Halloween Memories: My Last Trick 'r Treat

     Recently, Justine from Justine's Halloween asked me to share one of my favorite Halloween memories, and I promised that I would. Thank you Justine for asking, and for giving me a wonderful idea—I would like to collect Halloween and Halloween related memories. (Halloween related memories might be a visit to a haunted attraction during the off-season or a spooky memory at any time of the year). Not just mine, people I've interviewed, or those in the Halloween and haunted attraction industry; I want to collect memories from anyone that is willing to share. So if you have a memory, or several memories for that matter, you would like to share and that you fancy seeing published on a blog, won't you share it with us? Also, feel free to include pictures with your story. I would be glad to post it here, as written, or even re-write it into a small story for you. If you are so inclined, email me at Hallowdean@gmail.com and let's start this collection together.

     Each of your memories will be spotlighted as a post unto itself, to be discovered and enjoyed by lovers of this special season. You'll also have the opportunity for free promotion of your business, home haunt, blog, etc. What better way to share the spirit of Halloween? 

My Last Trick 'r Treat

Trick or Treat by Rado Javor

     I wish I had a very young childhood memory of trick 'r treating, perhaps one from the age of eight or earlier, which some hold on to and recall vividly when asked about Halloween. During my childhood, in my area of the Bible-belt, Halloween was never celebrated as particularly special. We even had children in school whose parents refused to let them celebrate "the wicked pagan festival." 

     Halloween was just a time for children to dress up, beg for candy, and go back home to swim through their sugary treasure hoards. Adults rarely dressed up, threw parties, or decorated their homes. Oh sure, many carved out some jack-o'-lanterns and hung a few cobwebs—and if you were lucky—someone would play a spooky cassette tape near their door. Maybe that's why my trick 'r treating memories run together, all except the last time I joined in.

     I must have been eleven or twelve, so I was one of the biggest kids out that year. There were a few teenagers who were up to no good, but some of us were still adhering to the ritual with excitement and...perhaps melancholy. My parents never warned me that I was getting too old, I simply knew that this year was my last year for trick 'r treating. 

     I was standing on the corner of the subdivision, and it was a huge subdivision at that—with so many blocks to explore that one barely had time to visit two to three streets. The leaves were heavy on the ground—as they tend to be in Tennessee during that time of year—the chill was light, and the sounds were so...happy. As I stood there with my bag in my hand, dressed as a pale-faced vampire (my favorite Halloween character), the children ran by me—laughing and screaming; and for the first time, I felt like a guardian more than a participant. The younger children smiled at me and the teenagers avoided me, or at least I imagined they did. 

     I came to the realization that the end to trick 'r treating was simply a transition—into a bigger Halloween adventure. As I walked up and down the streets, alone, collecting my candy—the world was perfect. In my mind, the adults seemed aware of my euphoria and they wore special smiles, just for me, as I was showered with treats. It was as if they were bidding me farewell, and I welcomed their adieus with an outstretched container—a container now consigned to hold more than just sweets.

     The following year, decorating our home and visiting local charity haunts became the start of the new adventure. Like any worthwhile adventure,it continues to grow, and you, my readers and guests, have become a special part of the adventure with me.  

     A warm thank you to Gabriel, Countess VonRauber, and Halloweenman666 for being my newest followers.

Trick or Treat © 2012 Rajo Javor

Captured Scream Makers: Brian and Darryl from HaunTopic Radio

     "Hah ha!" was the cry of joy heard coming from half-way down the cellar steps, followed by what could only be described as the sound of a small, two-legged horse, galloping up the stairs towards the kitchen landing. 

     The hermit leapt through the door frame, landing next to the ice box with a muffled clop that seemed unnatural for someone his size. The landing caused dust to rise up from the wood floor as a small tornado of black feathers trailed towards the open window. A piercing, "Caw!" was only slightly higher in volume than another, "Hah!" from the hermit. 

     "Two! We have two this time old gal!" he said, as he grinned and swiveled his bearded head towards the window. The large crow regarded him with indignation as he clapped his hands together and trotted towards her. He snatched up a meaty slice of mushroom from the table and popped it in his mouth, still grinning a Cheshire cat's grin. 

     "Well, don't just perch there! We have to prepare the room for our guests! Go and gather the others and meet me near the north brook. They're almost here and I have only a pinch of time to gather my things."

