Book Through Thursday: Oh, Horror!

What with yesterday being Halloween, and all . . . do you read horror? Stories of things that go bump in the night and keep you from sleeping?

Anjin and I ventured out to a local restaurant last night at the nearby plaza. A stage had been set up in the quad area, and there were children in various costumes running about. My favorite was the little girl of about four in a kimono who had to stop every few steps to do the twist. Maybe not really the twist, but what looked like her version of it. A miniature Winnie the Pooh made several passes by our table, usually not on his own two feet. There was also a little Strawberry Shortcake who brought back memories of days gone by.

As we were leaving the restaurant and crossing through the quad, the winners of the costume contest were being announced. Everyone was a winner. That brought to mind the costume contest I once entered when I was a child. There had been winners and runner ups back then. Those were the days when everyone was not a winner. Hey! I'm actually of an age now where I can annoy young 'uns by saying "Back in my day . . . !" Is that really a good thing?

Where was I? Oh, Halloween, yes. Being as it is just my husband and I and our sometimes rambunctious animals who will not tolerate costumes, Halloween is pretty much just another day for us. Wake up with the alarm, groan and moan and remind the cat what the meaning of nine minutes of snoozing really is supposed to be about, and finally to wake up and drag myself through the steps of getting ready for work. Of course, I completely forgot the Halloween candy sitting in the chair by the kitchen door. The candy I was supposed to bring for the afternoon potluck. Oh well. I managed to remember to take it today. Just what everyone needs too. They all are bringing their leftover candy to work so they will not be tempted to scarf it all during a moment of weakness. I am not sure bringing the candy to the office where we all spend the entire day really helps. What if Susie over there brings something rather tasty? Cee sure was going after those whoppers I brought in. Too many bowls of candy lying around does not help one's diet.

Halloween was not completely an average day. There was the office potluck and the pumpkin carving contest. Other than that, it was business as usual. I started singing Christmas carols towards the end of the day to drive my coworkers mad. It could have been worse. I could have danced down the aisles.

I suppose I should answer the question, shouldn't I? Do I read horror? Yes, actually I do. I am not a huge fan of the slasher, gory type horror, but I do love a good psychological thriller.

I decided a couple of years ago that I needed to read some of Stephen King's books and a few by Dean Koontz just to see what the fuss was about. While I doubt I will read all of King's books, I do plan to read a few more than just the two I have read so far.

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's books have been labeled as horror by some (I tend to think of them more as thrillers), and the three I have read by them, I really enjoyed. Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series was a favorite of mine for a while there. Does that count as horror? The Witching Hour by Anne Rice is one of my favorite horror novels. I know not everyone likes Anne Rice's writing style, but I am really drawn to her books. I have only read a handful, but I would like to read more of her books eventually (if I had a quarter for everytime I said that, eh?).

I enjoy subtle creepiness like the kind in Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian and Bram Stoker's Dracula. John Harwood's The Ghost Writer is probably one of my favorite ghost stories. A gasp, sitting on the edge of my seat or pacing the room, are all reactions I welcome when I read a book that offers up a taste of fear or suspense.

Horror novels themselves do not keep me from sleeping at night. I have no compunction about reading them before bedtime. It is not unusual for whatever book I have been reading, regardless of type, to seep into my dreams at night, however. Perhaps if I lived alone I might be more affected by a horror novel. Fortunately, that is not the case and so I can read to my heart's content.

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I thought about asking you about whether you were participating in NaNoWriMo, but I asked that last year. Although . . . if you want to answer that one, too, please feel free to go ahead and do both, or either, your choice!

I told my husband over dinner last night that I had started writing a book. When I say that, I mean it very loosely. I am not really writing a book. Well, maybe eventually it will turn into one, but probably not. That is not my goal at this point in time anyway. He told me that I was not supposed to start until the next day, the start of the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). While I may not be participating in NaNoWriMo, Anjin surprised me by saying he is giving it a try. Unofficially. I have not grilled him yet on what he has in mind, but I sure want to!