Category Archives: Samhain

October 31, 2025 · 4:24 pm

Merry Samhain )O(

Merry meet all,

Witches New Year is here!!  It’s raining. I hope that doesn’t daunt the trick or treaters. 

I am so excited, but unfortunately I had to take my cat to the vet. It turns out she has lost a ton of weight and she now has hyperthyroidism and high blood pressure. Thankfully, she will be treated for it. I hope the medicine helps her. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been very busy preparing for Samhain. I just love this time of year. I am not celebrating the ancestral supper at my Mom’s. I am going somewhere else to perform it. I have to clean the kitchen, set the table and  prepare the food. I cooked the pot roast ahead of time. I baked a loaf of pumpkin bread and Samhain soul cakes. I plan to bake chocolate cupcakes. I have halloween cupcake liners and decorations! 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m going to buy a bottle of red wine to make mulled cider. I want the brandy to make another herbal tincture. I have a nice Samhain simmering potpourri potion and I made a nice Samhain anointing oil. Derrick will not be home to attend the ancestral supper. I can perform it alone, then he can reheat the meal afterwards. I really have my work cut out for me to clean. I look forward to it. I still have to carve the pumpkin, dress the table- (and clean, clean and clean), heat the food and set up candles etc. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I attended a Halloween party last night. I won a prize for Best Witch! The party was low key, but I still had fun. There was not a lot of people there. Tomorrow I am attending a public Samhain Ritual and the Witches Ball after the Rit. I can’t remember ever being this busy.  

Samhain is the third of three harvest Sabbats. This is a good time to honor our ancestors and reflect on our blessings. I plan to enjoy the dark half of the year. Halifax is perfect for a foggy, misty afternoon. I have not visited a cemetery yet for October. I will visit the cemetery today. I love cemeteries. 

Place photos of those who have gone before you, be that family, relatives or pets. Burn brown and black candles. Keep in mind: fire safety! Cook a lovely meal for your own ancestral supper. Light a candle and set it at your window. Carve pumpkins and as you carve, work in your intention. Arrange candles, acorns, gourds, dried waxed leaves, photos around your regular altar tools for a spooky Samhain altar. Put your heart and your intention into everything you do. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not certain if doing a grave rubbing is allowed. I want to, but I haven’t tried it. I just don’t want to get in any trouble. I advise checking to see if it is okay first. Most of all, have fun. Be safe and have fun. The spirits are celebrating Samhain right along with you. Invite them in and that keeps you in the good karma department. Don’t dowse your pumpkins in bleach. It makes curious squirrels sick. Don’t burn a ton of candles and wear long, flowing sleeves. That starts fires. Don’t leave candles unattended. Check the kids’ candy. 

Do have and show respect for the dead. Don’t summon the dead in a cemetery at midnight tonight or any night. No, it is not cool. Leaving an offering of food or something like it at a crossroads or outside your apartment is fine. If you heed these warnings, know this: Burning the apartment down because of candles left ignored or the like, IS NOT COOL! Your landlord will evict you and hate you and NEVER GIVE YOU A GOOD REFERENCE LETTER! So have fun, have tons of fun, but please be smart about it. 

Know how to use a fire extinguisher. Memorize its location. Learn how to use a fire blanket that puts out fires. Buy one and store it in your home.

Keep pets safe! 

Merry Samhain, everyone!!

Let me know in the comments below what a wonderful and magickal Samhain you experienced!

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch 

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October 23, 2025 · 1:55 pm

Samhain Activities

Merry meet all,

October is flying by. Like it’s a witch’s broomstick racing against time. I have been so busy. I apologize for not posting more here. Now for the good news!

The book drive for the Edith Garland Dupré Library (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) was a smashing success! I am so proud to have participated in the book drive. I mailed them a copy of my novella The Cult of the Spider People. Jill Girardi from Kandisha Press had this to say about the book drive’s success:

“Hi Ladies! As you may have heard me going on about, the book drive we did for the Edith Garland Dupré Library (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) was a great success! Here are the first pics of the special Women in Horror book section created just for our books!

Libraries are one of the last strongholds for free speech in America, and every single one of you who contributed helped continue to uphold and fight for this right. Thanks to all of you who sent in books, offered to donate money, and helped in any way. Freedom to read and freedom to write! This is very important to everyone on the planet. We should all have the freedom to read what we choose. 

