It's the Spookiest Time of Year!
Hello friends!
Where I live, the leaves are turning glorious shades of yellow and red and orange; farmers markets are bursting with sturdy fall produce; and when the wind kicks up, it carries the scent of the winter to come. It's baking season, it's sweater season, it's soup-and-stew season. And, of course, it's Spooky Season.
(Above: A girl is wears a pumpkin costume consisting of a cylinder of posterboard with holes cut out for her arms and a jack o'lantern face drawn on the front, and a construction paper stemmed hat on top. Beneath the costume she wears fashionable plaid pants and a thick orange sweatshirt. She holds hands with a boy dressed in a baseball outfit, who gallantly doffs his cap at the camera.)
The photo above was taken in the 1970s (OBVIOUSLY) when I was four or five years old. My mother used to make excellent costumes for me each Halloween, and this particular year I won a ribbon for "Most Original Costume" during our neighborhood Halloween parade. To this day, I love dressing up, and I love homemade costumes the best. I have no reason to wear a costume this year, but I'm planning on putting together something witchy anyway. Tell me: are you dressing up for Halloween? If you could make any costume for yourself, what would it be?
I have an appropriately spooky story out this month at The Future Fire. "Spindle House" is about a coven of crones, their sentient house, and the lengths all of them will go to preserve their own autonomy. Come for the magic, stay for the vengeance!
I also had a piece published in the all-flash issue of Kaleidotrope. In "Lisa's Garden," flowers sprout from a girl's skin... but it's not what you think. This story is an angry one, friends.
I find it interesting that last month, my published stories were thematically tied by the idea of hope, whereas this month, it's all about anger. I find myself swinging between the two these days. I think both are necessary, don't you?
I'm closing out this email with a recipe. In my garden this year, along with the bell peppers I normally grow, I planted some poblano peppers. They did exceedingly well, and this is one of my favorite ways to eat them.
EASY BAKED POBLANO PEPPERS
Halve and seed the number of peppers you want to prepare. Place them in a loosely-covered microwave-safe container, with a bit of water, and cook on HIGH just until they've lost their crispness.
In a bowl, in whatever proportion tastes good to you, combine refried beans (canned is fine!), your favorite salsa, and any veggies you like (this time of year I slice corn kernels right off the cob and stir them in). Fill the pre-cooked poblano halves with the refried bean mixture, mounding slightly.
Nestle the stuffed pepper halves in a baking dish and sprinkle with cheddar cheese (if you're vegan, I found the Daiya cheddar shreds work well here.) Bake at 400 degrees F until filling is warm and cheese is melted.
Serve with tortilla chips (or, if you've got the baking bug, cornbread) and a green salad.
Enjoy your Spooky Season!
Jen