Now that Halloween is approaching, you might want to write scary stories. But what if you can’t dredge up fears? Try to remember what it was like to be a child. Fears are a powerful motivation for characters in any genre. A Stranger in My Home? One day, when I…

Horror author Brian Keene should be a household name. He is a household name if you live in a really cool house. One where horror is king and where nobody gets upset if you wear a spooky T-shirt. To many horror fans, Brian Keene is a household name. Horror fans…

Most of my articles are about true crime and justice, so I gave these articles their own spot. They’re split into several categories, such as notorious Maryland crimes and historical crimes. There will be some overlap. I placed some true crime articles under more than one category if appropriate. My…

Here is your map to my occasional bursts of humor and my articles on writing, reading, and movies. My true crime articles have their own hideout. My Articles on My Family The Worst Toothpaste I Ever Tasted: Look for the Twist Ending! Reach Into Your Childhood Fears to Fuel Scary…

Having an aging parent is scary enough. Sometimes, aging parents find unneeded (but hysterical) ways to scare the Bejeezus out of us. On the other hand, nothing beats the chance to say “Phew!” once you find out it was a false alarm. Even creepy ghosts clowns can’t keep us down. …

A moment of care can save you and your loved ones from weeks (or even months) in the rehabilitation center. As someone with elderly parents, I’ve seen tragedies that could have been prevented. I’m sharing some tips that might help you protect a loved one. Or yourself. People of any…

Never assume things about a performer from one movie. You never know who’s hidden within that scary costume. Take the movie monster often referred to as a Giant Carrot, who was not quite the star of The Thing from Another World. The Thing from Another World For many movie fans, the 1951 movie The Thing…

What would compel puppeteers to disappoint a whole auditorium of schoolkids who finally got to laugh and have fun? We can only guess. My father told me about this story from his childhood. Even decades after it happened to him, he still thought of it. …

We all did weird (and goofy!) things in summer camp. We weren’t as dumb as the counselors in slasher films set in summer camps. But sometimes, we came close. Note: Edited to give this a better title! The Creek Hike I stayed at a cool Girl Scouts of Central Maryland summer camp that…