Wicked Shadow Press has published my flash fiction story and many other stories by talented authors in a 3 volume anthology collection- Halloweenthology! This marks their third descent into the haunting heart of Halloween and they are proud to have come this far. I am proud to be pubished in those books!

Cover of Autumn Falls
the anthology my story is in

Samhain is almost here! I have a pumpkin and I stocked up on candles and incense for the big day on October 31st! I plan to have an ancestral supper. I am also atending two Halloween parties and a public Rit. I can’t wait! It will all be so much fun. 
Stock up on cider and root veggies. I love sipping cider and enjoying a hearty beef stew during the autumn season. Cider and apples are full of Vitamin C, which we need in flu and cold season and the stew warms our hearts. Hot cider is good, too. Carve pumpkins and bob for apples with your friends!  Get candy for the trick or treaters and your favorite costume. Before you know it, it will be October 31 and you want to be ready for it, right? I do. I am sad that I do not live on Crown Drive anymore. I had bonfires in my backyard and no one noticed or cared. I miss having my own place. I can still have fun though. I plan to enjoy every single minute of Samhain. I hope you do too. 
Collect autumn leaves, hold a bonfire, dress your altar for Samhain and have fun! 
I had so much fabric left over from my halloween patchwork blanket project that I used the black fabric for an altar cloth. I just organized all my sewing patterns. It was a real mess to sort through. I had to iron all the pattern pieces (a mountain of them!). I sorted them with the pattern envelopes. I spread the envelopes over my floor. I sat on the floor and it took me a few hours to get it done, but I did. That is a good task to complete before the 31st. It’s good to start the Witches New Year on the right foot…. 
I know that my life was uprooted earlier this year. I moved from Crown Drive. I had a lot to deal with. However, everything has calmed down. Everything is sorted and all my belongings are all in my Mom’s basement and on the main floor. I did not want to move. I lost my garden. That was the hardest part. I faced a challenge and I learned a lot about myself. I hope that everything gets better. The one thing I did not want to face was thrown right at me, so to speak. I will miss my garden and the nature trail. I do not miss living there though. I don’t miss the ants and the mold. That place was one giant ant hill. I have to live with my Mom (ugh) because the rent is so expensive. That is a huge problem for most people everywhere. I don’t know when it will be affordable again. 
I have to adjust to living with someone. My Mom is the ultimate conservative mundane person. I am enjoying Samhain somewhere else with someone who doesn’t get all hung up on that. 
I wish you all a memorable and magickal Samhain
Blessed Be, Spiderwitch 

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October 11, 2025 · 6:11 pm

Twisted Dreams Press is publishing my novel in 2026!! )O(

Merry meet all,

Dear readers, I have awesome news! Twisted Dreams Press is publishing my spooky novel The Mourning Tide! I am overjoyed. This is the 1000th blog post! I saved the announcement of my novel being published for the 1000th post. This all means a lot to me. My grandparents have passed and I hope that they are proud of me. I am dedicating The Mourning Tide to them. This is a dream come true, a dream that began ten years ago. I first was inspired to write the novel ten years ago. Yes, that long. I am not kidding. I can’t wait for the cover art!

The book is scheduled for release next October. There is always a reason to look forward to October and the publication of my novel is the best reason for celebration ever! I am so happy. 

I finished the halloween patchwork quilt! Today I sewed a blanket binding to the quilt. I love how it turned out. It is gorgeous, magickal and screams HALLOWEEN! I will be cozy this winter. If I may so myself, the quilt is bewitchingly beautiful. It was a lot of hard work and so was writing and editing The Mourning Tide. I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing well. Taking care with everything we do and taking the time to get it done is the key to success. Next, I plan to sew a matching pillowcase. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Horror Writers Association hosts an annual blog event, Halloween Haunts. I always participate in the event. I shall post the link to my blog post for the event here: https://horror.org/halloween-haunts-hounded-by-the-dead-by-heddy-johannesen/ I plan to read the other posts by the other authors. 

I love October. I am not the only one for sure. I sewed a Halloween blanket, dyed my hair, bought new candles, enjoyed nature walks and went apple picking today! Pumpkins adorn many porches, and the skies are so blue! I even watched Hocus Pocus last night. I sewed myself an orange and black Halloween skirt. I have a new witch hat too! I hot glued black flowers to the witch hat. 

