“So dull and dark are the November days. The lazy mist high up the evening curled, and now the morn quite hides in the smoke and haze; the place we occupy seems all the world.” – John Clare
The days are now getting even shorter (thanks Daylight Savings time!), and there’s a sort of magic in the air. Halloween is over, but Thanksgiving is just around the corner, as is the true kickoff to the holiday season, and Ohioans are waiting for a last gust of wind to really shake the straggling leaves off the trees. We are truly in the throes of autumn. For some, this can mark the beginning of a long and dreary segway into the darkness of winter. Others are still sad that the month of October zipped by, and are not quite ready to join in the hustle and bustle of the December holiday season. But, do not despair! Falling back an hour doesn’t have to mean the end of fun. Rather, it has the potential to make time for being present in the moment of November, and to find other ways to enjoy fall. Perhaps that means staying indoors for the day when the wind is howling, or maybe it means going outside to enjoy the last warm dregs of sunshine, or even enjoy a game of football or two! There are many different ways to embrace the season, and watching fall movies is no exception! Enjoy this autumnal selection that gives you all the fall vibes, from football, to college, and of course all the chunky sweaters. These films can be found through your local library!
Remember the Titans, 2000: Boasting a star-studded cast, this film revolves around the true story of Coach Herman Boone (played by Denzel Washington), who in 1971 attempts to integrate T.C. Williams High School football team. It’s a great film, and even if you’re not a sports fan, you will be swept up in this emotional story.
St. Elmo’s Fire, 1985: Ah, an 80’s film with the Brat Pack. What more do you honestly need to know about the film? Directed by Joel Schumacher, this story follows a group of recent college graduates maneuvering their way into adulthood, with many bumps along the way. It boasts a cast of Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Ally Sheedy, and Demi Moore. It’s perfect to watch if you’re feeling just a little nostalgic about being at your college campus in the fall!
Good Will Hunting, 1997: Before Matt Damon and Ben Affleck became the famous actors you know of today (and poor Ben, memed to high heaven!) these two wrote a little movie called Good Will Hunting, a film about a natural genius who is recently paroled and works as a janitor at MIT. A college professor there (played by Robin Williams), poses an extremely difficult math equation on a board, only for Will to anonymously solve it! An underdog story dealing with socio economic issues, but also Boston in all its seasonal glory, this is a must watch!
Dead Poets Society, 1989: This film also stars Robin Williams, who plays an unorthodox English teacher inspiring his students at a Vermont elite boarding school in 1959. Award-winning, this film will not only pull at your heartstrings but will also make you want to say Carpe Diem!
Rudy, 1993: Another film based on the true story of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, who has dreams and aspirations to play football for the University of Notre Dame, but has to overcome many obstacles along the way. It’s not only inspirational, but it’s perfect for football season, and stars Sean Astin as the titular character. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon viewing!
Mystic Pizza, 1988: A coming-of-age story about three friends who work at a pizza shop in Mystic, Connecticut. Meet Kat and Daisy, sisters played by Annabeth Gish and Julia Roberts, respectively, who work at a pizza parlor with their friend Jojo, played by Lili Taylor. Viewers get to enjoy their journey through love and life, and also get to see Matt Damon in his first movie role ever. Honestly, this is now a classic film to watch if you’re a fan of Julia Roberts, and it’s such a fun movie set against a quaint backdrop.
Election, 1999: Pick Flick! Just in time for the day after Election Day, and based on the novel by Tom Perrotta, this film is a bit of a dark comedy/satire starring Matthew Brodrick as a popular teacher, and Reese Witherspoon as Tracy Flick, an overachieving student who he dislikes, and decides to sabotage as she runs for student body president. It just wouldn’t be the fall season without politics!
Friday Night Lights, 2004: This too, is another football film based on true events, but has been more fictionalized than other films mentioned! This story follows the coaches and football team in the city of Odessa, Texas as they work their way to a championship with the full support of their community behind them. This movie spun a hit tv show as well!
Stepmom, 1998: Directed by Christopher Columbus and starring Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon and Ed Harris, this film will give you all the fall vibes with just attire alone! Meet Jackie and Luke, a divorced couple who are struggling to co-parent, when Jackie finds out she is terminally ill. Luke is dating Isabel, and the two women have to come to terms with Jackie’s illness, and Isabel’s role as the new stepmother. Endearing and autumnal, it’s a perfect watch for the season!
