No Need for Broom Closets....

For starters... Happy National Coming Out Day!! I know, I didn't realize until just now. Sorry! My mind has been elsewhere!

Well, Salem has been everything I thought it would be. And above all else, the entire month of October is one, long Halloween for this town. There isn't another city on earth I can think of where zombies, vampires, and other costumes are seen daily on the street. Of course, fighting your way through the crowd is another matter. It's a madhouse around here.

I'll have to update about my entire trip when I get back. I want to devote some time to everything here in the best way that I can, with enough rest for my bones and less aches and pains from hours on the streets. I have so many businesses to talk about... interesting people to mention (beyond Jeffrey Justice, who has been a dear even though he's run ragged with work... stay tuned for a Supernatural Spotlight featuring him) and photos to share (I know I'll max out my monthly allowance of photos on Flickr for sure). I've been trying to avoid being a tourist, but it's difficult not to be.

I'm down to the last 5 copies of my book already, and I've only been here three days! Let's hope they last me through it all. I wasn't expecting this much. I dropped off two copies at The Magic Parlor yesterday and they both sold within 24 hours! We shall see how long the 10 signed copies there now last. Otherwise, I've met some amusing people, had some interesting conversations, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. People are far more receptive about Queer Hauntings than the naysayers would care to believe. And if all goes well, aside from a few radio show/podcast interviews I have coming up thanks to some good people I've met, I might even be talking at a university in the coming months!

It's all so exciting, wonderful, and yet exhausting. But for now, I'm signing off from the Witch City. It will be a very long week...

A Bazaar That is Truly Bizarre...

All Hallows Eve is now within our sight. Only a few more days until the veil between the spirit realm and the word of the living is at its thinnest. Odd things are bound to happen. Odd people will rear their heads. Madness will reign and the mystical will become normal.

Perhaps I'm exaggerating a little, but you catch my drift.

Of all strange and wonderfully bizarre things I have uncovered in my searches across the internet, I recently discovered a store unlike anything I have every laid eyes upon in the past. Indeed, Carnivalia is like no other pagan or occult shop. There is a hint of whimsy, a dash of artistic flair, and more oddities than you could possibly comprehend.

From originally-designed Ouija boards to bottled ghosts (and they will happily take your unwanted haunted trinkets of you wish), anything and everything any pagan or mystic could possibly want can be found there. Creepy clocks. Disturbing dolls. Potions, books, and clothing. It's a wild funhouse ride through the insane mind of a pagan sideshow act.

Best of all, they have many items of a queer nature. And I don't mean "odd". The owner and his partner, Storm Faerywolf, do remember their family.

When you check out the website, be sure to keep an open mind and beware of tongue-in-cheek humor. At times, it's difficult to discern what is intended to be serious and what is comedy. Judging by the copious text portions and strangely hilarous images, I lean more toward the latter on all accounts. Nevertheless, it's worth a browse at the very least. Or if you happen to be in the San Francisco area, be sure to swing by North Broadway in Walnut Creek and visit their storefront. If the website is any indication of what awaits, you might not leave for hours.

Somewhere, Beneath the Sea...

Among the many mythical creatures keeping cryptozoologists busy unraveling mysteries are mermaids. Museums sometimes show antique, mummified remains (like the Feejee Mermaid) which have been known to be hoaxes. Most scientists and historians agree that sightings from the past have been nothing more than manatees mistaken for humanoids.

But that doesn't mean we can't dream...

And yes, there are even believed to be mermen. They may not be as common or as popular in legend, but half-man, half-fish creatures have been occasionally reported.

But just in case you aren't curious to track down legendary creatures on your own, you can always get your own, more compact, version.

The delightful people at December Diamonds have an entire line of mermen ornaments, perfect for making any Christmas a little gayer. Most of the collection is available at Diamonds of the Sea, Q Gifts Online, and many other retailers.

But I'm sure they would make for interesting conversation pieces at any other time of the year...

They're Baaaack.... But Not to Cuddle!

Remember when your mother told you to be nice to your toys?

Sometimes, your toys remember these things. Including a line of plush bears called Teddy Scares.

It's a simple concept: forgotten teddy bears back from the dead with an attitude straight out of a horror movie. They were there for you for all those years, and you turned your back on them. Now, they're not so cute, cuddly, and sweet.

The creative folks at the Dave School created a short animation film for the creatures. I love the morbid humor and some of the casting of voices were simply perfect: Linda Blair as Rita Mortis and Clive Barker as Edwin Morose.

Out With the Not-So-Old...

Change is in the wind in Peninsula, Ohio.

The Blue Heron Bookstore is now closed after nearly four years of business. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, it is only temporary in some ways. They will be reopening in May with a new name and management.

Still, a bit of shocking news for me. They were the only local bookstore carrying my book. I guess in another month I'll find out if that still will be the case. I have no idea what happened, but I know that times are rough around here.

Is it just me, or is everything deciding to shift as my birthday approaches?

This is what I get for constantly saying that "this is a year of change"....