Today’s post is short and brief. This is my 1000th blog post!!! Cause for celebration. I hopd you all have a wonderful Mabon-Samhain. I shall keep writing here. Grab a pumpkin spice latte and get ready for more awesome blog posts. I am so happy to have reached this milestone. It feels good to have reached this milestone and to have made my dreams come true. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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Filed under horror, magic, pumpkins, Samhain, witches

September 29, 2025 · 7:15 pm

The Great Amherst Haunting Mystery

 

Merry meet all,

Today we have a special treat for you! Today’s post is about a haunting, just in time for Samhain! My article is posted here and online at Paranormal Daily News. So grab a coffee or hot chocolate and enjoy. Prepare to be spooked! 

 

The Great Amherst Haunting Mystery

The Great Amherst Haunting Mystery cover

The haunting of Esther Cox remains a mystery to this day.

The Amherst haunting started in 1888 when Esther Cox lived on Princess Street with her sister Olive, Olive’s husband Daniel, their two children, and Esther’s siblings. The strange events began in August 1878, when Esther Cox was on a date with what turned out to be an unsavory gentleman. She was sexually assaulted by the male ‘friend’ at gunpoint, which caused her to spiral into a deep emotional trauma response. It is after this horrible assault that the phenomenon began.

How The Amherst Haunting Began

amherst haunting

The Amherst haunting began with knockings, bangings, and rustling in the night. Esther began to suffer seizures; her body would visibly swell, and she experienced chills as well. Objects moved on their own in the house. Concerned for her well-being and struggling to find an explanation for the odd events, her family called a doctor. During the doctor’s visit, the bedclothes shifted, scratching sounds were heard, and the phrase “Esther Cox, you are mine to kill” appeared on the wall by her bed. The next day, the doctor gave Esther sedatives to help her calm down and sleep, but the noises continued, and objects still flew around the house. They attempted to communicate with the rambunctious spirits, and this led to tapped responses to their questions.

The haunting continued for many months, and the family gained a reputation for having the most haunted house on the block. When people would visit the cottage, including those from the church, they heard banging, knocking, and the movement of objects, and this happened even when Esther was under close observation. In December, Esther fell ill from diphtheria, during which time haunting ceased while she was recovering for two weeks in bed. There was no haunting activity when she spent time at her sister’s home in New Brunswick either. When she returned to Amherst, though, the mysterious events picked up right where they left off. In a horrifying turn, fires broke out in various spots around the house, and Esther claimed to see the ghost, which was threatening to burn down the home unless she stayed away.

Peace away from the house, but phenomena continued.

amherst haunting mystery

In January 1879, in an attempt to restore some much-needed tranquility to her home, Esther Cox moved in with another family. However, the haunting persisted, unwavering in its presence. Several people witnessed the manifestations, including conversing with the ghost and receiving rappings for answers. Some people felt sympathy and curiosity, while others were more skeptical. Those who were skeptical believed that Esther was responsible for the odd occurrences and were hostile toward her. Poor Esther was pricked, slapped, and scratched by the ghost, and on one occasion, was even stabbed in the back with a knife.

PDN Newsletter

The news spread far and wide about Esther Cox. In late March, she visited New Brunswick, where she was visited by a few gentlemen with an interest in science. This is where Walter Hubbell enters the picture. He moved into the Teed cottage to study the phenomena more closely. Hubbell was an actor with an interest in psychic phenomena who happened to be in that area of Canada when the mystery began, and he kept a diary of the events in the house. He later developed the diary entries into a book, which was dismissed as a hoax by skeptical investigators.

amherst mystery

Hubbell spent several weeks with Esther Cox and her family to study the phenomenon. While in her home, he claimed to have witnessed objects moving on their own, as well as fires and items manifesting from nowhere. He claimed to have witnessed this occurring even when Esther was in full view and not in a position to have caused these things. He and Esther went on a speaking tour to share their experiences but faced significant hostility and skepticism, which ended their efforts. Esther returned to Amherst in an attempt to have an everyday life. She worked for a man, but after his barn burned down, he accused her of causing the fire, and she was found guilty and sentenced to four months in prison. She spent only one month in jail, and when she returned home, the activity had completely ceased as mysteriously as it had started. She married twice and had two sons. Esther moved to Massachusetts and lived there until her death in November 1912.