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, 1987: Although this has been mentioned in the past, special consideration needs to be given to this John Hughes comedy that not only celebrates Thanksgiving, but also celebrates its 35th anniversary this November! It stars John Candy and Steve Martin, who are both trying to get Steve Martin’s character home in time for Thanksgiving dinner…and hijinks ensue!
Happy Birthday Peter Jackson, New Zealand film director whose Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy are among the highest-earning film series of all time. Born Oct. 31, 1961, Jackson started his career with a low-budget horror-comedy film, and went on to capture honors including a knighthood from his native country and three Academy Awards.
Jackson started making Super-8 movies when he was a child, and never received any formal training in film production. His first feature-length film, Bad Taste (1987), can be seen with the Hoopla app. When people go missing in a small village, investigators discover that aliens are capturing people for the menu items of an outer-space fast-food chain.
Next he created Meet the Feebles (1989), a black comedy featuring a cast of puppets in which the star of the show, Heidi Hippo, exacts revenge on her two-timing producer and walrus lover, Bletch.
Jackson broke through his reputation as a cult-film director with Heavenly Creatures (1994), featuring the debut of Kate Winslett. When two bright and highly imaginative teenage schoolgirls meet, they form an unwavering bond, creating a fantasy world that only they can share. Disturbed by the intensity of the friendship, their parents threaten to separate them. The girls vow to stay together, devising a secret plan that leads to shocking consequences. Jackson and his writing partner Fran Walsh earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
In The Frighteners (1996), Jackson made a black comedy about con man Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox), who has a unique scam — he works with a group of ghosts who haunt a home until Frank comes along to drive them out, for the right price. But the small town of Fairwater is plagued by a serial killer’s evil spirit, and Frank and his spiritual cronies face the challenge of getting rid of the ghost before the police decide to get rid of Frank.
The second installment, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), continued the saga, following Frodo Baggins, Gandalf, Aragorn, Sam Gamgee and others in their quest to destroy the One Ring. It earned Academy Awards for Best Sound Editing and Best Visual Effects. The trilogy ended with The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), which won eleven Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Peter Jackson.
Jackson directed, produced and co-wrote King Kong (2005), a remake of the 1933 classic, starring Andy Serkis, Naomi Watts, Jack Black, and Adrien Brody. Filled with action and adventure about a legendary gorilla captured on a treacherous island and brought to civilization, where he faces the ultimate fight for survival. It won Academy Awards for Best sound, Best Editing and Best Visual Effects.
The Lovely Bones (2009) is Jackson’s adaptation of the 2002 novel by Alice Sebold. Fourteen-year-old Susie Salmon, played by Saoirse Ronan, is experiencing the pangs of first love when she’s murdered by her neighbor Mr. Harvey, played by Stanley Tucci. As her family begins drifting apart while struggling to make sense of their loss, Susie attempts to find her footing in the hereafter. Meanwhile, down on earth, Mr. Harvey is feeling confident he’ll get away with the crime, and begins watching his next victim — Susie’s younger sister, Lindsey.
Jackson recently created his first documentary, They Shall Not Grow Old (2018). Marking the centenary of the First World War, the voices of veterans are combined with original archival footage to bring to life the reality of war on the front line. Footage has been colorized and transformed with modern production techniques to present never-before-seen detail.
Most recently, Jackson directed The Beatles: Get Back (2021), a three-part documentary series about the band’s recording sessions. The documentary showcases the warmth, camaraderie, and creative genius of the iconic foursome. It’s compiled from unseen footage shot in January 1969 and more than 150 hours of unheard audio. Also featured is The Beatles’ last performance as a group, the rooftop concert on London’s Savile Row, as well as other music from the band’s final two albums, Abbey Road and Let It Be.
This photo is curtsey of the Library of Congress and the Ohio History Connection. We can thank the Irish for many of our Halloween rituals – like the jack-o-lantern! Irish immigrants discovered that pumpkins were far more prevalent in the United States than turnips, potatoes, and beets, and they were easier to carve. Thus, the jack-o-lantern that we know and love came into being.