     "There's a good girl," he said while shooing her out the window. For the briefest of moments he watched her melt into the dusky sky.

     He moved into the next room and grabbed his autumn leafed garb; the door opening of its own accord as he donned it. The hermit stepped out onto the porch and breathed to no one in particular, "They've done so much to help it grow. And now, Brian and Darryl are here—in The Hollow...."

I'm very pleased to have as my "guests" today, Brian Foreman and Darryl Plunkie from HaunTopic Radio. Their slogan says it best, "The Podcast for Haunters, by Haunters." I have had the great pleasure of listening to all of their episodes and I enjoy them very much. Without regurgitating my iTunes review, I will say that the casual and friendly format makes you feel like you're hanging out with a few friends and simply chatting about all things Halloween and haunt related. Brian and Darryl go out of their way to make you feel at home.

Press play below or click the banner to listen to their latest episode 

Now, Without Further Ado: The Interrogation

Brian and Darryl, first I want to thank you both for agreeing to participate in this interrogation. 

Brian: Thanks for having me...it is a bit weird being on the other side.  

Darryl: Hmm, so this is what it's like on the other side of the interview table...weird. 

Before we get started, could you tell us a little bit about yourselves? 

Darryl: Hello, I'm Darryl and I'm a haunter.(Wow, sounds like a 12-step program.) I'm more of a ham though, so I love working a crowd coming through a haunt. I've always enjoyed Halloween, and a local historic site, Fort Edmonton Park, held their Spooktacular every year. The family went once and we took a survey at the end which contained a check-box...,"Would you be interested in becoming a volunteer?"which I checked. I spent 14 of the next 16 years there—one year off was because Brad Pitt closed the park down to film his Jesse James movie!—as an actor.

Instead of a large haunted house, each building had its own story or vignette. One street had them tied together in a loose story, with each playing a chapter or character in it, but not in a linear fashion; the visitors were free to wander to whichever one they wanted. And we had to keep them entertained—if they stood outside in the cold weather, what was in store for them had better be worth it! It became the art of telling a story; drawing them in, and setting up the scare, usually performed by others. As I became more experienced I helped other people tie their stories together or improve them, including props, setup, and coaching.

In 2009, I helped found dEdmonton: Canada's Halloween festival, a not-for-profit umbrella organization that spreads the haunted word by promoting local home haunters, retailers, filmmakers, artists, and events, for all ages and shoe-sizes. Our motto: The More, The Scarier!

In addition, I'm a member-in-waiting for our local hearse club, the Edmonton Bonewagon Association (part of the Western Canada Hearse Club). I don't have my own cadaver cab yet, but there will came a day that I do!

Brian: I was born in 1973 and I have always enjoyed Halloween since I could remember; from decorating my bedroom for the neighbor kids when I was younger, to scaring trick 'r treaters as they strolled across the front yard. I didn't really know the "Haunt Industry" was even out there until I started acting at a local haunt. After I found out how many other haunters were out there—I was hooked!

After acting for 3 years, I decided to venture out with a partner and open our own Haunted Trail-Backwoods Terror. It was designed and built with a very small budget but gained recognition very quickly in the area. (It's amazing what you can do with a little creativity.) Sadly, after 2 years, the business relationship dissolved. I took my knowledge and creativity and started ScaryVisions.com, plus a home haunt here in my garage and back yard. Keeping involved within the industry keeps me fueled until I can get back into haunt ownership once again. 

Is there a haunt related name you prefer to go by and is there a story attached to the name? 

Brian: Brian is cool, but my alter-ego is ScaryVisions.com. "Scary Visions" was created because I needed a name that would describe all these visions I have swarming around in my head all the time. I tend to dream "big", so it felt like the right name to use. 

Darryl: Darryl is fine, but you may have seen one of my alter-egos, Pumpkin'Ed. His name comes from the fact that—well, he's got a pumpkin for a head, (and we hear it's hollow too!) combined with the fact that he's from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; where he helps run dEdmonton.

What topics does HaunTopic Radio focus on? 

Darryl: We're trying to be different from some of the other podcasts out there. We try to keep each show to a theme—whether that theme is interviewing one person or multiple people on a similar theme. 