The Great Amherst Haunting Mystery – Published

Hubbell’s book, titled “The Great Amherst Mystery: A True Narrative About the Supernatural,” about the occurrences at Esther Cox’s house, was published and was successful, with 55,000 copies of his book having been sold. However, there is no solid scientific evidence to suggest that the ghostly activity ever happened beyond Hubbell’s notes.

amherst haunting

Local Nova Scotia author Lorri Neilsen Glenn wrote a book about Esther Cox, titled “Haunted Girl: Esther Cox and the Great Amherst Mystery.” The book was published by Nimbus Publishing in April 2012. The book includes thirty photos of the locations in Amherst that are related to the house where Esther lived.

The town of Amherst now holds an annual festival, EstherFest, which began in 2017. EstherFest holds numerous activities for the public, including the Fifth Annual Scarecrow Stroll, a Ghost Hunt with Paranormal Phenomena Research and Investigation, a staged reading, and scary movies at Amherst Theatre. Additionally, there will be a ghost walk and a ghost hunt, as well as a youth dance and many other family activities. The festival takes place from October 18 to 30th.

The Great Amherst Mystery will always remain a mystery. We will never know for sure what really happened to Esther Cox and her family and sadly, the house that Esther and her family lived in no longer exists. The tale of Esther Cox in the Great Amherst mystery has inspired many podcasts, a town festival and books. She continues to inspire our minds and hearts today.

Sources:

https://greatamherstmystery.com/events-tickets-2024/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Amherst_Mystery

​https://nimbus.ca/store/haunted-girl.html?srsltid=AfmBOopSSpmGXO47CWffvTzI6NkAQCtqxPnktzc_eCPo4n06Q854RYsh

https://astonishinglegends.com/astonishing-legends/2022/10/9/the-great-amherst-mystery

https://caretakersparanormalinvestigations.blogspot.com (photo credit)

https://publicparapsychology.org/Public%20Parapsych/Poltergeist%20Phenomena%20Primer%20Final.pdf

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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September 28, 2025 · 5:23 pm

Hiking on the Trail

Merry meet all,

Yesterday I went on an amazing hike at Lunenburg. I took a lot of photos during the trip. I feel great now. It was an hour drive to the hiking trail. The trees were very colorful with rich foliage. I spotted deer in a field. We arrived at the beach. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The waves crashed over the shore. I love the sound of the ocean waves rolling back over the rocks. I just love that sound. My guy and I parked and strolled over to the shore. I collected a few rocks. I did not see much shellfish left behind by the seagulls. However, there were lots of rocks. I wanted a new paperweight. We strolled a long, long way along the shoreline. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barnacles, seaweed, rocks and driftwood were scattered over the shore. The sky was clear and the sun shone. It was all so beautiful. We then reached a steep hill and decided to hike up the hill. That was cool. The only thing I was not down with were ticks. Yes Nova Scotia is crawling with ticks. We reached the peak but after a refreshing snack, we did not decide to keep hiking. By then, I was thoroughly worn out. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would love to share the photos of the trip with you, my dear readers! See above. Today I went to a mystic moon faire. I wore my new green dress from HolyClothing, a blue witch hat and I carried a broomstick. I saw my Mom on the way. She was such a bitch, and never even said hi to me. She just bitched at me about me having the nerve to wear that outfit in her neighborhood. Uh like… okay. I could not even give a frig of what she thinks of my outfit. I can’t believe her. Whatever. I am what I am. 

I bought a cool black cat print tea cozy, a crown, a wand, incense, a spider charm,  gold and silver candles, and an Edgar Allan Poe teatowel. 

Well Samhain is right around the corner! I intend to fully flaunt my witch hat. Stand tall and proud. Unite, dear Witches. We all need to support each other. I plan to enjoy Samhain as much as I can. I wish October was all year long. I could live with that. 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch 

 

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September 13, 2025 · 11:30 am

The Great Amherst Mystery

Merry meet all,

I received my contributor copy of Pocket Full of Posies this week. The book contains my own flash fiction story, The Cries of Dead Children. I am so happy. The Cries of Dead Children is the eighth story published by Wicked Shadow Press. I love the cover art. The cover art is beautiful for every anthology.

Mabon is almost here! Of course, I know that most of you Witches are drawn to the most celebrated holiday of all time. Yup. Samhain!

Fall is here! Here is a true spooky story to get you in the mood for fall! 

