Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!!! It's my favorite day of the year and I'm all in black, complete with skeleton earrings in celebration. I'm also celebrating because I have been nominated for a Movie411 Award. WHOO HOO!!! Check this, yours truly has been nominated for Sexiest Female Author.

OMG!!! I cannot believe it, I am stunned, just stunned, but very happy. Sing it with me now... "I believe in miracles. Where you from? You sexy thing..." Ah, nothing like a little Hot Chocolate music to celebrate. The nominating goes through November 28 and those Top 5 with the most nominations moves on to the voting round. Fingers crossed that I move on. And since I'm from Chicago, I promise, no dead people will be involved, unless they have their own blog. LOL To nominate me or others just email The Movie411 here themovie411@live.co.uk.

You all know how I love scary movies, books, hell I'm even planning a real-life ghost hunt next year with some friends. We are going to Waverly Hills Sanitorium in Kentucky where I plan to personally inspect the infamous death tunnel.

There are, however, some things out there that truly terrify me and I'm not talking fear of the dark or hating reptiles, I'm talking bone deep fear and stomach churning horror. The following are two of the very few movies on this earth that genuinely terrify me and I have a very hard time watching them. These movies really do a number on my psyche and I just cannot watch them alone.

The Strangers Words cannot even begin to describe the creepy feeling that this film engenders in me. I think it's the way that this movie is a real life possibility. Brutal, savage home break-ins happen every day and the majority go unsolved. I knew someone whose sister was brutally murdered in her home. Fifteen years later and not one clue. One of my mother's friends was a student nurse slaughtered by Richard Speck. I can sit through the mindless horror of Friday the 13th, Halloween and other slasher flicks like that because they're mostly silent hulking killers that regenerate. I get a lot of shit for this movie, but it just freaks me out, a random act of savagery that hits too close to home.

The Exorcist William Friedkin's film stands out as the single most terrifying movie I have ever seen. I was raised Catholic, still am, and this movie hits at the heart of my spirituality and the beliefs I hold dear about Heaven and Hell. Some of its images are so shocking and revolting, especially the crucifix scene. I was frozen in horror as I watched, sick to my stomach. Yes, some of the acting is cheesy and the dialogue over-the-top and it's been much-parodied in the nearly forty years since its release, but you will never catch me watching this film alone.


So what films terrify you?

Halloween Blogfest

My friend Sloane Taylor has spotlighted Nathan's Angel on her blog. Yay!! I appreciate this so very much. If you get a chance, stop by. She's an amazing writer and a great cook with some pretty awesome recipes on her site.

I'm participating suspense author Jeremy Bates' Halloween Hop and I'm having a blast meeting all these new people. The rules are simple, just post your favorite monster movie or book and your costume this year. Let's see...

Favorite Monster Movie: Oh God, I have to pick one?! I'd go with The Howling because you know werewolves are the penultimate monster in my book with zombies a close second.

My Costume this year: I have none. I'm a HORRIBLE person, what kind of Halloween lover am I? But, then again, I may go as a zombie. I'm good with makeup and don't mind ruining a shirt with fake blood. I may add rubber worms and larvae, too. We'll have to see how I feel tonight. But here's me in one of my favorite costumes, a cat. My friend Portia here is supposed to be a dragon. Her ear is hanging over my wrist.

Tonight is my annual Fright Fest and here is ye olde play list:

1. Halloween

2. The Howling

3. Dawn of the Dead

4. Puppetmaster

5. House on Haunted HIll

6. The Wicker Man (the original, NOT the Cage remake)

We have a bit of everything, slashers, monsters, undead, killer dolls, haunted houses and witchcraft. Sounds like a recipe for some great fun.

I Do Believe In Ghosts, I Do Believe In Ghosts...MOMMY!!!!!

