I would like to from now until Halloween regularly send you to other blogs to read things that gave me chills. This is one of them for today.
Okay, don’t know if there is such a thing, but there damn-well should be. Since I follow a lot of the darker and more mysterious blogs and it is the month of October, I figured I might tell some of my most visited blogs why I visit them so damn much! I actually view even more blogs, but some are more or less a daily delight for me.
Above-The-Norm: Yeah, Julie is my best gal pal, but a year ago she was a stranger to me other than a few blogging comments back and forth between us. Meeting her in real life sealed the deal and not only do we hunt together and pal around but are writing our first book together. I love her blog because she takes care to learn the history of strange and unusual places and events and photographs them so beautifully. It’s like having some time in a comfy museum, not the kind you can’t touch anything in, but the hands-on ones.
Max Evel: This is purely a visual delight. I love the way it looks, I love the videos that are spooky and goofy and always involving rock music, boobies and all things horror. Max is the equivalent of Dale the Doll having his own blog. It is my daily getaway. He makes me laugh, he makes me cringe and I got so addicted, I’m now a subscriber of his YouTube channel where he makes some wickedly awesome vids.
The Digital Looking Glass: Tara reminds me of a South Carolina version of myself. She is peppy, energetic, enthusiastic and totally digs going to cemeteries and photographing. She’s not at all daunted by “Do Not Trespass” signs or remote locations. She does some beautiful photography too and cracks me up. Anyone who makes me smile or laugh is important in my life.
The Halloween Blues: Sam Hain covers everything from creepy video games to movies and interviews with people in horror-related fields and goes to really cool creepy events and reports about them. Although his reporting style is spot-on, what I really get out of his write-ups is the way he describes things in his own voice. When a writer writes like how he speaks, it becomes real and reliable to me. I love to see what he comes up with next.
Not Worth Mentioning: This New Yorker amazes me. There is NOTHING he won’t talk about, no matter how shameful or bizarre. Just recently he photographed his facial expressions while giving himself a testicular exam. I go there for the laughs but usually leave scratching my head and wondering what I got myself into. He’s the naughty troublemaker side of me. I like to see that in people—firestarters, some would call us.
Season of Shadows: Besides having a big heart and a freaking lot of talent, John is what I consider to be sort of the Prince of Halloween. He makes amazing horror figures for Halloween Home Hauntings, but he also takes the time to make video with his sexy voice narrating, showing how he makes his paper maiche horrors. He’s also fond of nostalgic Halloween videos and animations and lots of great giveaways. This is seriously a site that is Halloween feeling all year round. I adore it.
Atomic Annihilation: This is one you may not have heard of but I am completely devoted. Every time this stylish and artistic man puts up old Cold War posters and memorabilia, I am amazed. I especially love the ones of the family building their own bomb shelters and the campiness of it all. It’s a beautifully done site and the pics say it all. I would so love to have a conversation with this man. I think we are on similar wave lengths at how we view that era.
Gummerfan Monster Hunter’s HQ: Honestly, this man says it like it is, no nonsense, questions authority and “experts.” I love that about his blog. You can almost hear him saying these things out loud; another writer who uses his voice. He’s sort of the monster hunter equivalent of me; a big kid about it, a skeptic and wants his own answers not the ones fed to him!
Octoberfarm: This is like going to mom’s to visit (if my mom had been warm and personable). She’s cooking amazing things, has a big fluffy pup, lives in a home that looks like a romantic English countryside cottage, is into all things witch-related and country fairs. She takes you with her, photographs and tells stories of where she’s traveled. I go here purely to have autumn all year long and feel like I came home.
Gnostalgia: Barry and Debby do an amazing job of reviewing books, talking about all things para-weird and the paranormal shows. I trust their opinions more than any others and so I go there and know that I won’t go wrong hearing their way of seeing things. It’s comfortable, intelligent, warm and witty.
Strange State: Cullan manages to find very odd and X-file'ish stuff happening. I love to find out what funky thing he's found now. He does the searching so I don't have to. I like the way his mind works. He's always questioning and wondering...
Echo Phyber: She puts up a picture with a funny caption and allows you to just go at it. Her wit is sharp and she keeps me on my toes in the funny department. Just a sweet and smart gal.
Improbable Frontiers: This is probably one of the most witty and intelligent blogs ever. I have never read something Pangs put down on this site without just cracking up. If it’s possible to have comedic timing in writing, he does! He’s into paranormal movies and TV and loves to poke fun at it and the crackpots in the para-world. Charming, adorable, and so freaking funny I sometimes feel like I’m going to crack a rib. This is truly my great escape, as if I can sit down with a friend with the same perspective of the world and joke around.
Dr. Heckle: This is just a pleasure, a true and real pleasure. He puts up a photo of something ridiculous and everyone comments on the content. I have a policy to make up a response in under 30 seconds and on average it takes me 12 seconds to come up with a caption for the photo. Sometimes, I read the responses and laugh so hard, but when Dr. Heckle chimes in by replying to the comments, the wit level goes through the roof. This is a daily exercise of the funnybone. I do this every time he posts a pic and my wit remains razor sharp.
As I said, these are my daily treats, but I do follow a few hundred blogs because I return the favor when folks follow my blog. I don’t get around to reading the others as regularly, but when these ones pop up, I must must must do myself a favor and get a little escape. So, if you ever wondered where I escape in my busy active head—these are the locales for Autumnforest getaways.
As a side note, I discovered a new blog and the blogger just did an interview with me. He's a horror writer and a very sharp guy. Check out Marcus's site.