Brian: We wanted to be different and take one topic in each episode and really dig it up. There are so many different people, places, and things out there in the industry, that we will never run out of stuff to talk about. 

Does HaunTopic Radio have a target audience? And if so, who? 

Brian: We feel that any haunter can benefit from listening to our show. Home haunters, pro haunters, vendors, Halloween fans, designers, builders, or anyone who enjoys a deeper look into the world of haunting. 

Darryl: We're targeting haunters of all ages (or that act all ages...) and people with haunt-related interests that have 30 to 45 minutes on their hands; whether it's working in the shop, at their desk, or during the commute to work. 

Is HaunTopic divided into segments? If so, what is the current line-up? 

Brian: We did throw in a new segment called "The Spyder's Web" in May, to see how everyone would like it. It's all about stuff you might find on the internet: websites, Facebook  pages, apps, other podcasts, bloggers, vloggers, etc. We're going to try to keep that segment as one podcast at the end of the month. 

What kind of music do you like to feature? 

Darryl: There are some wonderful dark artists out there, and more that we're discovering all the time. Artists that have a creepy or spooky factor are especially fun because you think of all sorts of creepy things while listening to them. 

Brian: We like to use music that we would use in a haunt or something that just makes your hair stand up when you listen to it. So far, we have used Midnight Syndicate and Prelude to a Nightmare tracks, but we have some other musicians on board for switching things up.

         (I like your style gentlemen.)

How did you come up with the title of the podcast? 

Brian: I wanted the name to have "haunt" in the title and one day I heard a radio announcer say, "This is a hot topic." and it sounded like Haunt Topic; the name was born. Plus, it kind of describes what the show is about, different topics in the haunt industry. 

What makes HaunTopic different from other podcasts out there?

Darryl: Not trying to be everything all at once. We're more like an in-depth news show, focusing on a topic instead of trying to include everything; more like a 60 Minutes instead of CNN. 

Brian: I started out as a blogger so it was natural for me to keep the podcast formatted like a blog post: focused on one person, one subject, or one idea. That way, we never run out of stuff to talk about. There are so many great stories out there!

What future plans do you have for HaunTopic Radio?

Brian: I like the idea of trying things, to see if others will like it. You'll never know what we'll add next. Things we want to keep the same: the time (under an hour), the focus (one idea or topic), and the vision (providing value for other haunters). 

Darryl: We'll try to add some more segments but they may not appear in every show. We're also committed to giving some prizes away, but you might have to listen to more than one episode in a month to get an answer to a question...devious,huh?

How would you describe your experiences so far in the world of haunt podcasting?

Darryl: It's easy—I talk a lot, and Brian is a great editor....(Sorry Brian, I'll pick up the slack!)

Brian: Everyone has been so receptive with the show and we get great feedback from our listeners. If you have sent in comments or emails to us, we try to respond to each one. As the show gets bigger, sometimes it is tough to answer everyone. But please, keep sending in your comments and questions because we LOVE the support. 

If you could interview any one person for the show, who would it be? 

Brian: I would love to get Eli Roth on and discuss his new Haunt out in Vegas, The Goretorium! So Rob, when he contacts you, let me know.

          (Didn't you know I have him on speed-dial?!)

Darryl: I'd love to interview Vincent Price, but unless we're going to conduct a seance...hmm, I don't know. Who would YOU like us to interview? Anyone you or your readers want to know more about?

         (I'm on board for the seance, but I'll think about it and get back to you!) 

Do you have listeners from outside the U.S. and Canada? 

Brian: Most of our listeners are from the U.S. but they span from around the globe. Here are the top countries in order: Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, China, Germany, and Mexico. We even have some downloads from the Ukraine! 

Who inspired you to get into podcasting? 

Darryl: I think the first real ones I watched were The Bloodshed Brothers, and shortly thereafter, Hellmouth. I was amazed they could do this every single day and still make it entertaining. 

Brian: I am a podcast junkie. I listen to many shows throughout the day, including stuff related to buisness, news, self-help, horror, and anything that looks interesting. But when I started out, Rotting Flesh Radio and Hauntcast sparked my interest as far as haunt podcasts go. I did some segments for RFR for a few months and decided to try it on my own. Darryl was on board and we created HaunTopic Radio. 

