Wolfram Video’s Halloween Treats #483 on VHS!

Seeing as we are pumpkins deep into the season of spooky, I thought it would be nice to share this very cool and equally interesting Halloween-related VHS tape that I own. With you. Specifically you. Whatever your name is.

Halloween Treats is a vintage promotional VHS tape compiled by Wolfram Video, Inc., a company that compiled music videos/promotional reels on VHS, S-VHS and Beta for use in bars, nightclubs, and various other venues throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Based on my research and the 483 catalog number, Halloween Treats was released in October 1988. The company produced thousands of these tapes, judging by the sporadic catalog numbers you can find digging through the internet. 

Halloween Treats features a slew of awesome Halloween and horror-related music videos. A few highlights include:

• “Halloween” by Helloween

• “Fright Night” by The J. Geils Band

• “Dream Warriors” by Dokken

• “Worlock” by Skinny Puppy

Outside of this copy, I’ve never seen this tape in all my years of collecting Halloween-related VHS, and there’s little-to-no info about this specific release on the internet. Though, with that said, there really isn’t a ton of info about any of these releases, especially considering there are likely thousands of them. 

Regardless, it’s such a cool tape. Knowing it was made specifically to help add some analog atmosphere to whatever bar or venue that may have been having a Halloween party or bash or whatever, is really cool and makes me yearn for those days when people went out and had fun as opposed to being on the internet like I am now. 

Indoor Halloween Decorations 2026: Mini Haunted Library!

I have a small space in my entryway that I like to decorate for Halloween every year. The last few years, I put together a cool little witch’s section (cool being relative), complete with some really terrific thrifted items and other various Halloween decorations.

Anyway, I love how the witch’s section looks, but I also feel like I can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again. So, I tried to think of how I could achieve a similar aesthetic without actually being similar, and that’s when I came up with the idea of a haunted library. A mini haunted library, you know, because the space is only like 1’ x 3’.

It’s pretty simple: I took some books and other Halloween decorations that fit the mood and pieced everything together. Part of the idea came from a pair of spooky books that the old lady and I made a few years back (the Bugs and Spider books). That was a super fun project, and the results were terrific.

I’m happy with how it turned out, though I would have liked to add some spiderwebs. Unfortunately, having dumb cats prevents that from happening because they’ll eat the webs. Because they’re dumb. Anyway, enjoy my mini haunted library!

New Outdoor Halloween Decorations 2026!

With nonstop soccer tournaments and a variety of other obligations, we’ve had no time to start decorating for Halloween. We usually bring everything down from the attic (ugh) by mid-September, get the indoor Halloween decorations done, and by October 1st, do the outdoor Halloween decorations.

Obviously, that’s not been the case this year. However, we finally found some time to start decorating. There’s still a lot more to do, but I thought I’d share some of the new Halloween decorations we’ve picked up this year, which I was quite excited to put out.

Between Menards and Target, we found a few Halloween decorations we both liked and thought would make for a fun theme. It started with the pumpkin tombstone set from Target, which was both reasonably priced and something that just hit the vibe for me. After finding those, the idea was that maybe we could do a pumpkin theme outside. Though, we would need something larger as the main focal point to go with the pumpkin tombstones.

We’ve never owned or used inflatables before, but have long talked about it. It’s always been a case of finding the right inflatable for us. It has to be easy to store in the attic (ugh), and it needs to be cool. Pretty simple. I like Halloween inflatables well enough when used sparingly, but for myself personally, if I’m buying one, it has to be spooky, cool, or, preferably, both.

My initial thought was to find a large inflatable jack-o’-lantern to use as the main piece. However, the family and I stopped by Menards to pick up pumpkins and see if they had any inflatables that might hit the spot. They always have a good selection, though there wasn’t anything that fit the bill in the massive Halloween section.

However, as we made our way to the outdoor section to see what they had for pumpkins, we spotted this awesome Pumpkin Hollow inflatable scarecrow, and we all immediately knew THIS was the one. It was the right size, it’s pretty creepy, and it’s a classic Halloween character. Plus, it was priced at $40, which was not too bad at all. Even better, when we checked out, it ended up being on sale for $30, which, for something with this much impact, is a great deal.

Anyway, that’s a lot of words to say that we got some new outdoor Halloween decorations, and with the fall weather being absolutely perfect, I was happy to put them up. And as I mentioned, there’s still a lot more to do, but for now, please enjoy our new outdoor Halloween decorations, and Happy Chucktober to all who celebrate!

Bonemeal by Michael Hernandez Horror Book Review

“A childhood pull of what lay beneath the thin veneer of reality dared him to keep himself in place.” - Gol 

Bonemeal by Michael Hernandez is a 2026 horror collection featuring twenty plus stories, poems and illustrations of dread and terror. 

The book is, in simplistic terms, a horror anthology. However, the stories are broken up by occasional pieces of dark poetry, as well as several terrific and haunting hand-drawn illustrations, which help break up the traditional, story-driven anthology format. 

The variety in the book’s layout extends to the individual stories, with some being simple and straightforward while others are denser and more intricate. This is also reflected in the length of each story, with some running just 5–10 pages and others stretching to 20 or more. That makes it easy to pick up and read casually, which is generally how I prefer to read anthologies, though it also works well if you want to read it straight through. 

The stories explore a wide range of ideas and approaches. Recurring themes such as mental illness, insecurity, and inner turmoil weave throughout many of the stories. I also got strong EC Comics vibes from many of the tales in Bonemeal, which is somewhat to be expected with a short-story anthology. 

