Halloween Movies: Thursday 13

I’ve been watching a bunch of horror movies this month leading up to Halloween. There are a lot of great (as well as awful) movies, but here are a few of my all-time favorites:

1. The Exorcist – This one still scares the crap out of me every time I watch it! To be honest, I can’t even put it on anymore. But it makes it the favorites list because I think (at least for me) it’s the scariest movie of all time.
2. Scream – This movie channels all of the classic scares into one snarky, awesome, bloody package.
3. 28 Days Later – Zombies! Need I say more?
4. Resident Evil – Video game-inspired zombies!
5. Bram Stoker’s Dracula – Classic horror with Winona, Sir Anthony, and the amazing Gary Oldman. This movie was awesome enough to even put up with Keanu’s “acting.”
6. Underworld – Kate Beckinsale just plain kicks ass.
7. The Omen – Make sure to watch the original version – so creepy! “It’s all for you, Damien!” *shudder*
8. Contagion – This movie is so frightening because it’s so realistic.
9. Aliens – I know, I know. It’s a sequel. Alien was amazing and suspenseful, but Alien*s* is infinitely scarier. What would you rather face: one alien or hundreds? No contest.
10. The Skeleton Key – New Orleans and voodoo… yay!
11. The Craft – No, this isn’t what witches really do (that would never be exciting enough for a horror movie!), but it’s just plain wicked fun!
12. Wicker Man – Watch the classic version. Sure, it’s a campy, 70’s, half-ass musical/horror film, but the end is chilling.
13. The Shining – Again, the original version is the best. Jack Nicholson makes this entire movie! As always, no movie can capture the nuance and terror of Stephen King’s books, but it’s a good movie in it’s own right. That being said, if you haven’t, go read the book! And did you hear? He’s working on a sequel to The Shining now! Horror squee!!!

There’s a sneak peak into my fears! What are your favorite horror movies? What scares you?

Review: A Witch's Lament / Thursday 13: Novels Set in Salem

A Witch's Lament by Catherine Anne Collins


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Blurb:

When Skye Temple buys a historic house in Salem, Massachusetts, the witch capital of the world, she ignites events that began centuries ago during the witch trials. Salem's bloody history unfolds with her discovery of ancestral diaries, the murders of local girls, and her attraction to Jerome Phips.

A local police officer, Jerome has returned to Salem vowing to uncover the truth of his mother's disappearance during a ritual gone wrong 30 years ago. His suspicion of Skye and her family's history keeps tension between them high.

Burdened with the birth-task of the Goods to keep an ancient knife protected, Skye gains a new understanding of her powers, while the need to avenge his mother's death drives Jerome. Past and present collide in a final ritual between evil, love and honor.

Review:

I’m a sucker for stories about Salem. I love the town, and it makes such a rich backdrop for a paranormal book. The author makes great use of the setting, winding in elements of Salem’s violent history alongside the modern commercial aspects of the town.

The story itself is fast-paced and filled with magickal twists and turns. This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I look forward to reading Collins’ next book!

Thursday 13: Novels Set in Salem

1. A Witch’s Lament by Catherine Anne Collins
2. A Witch’s Legacy by Catherine Anne Collins
3. I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem by Maryse Conde
4. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
5. The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
6. The Last Witchfinder by Jennet Stearne
7. Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich
8. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
9. The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent
10. The Crucible by Arthur Miller (okay, it’s a play, not a novel)
11. The Afflicted Girls by Suzy Witten
12. Susannah Morrow by Megan Chance
13. Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill

Thursday 13: 13 Magickal Moons

13 Magickal Moons in Occoquan, VA is a metaphysical store owned by my best friend, Samantha Harvey. It's a very welcoming place, offering customers classes, open rituals, and a weekly event for locals to get together. So it's not terribly surprising that people feel comfortable there, and they will often tell her personal stories and ask advice. Most of the time, the customers are great. It's the odd few who necessitated the need for a list of store rules.

The list - perhaps a capital L suits it better - The List started off ordinarily enough with the standard "you break it, you buy it" and warnings that shoplifters will be prosecuted. But as time went on, the rules needed to be amended. Usually a new rule is written because of a single eccentric (I'm being kind!) customer. Sam jotted them down on The List, which just kept growing. It's tradition now to continue hand-writing The List, so additional pieces of paper have been taped up to accommodate new rules. 

Customers love to stand and read The List because it's kind of funny. They always ask for the story behind them too. So here's a list of my favorite 13 rules from Sam's store. Leave me a comment about the one that intrigues you and next week I will tell you the story behind the top pick!

