The calendar has struck October, which brings us into cozy, curl-up-with-a-book season and the perfect time to get lost in the worlds inside our minds from now until the warmth returns. Being October, we kick off this reading holiday with a thematic bonus: it’s spooky time, which is really when great literature shines. As Edgar Allen Poe famously wrote, “Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality—“ emphasis on the horror, as far as this round-up is concerned.
A great theme is never really lost on book lovers, so for a taste from spooky to downright horrific, it is to the book people I turn to flesh out my reading plans for this month. Denver is filled with seasonal events, year-round clubs, and masterful recommendations from local horror experts, everything you need to start your scary/cozy season off right, however, you choose to celebrate.
Denver Horror Collective
For some, spooky isn’t a season, but a lifestyle; and there is enough fantastic horror literature that loving it can be a lifelong affair. For the truly dedicated, enter the Denver Horror Collective, who have been “darkening Denver’s doors since 2017.”
The Collective’s The Thing in the Labyrinth book club is a monthly virtual horror book club moderated by local author A.E. Santana. Their October read is the novel Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova, and the discussion will be held on Sunday, October 27 at 7:30 p.m. For more information and registration, sign up for The Thing in the Labyrinth’s newsletter.
The Denver Horror Collective keeps the darkness going year-round, but in honor of the harvest season, kicked off their Harvest of Horror with small press announcements, including the release of Frontiers of Fright: A Southwestern Horror Anthology from Horror Tree which soft launches on Halloween.
Creepatorium Denver
There is more horror to be found at Creepatorium, Denver’s “alternative venue for weirdos, by weirdos.” A host of terrifying (and fun!) events throughout October can be found online, from a flash tattoo day to a goth metal masquerade. For those with a literary bent, the horror book club is not to be missed, not any month, and certainly not before Halloween on October 23. Hosted by hosted by Emerald of HORRID & Presley of Consensual Circus, this month’s read is The Night Stockers by Kristopher Triana and Ryan Harding. RSVP here, and watch the event schedule for details on monthly meetings.
Book Bound’s Haunted Hearts Ball
Another Denver Halloween lit pick is a little less gore, and a little more fantastic Book Bound’s Haunted Hearts Ball will commence on Sunday, October 13 at the Grant Humphrey Mansion. The ticket price is high, but for lovers of fantasy and dark magic, so is the reward. Costuming is a must, and so is getting into character. The night will be filled with choreographed dances, collectible charms, book-related trivia, glitter and tattoo stations, all while a mystery unfolds in the shadowy manor, just waiting to be solved. Book Bound hosts fairy tale-inspired balls all across the country, and the timing for the event is perfect for the Denver Halloween season.
Scary Stories Book Talk with Christian McKay Heidiker
Spooky doesn’t have to be scary, and for young families looking for seasonal literary events, mark the calendar for October 28 at the Second Star to the Right Bookstore. Streaming a reading from Christian McKay Heidicker, the author of Scary Stories for Young Foxes: The City, is not afraid to scare kids. His talk is perfect for ages 6-14. The event is free with popcorn, and books are available for purchase.
Spooky and Groovy at Petals and Pages
Spooky and bookish collide at Petals and Pages costume party on October 31. The bookstore is known for hosting community events, and Halloween is no exception. Buy tickets for a night of flash tattoos, tarot readings, costume contests and drinks, nestled among a curated collection of books from local, queer and feminist authors.
Of course, sometimes the best part of Denver Halloween and spooky reading season is sitting alone in a low-lit room, scaring yourself. For the best Halloween spooks, local horror author Erika T. Wurth shares thoughts on a list of this season’s must-reads in the genre:
- Rachel Harrison’s So Thirsty. I’ll read anything Harrison writes and So Thirsty is no exception. An incredibly fun, smart novel about complicated female friendships – and vampires!
- Jonny Compton’s Devils Kill Devils. Compton’s first book was a killer, and this one, about a guardian angel who turns out to be more of a devil, is outstanding.
- Stephen Graham Jones’s The Angel of Indian Lake. If you’re a fan of the good Dr. Jones, this is the last in the Jade Daniels trilogy, the Indigenous slasher series to die for.
- Silvia Moreno Garcia’s Mexican Gothic. If you know me, you know this book about an Indigenous dilettante in the 50s called to help a cousin in a mysterious castle in Mexico, is one of my favorites.
- Grady Hendrix’s The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. This book tackles racism and sexism while managing to be one of the most fun, propulsive vampire reads out there.
WestSide Books in Arvada is getting into the spirit too, and their booksellers have some ideal recommendations for your spooky reading, some old-school classics and several from Colorado authors. Matt Aragon recommends I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones (CO); Mask of Flies by Matthew Lyons (CO); White Horse by Erika T. Wurth (CO). Emi Burr suggests: Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson; Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin; Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle; and The Z Word by Lindsay King-Miller (CO).