Happy Halloween!

My favorite song from my favorite Halloween/Christmas movie!!!

Happy Halloween!!!

It's finally here!  Hope that tonight proves full of treats and not of tricks as ghosts and goblins haunt your town!!!

As for me...I'm going to finally be myself!

Happy Halloween!!!

Scary but True!!!

Popular place to hide dead bodies?  

Under the bed of course!  Think of all the stuff you hide in your closet or under the bed and  it doesn't sound so crazy, huh?

Some decorations hanging in the trees are actually real people!!!!

We've all seen the dead body decorations hanging from trees, and don't think twice about them on Halloween. However, it has been documented about people committing suicide by hanging on Halloween and no one knowing they were real bodies until after Halloween!

For more scary but true...

HERE

Last Chance!!!!

Don't miss your opportunity to enter The Game of Cat & Mouse Contest!!!!

Click here to enter!

A Game of Cat & Mouse coming November 15, 2012 to Amazon, ARe and Smashwords!!!!

     Caleb Anderson took over the job as alpha of his pride upon his parent’s sudden death.  Ever since the females of his pride have been relentless in their bid to become his alpha female, but Caleb won’t settle for anything less than his true mate.  Escaping for a few moments to relax in his favorite spot may have been the best thing to ever happen to him, especially when his true mate just happens to scurry by.

     Miranda Sullivan could not be more lost in the woods behind her new house.  When cougar shifter Caleb finds her he is determined to claim her.  Falling hard and fast for the sexy cougar is the least of a mouse shifters worries.  Now Miranda must defend her place as Caleb’s alpha female against a crazy and angry kitty cat!  What’s a tiny little mouse to do?

More information: HERE

Don't forget to pick up your free copy of The Witch's Birthday Brew!  Available at Smashwords and ARe!  This title is also available on my website under the free reads tab!

Happy Halloween!!!!  

Something to Think About...Halloween

"Nothing on Earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night." 

-Steve Almond

What are you hoping to have in your trick-or-treat bag????

Happy Halloween!!!!

Unique costume ideas are usually funny or a play on words...

This website has a list of awesome ideas...HERE

1. Be an inanimate object.  Like a clock, cassette tape, CD.  Like in cartoons make an inanimate object come to life...
2. Be a phrase.  Like killing time, dress up as someone killing time, literally.
3. Dress as you usually would and announce that you're a Serial Killer.  They look like everybody else.
4. Dress up as your best friend, etc.

There are so many ideas one can try...The only limits are your imagination.

Happy Halloween!

What are you going to be for Halloween?

You search and search for the right costume.  Spend time getting the outfit put on perfectly, and then you're ready to take your little ghoul trick-or-treating or take your zombie to the party.  But what are the most popular costumes this year???

• Superheroes...Not surprisingly the Avengers are a popular pick and some of the Justice League.  With the exception of Aquaman. :)

• The main staples of Ghost, Witch and Vampire are also popular.
• Zombies make an appearance this year, possibly due to escalating rumors of a zombie apocalypse.

So, get dressed, and if uniqueness is what your after....Check in tomorrow!

Candy!!!

     Each Halloween bunches and bunches of children (and adults) dress up in their costume finery to trick-or-treat!  Each time they knock on your door or ring your bell they are patiently ; ) waiting for you to hand them a couple of pieces to a handful of goodies.  Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.  So, what candies are the kiddies chomping down, much to the dismay of dentists and doctors alike, and which ones are they throwing to the side to sit in a bowl until next Halloween?  

     Never fear, I've scoured the internet and found many lists about the best and worst candies to give the kiddos.  So, read on, stock up and watch the delight cross their little painted faces!

The Worst! :(

You remember these candies, the ones relegated to the bowl kept in the living room that was never eaten.  Eventually, Mom threw them out, because not even the adult wanted to steal them.  

