Happy Halloween!

Hope it’s a lot of fun.

I have a Halloween tradition I started to follow a few years ago — I give out books. The All Hallow’s Read campaign from Neil Gaiman’s camp, suggests that these should be scary books.

I disagree. I think any book you might get someone to read is an appropriate Halloween book.

Obviously, for my horror and sci-fi friends I find scary books. For my romance friends – paranormals. For the rest of my list though? I pick up books that look interesting. Books that are hiding in the corners of the used book store or the dollar store or anywhere else where I can find inexpensive books. (I would love to buy brand-new books, but I have a lot of people on my list. It would break me.) I get adventure books or shopping books or even how-to books. It all depends on the person. Sometimes, I manage to find those books that started me on a series. I give those to people I hope will be intrigued and start reading the rest of the books. For my “one book a year” friends — hurts my little heart, but they exist — I give lighter book. Shopping books, slim mysteries, cozies — anything I can think of that they might find interesting, or pleasant.

I try to avoid controversial books. For me, this is a holiday where I can define my own gift-giving tendencies.

And hey, books. There’s nothing I love better.

They always get a smile of surprise. Adults aren’t used to getting random presents on Halloween. I think that’s a shame.

(Candy’s cool too though. *winks*)

On a larger note, Halloween is when the veil between the worlds is thinnest. We can reach out to ghosts and ancestors. Books are still a part of this. They are part of the fabric of our society; what makes us human. We tell stories. We create our history. We use our language to inspire, to create, and to connect.

So, go, give someone a book you love and want to share. Old, new, whatever.