Dark Blood Comes From the Feet: New England Horror At Its Finest

As a writer, I’ve always found it most difficult for me to write short stories. I tend to overcomplicate the story with sub-plots and multiple characters and the entire thing gets away from me far too easily. Therefore, I’ve always had an appreciation for those that can write a compelling short work, let alone a collection of them.

Emma J. Gibbon is an author with whom I have a great appreciation for. When she isn’t writing heartrending short tales of darkness and spooky stories about monsters seen and unseen, she can be found at the Topsham library here in Maine, serving as an event coordinator and ardent lover of books. I was able to participate in two book readings there and definitely had fun doing it.

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Surprise Cooking Adventure: OMG Pumpkin Spice Cake Swiss Roll Crumble Blah

Yes. Many of you have dreamed of this moment for so long, the moment where I bring you an impromptu Cooking Adventure. I had thought that maybe my cooking and baking skills had surpassed the early years of stupid screw ups in the kitchen. Since moving into the new house and having much more time and space to be creative in cooking, I’ve had very few run ins that have mandated a blog post to explain what the hell happened while trying to make something delicious. Today though…today’s result was so ugly, I couldn’t help but share.

With the evenings dipping into cooler temperatures here in Maine, I’ve had a huge hankering for everything autumnal. That includes baking pumpkin, squash, apple, and pecan creations, snuggling in blankets, wearing chunky sweaters and plaid shirts, and dreaming up decorations for eventual Halloween celebrations.

I decided before the weekend had even started that I was going to either make a pumpkin swiss roll or a pecan pie. Both are among my favorite fall dessert items and my sweet tooth would have been happy with either. On Monday, I opted for the pumpkin swiss roll idea. After returning home from grocery shopping, I turned on Spotify, unpacked ingredients and looked up a recipe. I pulled this one from Tasty. Now, disclaimer: this is a perfectly fine recipe…if one follows the directions. I clearly did not. I thought I was better than this.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Killing Vampires: “There’s Nothing Nice About Southern Ladies”

Funny, scary, and so heart-warming. I loved every little bit of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. The story follows the highs and lows of housewife, Patricia’s, furtive investigation into the new man in the neighborhood. He’s charming, intelligent, and seems to have everyone eating out of his hand. But is there something more to him than meets the eye? Patricia seems to think so and nothing would make her feel safer than to convince her closest friends of this, the ladies of a Mount Pleasant book club. Ladies who are all interested in reading about crime, gruesome murder, and dastardly deeds. Will her friends believe her?

Grady Hendrix has created a vivid and deep world that stretches over the span of a decade in a small Southern town. Absolutely fell in love with the characters and their friendship.

Read on: spoilers lie ahead.