Here are the worst according to online lists:

• Smarties?  It's true, they made the list.  I uses to eat these, though.  So who knows, the kids of today don't know what they're missing!
• Raisins.  Huh?  Yeah.  There was that one lady who always gave a box of raisins.  Needless to say they weren't the first things being poured down my throat as a child.
• Pencils.  It's not edible and they expect me to do homework with it.  Some people like to do treat bags with pencils and candy - usually raisins.
• Good & Plenty.  I hated these things, but I don't like licorice.  
• Dots.  What are these things anyways.  I believe they came from an alien planet where their alien tree sap was mixed with color and packaged in a box. :(
• Hard candies.  Most don't like them.  I like those strawberry things and the lifesavers though.
• Bubblegum!  Are these people crazy????  I love bubble gum and it was the first to be chewed, bubbles blown and/or thrown away in the proper trash can (sometimes I swallowed it :( )

Now for the best...The candy that has them salivating like rabid beasts...

• Reese peanut butter cups.  Nuff said
• Snickers
• Hershey’s Chocolate Bars
• Milky Way
• Kit Kat
• Twix
• M&Ms
• Skittles
• Nerds
• Tootsie Rolls

So get out there and buy up that candy for the hordes!!!!!

Protecting Yourself from Evil Spirits

With the belief of evil spirits comes the ways to deter those evil buggers!

Here are a few that I found quite interesting!

• Wind Chimes?  Yes, wind chimes.  The noise scare spirits away.  And you thought it was just a tinkling decoration!
• Prayers.  Some people say to recite passages of scripture from the Bible.
• Garlic!  Not just for vampires!
• Burning certain herbs, like, basil or sage (there are more).  Now, as long as you don't burn the house down!
• A violet candle
• Wearing a gemstone like Apache's tear, diamond or clear quartz.  For the record, there's not much I haven't run across that the clear quartz isn't good for.
• Mirrors pointed at entrances?  Yeah, I'm thinking this is borrowed from fung shui.  If the spirit sees itself then it will go away?  

Now, it must be said that if you burn something, you shouldn't leave it unattended.  I remember this one time - WHOOSH!- well you get the picture!

Oh and let it also be known that I am not an evil spirits guru or expert.  When I have ghost problems, I call the Ghostbusters! LOL!

Don't forget to pick up your FREE! copy of The Witch's Birthday Brew!!!! Out now at All Romance eBooks, Smashwords and my website!

The History of Halloween (Post 4 of 4) Myths

A myth is an usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon.  (Thank you, Webster's dictionary!)

Here are some myths for the wonderful holiday of Halloween!!!!!!!!!

• According to livescience.com, vampires cannot logically exist.  GASP!  I know!  So, while you may not be a die hard fan of vamps and believe whole heartedly that vamps do exist, I still want to outline their logic.  
• First, let's say the vampire originated in 1600 (That's their example) and bit someone.  That person became a vampire and the process continues, so that, now there isn't enough human population to feed the vampire one, even if the population doubled.  Phew!  
• Now, this only works if to become a vampire you only need to be bitten by one.  There are various twists on the vampire, so, maybe -just maybe- vampires do exist! :)!
• It is bad luck to see a white cat on Halloween! But, if you dream about a white cat, it's good luck!  
• Razor blades in candies or apples!  Sickos!  However, there are no documented cases of this ever happening?  I've read different things about this, one being that no serious harm or injury has resulted from a child and contaminated Halloween candy to the myth evolving from a dad poisoning his own child with cyanide in the seventies.  He put it in the "pixie stick!"
• If a bird flies into your house, then someone has died.

Well, those were just a few and you wouldn't believe the mass amounts of them! 

For more information:

Click here, here, or here!

Happy Halloween!!!!

Something to Think About...Halloween!

Favorite movie hands down is The Nightmare Before Christmas which combines the two most successfully commercial holidays in America -- Halloween and Christmas.

Enjoy this quote from The Oogie Boogie Man: Oogie Boogie Man: I am the shadow on the moon at night / Filling your dreams to the brim with fright.

What fills your dreams with fright???
For me it's bugs crawling on me and I can't move to get them off me!!! Yikes!!!

The Witch's Birthday Brew!

It is out and I'm excited!
Pick up your free copy at Smashwords, All Romance eBooks or my website!!!!

Coming November 15 is the first in the Pinewood Creek Series!!! A Game of Cat & Mouse!!

October posts will return tomorrow!! I've been busy with work! LOL!

It's here!!!

I've released The Witch's Birthday Brew early!!! Get your free copy today!!! Don't forget it comes with an extra free bonus short story - The Witch's Birthday Gift!!!!

