This Halloween, in addition to hanging a basket of first class candy my apartment doorknob, I’m promoting All Hallows Read. It’s a wonderful idea. Here’s the author Neil Gaiman explaining it:
I’ve already given a few friends scary ebooks and will send some more on or before October 31. I’ve also pulled together a few ebooks that are perfect for All Hallows Read. They are the Kindle equivalent of the best chocolate bar in the bag of Halloween candy.
The first one is 13 BRITISH HORROR STORIES by Rayne Hall. Rayne tackles all sorts of scary stories in this marvelous collection. I’m particularly fond of the chilling take on a classic fairy tale FOUR BONY HANDS, the vivid descriptions of a violent storm and equally violent choices in the historical setting of SCRUPLES and the completely terrifying DRUID STONES.
Rayne, a writer and an accomplished editor of short fiction collections, suggests ANYTHING CAN BE DANGEROUS by Matt Hults for All Hallows Read. It’s FREE on Amazon. One of Matt Hults’ stories appears in Rayne’s UNDEAD: TEN TALES OF ZOMBIES collection.
If you have a young teen on your All Hallows Read Halloween shopping list — or anyone else who’d love the scary aspects of Edgar Allan Poe, but might be intimidated or mystified by Poe’s gothic language — I suggest POPULAR POE STORIES IN PLAIN ENGLISH by Jeri Walker-Bickett. For me, it’s like the medium dark chocolate bar that awakens an adult appreciation for serious Belgian chocolate when it appears in a Halloween shopping bag full of candy corn and lollipops. Jeri has suggested the novella CONTAINMENT by Eden Royce for All Hallows Read.
Jeri and I share a love of all things POE — as evidenced in my own Poe-inspired novella POED. I hope my 21st century version of some of Poe’s scariest stories will send a shiver down the spines of classic Poe lovers and will find a place on your All Hallows Read shopping list.
POED is part of my Candy’s Monsters series of novellas inspired by horror classics. I recently discovered a classic that I’d somehow missed — THE GREAT GOD PAN by Arthur Machen. Several editions of this mysterious, gothic tale are available for Kindle readers for FREE or, with commentary, for a modest price. THE GREAT GOD PAN is a great choice of All Hallows Read!
I often find speculative fiction to be very scary — sometimes much scarier than the blood & guts of contemporary horror. That’s why I’m suggesting A.C. Flory’s THE VINTAGE EGG for All Hallows Read. I was really frightened by her logical expansion of contemporary gaming culture and climate change. A.C. Flory suggests CREEPIER BY THE DOZEN by Stephen Hise for an All Hallows Read that takes the reader outside their comfort zone!
I hope you enjoy All Hallows Read and that you share the scare with your friends!
BOO!
I really hope this All Hallows Read takes off in a big way! It’s really exciting and I love having an ‘excuse’ to give books, especially indie books. Go team!
I’ve been having fun with it and look forward to hearing from my friends about the ebooks I’ve sent them!
I like this idea. My to be read list continues to grow.
Mine already has!
I’ve also had fun tailoring the All Hallows Read choices to the particular friends. One book for science fiction-y friends, another for more fantasy/adventure readers, a third for general horror, a fourth for hardcore vampire fans, etc. FUN!