Werewolves howl, phantoms prowl, Samhain is upon us now! If you’re a fan of colorful and crunchy leaves, cozy sweaters, and hot beverages that warm your hands and spirit, you know there’s something special about this time year. There’s a shift in energy, especially on Halloween night. Halloween as we know it, full of sweets, carved pumpkins, and spooky costumes, has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Pronounced “sow-wen,” Samhain is one of the eight sabbats observed by witches and pagans and, in addition to Yule, is considered the start of the pagan new year. It’s observed from sunset on October 31 to sunset on November 1. Samhain marks the end of the harvest and welcomes the approach of winter and shadow; Samhain means “Summer’s end.” It is a time of rest, introspection, and renewal as the nights get longer and colder. Many ancient Samhain traditions were woven into early Christian holidays, particularly All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day, while other Samhain practices are still used today by witches, pagans, and others who seek a spiritual path guided by nature and the seasons, otherwise referred to as the Wheel of the Year.
Ancient Celts marked Samhain with bonfires and feasting. Cattle were moved from their summer grazing hills to winter pastures, and the last of the harvest was gathered and stored. A communal bonfire was used to light every family’s hearth, and the smoke was thought to purify and cleanse the surrounding energy. Food was left on altars and doorsteps as offerings for ancestral spirits, and candles were lit to guide them on their journey. Ancient Celts believed the dead could visit the living during Samhain since it was a liminal time when the balance between light and dark was changing, and nature was dying to make way for a new growing season in the spring; a literal “thinning of the veil.” Death is still an association made today with the celebrations of Samhain, Halloween, All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day, and Día de Muertos. Candles were eventually placed inside root vegetables, such as turnips and beets, with carved faces; scary faces were meant to ward off evil spirits. As time went on, the Celts and Irish would also wear costumes to ward off evil spirits, or to impersonate ancestors and receive offerings of food while traveling house to house. Today, pagan celebrations of Samhain include ancestral altars, bonfires, eating autumnal foods, decorating with and carving pumpkins, cleaning, nature walks, and making old family recipes. If you want to learn more about Samhain rituals or if you’d like to discover the lore and traditions surrounding the other sabbats in the Wheel of the Year, check out the books below.
Rituals, recipes, lore, and magical correspondences for the time of Samhain, when the harvest has finished and the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest.
A gentle guide to returning to a “simpler and quieter time” of earth-centered spirituality. Ballard, writing from her farm in the Appalachian Highlands, provides insight into seasonal holidays and practices, such as foraging, preserving, candle making, and sewing, that connect us to the natural world.
How do you measure a year? Nock provides the history and meaning behind each seasonal celebration in the Wheel of the Year so you can align yourself more deeply with the natural rhythms of the earth.
Ancient and modern rituals, ceremonies, and practices to connect with the seasons, lunar cycles, and elements to grow your intuition and connect with your body.
Lavishly illustrated and photographed, this guide provides spells and practices to help incorporate the old magic of the seasons into your modern life.
Life has many transitions: A baby is born. A child leaves for college. A marriage. A divorce. A death. We all experience moments of profound chance, but how do we mark such moments? How do we become mindful of events and imbue them with meaning? Day offers ways to make moments special and scared, and how to participate fully and creatively in life’s inevitable changes.
You can make a magical feast to celebrate the solstices and equinoxes, and every day in between with Madara’s guide to traditional recipes, herbs, the zodiac, and more.
Happy Birthday Gabrielle Zevin, whose “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” has captured hearts across the globe on its way to becoming an international bestseller. Born Oct. 24, 1977 in New York City, Zevin has distinguished herself as a novelist and screenwriter who adds a touch of fantasy and whimsy to everything she writes.
Her first book, “Margarettown” (2005), is a playful love story, in the form of a letter from a dying man to his daughter about how he met and fell in love with her mother.
That same year she also published “Elsewhere,” a Young Adult novel about grief, death and loss. Fifteen-year-old Liz Hall ends up in Elsewhere after she has died. It is like Earth, yet completely different. Here Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth. But Liz wants to turn sixteen, not fourteen again. And now that she’s dead, Liz is being forced to live a life she doesn’t want with a grandmother she has only just met.
Zevin wrote the script for Conversations with Other Women (2007), a romantic comedy-drama starring Helena Bonham-Carter and Aaron Eckhart. An unnamed man and woman are enjoying drinks and cigarettes in a hotel room after attending a wedding reception. At first, the two seem to be playing a flirtatious game, and she seems at once attracted and put off by his bravado. Their pas de deux is shot in split screen, with his image appearing in one half of the divided frame and hers appearing in the other.
Her next Young Adult novel is “Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac” (2007), about love and second chances. After a nasty fall, Naomi realizes she has no memory of the last four years and finds herself reassessing every aspect of her life. Zevin also wrote the screenplay for the movie adaptation, which was made in Japan and released in 2010.
