Five questions asked over a glowing Jack o’Lantern, under an Autumn moon obscured by passing clouds…in between mouthfuls of candy corn…
Will Errickson of Too Much Horror Fiction will never say there’s too much of Halloween.
Why is Halloween important to you?
I’ve loved monsters and the macabre and summer turning into autumn since I was a kid. And candy! Most people will say their favorite season is fall. I have lots of good memories associated with those things. It’s a time when I can really indulge my love of horror, although truthfully I do that all year long. Still, it’s fun to take an entire month and watch and read nothing but. And over the years Halloween has really become a huge money-making industry with decorations and costumes being more and more prominent, which I dig. I think it’s the mainstreaming of the early 1980s Goth-punk subculture, melding that with the kid-friendly environment of Halloween. Thank Tim Burton, I guess.
Describe your ideal Halloween.
Throwing a big Halloween party! My girlfriend and I did this a couple years ago, but we had it a week before, so it didn’t conflict with other parties—that’s always a problem. We also didn’t insist that people dress up because honestly, some people don’t like to do that. We made tons of food, got lots of booze, and decorated her apartment like crazy. It took us nearly a week to get it all ready! We had three or four TVs going with horror movies on—Hammer Draculas, Universals, Fulci, Price/Poe—and mix CDs filled with horror movie soundtracks and artists like the Misfits, the Cramps, Roky Erickson, Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Black Sabbath, etc. It was a huge success but we haven’t been able to recreate it since.
What Halloween collectibles do you cherish, or hate, or both?
I love monsters toys and whatnot and decorating with Halloween tchochkes all year ’round. I’m amazed at what a place like Target has for Halloween, so much fun monstrous stuff you can use anytime. Recently on eBay I found some kids’ monster books that I had when I was young; those bring back fun memories for me. And I love those skeleton candies that come in a little plastic coffin.
When was your very first Halloween, the one where you really knew it was Halloween, and how was it?
My elementary school would have a Halloween fair in the gymnasium, complete with a haunted house and bobbing for apples and all that stuff. I can remember the cool fall night, walking over to the school in a costume—I believe a Ben Cooper Sleestak—and then winning some kind of Halloween toy. Probably came home and watched the Charlie Brown Halloween special afterwards! I was around 6 or 7 and knew about Halloween of course, but I think that was what made me a lifelong fan.
What’s the one Halloween question you want to be asked and what’s your answer?
Q: Do you know what Mischief Night is?
A: Yes, yes I do. Google it if you don’t know!