It’s definitely one of my favorite times of the year. Amazing costumes, spooky buildings, and a butt-load of candy – what’s not to love? We had our Halloween bash last weekend and even though it was epic, I admit I’m still a little worn down from it. Just so you know, Friday the 13th Part 3 in 3D is one of the funniest horror films I’ve seen in a while if only for the cheesy 3D effects. Popcorn in the face? Check. Joint being passed to the screen? Check. Do I even have to mention it was made in the 80s?

Even though we never seem to have many Trick or Treaters in our neighborhood since we moved in three years back, I always still hope for the occasional few to drop in. We’ve got a bag of candy all set to go. We’ll probably be enjoying a good Halloween flick like Grave Encounters or Trick ‘r Treat while we wait around tonight, but I’m still not expecting much of a turn out. With the temperatures piddling around between the 40s and 50s overnight, I don’t think many kids will want to be out when it’s so cold. But you never know, we may be surprised.

Tomorrow NaNo begins, and I think I’m ready to tackle my latest project. I’ll probably disregard my failed starts and begin again fresh. Feels like I got all the so-so openings out of my system so I can actually get to the heart of the book. Yesterday I filled out a 12-point quick outline in the style Theresa Hupp mentioned on her blog. Couldn’t remember how many points it was supposed to have when I worked on it, but it really helped me get a feel for the direction the novel needs to take. It also gave me some ideas for how to work in subplots and, most importantly, it got me brainstorming on the villain. I needed to get a handle on her before I sat down to write. I figured out what her short-term goal is at least which is way more than I had before. I think I like Theresa’s method because I hate to be boxed in with my writing. This outline is flexible enough to change at any time and structured enough to give me direction with the story.

What are you planning for Halloween? If you’re gearing up for NaNo, what are you doing to prepare?