The Witch's Birthday Brew

On Saturday, The Witch's Birthday Brew will be available for free on Smashwords, All Romance eBooks and my Website!!!!

Meet the characters...

Genesis Welch

Damien Montgomery

Carla Cornelius

Elijah Cornelius

A Game of Cat & Mouse will be available on November 15, 2012!!! Don't miss your chance to win a free copy.  More information available on my website!

Is My House Haunted?

Have you ever felt as if you were being watched?  Felt a cold draft when you walked into a room?  Have you ever felt that your house was...Haunted!!??!!

Here are some 'phenomena' that may indicate your house is haunted:

• Weird/Unexplained noises, such as footsteps, knocking, things being dropped, banging, etc.  They can be quiet or loud.
• Doors opening and closing.  Now if you see it then it probably scared the crap out of you, but you may have just heard or walked into a room where the cabinet doors were all open.  One word: Creepy!
• Feelings of being watched.  (Yikes!)  I hate this feeling, goosebumps raise on your neck and you look around and find nothing!
• Cold spots, hot spots?  Apparently any change in temperature without cause can be evidence of a haunting.

Find out more:

List of criteria: here

Quiz on if your house is haunted: Quiz

The Witch's Birthday Brew: Upcoming Release!

The Witch's Birthday Brew is so close to release! Here is the first five sentences...

Genesis Welch sighed in relief as she crumpled onto her couch in her lonely one bedroom apartment. Another day spent ignored or used. She snapped her fingers lighting the lavender and chamomile candles on her coffee and end tables. Genesis jumped when her cat landed in her lap. She petted the soft blue-black fur enjoying the soft texture.

October 20, 2012 is the release date and this one is free!!!

Pick up your copy at Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, or my website!

The History of Halloween: Religion (Post 3 of 4)

Religion!!! Some people love talking religion, and others cringe at its mere mention - not that they're not religious, but no one wants to be Non-P.C.  (Politically Correct).  This has to do with the religious aspects of Halloween...

This article has various interviews about religious views on Halloween: http://www.religioustolerance.org/hallo_re.htm

So, we remember that in the past, the Celtics celebrated Samhain which was the last day of their calendar and one that they believed was the time when the veil between living and spirit world was thinnest.  They celebrated the harvest and held various festivals.  The Romans held two festivals around the same time, and when they took over the Celts these festivals seemed to have combined.

Now, it's reported (if my reading is correct) that the Catholic Church started All Saint's day on November 1st as a way to bring the Pagans (Celts, Romans, etc) more aligned with the Church.

As the holiday evolved it became less and less about religious celebrations, than a commercial holiday where children got candy from going house to house.

There are still groups today that celebrate it as a religious holiday, for example, the neo-pagans and/or Wiccans celebrate Samhain as a religious holiday.

Each religion seems to have a stand on the celebration of Halloween (If you followed the link, then you should have a better idea).

For more information about Samhain:
http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/samhainoctober31/p/Samhain_History.htm

Ghosts!!!

There are shows centering around them, people claiming to speak with them, and pictures of them lurking in old hallways. A ghost is an apparition of a dead person that is believed to appear or become manifest to the living, typically as a nebulous image. (dictionary.com)

Belief in ghosts can be traced back to ancient cultures who worshiped their ancestors.  It is generally accepted that malignant spirits were not in the same category as the benign ancestor spirits.  Today, we actively seek out ghosts, searching for irrefutable proof of their existence.

As you can guess, there are many factors that determine how ghosts are perceived, including but not limited to:  religion, country of origin, age, and various cultural factors.

Here are some interesting facts (I use this loosely) about ghosts that I found on the internet:

• Ghosts want to be noticed (They are quite photogenic)
• They appear to be in a constant state of confusion, possibly believing they are dreaming
• They often are unaware of their deaths
• Animal ghosts have been spotted
• Ghosts can appear as mist or vapors
• Hauntings occur more in pubescent children due to the increased energy these children emit.
• If a ghost is scaring you, you can ask it to leave and it will
• The room will usually get cold when a ghost enters it
• Children will see ghosts as imaginary friends (I had three imaginary friends when I was younger.  We enjoyed playing Go Fish! and talking.  Am I saying they were ghosts?  No.  I have no proof of that and I enjoy sleeping.)
• Ghosts are drawn to human laughter
• Ghosts like to walk up and down the stairs at night (Keeping fit and all)
• Ghosts can read your thoughts (How scary is that?)
• Didn't find this on the internet, but I read a short story that implied ghosts cannot cross over large bodies of water.  Like a river, lake or ocean.

