a kid. The Dust Witch is spoooooky.
4. THE WITCHES based on the book by Roald Dahl. Nothing’s ever quite as good as the book, but Anjelica Houston did a damn fine job as the Grand High Witch.

I hope you all have a very safe and fun Halloween! What are you dressing as this year? What are you dressing your significant others and offspring as? Fun plans?