Do you have any advice for someone wanting to make a start in podcasting? 

Darryl: Have fun, be original, and most of all, be comfortable—it makes your guests comfortable too and reduces boring interviews. 

Brian: Find your voice. Be who you are because it will show through in everything else you do. There are other people out there just like you, and those people will love your show because you are not trying to be someone else. Like Darryl said, have fun and be comfortable. 

Are either of you currently working on anything else in the haunt industry? 

Brian: ScaryVisions.com is my home base. Most of my activities and projects can be found there as well as all of my social media channels. That is where I, "Keep an Eye on the Haunt Industry and Everything Scary." 

Darryl: dEdmonton.com and our monhly YouTube newscast, dEdmonton.tv. dEdmonton, located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is dead-icated to letting the locals know what is happening around the city, to showcase artists both near and far that Halloween types might enjoy, and to showcase the local home haunters and events for all ages!

What are your haunt industry aspirations?

Darryl: Have fun! Oh, maybe became a famous haunt-repreneur (haunt entrepreneur!), but to keep haunt, horror, hearses, and Halloween exciting!

Brian: My mission is to keep providing value to other haunters and eventually open up another haunted attraction. I have a BIG vision for where I want to be and helping others seems to be consistent in that journey. I believe I am still in the early stages of my haunt adventure and am always trying to learn new stuff every day. 

Do you have a favorite haunted attraction?

Brian: I haven't even touched the surface on all the haunted attractions out there. But my favorite one is in St. Louis, The Darkness. It has great actors, large animatronics, and many scares throughout the building. But ask me that in a few years and I'll probably have a different answer. 

Darryl: Besides Disney's Haunted Mansion? I still need to see more before I judge anyone!

What scares you and/or what do you enjoy most in a haunted attraction?

Darryl: Distractions and scares from behind, which is why I try to use them whenever I can! Also, the supernatural, when you don't know if it's real or an effect; sends shivers up the back of my neck....

Brian: One problem about knowing how haunted attractions works is that I am always looking for the hidden trick. The only thing that really scares me is the actors who can get me when I'm not paying attention. I really enjoy haunts that keep things realistic and have a consistent theme. 

Do you decorate your home for Halloween?

Brian: Yes. Last year was my second year of home haunting. It's a lot different than operating a commercial haunt in many ways. You don't have to worry about many of the rules of owning a business but you have to tear apart your masterpiece every year and put it away. One day, I would like to buy my own building and sell my creativity to others. But until then, a home haunter I will be. 

Darryl: When I have time—it's a busy season! For the last few years I've done half of my garage with a few rooms along a single theme. 

What do your family and friends think about your passion for Halloween and haunting? 

Darryl: Some laugh, some help, but many are worried about me....

Brian: My wife thought it was a bit weird at first until she started hanging out at conventions and going through haunted attractions. After walking through our first haunt, she realized there was a method to my madness. It was like the "Ah-hah-moment." My kids like to help out by acting, building, and bringing their friends. Everyone has the same first response until they see for themselves. Then the Halloween virus spreads....

Could you share a favorite Halloween memory with us? 

Brian: When I was about 10, we started decorating my bedroom for the neighbor kids and friends. I lived in a house built in the early 1900s and it already had that creepy factor built in. We used a string on a rocking char, sheets as ghosts, and an old cassette recorder for sound. Now that was fun!!

Darryl: I think I was about Grade 5 and I dressed as the wolfman for school. This was before we knew about spirit gum or latex, so we used white glue to paste hair from a wig onto my face. After about 45 minutes, I couldn't move my face. But that didn't stop me from winning best costume in my school. 

Would either of you like to promote something other than the podcast? 

Brian: Just the HaunTopic Facebook fan page and twitter. 

How would you like HaunTopic Radio fans to get in touch with either of you? 

Darryl: Email us at Info@hauntopic, visit the haunTopic.com website and contact us, or comment on the podcasts. 

Brian: Please leave us a review on iTunes; the more haunters that get to listen to our podcast, the more value we can leave in this world of scary. You can always join our weekly newsletter, The Haunter's Toolbox, and get some extra goodies that may not be on the site, as well as each episode we release. The sign-up form is on ScaryVisions.com.

Do either of you have anything you would like to add before we wrap up this interrogation? 