For more cool facts:

http://factspage.blogspot.com/2010/02/22-interesting-facts-about-ghosts.html

http://magoogy.tripod.com/id5.html

My two "ghost" stories:

1. When I was younger, (around 13-15)  I was sleeping in my bed when I awoke and it felt as if some one were holding me down.  Freaked me out!  I finally was able to move and I ran from the room.  (Scary as crap!!!)  Now, firstly, I'd just awoken from REM sleep which, usually places the person in a state of "paralysis" to keep you from acting out your dreams.  If you wake too early, then you aren't "released" from that state.  It is explainable, but no less scary at the time.
2. We live in an old house.  The front door was unlocked, and my uncle asked me to leave them unlocked so he could get into the house.  I accidentally fell asleep and woke up when he was pounding on the front door.  When he asked me why I locked it, I said that I didn't.  (Creepy!)  Our old house is one that our great grandparents lived in so we are assuming it was just family looking out for family!

Do you have any ghostly tales to share?

Something to Think About...Halloween!

"I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes the fun out of Halloween." 

Author unknown

What are you going to be for Halloween? 

***

The Witch's Birthday Brew is coming October 20, 2012!!!  

Don't miss Genesis, Damien and the rest of the characters as Genesis brews up something sexy...

Genesis's love potion!

Genesis was nice enough to share the following recipe from her Book of Shadows!  

Love Potion Number 109

Makes one (1) gallon.

You will need:

Favorite tea
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup raspberry juice
1 cup sugar

Directions:

Make tea as you normally would for one gallon of tea omitting 1-1/2 cups of water from mixture.  In a sauce pan mix the lemon juice, apple juice, and raspberry juice to a boil.  Add sugar and stir until dissolved.  Mix both tea and juice mixtures together and serve over ice.  You can add more or less sugar to taste.

Tip:  For a little extra spice ; )! add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to boiling mixture!

You can catch all of Genesis's antics in The Witch's Birthday Brew!

~October 20, 2012~

(NOTE: You take your own risks when making any recipes posted here.)

Witches (Repost)

This post spotlights on one of my most favorite mythological creatures (some may feel offended by my reference of a witch as a mythological creature, but hold on there is more to this post).  Yes, I read the Harry Potter series and loved every word of them.  Witches are often portrayed as humans with supernatural abilities.  Their differences from humans are defined in terms of the magic they wield.
The first portion will just focus on the history and mythological portion of Witches and Witchcraft.  I will touch briefly on Wicca, which came up in my research on witches, but should be explained separately.

What does the dictionary have to say?

Witch [wich]

Noun

1. A person, now especially a woman, who professes or is supposed to practice magic, especially black magic or the black art; sorcer(ess).

2. An ugly or mean old woman; hag.

3. A person who uses a divining rod; dowser.

Source: Dictionary.com

Origins of Witches:

So where or when did Witches crop up?  Hard to say really, but if we take what people considered witches ‘back in the day’ then some people say that witchcraft and witches cropped up in ancient cities.  Many examples appear in ancient texts, such as those from Egypt and Babylonia.:

The creation story from Babylonia (Enuma Elish) has many examples of half-dragon and half-human creatures who gaurrded thier magical garden in the underworld. 

None of the earlier accounts of witches or witchcraft is good and is almost always a pact between a female and the devil.

Historians see European witchcraft as an ideology for explaining misfortune; however, this ideology manifested in diverse ways. Reasons for accusations of witchcraft fall into four general categories:

1. A person caught in the act of positive or negative sorcery

2.  A well-meaning sorcerer or healer lost their clients' or the authorities' trust

3.  A person did nothing more than gain the enmity of their neighbors

4.  A person was reputed to be a witch and surrounded with an aura of witch-beliefs

Éva Pócs in turn identifies three varieties of witch in popular belief:

•The "neighborhood witch" or "social witch": a witch who curses a neighbor following some conflict.

