Finally, itâs October! Home to our favorite holidayâHalloween.
The origins of Halloween trace back to ancient Celtic harvest festivals, linking it to themes of change and transition that often elements of the fantastic. Darkness falls, boundaries dissolve, and our imaginations open to infinite possibilities.
For authors of fantasy and horror, the imagery and symbolism of Halloween fuels imagination and storytelling around our deepest fears and fascinations. The holiday has cemented itself as a staple in the literary tradition of the fantastic. Here be ghosts, monsters, witches, and everything dark and diabolical. It provides the perfect setting for classic stories. What would the season be without Washington Irvingâs âThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow,â H.P. Lovecraftâs âThe Rats in the Walls,â Ray Bradburyâs âThe October Game,â and and so many others? Not to mention Mary Shelleyâs Frankenstein, Bram Stokerâs Dracula, and practically everything Stephen King has ever written.
Youâll find more than a few seasonally appropraite tricks and treats in this monthâs pages.
Hereâs the lineup:
Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure:
âBehind Blue Eyes,â by Robby Robinson [Michael Bracken Presents short story]
âThe Case of the Fit Felon,â by Hal Charles [solve-it-yourself mystery]
âA Ratâs Tale,â by Donna Andrews [short story]
âOn His Majestyâs Service,â by Hal Meredith [short story, Sexton Blake series]
The Clue of the New Pin, by Edgar Wallace [novel]
Science Fiction & Fantasy:
âMad Evrenâs Dreams,â by Phyllis Ann Karr [short story]
âNo Other God But Me,â by Adrian Cole [short story]
âIn the Very Stones,â by Joseph Payne Brennan [short story]
âYou Canât Scare Me!â by Charles F. Myers [short story, Pillsworth & Toffee series]
âTo Make a Hero,â by Randall Garrett [novella]