Halloween Weekend, Pt. 1

Yes, this post is a two-parter. This is because it's a holiday weekend, and boy howdy, it's a doozy.

First, I want to remind you that the SCBWI BookStop is still going, so come say hi. Also, TODAY at 6 pm EDT I will be on Authors on the Air to talk about Under Locker and Key, so follow the link to tune in. Hopefully, I don't embarrass myself too much.

I have been pretty busy this weekend. Here it is, in pictures. Exhibit A:

A Stranger Things binge-watching party with my siblings since season 2 came out this weekend. My sister made the lovely lights wall that you see above out of rice crispy treats and M&Ms. Isn't it so great?

We watched the first three episodes together, and then broke to watch the rest on our own. It's...it's so good, guys. Creepy and thrilling and everything I'd been hoping for. I'm going to be screaming for so many different reasons for a while.

Some of my family went home to watch another episode before bed, or woke up and watched more the next day, but I didn't, because Exhibit B:

Another year of the Haunted Half Marathon, and another year of running as Dipper. This year, though, I had a goal to complete the race in under 2 hours. As you can see, I made my goal, but there was a cost. I felt fatigued at mile 10 and threw up at mile 11. I did finish, and I did make my goal, but I don't see this race as a total success.

I don't know why it was so tiring; I've done this race before and I know my training route is harder than this one. It was super cold before the race began, so it's been suggested that my warm-up wasn't sufficient for the cold and so my muscles were working harder than they should. My mental pacing may have also been off and I may have taken some hills harder than I should. Or, maybe, I just had a bad day. Either way, it's over, I got my goal, and I'm sore. I'm glad I can say I gave it all I had (including the contents of my stomach), but...everything hurts.

Which brings me to Exhibit C, aka, what I did after the race instead of having a nice, quiet, restful evening in:

A Halloween party, two which I wore this costume. Multiple pictures needed, as I went as Jekyll and Hyde. Jekyll on the far left, with a vial of green liquid (it's melon Powerade, and it's fun to start drinking it in front of people), Hyde in the center covered with blood and holding a knife, and then the half-and-half effect as seen from the front on the right.

I'm way proud of this costume. I'd wanted to do something like this for a while, and I think it turned out well! I think I'll keep this for later years.

The other costumes were excellent. I love seeing what other people put together and how creative they can be. At the party, there was a girl who painted her hair blue, wore an old-fashioned ship on her head, and had on a white T-shirt that said "WHALE." What a clever way of being Moby Dick!

I can't wait for Halloween and all the other amazing things to do and see! I'll have more to say, I'm sure, which is why this is a two-parter. Stay tuned for a report on how the radio interview went as well as (I'm sure) pictures of great Halloween costumes. I'm sad I didn't take any at the party I went to Saturday night, but in my defense, I was a little dead. And half evil.

Here is this week's debut:

Young Adult:

S.F. Henson - Devils Within (10/31)