•The "magical" or "sorcerer" witch: either a professional healer, sorcerer, seer or midwife, or a person who has increased her fortune through magic to the perceived detriment of a neighboring household; due to neighborly or community rivalries and the ambiguity between positive and negative magic, such individuals can become labeled as witches.

•The "supernatural" or "night" witch: portrayed in court narratives as a demon appearing in visions and dreams

Death to Witches!

All that bad press back in the day paired with enough misfortune to make the most optimistic person a pessimist turned into mobs of people.  People want explanations for why things are bad or why inexplicable things happen.  They need someone to blame and boom – ‘withces’ are being burned.  Not the only ones but probably one of the most popular if not the most popular were the Salem Witch Trials.

The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693. Despite being generally known as the Salem witch trials, the preliminary hearings in 1692 were conducted in a variety of towns across the province: Salem Village (now Danvers), Ipswich, Andover and Salem Town.

All this bad?

Just like Vampires and Werewolves who have been portrayed as undead blood-sucking ravagers and beasts that killed without reason or regard, respectively, Witches got a bad rep early on.  But with the help of media (now, not then.  We have the Salem Witch Trials from the media of yore) witches range in persona as far ranged as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz to the sweet and innocent Wendy in Wendy Meets Casper.  And while the press wasn’t so kind back in the day, now witches and their like are usually a force of good.

My favorite movies/television shows about witches (top ten!)

(Each of the links lead to IMDB database)

10.) The Craft

9.) Practical Magic

8.) Casper Meets Wendy (Too cute not to love)

7.) The Wizards of WaverlyPlace (Again, it is too damn cute not to add)

6.) Charmed

5.) Hocus Pocus

4.) The Crucible

3.) Bewitched

2.)Sabrina, TheTeenaged Witch

1.)Harry Potter (Come on, you knew it was coming)

Yet again here are some great authors that feature witches in their work!  Happy Reading!

Eve LanglaisEve Langlais

Kresley Cole

Dana Marie Bell

Theolyn Boese

Christine Feehan

HP Mallory

Evangeline Anderson

All info from: wikipedia, wicca.org, about.com, IMDB

The Witch's Birthday Brew will be available on October 20, 2012!!!!

Don't forget it's free and you can pick up your free copy at Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, or my website!

As always you can contact me @

www.astridcielo.com or astridcieloauthor@hotmail.com

Countdown to Release: The Witch's Birthday Brew

Excerpt!

“Too bad we don’t have something to feed the ducks,” he said wistfully as they gathered around them in hopes of a handout. Genesis giggled, and Damien jumped when a loaf of bread materialized out of thin air. “My little witch,” he said as he kissed her lips. “I think you put a spell on me.” Her face fell with his words and he cupped her cheek keeping her from hiding from him. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“What if that’s all this is?” Her tone was both hopeful and resigned, one that he’d only heard from Carla when she had not conceived within the year, and she’d turned to fertility doctors for answers. He watched Genesis’s eyes fill with tears, one spilling over to trail down her cheek.

“I don’t think a spell could make me feel this way, Genesis. No matter how powerful you are, what I feel is too real,” he whispered as he smoothed the tear away from her cheek. Genesis smiled in sadness, and he knew she did not truly believe his words. He had a lifetime to prove to her otherwise, because whether Genesis believed it or not she was his. “Let’s feed the ducks.” Damien stood and pulled Genesis up with him. Soon she was laughing as the ducks flocked her for another bite of her magical bread.

He enjoyed being with her and loved her carefree nature that he instinctively knew only few saw. He could not help the small sense of pride that he’d done this; he’d brought this happiness to her world.

They walked through the park, her hands within his own, and watched as the sun set behind the horizon. “It’s time to go home,” she said morosely.

“Yes, but I can think of a few things we can get up to when we get there,” he said with a waggle of his eyebrows. It produced the desired effect, and she smiled, her shadowed eyes once again filling with something other than sadness. Oh, he could think of several things, indeed, and they all involved her naked and writhing on the bed as he made love to her.

Coming October 20, 2012!  

The History of Halloween: Customs (Post 2 of 4)

Customs are a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something that is specific to a particular society, place, or time. (dictionary.com)

Halloween, like most holidays, have specific customs that are preformed on that day.  