1. Yes, the store is owned by a master herbalist, but you don’t have to show her your ailment.
2. You cannot take pictures of the store, altar, etc.
3. No, you cannot bring your demon here.
4. We will not give you a list of wholesalers/suppliers.
5. We will not do spells, remove curses, exorcisms, etc. We will not come to your house to perform the above.
6. A tattoo does not make you an HP (high priest/priestess).
7. TV shows and movies such as Buffy, Angel, Practical Magic, The Craft, Charmed, True Blood, and Vampire Diaries do not reflect the reality of Witchcraft.
8. Being a hereditary witch does not make you better or more powerful than any other witch.
9. If you are sick, STAY AWAY!!
10. No, the cats are not for sale.
11. This is NOT a whore house!
12. No, you can’t have a discount. No, we do not bargain or barter. This is not a flea market.
13. No we do not sell salvia or “spice” (herbs and incenses used as drugs).

Thursday 13: New Orleans Cocktail Recipes

Hey y’all, it’s Rachel here, taking over the blog today. After my writer’s recent trip to my hometown, I had the undeniable urge to get out of her head and stretch my legs a bit. It feels good!

Well, now that I’m sprung from my mental purgatory, what am I planning to do with my newfound freedom? Have a drink! Yes, you heard me. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had a margarita? I don’t have words to tell you how tragically sober I am right now.

At least here in the French Quarter, I’ll have no problems finding a good cocktail – if I bothered to look outside of Voodoo Pete’s, that is! Sadly, for those not fortunate enough to live in the Big Easy, you may have to take bartending into your own hands. Here are a few classic New Orleans recipes as well as some of my favorites to help you turn your living room into your favorite French Quarter bar.

1. Margarita – My favorite! You gotta have salt and a wedge of lime, but forget about those mixes. Frozen is optional, so long as you have one of those Magic Bullet blenders.
   • 1 oz tequila
   • 1 oz triple sec
   • 1 oz lime juice
   
   
   
   
2. Hurricane – “Hurricane, feel no pain,” as they say! This is one of the most popular drinks on Bourbon Street.
   • 1 oz dark rum
   • 4 oz pineapple juice
   • 2 oz orange juice
   • ¼ oz grenadine
   
   
3. Sazerac – A bartender recently told my writer that this drink was essentially a prettied up shot of bourbon. He was right, but it’s still tasty and an old New Orleans classic!
   • 2 oz bourbon
   • ¼ teaspoon Pernod
   • 3 dashes bitters
   • 1 teaspoon simple syrup
   • Serve over ice with a lemon twist
4. Rum Punch – One of my writer’s husband’s favorites!
   • 1 oz dark rum
   • ½ oz Orgeat
   • 2 oz orange juice
   • 1 oz pineapple juice
5. Mint Julep
   • 10 mint leaves
   • 2 tsp simple syrup
   • 2 oz bourbon
   • Muddle the mint and syrup together before adding ice and bourbon.
6. Mojito
   • 10 mint leaves
   • ½ oz fresh lime juice
   • 2 tbsp simple syrup
   • 1 ½ oz light rum
   • 4 oz club soda
   • Muddle the mint, lime juice, and syrup together before adding the rest of the ingredients.
7. Zombie – A wicked voodoo recipe!
   • 1 oz dark rum
   • 2 oz light rum
   • ½ oz 151 rum
   • 1 oz triple sec
   • 1 oz lemon juice
   • 1 oz orange juice
   • ½ oz grenadine
   • ¼ tsp dash Pernod
8. Key Lime Martini – Soooo good! It tastes just like a key lime pie if you rim the glass with crushed graham cracker!
   • 1 ½ oz Liquor 43
   • ½ oz vanilla rum
   • 1 oz lime juice
   • 1 oz cream
9. Triple Goddess Shot – Here’s a super yummy shot, thanks to Lyre! Layer Kahlua, Irish Cream, and Godiva chocolate liqueur in equal parts if you’re sober, or mix it all together if you’ve already had a couple.
10. Adios Motherfucker – Call this one AMF if you’re in polite company! Guaranteed to knock you on your ass.
    • ½ oz vodka
    • ½ oz rum
    • ½ oz tequila
    • ½ oz gin
    • ½ oz blue curacao
    • 2 oz sour mix
    • 2 oz 7up (Shake the rest of the ingredients together before adding this one on top!)
11. Shirley Temple’s Evil Twin – Of course I like any twin-named drink!
    • 1 ½ oz cherry brandy
    • 1 tsp grenadine
    • 4 oz 7up
12. Hemingway Daiquiri – My writer’s new favorite drink.
    • 1 ½ oz light rum
    • ¼ oz white grapefruit juice
    • ½ oz lime juice
    • ¼ oz simple syrup
    • ¼ oz maraschino liqueur
13. Mai Tai – If a bartender ever gives you a red Mai Tai, send it back! This drink isn’t girly, fruity, wimpy, or made with grenadine! Here’s a simplified version of the original 1944 recipe by Trader Vic.
    