The haunting of Esther Cox remains a mystery, to this day.
The haunting began in 1888 when Esther Cox lived in a house on Princess Street, with her married sister Olive, Olive’s husband Daniel and their two children as well as Esther’s brother and sister. The strange events began in August 1878, when Esther Cox was on a date with what turned out to be an unsavoury gentleman. She was sexually assaulted by the male ‘friend ‘ at gunpoint, which caused her to spiral into a deep emotional trauma response. It is after this horrible assault that the phenomenon began.
The haunting began with knockings, bangings and rustling in the night. Esther began to suffer seizures and her body would visibly swell and she experienced chills as well. Objects moved on their own in the house. Concerned for her well-being and struggling to find an explanation for the odd events, her family called a doctor. During the doctor’s visit, the bedclothes moved, scratching was heard and the words “Esther Cox, you are mine to kill” appeared on the wall by her bed. The following day, the doctor prescribed sedatives to Esther to calm her and help her sleep, but this did not stop the noises and objects flew around the house. They attempted to communicate with the rambunctious spirits and this led to tapped responses to their questions.
The haunting continued for many months and the family gained a reputation for having the most haunted house on the block. When people would visit the cottage, including those from the church, they heard banging, knocking and the movement of objects and this happened even when Esther was under close observation. In December, Esther fell ill from diptheria during which time haunting ceased while she was recovering for two weeks in bed. There was no haunting activity when she spent time at her sister’s home in New Brunsiwck either. When she returned to Amherst though, the mysterious events picked up right where they left off. In a horrifying turn, fires broke out in various spots around the house and Esther claimed to see the ghost which was threatening to burn down the home unless she stayed away.
In January 1879, perhaps to bring some desperately needed peace to the home, Esther Cox lived with another family, but the haunting still continued. Several people witnessed the manifestations, including conversing with the ghost and received rappings for answers. Some people felt sympathy and curiosity while others were more skeptical. Those that were skeptical believed that Esther was responsible for the odd occurrences and were hostile towards her. Poor Esther was pricked, slapped and scratched by the ghost and on one occasion, was even stabbed in the back with a knife.
The news spread far and wide about Esther Cox. In late March, she visited New Brunswick where she was visited by a few gentlemen with an interest in science. This is where Walter Hubbell enters the picture. He moved into the Teed cottage to study the phenomena more closely. Hubbell was an actor with an interest in psychic phenomena who happened to be in that area of Canada when the mystery began and he kept a diary of the events in the house. He later developed the diary entries into a book which was dismissed as a hoax by skeptical investigators.
Hubbell spent several weeks with Esther Cox and her family to study the phenomenon. While in her home he claimed to have witnessed objects moving on their own as well as fires and items manifesting from nowhere. He claimed to have witnessed this occurring even when Esther was in full view and not in a position to have caused these things. He and Esther embarked on a speaking tour to give an account of these events, but encountered a great deal of hostility and skepticism which put an end to the endeavor. Esther returned to Amherst in an attempt to have an everyday life. She worked for a man, but after his barn burned down, he accused her of causing the fire and she was found guilty and was sentenced to four months in prison. She spent only one month in jail, and when she returned home the activity had completely ceased as mysteriously as it had started. She married twice and had two sons. Esther moved to Massachusetts and lived there until her death in November 1912.
Hubbell’s book, titled “The Great Amherst Mystery: A True Narrative About the Supernatural”, about the occurrences at Esther Cox’s house was published and was successful with 55,000 copies of his book having been sold. However, there is no solid scientific evidence to suggest that the ghostly activity ever happened beyond Hubbell’s notes.
[Editor’s note: The paranormal activity described here fits well into extensive scientific files of poltergeist activity. More information can be found in this PDF: Poltergeist Phenomena: A Primer on Parapsychological Research and Perspectives]
A local author, Lorri Neilsen Glenn, who lives in Nova Scotia, wrote a book about Esther Cox. The book, titled “Haunted Girl Esther Cox and the Great Amherst Mystery”, was published by Nimbus Publishing in April 2012. The book includes thirty photos of the locations in Amherst that are related to the house where Esther lived.
The town of Amherst now holds an annual festival, EstherFest, which began in 2017. EstherFest holds numerous activities for the public, including the Fifth Annual Scarecrow Stroll, a Ghost Hunt with Paranormal Phenomena Research and Investigation, a staged reading, and scary movies at Amherst Theatre. Additionally, there will be a ghost walk and a ghost hunt, as well as a youth dance and many other family activities. The festival takes place from October 18 to 30th.
The Great Amherst Mystery will always remain a mystery. We will never know for sure what really happened to Esther Cox and her family and sadly, the house that Esther and her family lived in no longer exists. The tale of Esther Cox in the Great Amherst mystery has inspired many podcasts, a town festival and books. She continues to inspire our minds and hearts today.
 