We're all familiar with trick-or-treating.  Going door-to-door and receiving a treat.  Most (I would say all, but some children didn't dress up in my neighborhood) children and adults will dress in a costume.  Let's take a look at some ancient customs.

Originally, Halloween was celebrated as Samhain by the Celts and believed to be the night when the divide between the world of the living and that of the dead was easily crossed.  (But you remember that from last Tuesday's post!)

Today's customs, which now spread almost worldwide (especially since television has become so popular), include:

• Trick-or-treating
• Wearing costumes
• Parties
• Bobbing for Apples
• Telling scary stories
• Watching scary movies
• Haunted houses
• Hayrides 

Now, in ancient times these were popular:

• Bonfires (Ireland)
• Fortune telling (Ireland, England, Colonial America, Europe)
• Masks were worn by Christians to confuse evil spirits (That caught on, didn't it!)
• Feasts honoring Pomona (Roman), Dead (Ireland, Scotland), Fairies (Ireland) and Harvest (Ireland, Scotland)

Find out more here: Wikipedia

Also, worth mentioning is the Day of the Dead, which is a whole new set of customs for Mexican or Mexican-Americans who celebrate it.  Find out more here:  Dia de los muertos

An Apple a day...

What would Halloween be without apples?  Halloween without apples, of course!  If you remember from my earlier post about origins of Halloween, then you remember that apples were incorporated into the Halloween  tradition with the meshing of Roman and Celtic holidays.  Pomona, a Roman goddess, was symbolized by the apple, and the Romans had a feast in her honor around the same time the Celts celebrated Samhain.  So naturally it ended up together!

Here is a list of things you can do with apples this Halloween...

1. Bobbing for apples!
   Now the Celts believed that the first to bite into an apple would be the next to marry...It's not true (I promise!)
2. Apple Pie (Yum!)
3. Apple Cider
4. Candy Apples
5. Apple Butter
6. Apple Sauce
7. Apple Cake
8. Apple Crumb
9. Apple Pancakes
10. Apple Bread

The list goes on and on and you can find all the recipes listed here: Allrecipes

Something to Think About...(Halloween Edition)

The original Jack-o-Lanterns were made of hollowed out turnips...?

I know...It just doesn't feel the same without a pumpkin (or smell)!  

The Irish introduced the concept of a Jack-o-Lantern for their little tale involving a man named Stingy Jack who bargained with the Devil to leave him alone.  When he died he wasn't permitted into heaven and the Devil didn't want him either.  He wanders the world endlessly.  On a weird note...The devil gifted him with an ember to be with him in his travels.  

Thank goodness we changed to Pumpkins.  

I'm not a fan of the turnip!

Superstitions

A superstition is the belief or notion that isn't based on reason or supporting facts. (dictionary.com)  We all have superstitions, one of the most common that I can think of is the black cat crossing your path.  There are others and here are a few of the weirdest that I've come across...

• A bird in the house is a sign of death.  (Never heard this before!)
• A horseshoe in the bedroom will keep the nightmares away.  (I always had a dream catcher)
• A broken mirror is seven years bad luck
• The number 13 just has one heck of a bad rep!
• Apparently, giving a knife as a gift to just about anyone is bad luck.  A neighbor will become your enemy, a lover will leave you, etc...
• The spouse to go to sleep first on the wedding day will be the first to die.

There are literally thousands, even some for acorns...

Anyways, you can find a big list at bored.com

And then there are those that I do without thinking...

• I always throw a pinch if salt over my shoulder if I spill some.
• I sometimes find myself avoiding cracks in the floor (Don't want to break my mother's back!)
• I don't open umbrellas in the house (although I think that's more because I'm scared I'll break stuff)
• I have seen who I'll marry by twisting the stem off an apple.  (I'm still waiting....)
• I once threw a stolen dish towel in the woods to get rid of warts (I used to have them on my knee and thumbs).  (Hey, I was eight!)  It didn't work, although, when I rubbed my mothers pregnant belly...Viola! They went away!

Don't forget:

The Witch's Birthday Brew will be out on October 20, 2012!

A Game of Cat & Mouse will be out on November 15, 2012 and there are three ways to get your hands on an ARC copy.  Check out www.astridcielo.com for more information!

