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It's almost Halloween, which means for us bibliophiles it's a time for reading horror novels and celebrating the Neil Gaiman created holiday All Hallow's Read! It's the very best of the scary and the literary.

Way back in 2010 (eons ago) Neil Gaiman wrote a blog post about how there aren't enough holidays revolving around the giving of books and since Halloween was right around the corner, All Hallow's Read was born. The premise is simple: gift a scary (age appropriate) book on October 31st.

While it would be fun to give every trick-or-treater a book, it also runs the risk of being not very cost effective so here are some tips for having a fiscally responsible All Hallow's Read.

So Halloween is almost here.

Busy parents everywhere are scrambling for costumes for their kids and attempting to convince them that yes, they can totally wear that costume from last year, no one is going to remember (NO OMG THEY TOTALLY WILL MOM AND DAD!). And chances are if you waited this long, all that’s going to be left are hundreds of Angry Birds outfits.

Luckily, for the literary minded, there are plenty of DIY solutions for the crafty costume maker. Below, I’ve rounded up some of my favorites from around the ol’ Internet. Enjoy!

Photo by Pierre Tourigny

It’s the time of year when people are going to Halloween parties. The Jack-O-Lanterns are carved and lit, the punch is full of dried ice and the candy bowl packed. There is something missing though. No Halloween festivities are complete without a kick-ass playlist full of creepy songs. I know that there are some tried and true songs of the season i.e. Monster Mash, Thriller, I Put A Spell on You and anything from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Have you ever tried to hug a cat? I’m talking really hug and squeeze one. It’s damn near impossible. These feline-friendly authors have at the very least attempted to give their kitty a nuzzle.

For those that love words and those that love food, the combination is heaven. I first learned how literary food could make my mouth water and tongue slurp like Wile E. Coyote through Dr. Seuss. Green Eggs and Ham, man. Then, I remember reading how Edmund couldn’t resist Turkish Delights and loved how an author could make a sugary treat sound so tempting. I don’t need that much convincing, but it’s always pleasant to experience lovely language mixed with food. Preview: Dainty slapjacks garnished with honey and puddings made of delightful creaminess.

Hey everyone!

Paul V. here, author of Born This Way: Real Stories of Growing Up Gay.
 

First, I send a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has so fervently supported my book. And as a gift to show my appreciation, I’ve created a megamix of incredible music (above) – all created by the LGBTQ community (and a few non-gay allies, too).

As you might know, I've been a club DJ for 30 years now, and back when I was coming up (and out) in the early 80's, it was just about the greatest era for music. And it was a time when many artists and musicians did not hide their sexuality. With everyone from Boy George to Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) to Frankie Goes To Hollywood to Jimmy Sommerville (Bronski Beat) and Marc Almond (Soft Cell), these were my heroes and my peers at the time. And what a thrill it was to play their songs in the clubs I worked at during that era.

You'll find all of them in the mix, along with my good friend Andy Bell of Erasure (who is in my book), and some newer artists like Hercules & Love Affair, Ladyhawke, Gossip, Adam Lambert, Le Tigre, Scissor Sisters, and of course Sia (who is also in the book). They are all carrying the torch for LGBTQ pride. And though Freddie Mercury (Queen) was never officially out, we knew his truth. And his spirit rules this mix!

There's also some bits of comedy and many other artists I will leave to surprise you. And, as I like to keep you dancing, this is a continuous 30-minute DJ mix.