Brian: We just want thank you for all the support you have given us and for conducting this interview. And to EVERYONE who has left us a comment on the sites, in social media, or through email. We read each one and really appreciate your feedback. We hope to bring you more "Blood, Sweat, and Fears...."

I'm glad to give my support and I can't thank you both enough for taking the time to do this interview. I'm grateful for all the hard work you put into spreading the spirit of Halloween and haunting through your podcast, websites, blogs, and haunt activities. Your giving natures is just what the Halloween and haunt community needs. I wish you all the best in your endeavors and look forward to watching them grow.

I always enjoy thanking my new followers and so, I would like to thank Breethulhu, Peanutgnome, Dr Blood, Valeriote Design, Stabforddeathrage, Ellie Great, and Jess W. Campbell. If any of you would prefer different links or would like to share a link, please just let me know.

All images used in this post are © 2012 Brian Forman and Darryl Plunkie and are used with written permission. 

Videos From the Cellar: Forest of Lost Souls

     The sound rose and fell. It seemed to take on a life of its own as it flowed through the cracks of the cellar door—out to the dark, bark covered guardians who caught the resonance, tossing it to the others, and so on–throughout the woods. The rich, playfully disturbing laughter came from one place and yet all places at the same time. Beneath the mirth, muffled screams—some of terror, some of joy, or a mingling of both—were slightly audible. 

     The cause for the Hermit's amusement came from outside the realm of The Hollow, a place some call "reality." He couldn't help himself, you see; something from the Forest of Lost Souls had been unearthed—a You Tube video!

     Forest of Lost Souls in El Dorado Hills, California, linked this video on Facebook and I enjoyed it from start to finish. Do you feel all giggly at the thought of watching people scared out of their wits? if so, I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did. I can't help but smile as I think about an attraction that frightens people to the point of falling down, and doing it without a pro-haunt budget. If the haunt is well-planned and the actors are doing a great job, the magic will happen.

     In addition to liking their videos and following their channel, consider visiting their Facebook page to leave them a scream of appreciation. 

     Many thanks to my newest followers: Bloodcrestmanor, Johnny Thunder of Hauntcast fame, and October Boy. 

Video © 2012 Forest of Lost Souls

Captured Scream Makers: Prop Mistress Terra

Something is Lurking in the Hollow

In these woods, we have some interesting critters. But something unnerving has been sighted lunging out of the undergrowth—a huge, growling, poisonous looking arachnid. No, this isn't the large, furry variety I used to curl up with at night (what? didn't you?); this one is  black, slimy, hungry, and none too friendly. I've heard tale that it scurried out from under a place called The Castle of Terra.

In this, soon to be reoccurring, topic I'll be capturing featuring scream makers—artists and entertainers of all varieties—throughout the haunt community and forcing asking them to tell me a little about themselves as well as spotlighting one or more of their creations. This week, it is my pleasure to feature You Tube celebrity and Halloweenforum.com moderator, Terra and her pneumatic spider prop.

Terra took the time to feature a five-part tutorial on You Tube that covers rigging the prop and pneumatics, mixing and adding sound with Audacity, VSA programming, and using the DMXoricist controller. As a bonus, you'll be treated to a walk-through of her ChromaDepth, 3D haunt. Now if all this sounds a little complicated for you then you're not alone, but be at ease in knowing that Terra breaks everything down for you in a way that is enjoyable as well as informative. I believe even beginners will be inspired to continue honing their skills in hopes of achieving these kinds of results.

The Interrogation 

First, thank you for taking the time to participate in this interrogation!

Thanks for asking me. I'm honored to be featured on your blog.

What name do you prefer to go by in the Haunt community?

Terra; I took that name from an icon character at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights (HHN). It was a fantastic year and so I wanted to model my haunt after it. Terra is close to my actual name of Tracy but sounds much more scary on the forums :) 

How did you get started in prop building and designing a home haunt? 

It’s HHN's fault. The hubby and I were celebrating our 10th anniversary of meeting each other. We had met on the Sovereign of the Seas cruise ship 10 years prior and they were still sailing. But, it was only a 3-day cruise at that point. So, we spent two extra days in Orlando and when we were purchasing our tickets at Universal Studios they asked if we wanted to also get the tickets for the special event haunt that was happening that evening. I’d never been to a haunted house and the idea scared the heck out of me. But, I was with my big protective hubby and said, “What the heck." Needless to say I was blown away and wanted to recreate some of that fun for our neighborhood.