Sources:
https://greatamherstmystery.com/events-tickets-2024/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Amherst_Mystery
​https://nimbus.ca/store/haunted-girl.html?srsltid=AfmBOopSSpmGXO47CWffvTzI6NkAQCtqxPnktzc_eCPo4n06Q854RYsh
https://astonishinglegends.com/astonishing-legends/2022/10/9/the-great-amherst-mystery
https://caretakersparanormalinvestigations.blogspot.com (photo credit)

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September 1, 2025 · 5:43 pm

Autumn Crafting )O(

 

Merry meet all,

Fall is here! The leaves are turning. My favourite time of year has arrived! 

I finished the green nordic dress. The zipper is sewn in, the belt loops are done and the dress is hemmed. I did a zigzag stitch on the hem to keep the fabric from unraveling. I hung it on the dress form and added my belt. I draped the blue apron over the green dress. It looks great. 

Dress with apron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nordic Dress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also sewed myself an adult Halloween trick or treat bag. I watched a video on youtube. The bag is reversible too. I am quite pleased with it. I plan to finish sewing the orange halloween skirt soon too.  I sewed a pouch to go wtih the green dress. I love how it turned out. See photo below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I harvested the mugwort this morning. The stalk is so leafy and beautiful. The mugwort will air dry and then I can store the mugwort for teas. Mugwort aids in enhancing psychic abilities. I want to go to the Five Fishermen Restaurant for the birthday of my book in October. I might enjoy mugwort tea beforehand. 

Now is the time to reflect on the harvest. It’s time to harvest from the garden and to reflect on what we want to harvest in our lives. Fall is a time of abundance and the results of our hard work. I will harvest tomatoes and herbs from my garden. I have friends, a place to live and security.  I’ve made mistakes and learned from them. This time, I was not rejected in cold blood for being human. That made the lessons that I have learned about myself more valuable. It’s not perfect or ideal and I am very happy. I will be even happier when I get my own place. I hope that is sooner rather than later. 

Writing News: I’m rewriting my spider sequel novella, Born of Venom. Wicked Shadow Press published my eighth short story, Cries of Dead Children, in their anthology, Children of the Dead. I love to write for them and will continue to write stories for them. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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March 2, 2025 · 9:44 pm

Midnight Manuscripts Podcast of my short horror story Skin Audio Recording )O(

Merry meet all,

Today’s post is about the audio recording of my short fiction horror story, Skin. The company that published my debut horror novel The Cult of the Spider People: Bone Chillers #1 began a podcast. They call the podcast The Midnight Manuscripts! Onyx Brightwing narrated it and she has done a lovely and spooky job of bringing a scary life to my story. They have narrated other stories too. 

I’m posting the link here for you to listen to it: https://youtu.be/fAlVStrfcIs?si=gPXd4LuYl8wCa-J0

I hope you will all listen to the podcast! 

I sewed myself another simple dress. I wanted a dress that I could wear anytime, a casual dress. It was the simplest pattern I have ever sewn in my life. I might make more dresses from this pattern. I used the New Look pattern #6775. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

Here is a photo of my dress:

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August 2, 2024 · 11:20 am

Interview with horror author Dev Solovey )O(

Merry meet all,

Welcome everyone! Today we’re chatting with Dev Solovey, who has just released his debut horror novella Fever Dreams. 

Why horror? Do you have a favorite subgenre in horror?

I like writing stories that really dig into the human experience and that have something to say, and I think a genre like horror – which relies on cultural taboos and primal fears – is the perfect genre for transgressive art. I do also enjoy fun pulpy horror, but I find I do my best writing when I have a message or theme in mind. My favorite horror subgenre is horror/splatterpunk comedy, but I’m not really the kind of person who cares so much what genre something is. I care more about what the story has to say, and how the story says it. It’s why I can enjoy The Texas Chainsaw Massacre just as much as I can enjoy Pride and Prejudice – both are strong critics of the status quo during the times they were penned, and whatever Mr Wickham does to Lydia Bennett is just as disgusting to me as anything Drayton Sawyer cooks up.

Which other horror authors influenced you the most and why?