I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but a few stories stood out to me in particular: “Blood Drive,” “Itch” (which is wonderfully gross and extra descriptive), “Drive,” “Night at the Opera,” “Words,” “Night Sail,” and “Gol.” In all honesty, though, there wasn’t much to dislike about any of the stories in Bonemeal. It’s a well-written, nicely balanced collection that’s well worth the time of any horror fiction fan.

Learn more about Bonemeal as well as purchasing options by clicking this LINK. 

7 Most Watch Horror Movies for Summerween!

Start your Summerween off on the right (severed) foot with these must watch summer horror movies!

Summer of Fear aka Stranger in Our House – Wes Craven (1978)

Linda Blair stars in an early made-for-TV Wes Craven movie based on a Lois Duncan novel about a teenager who may or may not be a witch… need I say more? Okay: Lee Purcell.

Fun fact: This premiered on October 31, so it’s really the perfect Summerween movie.

No One Will Save You – Brian Duffield (2023)

A home invasion movie where the invaders are, in fact, aliens. Mostly set in one location and featuring almost no dialogue, No One Will Save You is intense and tightly paced. It also features the classic grey alien, which is something that simply hasn’t been utilized enough in movies.

The Ruins – Carter Smith (2008)

Based on the novel of the same name, The Ruins follows a group of entitled tourists who end up on the wrong side of both the locals and an unknown threat after overstepping their boundaries. Filled with some grotesque body horror, The Ruins is criminally underrated and a must-watch this summer. I’ve written about this one previously. Click here to read my words!! 

Fall – Scott Mann (2022)

The premise is simple: two adventure-seeking women climb a 2,000-foot abandoned radio tower and climb right back down. Just kidding. They end up stranded at the top of the tower with no way to get back down. Despite its modest budget, Fall is an effective and absolutely terrifying experience, especially if you’re afraid of heights. Which I am. 

Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers – Michael A. Simpson (1988)

Let’s face it, any of the films in this series fit the bill, and as much as I adore the first movie, my heart will always belong to Unhappy Campers. It’s CAMPY (sorry), over-the-top, and features a number of fun kills. However, what really makes this one work (as well as the equally enjoyable sequel, Teenage Wasteland) is Pamela Springsteen’s hilariously fun performance.

Southbound – Radio Silence (2015)

An anthology film featuring five tales of terror, Southbound’s desert highway backdrop—which serves as a sort of intersection connecting each tale—is as hot and desolate as it is moody and atmospheric.

Just Before Dawn – Jeff Lieberman (1981)

Noted for its jaw-dropping Oregon forest locations, Just Before Dawn is more than your typical backwoods slasher. The film focuses on unsettling tension and atmosphere while featuring a terrific score that’s sure to get under your skin.

Slash Through Summer With These Horror Book Recommendations!

Summer is whack. It’s hot and hot and also hot. Three things that are… you guessed it! Whack. 

Skip all that garbage by grabbing yourself a scary horror book, specifically one set during the hot summer months, and live vicariously through the lives of people fighting for theirs with these summer horrors book recommendations to help you beat the summer heat! 

Fantasticland - Mike Bockoven

When a hurricane hits the coast of Florida, a group of employees find themselves trapped inside of a theme park, where social structure and sanity quickly deteriorate, and chaos ensues. 

Described as Lord of the Flies meets Battle Royal, Fantasticland is told through investigative interviews with the characters involved. The ones that survived, that is. 

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight - Kalynn Bayron

When the employees of an interactive, slasher-themed summer camp start turning up dead, it’s up to the “final girl” to fight for her survival while protecting her coworkers and loved ones. 

Summerside Lake Massacre - L.R.J. Allen

Following a timeline that bounces back and forth between the 1950s and current-day 1980s, this summer camp slasher weaves a tale that reveals a town's dark past in the bloodiest of fashions.

The Devil All the Time - Donald Ray Pollock

This Southern Gothic tale interconnects a number of storylines that, to put it lightly, are sleazy and completely disturbing. You can feel the sweat and grit with each page turn. There’s a film adaptation, with a terrific cast, on Netflix that might be okay if you haven’t read the book. But please, read the book instead. 

The Blonde Dies First - Joelle Wellington

In this meta-supernatural slasher, a group of lifelong friends accidentally release a demon that begins stalking them on the hot Summer streets of Brooklyn, New York. 

Home Is Where the Bodies Are - Jeneva Rose

While this one is more thriller than outright horror, the book revolves around a trio of siblings who, after being reunited to deal with their mother’s passing, discover a VHS tape that reveals a horrible family secret.

That does it for me. If you’ve read any of these books, then I’d love to hear your feedback. If you haven’t, then, well, hopefully one of these tickles your sweaty summer pickle. 

Dracula Live From Transylvania TV Spot - 1988 Halloween TV Special

Dracula Live From Transylvania is a live Halloween TV special hosted by George Hamilton. The special, which focuses on both the history and mythology of Dracula and vampires alike, aired on October 25, 1988. 

 I was lucky enough to catch it live on channel 20 WTXX-TV, an independent station out of Connecticut. I actually recorded the special and still have that tape, complete with commercials. The special is a lot of fun and really hits those nostalgic feels for me. There are copies of the special floating around on YouTube, so if you are looking to dig into something spooky, kitschy and fun during Summerween, Halloween, Springween, Christmasween, or any other ‘ween you can think of, then I definitely recommend giving Dracula Live From Transylvania a TWIST! Sorry. 

This TV spot advertising the special was taken from Dailymotion, which I actually cleaned up a bit. Please enjoy. 

P.S. Hi! It’s been a bit. Maybe I’ll post something later on so we can catch up a little. Love you.