The Science of Scare

So, what happens when we get scared?  Let's take an in depth look at the science of scare!

When something scares you it causes your body to pull out a defense mechanism known as the fight or flight response.  I'm sure everyone has heard about it, and we experience it on a day to day basis.
For example: The chick in the video above experienced it when the scary ghost face startled her.  Her body reacted to the stress of being scared in the following ways:

The hypothalamus initiates the response when triggered by a stress causer by activating the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal-cortical system.  (English please!)

The sympathetic nervous system controls regulations for many organs of the body...to make it even simpler here are some examples:

• Eyes: Dilation of the pupil
• Heart: Increases the force and rate of contraction
• Kidneys: Increases renin production
• Penis: Promotes ejaculation

Now the adrenal-cortical system:  It's a hormone dumping system that functions in reaction to the bodies needs.  In the case of being frightened - it pumps adrenaline into the system.

So, these two systems work together to cause the following things to happen:

• Dilated pupils (the better to see you with, my dear)
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure (Gotta have more blood delivery to help in fight or flight)
• Increased blood glucose (Your body is prepping for exertion)
• Constriction of blood vessels closer to the skin, which causes the chilly feeling when we get scared.  (I'm attributing this to the whole pumping blood where it needs to go.  Skin becomes a nonessential organ during fight or flight, so the blood that feeds it is shunted (Pushed) elsewhere (Heart and Lungs))
• The list goes on and on...Think of the last time you were scared.

For more information:

http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/what-happens-when-scared

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sympathetic_nervous_system

New Contest!!!

I have a new contest available on my website!  Follow this link for more information: (LINK)

Don't forget:
The Witch's Birthday Brew will be available on October 20, 2012 @ Smashwords, All Romance eBooks and my website!  (This is a free read)

A Game of Cat & Mouse will be out on November 15, 2012!  Don't forget to enter the various contests that I have for this release!!!

Favorite Scary Movies!

I'm talking pee in your pants scary!!!!  Most people love scary movies.  We even set the mood with no lights (except the television screen), sitting on the edge of our seats, and it has to be night time!  

These are the five movies that made me sleep with the lights on for weeks or in some cases not answer the phone!!!!

#5. The Ring (Link)

A lot of people didn't think this was scary.  To them I say, picture this...
Sitting on the couch at the edge of your seat as the movie nears its end.  Not a sound can be heard but the breathing of your siblings on the couch with you, the occaisional howl of the wind against the house, and the annoying sound of the couch cushion as your sister adjusts her position once again.  Not a light is on in the house and the clock strikes midnight when the iconic scene flows across the scene.  (You know the one in the movie that afterwards the phone rings and you're given a set number of days to live)  The screen goes black leaving us in pitch darkness...and the phone rings!  AHHHHHHHH!  
So who called?  We don't know, because we didn't answer it. We learned our lesson from the fools on screen who got slaughtered.

#4. Nightmare on Elm Street (Link)

Yeah, yeah.  Lot's of gore as a dude hacks into some teens.  But the scariest part is the dream kills you (YIKES!).  We've all heard about if you die in your dreams then you'll die in real life, and I don't know about you, but I've had some really life threatening dreams (One involving a zombie apocalypse)!  Think if you couldn't wake up from your worst nightmare...

#3.  Poltergeist (Link)

I don't care what you say, if something tells me to vacate the house I'm packing my stuff.  And if it has a problem with me packing my stuff, well I can always buy new stuff!  

#2.  Child's Play (Link)

This ain't your comedy/horror Chucky from The Seed of Chucky - no this is a doll that kills people and not in a comedic relief way.  I think what made it scarier to me was my age.  I was a little girl when I watched this for the first time (around eight or nine) and I had a vast collection of dolls.  I still treat them with care and respect--just in case.

#1.  Paranormal Activity (Link)

This one takes the tops spot because...I jumped up and ran out of the room!  Yep!  I'm not ashamed to say that the person being thrown into a room was damn scary.  I wasn't the only one and was nearly taken down by a family member heading in the same direction.


At the risk of sounding cliche...What's your favorite scary movie?

Year End Splash!

I'm participating in The Romance Reviews Year End Splash Party!  Click on the Pic for more info.  This will also find a place in the side of this blog.  Don't miss your chance for great prizes and events!