I read a lot of comics as a kid, so my biggest horror influences are probably Jhonen Vasquez, Clive Barker and Jason Pargin (previously under his pen name of David Wong). Johnny the Homicidal Maniac was my first exposure to splatterpunk, as well as Lenore by Roman Dirge. I read a lot of the Hellraiser comics as a kid, which weren’t always written by Barker himself but which built on the Hellraiser canon, and I kept all of those comics to this day. And of course, Jason Pargin wrote the John Dies at the End books, the most recent of which inspired me to start writing my debut novella, Fever Dreams. My first ever exposure to horror was most likely Coraline, although Neil Gaiman is more low fantasy than horror.

Tell me about your writing/ editing process

I usually start by brainstorming and typing up some notes. If I have a particular theme in mind, character attributes, or a particular scene I want to include, I’ll write that down, and then just kind of type whatever comes to mind. Once I have a clear enough idea, I’ll write an outline, but I usually view my outlines as loose guidelines – inevitably, I’ll come up with a better idea midway through the manuscript, and I’d rather let the story evolve naturally than strictly follow the plans I made at the beginning.

When I edit for myself, I usually look for ways I could word something better. It’s often harder to see what the larger structural problems are in a story when it’s your own writing, so I usually take a break from it for a while, then come back to it with fresh eyes, and that usually helps me see things that I didn’t notice before. From there I can make larger structural changes where they’re needed, with a primary focus on doing justice to the characters and themes.

When I edit for others, my goal is to find what makes a story good and bring that out by any means necessary. So while I’ll still mark down all of the standard style guide stuff (passive voice, adverbs, cliches, etc) I care more about finding the best elements, and then seeing how the author can make those elements shine.

My big editing hot take is that not all plot holes are bad. I think if you’re approaching something like a fantasy or scifi story expecting 100% realism, you’re approaching it wrong. There’s a reason why villains have monologues, it’s because they’re cool and entertaining! The goal is to entertain, and so long as the plot hole doesn’t break the suspension of disbelief, I don’t think it matters.

What inspires you to write horror?

I could answer this question a lot of ways, but if I’m being 100% honest – I’ve just got anxiety! It’s easy for me to call up feelings of fear and start catastrophizing, and when I write about what makes me afraid, it becomes a healthy outlet. When I finished writing one of the chapters in Fever Dreams, I was actually in tears, and I felt so much better after getting it on paper. There’s something about it that’s a little like exposure therapy, and even if it gets too intense, you can always walk away from it.

What do you love about indie publishing?

It feels collaborative instead of competitive. If I submit a manuscript to a McMillan imprint, the other thousands of manuscripts they get every year are going to drown me out. But with indie publishing and small presses, there’s more of a culture of collaboration and lifting each other up. I’ve never been a competitive person, so being forced to compete with other artists and constantly compare myself to them just makes me miserable.

Which is your favorite horror movie or book? Which movie or book impressed and inspired you the most?

I’ve mentioned it already, but definitely John Dies at the End. It was just so unlike anything I had ever read at the time, and I wanted to emulate David Wong’s morbid sense of humor.

Is there any music that helps you to write?

Music actually distracts me, actually – so does every sound. I do sometimes run across a song that reminds me of a character I have, but I can’t actually write without silence.

Do you have any special projects you want readers to know about?

My debut horror novella, Fever Dreams! It started as a collection of weird nightmares I’ve had, but the thing that made me want to fully develop it was a desire for better representation. As a transgender guy, I get upset with a lot of the trans characters I see in media – a lot of them are very “dysphoric,” they always seem miserable and talk about hating their bodies a lot. It’s depressing and I’m so tired of seeing it, so I wrote this story with a transmasc main character who’s OVERLY confident. He’s the kind of guy who would fight a god without hesitating, and fully believes he could win.

There’s also my longest running project, the webcomic Devil Went Down to Vegas. It’s a horror-comedy/low fantasy webcomic on webtoon about a demon who gets fired from his job in hell, and decides to move to Las Vegas. It’s returning from hiatus this October, so you’ll have plenty of time to catch up!

Where can readers find you on social media?

I’m on twitter @DevSolovey, Tumblr @dev-solovey, BlueSky @devsolovey.bsky.social and instagram @dev.draws. You can find links to all my socials in my linktree, along with links to Fever Dreams and Devil Went Down to Vegas.

Thank you again for interviewing me!

Most welcome!

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

Dev Solovey

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July 15, 2024 · 11:57 am

Interview with horror author Jerry Blaze )O(

 

Merry meet all,

Welcome everyone to another awesome interview with a horror author! Today Jerry Blaze joins us to chat on horror fiction.