    • 2 oz rum (I like a golden rum like Appleton)
    • ½ oz triple sec
    • ½ oz Orgeat (This is an almond syrup. Very yummy! You can get it online or in some specialty stores.)
    • 1 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
    • Serve over crushed ice and garnish with the lime rind and fresh mint.

I begged Voodoo Pete to give me the recipe for his Love Potion #9 concoction, but sadly, he refused. I guess you'll just have to take your own vacation to Nola to experience it for yourself!

Thanks for coming by to chat with me today! And remember... it's always 5 o'clock somewhere!

-Rachel

Thursday 13: Novels Set in New Orleans

I'm currently in New Orleans on vacation and looking for inspiration for the sequel to Magick Charm. It got me thinking about other books set here. So here's a list of a few of the ones I've read as well as others on my TBR list.

1. The Vampire Chronicles series by Anne Rice
2. The Lives of the Mayfair Witches series by Anne Rice (I could do this whole list with Anne Rice books alone, but I’ll stop with these two.)
3. Voodoo Dreams series by Jewell Parker Rhodes
4. The Pelican Brief by John Grisham
5. Runaway Jury by John Grisham
6. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
7. Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg (The movie, Angel Heart, was based on this book.)
8. Fat Tuesday by Sandra Brown
9. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
10. Dark Hunter Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon
11. Benjamin January Mysteries by Barbara Hambly
12. Ghost Walk by Heather Graham
13. Frankenstein series by Dean Koontz

Thursday 13: Books on my to-be-read pile

I've said many times that I'd read just about any book that came into my hands. Well, here's a sample of a few of the titles on my TBR list - everything from mystery to paranormal to horror. I've spared you a look at my non-fiction list... it's populated with titles to satisfy my love of biology and has quite a few scary-sounding books on forensic science and epidemiology. 

This current list isn't in any particular order, and it contains books from a few years ago that I haven't gotten to yet as well as books that haven't yet been published. The Dark Tower title here is projected for mid-2012, and I'm already waiting very impatiently for it! I especially love series because I get a deeper understanding of the characters and because I already know that I like the author's work. I'm also looking forward to trying a couple of new authors! 

If you have any recommendations, I'm always looking for new books! Who cares if I have piles of books in my library? You can never have enough! 

1. Gideon’s Sword by Preston & Child
2. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
3. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
4. Smokin Seventeen by Janet Evanovich
5. The Night Eternal by Guillermo Del Toro
6. Ghost Story by Jim Butcher
7. Hit List by Laurell Hamilton
8. Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs
9. White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison
10. Spider Bones by Kathy Reichs
11. Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong
12. Spider’s Bite by Jennifer Estep
13. The Wind Through the Keyhole (Dark Tower #8) by Stephen King

Thursday 13: Things I'm looking forward to in New Orleans

(Note: This really was posted on Thursday before Blogger had its little hiccough!) 


John and I are renting a house on the edge of the French Quarter for a week. We leave in 18 days and 17 hours (but who's counting)! The last time I was in New Orleans was only a couple weeks before Katrina, and I'm so glad to finally be going back. Here's a few things I'm planning to do there:

1. Book research. My first book takes place in New Orleans, and I’m currently working on a sequel. What better way to capture the flavor of this fabulous city than to do a bit of writing while I’m there.
2. Drinking a hurricane. A little rum on Bourbon Street… okay, it’s probably more accurate to say a lot of rum.
3. Dueling piano bar. Pat O’Brien’s is also famous for their hurricanes. How serendipitous! And it’s always fun to make the pianists play “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
4. Hot tub!
5. Shopping at the French Market. Shopping... need I say more?
6. Ordering a muffuletta from Central Grocery. What is a muffuletta, you ask? It’s an enormous sandwich made with Italian meats and cheeses and topped with olive salad.
7. Live jazz music. You can’t sling a dead cat in this town without hitting a jazz musician. Not that I’d want to sling a cat, dead or alive, or hit a musician, jazz or otherwise.
8. Voodoo shops. Metaphysical stuff + shopping = happiness.
9. Beignets and café au lait. There is no other way to start the morning in New Orleans, at least as far as I’m concerned.
10. Aquarium. Have I ever been to a city with an aquarium and NOT visited it? I think not.
11. St. Louis Cemetery #1. Okay, potentially morbid, but it is a key location in my next book!
12. Karaoke at the Cat’s Meow. Yes, enough hurricanes (see #2!) and I have been known to do karaoke.
13. Relaxing!