31 Days of Halloween: Day 1

It's the first day of Halloween month! Once again, we're celebrating for all of October. I'm not sure about everything the month will bring, but I imagine it will include pumpkins and horror films.

Walk and Talk in the Woods

And mushrooms, of course! Today started off with a Walk and Talk session for Friends of Bailey's Wood, and the number of mushrooms we spotted (including fairy rings) was incredible. We ended the session with a nice seasonal treat of apple pies and squash.

Fiendish Fancies

It's the season for Mr Kipling Halloween cakes! We had a Fiendish Fancy when I got in from the woods, and I imagine we'll have another one before the end of the month.

Mushrooms at Castlerea Care Home

I was volunteering at Castlerea Care Home this afternoon, and I couldn't help noticing a rather eye-catching display of mushrooms in the garden when I arrived.

The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue

I always like making sure I watch The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue at some point every October. Tonight, we went to see it at Cultplex (who also like to show it every October). It was a fun trip, because this was the first film at Cultplex after they've been closed for a big refurbishment, taking over the whole of the building and installing new seats and a new projector. It was really nice to be there for the reopening.

Halloween Stories Wanted for Hannah's Bookshelf on North Manchester FM

3 Minute Scares is back for its tenth terrifying year!

Can you tell a scary story in just 3 minutes? Want to have your work played on the radio? This month, I’m looking for spooky flash fiction from around the world for inclusion on Hannah’s Bookshelf, the weekly literature show on North Manchester FM.

On Saturday 25th October, I’ll be hosting the annual Hannah’s Bookshelf Halloween Special, and as part of my seasonal special, I’ll be playing a selection of my favourite 3 Minute Scares stories on the show (broadcast on FM and on digital). Want to be part of it? Submit a recording of your spooky story (maximum 3 minutes) by midnight on Monday 20th October.

The only rules are that stories must be your own original work, have some connection to the season, and be in English (the language of the broadcast). And please ease off the swears – stories have to be radio friendly! All you need is a microphone and a story – once you’re ready to submit your story, click on the ‘Start Recording’ button on my website to record your story and submit it. Remember to enter your name and email address when submitting your story.

If you aren’t able to submit via a recording and would like another method of taking part, please message via my website for more information.

Please share this call with anyone who you think might be interested – I’d like to cast the net as wide as possible. My favourite spooky stories will be broadcast on the Hannah’s Bookshelf Halloween Special at 2pm on Saturday 25th October, on digital radio and 106.6FM.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 31

It's the big day! After an entire month of celebrating, Halloween is finally here! And, as with previous years, the big day itself is actually going to be a lot quieter than some of the other festivities we've enjoyed, because that's how the spooky season tends to go.

Coup de Grâce

Kicked off the day with some spooky tram reading from my most recent Abominable Books box - Coup de Grâce by Sofia Ajram.

Office Cakes

Took a box of leftover seasonal cakes into work today to share with my colleagues.

Halloween Lollipop

One final bit of spooky chocolate for the season.

The Exorcist

This evening, the power of Christ compelled me to go to a screening of The Exorcist at Cultplex. A good way to end my month of Halloween celebrations, I think.


And so the wheel of the year turns. We'll be celebrating again at Christmas.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 30

The penultimate day of our Halloween celebrations! I've got forest, films and pumpkins planned!

Ghost Stories Walk and Talk

Today started off with a really enjoyable Ghost Stories Walk and Talk for Friends of Bailey's Wood. I led a gentle, social walk in the forest, telling stories about lost knights, woodland werewolves, and the time the devil came to Dam Head. And then we had Halloween cakes and cherry squash in the woods!

Halloween Film Afternoon at the Care Home

This afternoon, I was at Castlerea Care Home for our annual Halloween Film Afternoon. I did my traditional dramatic reading of 'The Raven', and then we settled down with some popcorn and Halloween cakes to watch... well... Halloween.

Crown Prince Squash

More squash! We got a Crown Prince Squash in our Groobarbs veg box today!

Halloween Dinner

We went for dinner at my mother-in-law's tonight. I took her a mini pumpkin, and she gave us pumpkin pie (not made from the same pumpkin, of course).

P is for Prom Night

And then we continued our Horror A-Z with my mother-in-law, watching Prom Night tonight.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 29

Day 29 of our Halloween celebrations, and a much quieter day after the last few hectic ones.

Library Visit

I had to go to the library today to get some content for my radio show. They had a lovely display of Halloween-appropriate books, which I... erm... totally ruined by checking three of them out (plus one other book that wasn't on the display).

Pumpkin Lantern (and Friends)

When I got home, our pumpkin lantern had acquired some friends.

O is for One Cut of the Dead

Our Horror A-Z continues with One Cut of the Dead. I love this film so much. Pom!

31 Days of Halloween: Day 28

Another day of celebrating the Halloween season! I can't believe it's been four weeks now! Some really lovely things planned for today though.

Halloween Walk in the Park

I took one of the residents from Castlerea Care Home for a Halloween walk in Heaton Park this afternoon. I promised him we'd do this when we did our Poetry in the Park session at the Autumn Equinox, so we've been looking forward to it for a while. We spotted loads of seasonal things in nature, followed the scarecrow trail, and talked about all sorts of things.

Halloween Treat Bags

I made us little Halloween treat bags to have with a cup of tea on our walk in the park, with crisps and a chocolate apple each.

Pumpkin and Beetroot Soup

I used up half of the flesh from our pumpkin lantern for soup (accompanied by beetroot and a bit of orzo).

The Lodger

Me and my friend went to Stockport Plaza tonight for an amazing screening of Alfred Hitchcock's The Lodger, with live improvised accompaniment by Hugo Max on solo viola and percussion. This was such a cool event - so happy that we got to see it.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 27

Another day of celebrating our Halloween month. It was a bit more relaxed than yesterday's craziness, but still very enjoyable and super-seasonal.

Samhain Nature Walkshop

I went on Natalie Rossiter's annual Samhain Nature Walkshop this afternoon, which has become a really special part of my Halloween celebrations. We did forest bathing, searching for beauty in decay, looking for messages in the woods, and then reflection around the fire with homemade biscuits, mulled apple juice and magical flames.

Pumpkin Lantern

When I got home from the woods, Rob had carved our pumpkin lantern.

Halloween Dinner

Tonight, we had our traditional Halloween Dinner of Pumpkin and Sausage Casserole.

Halloween Gifts

And then after dinner, we swapped our traditional Halloween gifts - the last whiskies to add to the set that we'll drink in December.

N is for Night of the Living Dead

Our Horror A-Z continued tonight with Night of the Living Dead.