“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” –William Shakespeare, Macbeth

The season of pumpkins, costumes, and spine-tingling tales is upon us, and here at Project Write Now we couldn’t be more excited. We asked our team what is their favorite part about the spooky season. Here’s what they said:

Our program coordinator, writing instructor, and macabre-loving Lisa Hartgrove said:

“As a self-proclaimed witch, of course Halloween is my favorite holiday. While some traditions never change, every year I try to find new ways to celebrate, too. So far, I’m watching an episode of the new season of American Horror Story, “Delicate,” every Monday with a group of friends. On October 27, we’re going to “The Conover Killings” haunted trail attraction. My partner and I will spend a spooky weekend deep in the woods upstate New York (so long as we have one rain-free weekend!) and he and I only watch Halloween-themed movies for the entirety of this month. We’ll go to the local haunted attractions in Highlands, Hazet, Lincroft … and drive around to see the wildest decorations. And of course, my partner and I pick and carve our pumpkins each year to shine brightly on Halloween!”

Liz Jannuzzi, our operations & communications manager, said:

“One of my favorite activities during this Halloween season is a hay ride, and if it’s haunted even better. There is just something about sitting on a hay bail in an open-air wagon, getting pulled through a field either by horses or a tractor. Our local park system offers one every year for younger kids called “Creatures of the Night.” Instead of scary monsters, participants learn about nocturnal animals in our area. Afterwards, they serve cider and donuts. It’s the best!

Our newest instructor Mark McDevitt who teaching Personal Essay this fall said:

“Growing up on the west coast of Ireland during the 1980s, Halloween was an odd mixture of pagan and religious holidays. For the older folks, it was mostly a religious holiday (the feast of All Saints) and a time to remember the dearly departed. It was believed that during this time the veil separating the living from the dead was very ‘thin,’ which is why you were apt to see so many ghosts walking around. For us kids, it was about one thing only: fireworks! And how to get them. My father sometimes took the train to Dublin for work. On occasion, he’d let me skip school and tag along with him. Together we’d go hunting for the illicit goods, sold by hawkers at the Moore Street market. It felt very subversive and exciting. A secret we shared. He always took great pains to warn me about the danger of fireworks. Followed quickly by ‘Don’t tell your mother!'”

Michele Prestininzi who teaches KidLIt: Picture Book and is a peer artists leader for book inc said:

“Recently, I’ve been captivated by Christian McKay Heiicker’s middle-grade novel, Scary Stories for Young Foxes. This 2020 Newbery Honor book is beautifully written and has a unique structure, which creates a very scary format for young readers. I was simultaneously worried for these foxes and awed by Heicker’s writing. The storyline is unexpected and delightfully scary. I couldn’t put the book down.”

PWN instructor Alyson Mosquera Dutemple said:

“Though it does have a few haunted houses and resident spirits, Giving Up the Ghost by Hilary Mantel isn’t exactly a spooky Halloween book. Rather, it’s a memoir about Mantel’s struggles with chronic pain, poverty, and family turmoil. Plenty chilling at times, this book serves as a good reminder that phantoms can come in lots of forms. And anything that gives me more insight about Mantel’s creative genius is well worth turning pages late into the night in my book!”