Monday, October 31, 2016

Saugus Ghost Story Contest 2016: High School Winners

Understand there are three judges for each age group so I was reading with two other judges reading as well. We did nit communicate. In fact we did not know each others identity.

Here are the High School winners:

Third Place: A Shadow by Arya Ganesan

Second Place: Home of the Wild by Olivia Seidmeyer

First Place: The Ghoul of Maple Hill by Benjamin Andrew Fouche

Wow, my order too. Congratulations everybody and great job to all.

What I am not reporting on.....

will be the Saugus Adult winners since I was not involved there. Good luck to those winners when announced as well. I know I felt a thrill as I waited on my two entries and I felt on top of the world when I found out. I can feel your anticipation. Go get 'em guys.

Saugus Winners for Middle School stories

Third place: The Birthday by Sanya Shetty
Second Place: Them by Jason Gale
First Place: Gateway to Oblivion by P. Malone

My three favorites as well. Congratulations guys.

Saugus Winners for Elementary School

Third Place: My Ghost Friend, Samantha by Felicia Alexander
Second Place: The Secret Basement by Madison Lopez
First Place: Camari and her Dolls by Michelle Fang

Michelle is ten years old and this story is creepy. I found it to be one of the best of the entire contest in its conception and execution.

Congratulations to all the winners and all participants.

The Elementary submissions were of a higher caliber this year so the future of literature looks bright.

By the way these three were in my top 4 picks with Camari being first.

Congrats again guys and keep writing.

Saugus Winners will come tonight

and we will let you know about each category of the Saugus Ghost Story Contest.

Happy Halloween Everyone

Let's drop all the political correctness and find the innocent joy in a day that should be celebrated by children and adult alike.

Let's drop all the pretense have fun, embrace the innocence of spooky and the ideal of giving and giving joy as the holiday season kicks off.

Happy Halloween.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Saugus Ghost Story Contest

Started the process of judging. I am so sorry to say the pickings this year are sparser. I pray this isn't a trend but read my prior article....

Halloween is coming.....really?

I don't know about your city or state, your country or borough but this year especially I sense an impotence of and assault on Halloween. It just doesn't feel like Halloween. That sense of magic, of eeriness, of mystery just isn't there and I fear that sense diabolically purposeful and is permanent.

Maybe it's because of the crazy clowns. And that sense of public safety is a safe excuse for our overlords to shield us.

Maybe we've lost our sense of fun and our majesty. Maybe the more enlightened Prius driving phone addicted skinny jean society has more technological concerns. Who has time to play? They are serious people needing more time for themselves and their adult coloring books.

Maybe it's those colorfast National Football League uniforms worn on Thursday nights and Thursday night football itself. Hell, everything is crap.

It just doesn't feel like Halloween.

I have noticed the store stock has been less. Even though the same hasn't stopped me from buying some super items. There just is less Halloween pickings from last year. And today, four days BEFORE Halloween, that stock is gone and Christmas has taken its place.

Hey are they cancelling Thanksgiving too?

Maybe it's the election and we are all too focused on the real terror staring us in face: paint suits and barking, diabolical laughing and lies, socialism on steroids.

She's incompetent and a felon and no one minds.....yet everyone is on Mike Zimmer, coach of the Minnesota Vikings for those mutilated stuff animals......

And then there is thew established government. Those fine Democrats and Republicans alike who have done their best to cancel Halloween in towns all across this nation for the children who used to trick or treat and for the adults for decorating.

Stories of fines and arrests have been filling my pumpkin rather than candy and tales of ghouls.

The government has already taken our sweets, making them almost microscopic and far more expensive with homilies of how they are poison.

Now our holiday is being replaced with  'fall celebrations' and ordinances against decorating lawns because of complaints by religious fanatics and 'terrified children'.

Yeah it doesn't feel like Halloween. It feels far more sinister.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016