What is the name of your home haunt and does it change year to year?

It’s called Castle of Terra and has three rotating themes: Force of Darkness, Vampyr Reign, and Zombie Apocalypse. They all have a post-apocalyptic theme so there isn’t that much set design changes but enough to keep it looking different year to year. I figure that returning a theme the third year is enough time for the ToTs to forget what it was like 3 years prior, plus–it gives me a chance to build the props that were planned that I had run out of time to do before.

What was the first prop you ever built?

We returned to HHN’s the next year after we had first discovered it and their theme was The Terra Queen. It was amazing and they had these props scattered all around the park that looked simple enough to replicate. When we returned from HHN I built "Doom" the next day:

"Doom"

How would you describe your experience with your first prop build?

I was shocked at how easy it was and the reactions from the kids in the neighborhood. They loved it, which just fired me up to top myself the next year.

What level of expertise would you assign to a prop like your “spider prop”? Beginner, intermediate, or advanced? 

It’s like all of the above? Heh. If you look at that video series the first part is the easiest. You just have to attach the purchased spider to the purchased pneumatic rigging. The programming is easy once you have passed through the learning curves. So, when I first started learning the programming it was very hard; now, to me, it’s very easy. That’s why I make so many tutorials. I try to help people pass through the learning curve much faster than I had to go through.

How long did it take you to complete the prop?

Building props is a start and stop process. I’m actually building several props at the same time. I use integrated haunt control and so the building and programming are done in batches. Integrated haunt control means there is one computer that runs all the props in the garage haunt. First, the props are built. Then, you write all the sound files. Next, you write the programs. Finally, you set-up all the triggering. Last year it took two weeks to complete the process because many of the props were already built the previous years. If you were to isolate the spider prop I would say–a day and a half.

What would you say is the most advanced prop you have built to date? 

It’s a tie between Terra and the Hell Hound. Terra was the first time I’d ever sculpted and, like an idiot, I picked a beautiful woman. If I was smarter I would have picked an ugly monster, that way mistakes wouldn't have been noticeable. The Hell Hound was hard because I was doing subtractive sculpting meaning that I cut away to form the sculpt. If you cut too much you are screwed, basically. LOL.  

"Terra"

"Hell Hound"

Would you like to tell us about your aspirations for haunting? Stay local, go bigger, or go pro?

Stay right where I am, which may be impossible. I don’t advertise the haunt and give any local interviews. I want to keep it just for our neighborhood. But, word is getting out and it’s getting a bit too much to handle. Last year we received over 400 ToTs. If we start hitting 600+ we may have to stop—which would be okay, actually… it’s a lot of work and I’m not getting any younger. But, I’ll always build props–one way or the other….

Do you have plans for a new project soon?

Yes, painting new ChromaDepth panels for the haunt. Last year was ambitious as we decided to go 100% ChromaDepth. It was a success but I need to make Vampyr Reign 100% ChromaDepth now. Not a big deal though–many of the panels from last year’s Force of Darkness will fit in nicely with the theme. I’ll be adding to it with an extended Skulls Room, Hell Growth Room, and a Graveyard.

If you could share one piece of advice with new home haunters out there, what would it be?

Don’t be in such a hurry to go big. Deciding to make a walk-through haunt is a time-sucking commitment. Only do it if you are ready. If you are just making displays for the front yard: ALWAYS PLAN FOR THE WIND!

Would you like to take a moment to promote anything specifically? 

Well, if anyone would like to take a peek at my tutorials there are two places that are good. If you like to just watch videos here’s my You Tube channel and for extended written tutorials that go along with the video check out my blog. 

Is there anything you would like to add before we conclude this interrogation?

No :) 

Again, I want to thank Terra for taking the time to visit us. Perhaps when I'm done "picking her brain" for prop building knowledge—I'll let her go.... 


Please drop on by Haloweenforum.com and Terra's You Tube page, subscribe, and thank her for all her hard work in putting together the tutorial and doing this interview.


A big thank you to my newest followers: Dave Lowe, Halloween Spirit, Gothic Gourd Girl, Frog Queen, and Justine's Halloween.


