The Halloween Capital of the World

Back in 1937, the city where I lived the first three years of my life officially claimed the title Halloween Capital of the World. But Anoka, Minnesota had Halloween spirit well before that, putting on a costume parade all the way back in 1920. Being a spooky October baby, this is one of my favorite bits of local history.

(If you want to learn more about Anoka's history as the Halloween capital, here's a timeline of events from the site Anoka Halloween Capital of the World.)

Growing up around a town that throws a big party every Halloween inspired the Fall Festival, a fictional event in a fictional town found in My Dark Passenger. When I set out to write this book, I really wanted to capture the essence of October. I wanted the town of Birchwood Lake to feel like a cross between downtown Anoka and the apple orchard my family used to visit every year.

When My Dark Passenger was first published (because this is a second-edition relaunch), I was told that I succeeded in capturing the unique feeling of "fall," and I hope that reader was right. While the book isn't really what I would call scary, there's an eeriness that stays with you - which is exactly how I feel about the month of October.

I hope y'all are ready for Halloween, because My Dark Passenger gets a new life on October 22, 2024.

Pre-order on Amazon ($0.99) or on Barnes & Noble ($1.99).