Next Year’s Halloween & Publishing Choices

After a fun-filled weekend partying with friends dressed up in clown costumes, necromancer gowns, and how could I forget the horse wizard, business rhino, and Mexican Alien Fart-o-Meter — how can I already be thinking of next year’s Halloween bash? Well there’s two reasons actually.

One, I’ve almost perfected my Steampunk outfit and I’ve worn it consistently for the last two years. With Dragon*Con at the beginning of September followed closely by Halloween, I have a feeling I’ll want to liven up my wardrobe a little bit next year. I’ve got some goggles I want to make still for it, get some fingerless gloves, and find a better way to attach my freaking topper hat, but still! It’s fairly close to being done, and so I’m getting the urge to add a new get-up to my choices.

Two, my sister has been showing The Birds in her English 1101 classes. Yes, I know – the fabulous Alfred Hitchcock version that I adore. I admit I would have loved to watch Hitchcock’s work in my freshmen college years, though our dystopia films were just as fun come to think of it. Anyway, it makes me think of what Melanie Daniels wears in the film (played exquisitely by Tippi Hedren of course). I’m sure you’ve seen it around. It’s really a neat concept even though the fabric for the outfit is a little wanting.

So after a little browsing, I found this unique rendition of it. You know, anything involving blood, gore, and a ripped out eye is just going to be creepily fun! What a way to turn this simplistic outfit into a grotesque study in avian phobias! And then on top of that, I found a wonderful “shopping list” posted up on etsy listing parts and pieces to create your own Tippi outfit. How fun!

So yeah — Tippi may just be my next big costume attempt. And since I’m a big fan of Tippi Hedren anyway (did you know she runs a conservatory for lions in Florida now?), it might just give me an excuse to practice my sewing some more.

In writing news, I read this insightful post comparing E-Pub with Traditional Publishing. It’s very useful for writers like me – writers who are about to have their first book ready to publish – to see what the market looks like at the moment. It’s changing so dramatically now that it’s difficult to keep up with what direction you should approach. I tried explaining to a friend of mine the other day how E-Publishing is now a respected form of publication to little avail. Apparently if you’re not keeping up with all the news going back and forth on this topic, it’s easy to fall behind. Of course I’m still undecided, and probably won’t be ready to make my decision until the very end. Some folks are suggesting that you wait around a few years until all the scam groups get weeded out, but honestly, I feel like I’ve already waited a year on my novel getting it prepared. And now that I’m going to be devoting all my time on the sequel during NaNoWriMo next month, I’m even more determined to get the first book finished up.

Halloween Musings

I love October. Fall and spring are easily my favorite times of the year, simply because I like an excuse to wear jackets and boots. And of course, I love Halloween! Werewolves are some of my favorite movie monsters around, and although I’m a bit nit-picky when it comes to my favorite werewolf shows, October gives me an excuse to pester my friends to re-watch my favorites.

So I figure this October I’ll do my best to post some clips of Halloween movies that I simply love. Let me of course warn you that most of them are going to include werewolves in some form or fashion. Not each of them – but quite a few at least. 😉

A bit of background for these episodes I suppose is in order. They’re from a 1980s series called simply “Werewolf” that follows a young guy turned into a lycanthrope, and his mission to try to kill his creator. In this lore, if you kill the one that bit you, then you are turned human again. They also use the idea that a bloody pentagram appears on the hand before a change. Pretty amusing series, and well worth a watch if you’ve never seen it.

Episode 14: All Hallow’s Eve*

Episode 16: Nightmare at the Braine Hotel*

* Please forgive the horrible quality of these videos. The only episodes around are ones folks had to tape off TV back in the 80s. The company still hasn’t released any of them out on DVD due to copyright issues regarding the music.