Her next book for adults is “The Hole We’re In” (2010), about a family fighting to survive. The Pomeroys are a church-going family in a Texas college town. Roger, the patriarch, has impulsively gone back to school, only to find his ambitions at odds with the temptations of the present. His wife, Georgia, tries to keep things afloat at home, but she’s been feeding the bill drawer with unopened envelopes for months and never manages to confront its swelling contents. To climb out of the holes they’ve dug, Roger and Georgia make a series of choices that have catastrophic consequences for their three children–especially for Patsy, the youngest, who will spend most of her life fighting to overcome them.
Zevin created a Young Adult series of novels called Birthright over the next few years. It starts with “All These Things I’ve Done” (2011), set in 2083, when chocolate and caffeine are contraband, teenage cellphone use is illegal, and water and paper are carefully rationed. Sixteen-year-old Anya Balanchine finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight as heir apparent to an important New York City crime family. “Because it is My Blood” (2012) follows Anya after her release from Liberty Children’s Facility. She is determined to follow the straight and narrow, but her criminal record is making it hard to do that. No high school wants her with a gun possession charge on her rap sheet. Plus, all the people in her life have moved on. But when old friends return demanding that certain debts be paid, Anya is thrown right back into the criminal world she had been determined to escape. “In the Age of Love and Chocolate” (2013) draws out friends, foes, and ghosts from the past as Anya finds new prominence. Surviving in a crime-ridden New York City in the 2080s is looking harder and harder for Anya in the romantic and unexpectedly redemptive finale to the saga of Anya Balanchine.
“The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” (2014) put Zevin on the literary map, bringing her popular and critical acclaim. The novel is “a love letter to the world of books–an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.” A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner of Island Books, has endured tough years: his wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and his prized possession–a rare edition of Poe poems–has been stolen. Over time, he has given up on people, and even the books in his store, instead of offering solace, are yet another reminder of a world that is changing too rapidly. Until a most unexpected occurrence gives him the chance to make his life over and see things anew. It became a favorite of book clubs everywhere, and was made into a feature film starring Kunal Nayyar, Lucy Hale and Christina Hendricks, coming soon to a theater near you.
“Young Jane Young” (2017) is based on the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Aviva Grossman, an ambitious congressional intern in Florida, makes the mistake of having an affair with her married boss. When the affair comes to light, the popular congressman doesn’t take the fall. But Aviva does, and her life is over before it hardly begins. She becomes a late-night talk show punch line, anathema to politics. She sees no way out but to change her name and move to a remote town in Maine. She tries to be smarter about her life and strives to raise her daughter, Ruby, to be strong and confident. But when, at the urging of others, Aviva decides to run for public office, that long-ago mistake trails her via the Internet and catches up–an inescapable scarlet A.
Earlier this year Zevin published “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.” It’s “a modern love story about childhood friends Sam, raised by an actress mother in LA’s Koreatown, and Sadie, from the wealthy Jewish enclave of Beverly Hills, who reunite as adults to create video games.” Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won’t protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts.
“All witches, all skeletons, all Jack-O-Lanterns, gather ’round and watch. Watch the magic pumpkin. Watch…” – Halloween III, Season of the Witch
We are now in the home stretch of October, and inching ever so near to Halloween. The nights are chilly, and quite frankly, the days are dark and stormy too, which means it’s the perfect setting to curl up under a blanket with a big bowl of popcorn or some trick-or-treat candy and watch some movies to celebrate the season. Of course, there are many different movies that people watch to get into the spirit of Spooktober (many slasher films come to mind), but there’s something quite special in watching movies during the month of October, that are set on Halloween. You know, if you watch a title like My Bloody Valentine, or Leprechaun during the month of October, they may be creepy, and maybe they follow the slasher formula, but they’re just not fall movies. In fact, they don’t really seem to conjure up the same evocative autumnal feeling as, say, watching Halloween does. Generally speaking, films that use Halloween as a part of their plotline just have a certain kind of spooky magic, tapping into the very core of what All Hallow’s Eve, or Samhain are about. It’s the time of year when the Celtic people felt the veil between our world and other worlds is the thinnest, and when things truly go bump into the night. We have Halloween traditions to keep those things away, and really, is there a better way to evoke any of these feelings than to watch a film that also captures the holiday spirit? I think not! So, if you’re looking for some movies that are set on October 31st that aren’t just about Michael Myers, then look no further! All of these films can be either seen through Hoopla, or checked out through your local library. Happy Halloween, and happy film viewing!