A huge shout out goes to Brian and Darryl for featuring my blog on one of my favorite podcasts, HaunTopic radio. I can't thank them enough for supporting and promoting the blog. I hope to do a feature on HaunTopic very soon. 

All images and video in this post are © 2012 Tracy AKA Terra and used with written permission. 

Top Haunts Magazine

A New Haunt Magazine Has Arrived!

 

 

 

 

Top Haunts is an annually published magazine that hit the the proverbial shelves last month. After reading reviews left on the Top Haunts Facebook page, I had to get my hands on a copy. Contacting the company was a breeze, as was payment and shipping to my home.

What can you expect from this publication? 

 

After receiving my copy I was instantly drawn to the glossy cover as well as the weight of the magazine. I would venture to guess that this thing weighs as much as three to four issues of Sports Illustrated or any similar paperback magazine. "Why?" because it is simply overflowing with glossy, full-page, high-quality, color photos. Only 21 of the 79 pages contain any text whatsoever, leaving the reader with a coffee table quality album.

You can expect a huge bonus—no ads! Yes, not a single ad is to be found in this magazine, which for some, can be worth its weight in gold. Personally, I don't mind ads if they are sparse but there are those that do. 

In addition, Top Haunts delivers interviews with each featured artist and haunt owner. For artists, the interviews consist of how they got started in the industry,  the process of creating their masterpieces, as well as featuring where their work can be found—i.e. film, TV, etc. For haunt owners, you learn how they got their start in the industry, a description of their haunt(s), the history of the haunt location(s), what makes their haunt(s) different from the others, and what inspires them.

Featured artists include the amazingly talented Kazuhiro Tsuji and mask makers extraordinaire from Immortal Masks, but the main attraction is of the haunted variety and includes:

Times Scare

Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Houses

Pennhurst Asylum

The Scarehouse

Hundred Acres Manor

Netherworld Haunted House

The House of Shock

13th Gate

House of Torment

Haunted Plantation

Knott's Scary Farm

What this publication is not

 

Top haunts does not focus on insider information, tips, or how-tos. You will certainly find inspiration from the detailed photos of sets, characters, and products  but in-depth information is not the focus of this magazine. 

My thoughts 

 

I was surprised to learn that Top Haunts is published in the beautiful state of Hawaii. I am reminded that our island kindred are as passionate about Halloween as we are and that Halloween is a national phenomenon, quickly going global. One of the featured haunts, "Haunted Plantation", is even located in Hawaii.

I enjoyed reading through the articles but the "eye candy" was the most fulfilling. My favorite photo features The Collector from Netherworld, sitting on his ghoulish throne (the same photo is featured here). The 13th Gate and Netherworld are near and dear to my heart and those amazing photos only made me want to revisit them even more. Of course I could not help but long to see other featured haunts that I have not had the opportunity to attend.

I would dare call this magazine a publication for haunt collectors. If you want a magazine full of photos that may bring back memories of haunts you have visited, as it did for me, drives you to visit the best haunts in the country, or simply puts you in the Halloween and haunted attraction mood then you'll find yourself picking up your copy of Top Haunts over and over again.

Top Haunts retails at $15 per copy and I feel it was well worth the price. If you would like to purchase a copy just send them an email at tophaunts@hotmail.com with your full name, shipping address, and quantity you'd like to purchase. They will then send you information on how to complete your purchase. At the time of this article my purchase was completed through PayPal but please visit their website or Facebook page to stay current on purchasing information.

I feel it necessary to note that the packaging of the magazine does not lend itself very well to handling by the postal service so you might inquire about the cost of a bubble envelope. My copy arrived gouged and bent in several places but very readable and enjoyable.  When next year's issue comes out, I would indeed pay a few extra bucks to prevent damaging this attractive magazine.


A big thank you to Brian Foreman, one of the masterminds at haunTopic Radio, (the other mastermind being Mr. Darryl Plunkie of dEdmonton.com) and webmaster of scaryvisions.com for helping to promote this blog and for being my first follower. I'd also like to thank Ms. Howdy and Marrow for following along as well as all those who stop by to peruse my posts.

As always, please feel free to leave me a comment or suggestion on how to improve this blog below.

Video © 2012 Top Haunts