Fall Haunted Tales For Book Nerds Who Don't Like Horror

   As the scariest holiday draws closer there is nothing better than getting cozy on the couch with a warm blanket,  good bone chilling  book and warm cider to sooth the nerves. It's a perfect combination.  Don't think so?  Here's a thought to ponder,  if a reader does not explore outside their favorite genre, then there is no place to "grow" into reading adulthood.   Literature can not be truly appreciated until a reader has read each genre, and format, including plays and poems.  That is for another post.  For the moment the genre is horror.  More precisely, books that can scare the reader into begging for more and never be forgotten.  For those who do not appreciate horror books, and it's not because scaring  easily is a concern, here are a few suggestions to lure readers into stories that rattle the mind and sets the heart pounds just a few beats faster.

Going old school, as in Victorian gothic novels, is the best way to get a quick introduction into the genre.   Dracula comes to mind, Stoker's masterful and horrifying tale that grips the readers by the throat and does not let go.  The darkness, the foreboding and unsettling gut feeling that something is not right,  makes the readers sit on the edge of their seats and wishing they had eyes in the back of their heads to be ever ready in case they are attacked.  A knife, cross and garlic ready at hand will  suffice.  This is a tale that is always good to reread.  Bram Stoker's great-grandnephew wrote the official sequel Dracula the Undead.  Sadly, it never lived up to the original but then again, it would be very difficult to recapture the magical horror that is known as Dracula.  Reader's who don't typically like horror novels will often find that Victorian Gothic and American Gothic are just right.  Not too gory but plenty of fright for the imaginative mind.

No horror title selection would be complete without a haunted house or two.  In the late 1970's the fiction/nonfiction title Amityville Horror was the book that everyone had on their nightstand.  The author, Jay Anson,  swore that the tale was based on actual events.  It was later discovered that   some of the details in the book were embellished in order to make the book "marketable".  Either way, this book will make every reader think twice about purchasing a new home.  Questions to ask before buying might be:  Was anyone murdered here?  Seems like a silly question but after this tale that question should top the list for potential homebuyers and realtors as well.  What is scariest is that it is not haunted by one ghost but a multitude of ghosts.   The exorcist  is a nice touch as well.

If going back to the 1970's for a haunted house story seems a bit "old school".   A more recent title published in 2003 will bring readers to the present day.    Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves is about a house that is bigger on the inside than on the outside.  There is something strange yet inviting about this tale.  It is a simple tale of a dream house that turns literally into a hellish nightmare.  Imagine  two little children wandered off  to explore their new home.  Then picture horrified  parents as they hear their children's voices eerily begin to detail another reality of  a dark abyss behind a closet door, and of an unholy growl that is heard behind the walls, ready at any moment to tear through to destroy their dreams, their lives.   Intrigued?  Scared?   That is the author's intent.  Scare the reader just enough that they will stay with the story because each page is just as intriguing as the first.

Ronald Malfi's Little Girls is an eerie ghost story that comes complete with a distant cold father,  a forbidden room and a young woman who returns to her childhood finding incidents unsettling and memories reawaken.   Malfi expertly keeps the reader on the edge of their seats, wondering what will happen next.   The novel earned Malfi a nomination for the Bram Stoker Award.  Award or no award, this book is sure to become a creepy favorite.


There are a many fascinating and talented authors that know how rock the reader's safe and comfortable reality and take through a unimagined world of horror.   As stated before, it is a good thing to change up genre's once in a while.  Next up for October blog,  what happens horror and humor collide?  Hint:  Grossly funny.