Upcoming Release: The Witch's Birthday Brew

Interview with Countess

I’m pleased to welcome Countess and her translator Kitty Talks!  Countess is here to dish the details on my upcoming release, The Witch’s Birthday Brew.  For those of you who don't know, Countess is Genesis's cat and you'll get to know more about her in The Witch's Birthday Brew.

AC:  Welcome, Countess, I’m glad you could take the time and sit down with me today.

Countess:  Why, thank you, human.

AC:  So, tell me something about Genesis.

Countess:  She is my human and has been lonely lately.  I try to reassure her, but like the human that she is, she doesn’t listen to her master.

AC: Um, Countess, don’t you mean that Genesis is your master?

Countess:  Of course not!  She feeds me when I’m hungry, pets me when I want her to, and cleans my litter box.  Why else would she do this if I were not her master?

AC:  I see, anyways, I hear that Genesis has a birthday coming up.

Countess:  Yes.  She must be lonely because she has no human male.  I haven’t gotten around to picking one out for her yet, so I guess I should for my human’s birthday.

AC:  Well, what kind of male does Genesis like?

Countess:  You know, I’m not completely sure.  I have my eyes on the Tom Cat in the alley, now that’s a real male.  He paces at the window meowing loudly while my human sleeps.  I’m still playing hard to get, you see.  I’m not ready to be a mama cat.

AC:  I think we’re getting a little off topic, Countess.  How about you tell me about Genesis.

Countess:  If you insist.  Well, I’ve owned Genesis since I was a kitten and I’ve always wanted her to have a backbone.  Sometimes that boss of hers calls and it makes me want to scratch his eyes out.

AC:  Why is that?

Countess:  He doesn’t treat my human as she should be treated.  She’s a nice human, always helping the little old lady across the hall with her grocery shopping.  She always makes sure I have those little cans of yummy food, too. 

AC:  Well, that’s nice.  What more can you tell me?

Countess:  Oh dear, my human needs me.  She’s trying to cast a spell.  Let’s hope this doesn’t go awry as some of her previous ones did.

Well, there she goes.  Don't forget The Witch's Birthday Brew will be available on October 20, 2012!

The History of Halloween: Origins (Post 1 of 4)

So where did this delightful holiday start?

According to my reading, a very, very long time ago (around 2000 years) the Celts (we'll talk about them more later) celebrated Samhain as the end of their calendar. They believed that the dead walked again on this night as ghosts.  They also believed that the presence of ghosts enhanced their fortune telling abilities.  

Around 43 A.D. the Roman's overtook the Celts and under their rule, cultures mixed.  The Romans were already celebrating a festival for their dead called Feralia   There was also one where the goddess of fruit and trees was celebrated called Pomona and her symbol was the apple...See a theme coming together here?

So, the colonists of America never really celebrated Halloween, at least not in the beginning.  When other immigrants came over from Europe and all those cultures meshed with the Native Americans, we got a precursor to our Halloween of today.  They told ghost stories, celebrated the harvest, and predicted the future...so on and so forth.

Fast forward to the late 1800s and you see the trend of Halloween becoming more about community and neighborhood.  By the 20s and 30s, we have what is generally accepted for Halloween today.  Candy, costumes and cool stuff!

Wow, that was fast!  

Anyways...You can check out more at the following websites!

Halloween Web (A whole site dedicated to Halloween!)

History.com (It's actually my source)

Happy October!!!!

October!!!

It's already October!  This year has seemed to fly!  Anyways, most of my friends know that October is my favorite month.  Why?  Halloween of course.  I love that holiday!  It's one of the only days you can dress in any costume that you want and pretend to be someone else (without having a psych evaluation afterwards)!

Having said that, I'm doing something a little special every day of October.  Here's a little bit of what you can expect:

• The history of Halloween: A four part post that will delve into the origins, customs, religion, and myths behind my favorite holiday.  These will be Tuesday posts!
• Countdown to the release!!! As you all know, The Witch's Birthday Brew is set to be released on October 20, 2012!  The best part about it is that it's free!  Each Wednesday we'll take a closer look at the characters and story line!
• And so much more...

So don't miss it!!!

As always, I'd love to hear from you!!