LOL, love that title? It's Halloween and not only is it time for scary movies, monsters, serial killers and of course Trick R Treating, it's also time for ghosts. Chicago is one hell of a haunted town. We have so many ghosts running around, we're also known as Undead Central. Our ghosts even vote. Just ask former Mayor Daley. ;)

Before I get started with my post, let me share my You Should Know person for this week. Because it's Halloween and his blog centers around zombies, I think you should get to know Jeremy at iZombieLover.

Jeremy is a talented graphic artist with a hellagood, slightly skewed sense of humor. His artwork is incredible. It's creepy, it's intense and it's definitely unique. He'll turn you into a zombie, too, if you dare...Imagine that Christmas card going out to family. As if being an incredible artist isn't creative enough, the guy is also an amazing writer with a graphic novel out called Chatterbox.

Now on to my ghostly post. We have some very cool haunted places here in Chicago and places that are just plain notorious and infamous for grisly happenings. These sites have been known to have some residual spiritual activity or outright ghosts and phantoms. I've had some eerie encounters at these places and no, not full-bodied ghosts and stuff, but things. Here's a couple that creeped the hell out of me and made me want my mommy.

Mt. Carmel Cemetery is located in suburban Hillside, not far from Queen of Heaven where my grandparents are buried. This is where Julia Buccola Petta, the Italian Bride, has her permanent resting place. Julia died in childbirth in 1921 and within a few months her mother began having dreams that her daughter was still amongst the living and needed her help. For six years the dreams continued and in all that time, her mother tried to get Julia's grave opened. Finally, she succeeded and when the coffin was exhumed and opened, Julia's body was found to be entirely in tact, no decay whatsoever. Take a gander.

The picture was taken when they opened her casket and you can see the perfect condition of her body while the coffin is muddy and looks the worse for wear. Now, they say you see a woman in white near her grave, but I didn't see anything when I was there with my friends. HOWEVER, I did feel something when I got a few feet from her grave. Something took my right hand. Seriously. It was like someone slipped their hand in mine, but it was as if that hand were made of ice. I sucked in all the oxygen around me in a slow, hard breath. Every hair was on end. Now granted it was winter, but I had my gloves on and it was only my right hand. I choose to believe that I had a haunted encounter and you won't convince me otherwise anytime soon.

Another time, I attempted to go into Bachelor Grove, one of the most haunted cemeteries in America. The activity here ranges from mysterious balls of light to disappearing car and a strange woman. The picture at the left is purported Madonna of Bachelor Grove. She's been photographed dozens of times over the decades. A few years ago I went by myself, during the day, of course, to see what I could see. I never made it past the No Trespassing sign as dread froze me in my tracks. I tried walking, but my legs would not move. I was overwhelmed with fear. I don't know how long I stood there until I was able to run back to the car. I am planning to go with some friends this time and we'll see what we see. Call me a nut job, but I want to face this dread and see if I encounter anything inside the place.

Internet Book Fair Blogfest

Hooray for books!!! Today, M.A. Leslie an awesomely cool member of our blogging community is sponsoring the Internet Book Fair Blogfest as a way for we writers to get our books out there and to promote books and authors we love. The idea, as I understand it, is to tell a little bit about our own book, provide a buy link and tell about some other books and writers we love.

Along with my steamy sizzler, Nathan's Angel, I'm featuring two awesomely fantastic books by two of the best writers I know, MPax and Gail M. Baugniet. So here we go... And be sure to check out the other stories and linkage here.

NATHAN'S ANGEL by Melissa Bradley
ISBN 978-1-61124-191-4 (Electronic)

Sometimes the laws of Heaven were meant to be broken…

When his soul mate is stolen from Paradise and reincarnated, Ramiel, angel of death and transformation, defies Celestial Law to find out why. As punishment for his crime, he is banished to Earth in human form without his powers. His only hope lies in recovering the grace he lost in his fall from the Divine Realm…

Nathan, a beta werewolf, knows all too well what it’s like to be vulnerable and at the mercy of unfair people and situations. He is considered weak in the eyes of the alphas of his pack. Ramiel literally falling into his life changes him. Determined to help the sexy angel, he takes charge of the situation and to his surprise, begins to exhibit some rather alpha behavior…

As they search, a white hot, forbidden fire ignites between them, an inferno that sets them ablaze, fusing them body and mind. A passion that makes them question everything they’ve ever known. But when Ramiel’s grace is found, will they have the strength to let each other go?