Celebrating Teen Read Week In The Un-dead Library

A teen librarian's job is one part inspiration, one part communication and a whole lot of motivation to lure teens into the library. It all adds up to having a great time while at work. What could be better? The icing on the cake has to be that working with teens gives veteran librarians a new perspective on the issues of the day. As Teen Read Week kicks off next week, October 16th, most YA librarians are thinking of programs that will "excite and wow" their young patrons. Ideas that revolve around Halloween, to the latest teen novels theme, such as Steampunk, Zombies or Vampires, are sure to surface to the top of the list. These ideas might entice some teens to come in but it's going along the lines of the same old same old. Perhaps a little twist is needed to spruce the celebration. A little technology, mixed with exploring the library, inside and out can guarantee an event the teens won't soon forget. It's time to invite your teens to the Un-dead Library.

To begin this wonderfully different program, choose a theme. Based on the genre that is most popular in novels these days and it fits well with the season, Vampires, Zombies and Witches works well for planning this program. If your library has the ability to allow teens to register themselves on-line through the library's website, then this is the perfect set up for starting the fun. After the registration on-line, it is mandatory for teens to complete a short on-line survey on what they know about Vampires, Zombies and Witches. These questions are based on books, myths or legends. When they have completed the survey, an invitation is printed out for each participant to come to the library BEFORE the day of the program to receive a special pass to the program that is reserved for VIPs. This is a clever yet harmless trick to get teens to come into the library during the week at the same time create a buzz of excitement that will lead up to the big event. Once they come into the library to confirm their "invitation" a helpful YA librarian will provide them with a list of items to bring to the program. These items should be easy to find and tie into the theme of the party in some way. One item on the list could be a strand of garlic.

On the day of the program, at the check in desk, where teens will receive name tags, the YA librarian will ask to see if the guest had brought in all the items on the list. If they have, as VIP status players they will receive two clues during the program that will allow them to solve questions or tasks during the games. If a guest did not bring in all the items, they may borrow from another guest or the librarian but they will not be able to receive any clues. They are virtually clueless on their quest for the night. This is where, librarians are going to have to suspend he rules of quietness for the evening and the use of cell phones. Once everyone has been checked in the game can begin.

Explain to all participants that the online survey and items that they were required to bring will aid them in passing through the un-dead library. Armed with their previous knowledge, and tools they will go through ten stations that will require them to look something up, make something, or perform an activity, such as reading a poem out loud. One of the outcomes of this program is to encourage teens to use all various types of resources from electronic to paper, to complete the tasks. The guest or team (this program works well with either individuals or teams competing) who completes all tasks first wins. Once everyone has completed the stations, everyone can regroup to find out the answers to each stations. As with any teen program, provide snacks and beverage as a way to "celebrate" the winners' achievements and thank all the teens for their participation.

This game is so much fun for the teens because it allows for the use different tools to complete a given tasks. Teens love to show their techie expertise and as YA librarians it essential that the opportunities to do this is provided. Its time to face reality, teens today will be facing a more digitized world then our generation. In order to prepare these young patrons for the "way" of the future, thinking outside the traditional library rules for a week is a good thing.

For a complete outline of how this program can be done, including the questions and stations activity, don't hesitate to email lvnlibrarian@gmail.com for further information.

Justin Somper Vampirates

Okay, so it took me a while to get back to the blog, sorry.  I've been on vacation and all that jazz.  I am hoping, keep our fingers crossed, to be on the blog every other day.  So keep watch for new updates. 

The Vampirates series is good.  I wish I could have gotten more excited but the second of the series Tide of Terror was not as good as  the first.   I was really hoping for something more, not quite sure what, but it seemed to be lacking the excitement of the first book.  Perhaps, because the characters spent so much time at the Vampire Academy that I felt that the story was not moving as quickly as the first.  The character that intrigues me the most is the captain of the Vampariate ship.  He seems to know a lot more about the orphans and perhaps has a connection to their dad?  Um, makes me wonder and curious.   Am I giving up on the series?  Nope.  I am taking a break for a moment and reading other books. Which I will be discussing in other blogs.     Long story short,  I am still interested in what Conner and Grace are up to, just that I am taking a breather before jumping into the series again.  If  there are any favorites out there of vampire stories, drop me a line!