I was raised to love graveyards. I was raised on classic horror movies and their eerie graveyards, filled with rolling mist. My parents bought me horror comics and introduced me to Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King in elementary school. We had the full encyclopedia of Man, Myth, and Magic, and I would lean against the bookshelf for hours, reading and marveling … Continue reading Writing In Graveyards – 22 Days Until Halloween
I listened to Sounds To Make You Shiver over and over as a kid. Blowing wind and hooting owls made me imagine empty places. Frankenstein's monster breaking loose was the very sound of havoc. But, goodness, look at that album cover! So. Many. Monsters. They are tumbling out of that castle! Frankenstein's monster is stomping towards … Continue reading Throwback Thursday – 23 Days Until Halloween
My parents passed away last year, and my family and I are getting things cleaned up to sell their home. There have been lots of creepy surprises along the way. The jack-o-lantern door mat and classic horror movie DVD's were warm reminders of my dad and his love of spooky stuff. The bags of bones were probably from … Continue reading The Haunted Shed – 24 Days Until Halloween
Wild areas teem with life and death. The urgency and decay are deeply beautiful to me and source of much of my writing. In the wet areas, life bursts forth throughout the year. Mosquitos emerge from the water desperate for a blood meal and mating. New shoots grow from the ground at alarming speeds. And all … Continue reading Writing From Wild Areas – 25 Days Until Halloween
Alligator by Victoria Nations Thunder rolling. Drive the cart faster, hurry past. Dead gator. Entrails.
Time to pull out the Halloween decorations!
Do you remember the first time you stopped at a shop window, drawn to the oddities arranged there? Some of them were vaguely ornate, gleaming and reminiscent of the other side of the world. Dolls with piercing blue eyes may have looked out at you, their red mouths open to show small, white teeth. The mechanical toys were … Continue reading Wolf’s Museum Of Mystery – 28 Days Until Halloween
I saw a surf shop mannequin in a wet suit and witch hat this weekend. Someone had drawn eyes on paper and taped them in place. They weren't particularly witchy eyes, but they transformed her blank visage to a face. She was a winsome, sporty witch. It was a short-sleeved, short-legged wetsuit. Because it's still bathing … Continue reading Halloween In Florida – 29 Days Until Halloween
October is here! October is here! There's a faint chill in the morning, and night is coming earlier. Bats are flying like mad in the evenings as the summer insects emerge and search for mates. Pumpkins are everywhere. Flying skeletons and graveyard fences are showing up in neighborhood yards. I'm late haunting our yard … Continue reading It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year – 30 Days Until Halloween
Summer is ending, and Autumn dates and deadlines are suddenly upon me. It’s also: 14 days until the first 10 pages of my short story are due for the critique session at the Florida Heritage Book Festival Critique Session. 37 days until the Florida Heritage Book Festival and Writers Conference. This will be my first time attending … Continue reading 74 Days Until Halloween – 75 Days Until NaNoWriMo
Victoria Nations 