26 Comments

I never read this story by Poe you mention, but then I'm not really a reader of horror. But I read some marvelous ghost stories that are not horror. I would classify them as paranormal mysteries or urban fantasies. I'll talk about those in my own post this coming IWSG Wednesday.

I never knew you wrote MG ghost stories. I'm tempted to try them.

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If you do read those ghost stories, let me know what you think!

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Agree with pretty much everything you said lol. Halloween is also my favorite holiday and I love all the activities you described. I also LOVE Edgar Allan Poe and The Tell Tale Heart! I used to have an Edgar Allan Poe bobble head on my desk when I taught 8th grade English. Unfortunately, many of my students gave him a little too much love and by the end of the year he was sort of dangling, near decapitated. Honestly, it kind of upped his creep factor!

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Tell-Tale Heart is my favorite from Poe! Yeah, all the spooky ghost stories this month!

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I think I'll stay far away from your story-telling on Halloween! I do like the idea of giving out books--kind of an expensive approach, though. Maybe a bonus gift for just a couple of the kids--could let them draw a slip to see if they win one... hmm. Assuming I'm home on Halloween (not sure at this point) it could work.

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Hi! You might want to update your blog URL on Alex Cavanaugh's blog, but I found your substack through your comment on my blog--thank you! You're not the first author to mention The Telltale Heart. Such great suspense with that thumping noise. That's awesome you've written middle grade stories with Halloween themes.

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Hmm. I thought that URL had been changed. I'll see to it. Thanks for letting me know.

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My retired English teacher mother would agree with you. I think she used to teach that one.

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Leave it to a sweet English teacher to scare kids! :-)

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I'm like Rebecca and Olga. I don't really read horror. I liked the quote at the end of your post.

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I only read the ones that are old. Somehow, the new horror doesn't appeal.

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Poe was always a favourite back in the days. I was introduced to him in school. But over years I gave up on horror. It's a difficult genre to write.

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It is. I seldom read it, but I do like Bradbury and Poe.

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I have to confess that I don't like horror. Scary books and movies give me nightmares, I kid you not! I had to read some--Poe, and The Lottery, and some horrible story about a traveler in a small town being cooked or something--back in school. I've never gotten over it :D

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Traumatized by our public school curriculum!

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I'm with you on Poe's writing which seems appropriate for this season.

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Right. It's not a good fit for spring or summer.

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That's one of my favorites of Poe's, too.

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It has all the elements of good horror. Hmmm. Is that an oxymoron?

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Poe's stuff was always creepy.

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Yep. His mind ran to the truly terrible.

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Oh yes, this is the time of year that the Poe stories are taught in the English classes. Sometimes I get to cover a class when this theme comes up. Such fun.

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You get to send some chills down those young back.

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I was trying to remember some of the best classic ghost stories for IWSG and this is certainly among the best. Not sure yet whether Poe or James gets my shivers for Wednesday. Thanks for the reminder.

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Thanks, Roland.

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