SEMPER AUDACIA by MPax
Smashwords link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/92160

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005QB25H4

Alone. Leda is the last living member of the brigade, the sole defender of her world. War took everyone she knew, leaving her in the company of memories and ghosts. Or is it madness?

The siren blares. The enemy is coming. Or is it? The approaching vessel isn't a friendly design, but it answers with the correct code. Leda must figure out whether the arrival is reinforcements or the final assault. In an aging flyer, she ventures out to meet her world's fate, the last stand.

FOR EVERY ACTION...THERE ARE CONSQUENCES by Gail M. Baugniet

Paperback

Electronic

26-year old Pepper Bibeau deals with unresolved personal problems while she plugs away at her job as an insurance investigator for a Wisconsin-based company. She recently resigned her commission with the Army Nurse Corps after a 12-month tour of Vietnam and experiences occasional flashbacks. Also, her son is being raised by her mother's relatives in Hawaii, a decision Pepper doesn't regret but never fully accepts.

Pepper's current investigation takes her to Chicago where she discovers that murder, suicide, and a child's heroin overdose all point to a small drug operation. Many of the people she is counting on for help may be indirectly involved in the case and the more Pepper learns, the more difficult it becomes to sort out who's hiding what.

After someone slams her head against a brick wall, sending her to the hospital, a homicide detective suggests she drop her insurance investigation and leave town. But her friend is dead and a child remains in a coma. Until she exposes those responsible, Pepper is staying.

Melissa's Horror Film Survival Rules

Seven days until my high holy holiday, Halloween, and as I gear up for my annual Fright Fest I want to share with you a few things that I have learned about surviving a horror film. Follow these simple rules and you have a reasonable chance of getting out alive.

Rule #1

There is no such thing as mass psychosis, it's zombies. Did we not learn anything through dozens of zombie films already? Just start gathering supplies and practicing head shots.

Rule #2

Always wear appropriate clothing. No one ever seems to be properly attired in these things. They start off on a road trip with suitcases and when they reach the creepy camp or abandoned house, suddenly all they have are flip flops and shorts. Ladies, you might also want to keep track of your bras. They disappear with inexplicable frequency in horror films.

Rule #3

Keep it in your pants. I know it's tempting, but avoid having sex on graves, in old barns, derelict houses and, or abandoned psychiatric hospitals. Think tetanus shots if nothing else, but you know the killer/zombie/monster will always get you with your pants down.

Rule #4

That shape at the end of the hall is NOT your friend. Keep your mouth shut and keep moving. Don't you just love it when the vics see a giant shuffling shape and call out "Tiffany, is that you?"

Rule #5

Go to the bathroom in groups. Safety in numbers, kids. Nothing like going for a quick pee all by your lonesome and the monster/killer comes up behind you because you didn't bring a friend for lookout.

Rule #6

If the walls or floors start to bleed, LEAVE. Don't bother to call a priest or a psychic, that house is seriously freakin' haunted. GET OUT!

Rule #7

If there's a strange lunatic guy telling you you're going to die in there, DON'T GO IN THERE. How hard is that?

Rule #8

Stay out of the basement. Nothing good ever came from heading into the creepy basement. Unless you're fleeing a tornado, but seriously in horror, how many of those have you encountered?

Rule #9

Don't skinny dip. Come on, now. You know the monster is always in the water and the killer on the shore by your clothes.

Rule #10

No matter how bad the weather, STAY OUTSIDE. That scary looking house is not going to yield any sort of help. Think about it. The place is dilapidated and dark, do you really think you're going to find help in there?

Rule #11

Don't call the cops. They're useless cannon fodder unless it's near the end of the movie when they drive in en masse AFTER it's all over.

