Today, my good friend and fellow writer, Marilyn Meredith, joins me to talk about her HALLOWEEN MEMORIES, as well as to introduce her newest novel, Bones in the Attic. Enjoy!
Times were different when I was a kid. We went trick-or treating in groups. And I mean 10, 11, 12 year olds ventured out alone, and we also took younger ones along with us. The word was passed when we ran into other bunches of kids where the homemade goodies were being hand![Marilyn in Vegas 2[1948]](https://jwillsbooksdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/marilyn-in-vegas-21948.jpg?w=282&h=321)
ed out: fresh baked cookies, candied apples, popcorn balls. (Sadly today, no one would eat a homemade treat.)
One time, my group went home and I decided to continue on alone. (I was far too brave as a kid.) I went into a different neighborhood, climbed a flight of steps, knocked on the front door. I was answered by a man with a rifle in his hand. He glared at me. “Do you know what I do to trick-or-treaters?”
Believe me, I was scared. With a trembling voice, I said, “No, sir.”
He put down the rifle. “I give them candy.” And he did.
I nearly ran all the way home.
I also remember Halloween parties where we bobbed for apples and had scary, dark passages filled with spider webs and scary creatures to venture through.
We went all out when our kids were trick-or-treaters. We never bought costumes, but always made our own. The cleverest was when we made one of the boys a bookworm. He had a book made out of cardboard around him, wore green pants and painted his face green.
We decorated the front door, and sometimes the young visitors had to put their hands inside a scary looking box to get their treats.
My cousin still decorates his house as scary as can be with moving ghosts and graves with skeletons popping out, and he dresses up like a ghoul to greet the children—some run away in fright.
When we moved to the country where we are now, no one is brave enough to venture down our long scary lane except for grandkids whose parents bring them.
Bones in the Attic, Marilyn’s latest novel
![Bones in the Attic[1947]](https://jwillsbooksdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/bones-in-the-attic1947.jpg?w=310&h=492)
The discovery of a skeleton, a welfare check on a senior citizen, and a wildfire challenge the Rocky Bluff P.D.
Buy link: https://tinyurl.com/yxpd8mxy
Marilyn Meredith, who writes the RBPD mystery series as F.M. Meredith, is the author of over 40 published books. She once lived in a small beach town much like Rocky Bluff and has many relatives and friends in law enforcement.
Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/
Blog: https://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.meredith
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marilynmeredith/
And she’s a regular on these blogs:
2nd and 4th Tuesday: https://makeminemystery.blogspot.com/
4th Monday of the month: https://ladiesofmystery.com/
Thanks, Marilyn, I’m sure readers will enjoy your latest offering. Please visit again!
John M. Wills 
Once again, I thank you, John, for letting me visit.
Happy Sunday, dear Marilyn. You have so many fun memories of Halloween. Times sure have changed. We get zero trick-or-treaters out here. I love country life but miss seeing all the cutie pies in their costumes.
Always a pleasure when you visit!
I lived in Washington, D.C. up to the age of 11. Our trick and treating was pretty much confined to a couple of blocks. Fortunately we had small grocery stores at either end of the block and we always came away with a sufficient amount of candy. As an adult living in the suburbs we once had a halloween party. Someone from our jobs invited other guests, who turned out to be part of a biker gang. It was quite a diverse party, but everyone enjoyed themselves and there were no problems. Happy Halloween everyone and please be safe.
Lori, I miss seeing the kids in costume too. And Joseph, we had and went to our share of Halloween parties.
I am attending our church’s Trunk or Treat. That gives use a chance to at least see all the cuties and take our new grandbaby to the event. Of course, she’s too little for candy at five months, but I suspect her mommy can help her out with eating it. ha ha
Marilyn, I loved the story about the man with a gun. It reminded me of my childhood. I went to a home one time at Halloween and was greeted by a woman with a man standing behind her with a shotgun. As I remember I didn’t get a treat. All know I never rode by that house again without becoming nervous. My parents solved the problem by never allowing me to trick-or-treat again. Funny. I’d forgotten that incident until now.