Controversial novels--what do you think?

Over the years there have been wonderful literary works introduced to us and then many have been taken away due to one reason or another.  What do all of you think?  I'm going to list these works here and you can comment on them.  Tell us whether or not you think they should be banned and why.

Number one, and I can't believe this book was banned, but here it is:

Yes, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain was banned for being "trash only suitable for the slums" according to Concord public library.

Merriam Webster and American Heritage Dictionaries were banned in California elementary schools in 2010 for having the definition for "oral sex" listed in them.

Grapes of Wrath had been and often is banned  due to obscenity as well as for painting the country in a negative light.

James and the giant peach was banned due to violence and obscenity.

Now there are many, many more that can be added to this list, but I'll start with these for the time being. If you would like to list one here and whether or not you agree with it being banned, please do so.  

Let us all know what your thoughts are on these books. We really want to know.

Featured Halloween blog!

A terrific blog for the month of October.  You can't miss this.  She has games, short stories, featured bloggers, etc.  One of the best blogs I've come across this year.  I just love it!

Check our Haunted Palooza at What happens in Venice with Diana Henry Cachey.

Halloween is just around the corner fans! GOBLINS, WITCHES, AND GHOSTS are slowly lurking closer and closer to us. To make October even better, I am going to be a featured writer for  HAUNTED PALOOZA event for October at www.whathappensinvenice.com. Sign-up for the blogs (hint that helps you win a prize) then WATCH SHORT VIDEO to learn more HERE. http://youtu.be/mpl2EmnNnqc. 

I hope to see all of you there.  It's going to be a spooktacular time!

Spine-tingling reads

I love to curl up on my favorite chair with an edge of your seat horror novel during the winter, which is fast approaching.  I can feel the upcoming snow on the air every evening.
When we think of Halloween, we think of a good scare.  What better way to spend the month of October than with the terrifying works of some of our best authors?
Stephen King will, of course, pop up in the minds of many readers as well as Dean Koontz.  I'm going to mention some less obvious authors today with the hopes that you will all give them a try.  They are definitely worth the time.

Shadow of night- a novel by Deborah Harkness.  Number two on Amazon best seller list. 

Publisher: Penguin

Received 807 five stars

John dies at the end by David Wong

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; Reprint edition (September 29, 2009)

Received 302 five stars so far.

Children of the fog by Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Publisher: Imajin Books

Received 167 five star reviews so far.

A discovery of witches by Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Penguin

Received 811 five stars so far.

Nearly departed in Deadwood by Ann Charles

Publisher: Corvallis Press

Received 166 Five star reviews

I hope you all find something wonderful here, but in case you don't, here is a list of classic horror novels guaranteed to send chills up your spine.

All of the following novels can be found at the following link plus several more scary as heck novels.

Scary Novels

Ghost story 

By Peter Straub

In life, not every sin goes unpunished.

GHOST STORY

For four aging men in the terror-stricken town of Milburn, New York, an act inadvertently carried out in their youth has come back to haunt them. Now they are about to learn what happens to those who believe they can bury the past -- and get away with murder.

Peter Straub's classic bestseller is a work of "superb horror" (The Washington Post Book World) that, like any good ghost story, stands the test of time -- and conjures our darkest fears and nightmares.

The exorcist 

By William Peter Blatty

The Exorcist changed popular culture forever. Now, William Peter Blatty's groundbreaking story of faith and supernatural suspense--the runaway #1 bestseller that started it all--is reincarnated in this spectacular newly polished and rewritten 40th Anniversary Edition of the novel that burst through society's seven seals and paved the way for the entire genre that followed it: the unforgettable The Exorcist.

The Amityville Horror

By Jay Anson

In December 1975, the Lutz family moved into their new home on suburban Long Island. George and Kathleen Lutz knew that, one year earlier, Ronald DeFeo had murdered his parents, brothers, and sisters in that house. But the property complete with boathouse and swimming pool and the price were too good to pass up. Twenty-eight days later, the entire Lutz family fled in terror. This is the spellbinding, best-selling true story that gripped the nation, the story of a house possessed by evil spirits, haunted by psychic phenomena almost too terrible to describe.

Have a hauntingly good time everyone!

Halloween

Here we are again, looking forward to another year of haunted houses, pumpkin patches, and all the other wonderful things that accompany this hauntingly perfect holiday.  I am certainly not going to miss out on the fun this year.  For the month of October, this blog will be all about the best of spooky novels, authors that keep us at the edge of our seats as shivers crawl swiftly up our spines.  Yes, it will be a spooky event.  I will also cover tips for writing great horror and thriller novels, and don't forget to check out the numerous links I'll be listing for sites that offer hair-raising stories and creepy ideas to make your Halloween the best it can be.
It's going to be a hauntingly good time.