Rule #12

Don't ask what the noise is, HAUL ASS. How easy is this one? The noise is always bad news, so just run the fuck away.

So there you have them, my twelve simple rules for surviving horror. Now, I can't guarantee you'll live, but these rules will up your odds.

What's In A Name?

Names are so important, they help us forge our identities. Our parents hold absolute power by choosing our names when we are born. We as writers labor over what to name our characters. So what's in a name? Absolutely everything.

On Saturday, 285 girls in the Satara district of Maharashtra state in central India took part in a renaming ceremony for themselves. You see every single one of them had been given names that meant "unwanted." Can you imagine? Your whole identity beginning with the title of unwanted. I was astounded.

Government officials were prompted to hold such a ceremony because the latest census results show that ratio of girls to boys has dropped sharply. There are now 914 girls for every 1000 boys under the age of six. In Maharashtra that ratio is even lower with only 883 girls for every 1000 boys under the age of six and in Satara district, the ratio drops even further. Many believe this is due to the extreme gender bias that exists.

In India, girl fetuses are often aborted once the sex of the child is learned. Hospitals are forbidden to reveal the gender of an unborn babe as a preventative measure, but the truth gets out anyway. Girl children in many cases are neglected so they die young.

The name often given to girls is Nakusa or Nakusi which means "unwanted." Dr. Bhagwan Pawar, who came up with the idea for the renaming ceremony, says in a quote to AP "Nakusa is a very negative name as far as female discrimination is concerned." On Saturday these beautiful, extraordinary young women came forward and took their power back. They shed their horrible birth names and renamed themselves. They chose to be called "Aishwarya" after the gorgeous Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai. They chose "Savitri" after the goddess and "Vaishali" which means "prosperous, beautiful and good." One girl chose "Ashmita" meaning "very tough" or "rock hard."

The article, by Chaya Babu from the Associated Press, is here. The article is enlightening and shocking. I always understood that a name is powerful, but I guess I never really thought about it outside of my own stories. I am so happy that these girls were given the opportunity to rename themselves. They have forged a new path on life. I am in awe of the courage it took for them to make such a decision and go to this ceremony. Just look in those gorgeous eyes and see the hope and strength. Those girls, like the Nobel winners I posted, are what true Girl Power is all about.

To those girls and my fellow females everywhere, here's Pink with "Fuckin' Perfect" cuz we are ALL fuckin' perfect.



** The image above is from the Associated Press.

New Feature and Sharing Some Love

Inspired by Alex Cavanaugh's and Matthew MacNish's Pay It Forward blogfest last week, I have now decided to do my own weekly You Should Know feature. I'm going to be posting links to fave blogs and why I love them. Many of them are friends old and new, but all of them are sites I adore and know you will too. So for my inaugural You Should Know post I give you one of my very favorite peeps and one of the coolest movie review guys ever...

CineMarvellous! Known around the blogosphere as Nebular, George is a true cinemaniac. His knowledge of films, directors, styles and genres is astounding. He goes into detail about pacing, cinematography, costumes... Many things that a lot reviewers don't discuss. He also specializes in horror, my fave genre. George gives it to you straight with the good, the bad, and the abysmal. So go, visit him now. He's got an incredible review of the new Three Musketeers film.

I have some announcements, too. In the coming weeks I will have incredibly cool author spotlights, starting with the always amazing Jessica Bell on November 3rd. I have some books reviews coming soon including Kelley Smith's Glittering Ashes, Alexander Hammond's Brief (Case) Encounters, Julia Smith's Saint Sanguinus, as well as a couple of others. It's going to be exciting! I will also be celebrating Halloween all week next week as well as participating in the Internet Book Fair Blogfest on Tuesday, October 25. The awesome M.A. Leslie is sponsoring this and I found out through my favorite Alliterative Allomorph, Jessica Bell. So if you have a book to sell or just want to get out there and find some great books go participate.

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!