 

Why horror? Do you have a favorite subgenre in horror?

I write horror because life isn’t always sunshine and happiness, it’s full of chills, thrills and darkness. I think at our basic setup, humans need to be scared and disappearing into a story that scares them can provide that type of emotion rather than going out and doing something potentially dangerous.

My favorite sub genre is Splatterpunk. I love the extreme aspect, the focus on the nitty-gritty and the lack of creating psychological fears that can be mistaken or not have the same bite as having your insides ripped out through a knife wound (hahaha).

Which other horror authors influenced you the most and why?

 

Richard Laymon is my ultimate influence; the way his stories are fast-paced and direct with action, graphic death and intense sexual imagery spoke to me as a reader and writer. After Laymon, I found myself pursuing the works of Matt Shaw, Judith Sonnet, DE McCluskey and Eric LaRocca; their works were intriguing and different and not like the more classy works of Stephen King or Edgar Allan Poe. I was never big into Lovecraft, but I can’t subtract him from the list because his works inspired a lot of the horror that we see today.

Tell me about your writing/ editing process

 

That might actually be the easiest question to answer. I set a timer for around thirty to forty minutes and I write a chapter until the timer hits zero, then I stop for a quick smoke and a sip of coffee, returning right away. I typically aim for ten chapters each time.

My editing process is barely existent. I go through with auto-correct on the document after I finish it, I then send it to my beta readers and they usually point out what I missed, then I slap a cover on it and put it out for the world. I never rewrite or do drafts, I used to write erotica and the need for consistent work was always hovering over me, so I got in the habit of writing like a pulp writer from back in the day. Write, do a once over, publish and repeat; its been my process for the last 16 years.

What inspires you to write horror?

Horror is a free field where anything can happen, you can throw in as much as you want and still find something new to put in. Readers love horror, especially splatterpunk, they are the kind of people I really identify with. Horror is fun, its the kind of genre where you never know what’s next and when it happens, it can either shock, upset, arouse or annoy you. Nowhere else have I found those emotions coming up in any other genre.

I write horror novelettes and novellas because I think too many authors out there don’t respect the short fiction market. Everyone wants to write long novels and break into the long-fiction market, but I personally cap at 15K (or on good days, 17K). When I started writing horror, I wanted to bring back the popularity of the novelette, especially in Splatterpunk, I think I’m doing a pretty good job of it.

What do you love about indie publishing?

 

I love how far it has come in the last twenty years. I appreciate the fact that anyone can acknowledge their dream of being an author. I love that people flock to indie authors who are not being carried by traditional publishers and who push their works out via their own pocket, or by some chance, have a small press backing them up. I love that the books are allowed to be raw, real and not held back by standards enforced by high-rise office editors. Indie publishing is where I see all books coming from in the near future.

Which is your favorite horror movie or book? Which movie or book impressed and inspired you the most?

 

My favorite horror film will always be the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre film from 1973. My favorite horror books are Beware! by Laymon, Night Shift by Stephen King, the Goosebumps books by RL Stine, and Sardines (in the Dark) by Judith Sonnet.

The films that inspire me would be the Friday the 13th Franchise. I grew up in the woods of the Midwest and always feared a killer stalking me when I was out and about around dusk or nighttime. The eerie feeling of being stalked or watched is something that really provokes me, I like to add the feeling to most of my work, along with the feeling of helplessness when the killing starts up.

Is there any music that helps you to write?

 

I generally don’t listen to music when I write because I’ll find myself unable to focus or I’ll accidentally write in a lyric from a song to the story and then have to delete the sentence. I don’t go back and delete a word, I delete the sentence and rewrite it with a better word. So music, videos, or audio is a no-no for me.

Do you have any special projects you want readers to know about?

 

I am always writing! I’m a well-spring of ideas turned into trash! I have books coming out every month until well into next year. I really want to release 2 books a month, but I’m settling on 1 for now (unless another is being published by a small press). I have a few collaborations I’m working on that will prove extremely fun for the communities. At the moment, I’m personally working on a novella about a woman named “Crystal-Meth” who is hunting pedos in the woods, so that’ll be fun to finish.

I am also doing a side-project of writing non-horror erotic guides for people who may be suffering from a miserable love life.

Where can readers find you on social media?

My website, jblazehorror.com, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X (Twitter), Gmail, just look for JBlazeHorror and you’ll usually find me.

Happy reading!

Indeed!!!! Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

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