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Idle Hands (1999): Described as a black comedy horror film, the basis of the movie comes from the phrase, “idle hands are the Devil’s playthings.” Meet lazy teen Anton, who before Halloween, has his hand possessed (him unknowing) and it goes on a killing spree. It’s such a silly premise, but is a pretty good blend of creepy and funny, and has Devon Sawa in it! I’m not saying it’s an absolute must watch, but it does have all the elements of a solid B horror film, and Halloween night is integral to its plot!
Once Bitten (1985): This film contains Jim Carrey in his first major lead role, playing high schooler Mark Kendall, who is being seduced by a vampire countess (Lauren Hutton) by Halloween in order for her to keep her immortality and beauty. Although this bombed at the box office, this teen comedy has since had a cult following. If funny vampire movies are more your speed (like Buffy the Vampire Slayer but more spooky), then check this out!
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982): So, before we have any preconceived notions about this film (after all, it is a part of the infamous franchise), hear me out. When John Carpenter and Debra Hill penned The Babysitter Murders (the original title of Halloween), they intended to make different films set on Halloween with the only connection between them being that they’re all set on October 31st. They did not expect Halloween to become, you know, iconic. Which takes us to Halloween III. Check Michael Myers at the door, and watch this movie for what it is – a story about Halloween masks with a nefarious purpose. Meet Dr. Dan Challis, played by Tom Atkins, who after getting someone who mysteriously died with a Halloween mask in hand at the hospital he works at, goes with the dead man’s daughter to investigate the Silver Shamrock Company who makes the masks. It’s a bit sci-fi, a bit of horror, and a bit mystical, and afterwards you’ll definitely be thinking about the Silver Shamrock jingle. Give it a chance!
Trick or Treat (1986): Rock and roll and horror movies have a relationship similar to peanut butter and chocolate. They are somehow just better together! Take this film for example – High schooler Eddie loves heavy metal musician, Sammi Curr. However, when his rock hero dies, Eddie suddenly becomes haunted by him! Campy but fun, and includes cameos by Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne, and culminates at the Halloween dance – what’s not to enjoy?
Monster House (2006): Pivoting to some more family friendly affairs, this film is not only animated, but also was up for an Academy Award! It deals with a neighborhood that is being terrorized by a sentient haunted house on Halloween. It is up to three neighborhood kids, DJ, Horace, and Jenny to solve why the house is haunted, and to put it to rest. This is a fairly original plot for a Halloween film, and is literally fun for everyone. A great alternative if you are tired of seeing the same five spooky films on tv!
Casper (1995): Although this film also has Devon Sawa in it as a cameo (which is a happy accident), it too is set around Halloween, culminating in a high school dance. Meet Kat, and her dad, Dr. James Harvey, who is a paranormal therapist, and together they move into Whipstaff Manor to talk to the ghosts that haunt it, and help them resolve their unfinished business. Meet the ghosts: Casper, a lonely twelve-year-old, and his three uncles, Stretch, Stinkie, and Fatso. Honestly, this is a pretty iconic 90’s film, so if you haven’t seen it in a while, it is worth the rewatch!
Ernest Scared Stupid (1991): Another family film, do any adults remember when Jim Varney was in all the Ernest movies? This one is on the older side, but also stars Eartha Kitt, and has some great special effects in it, so it’s worthwhile to rewatch! Meet Ernest, who lives in a small town, and unwittingly unleashes a troll who steals children on Halloween night. It is up to Ernest to break the troll curse with the help of his friends, and fight back to save the town. The trolls were designed by the Chiodo brothers, who also designed the Killer Klowns from Outer Space, meaning they are especially spooky. The opening credits of the film are also *chef’s kiss* spooktacular!
Hocus Pocus (1993): Initially when thinking of films set on October 31st, Hocus Pocus was the first to come to mind! And in 1993, who would have thought it would be as popular and iconic as it is today? Set in Salem, Massachusetts, meet the Sanderson sisters, three witches who were hanged 300 years ago, and unwittingly are released back to Earth by new student Max by lighting the Black Flame candle. The sisters must brew a potion and literally suck the life out of a child on Halloween, or else turn into dust. Of course, havoc ensues. If you haven’t seen this movie, I’m honestly shocked, as it’s now a Disney darling, and played ad nauseum on tv during October!
All Hallows Eve (2013): A horror anthology film that gave birth to Art the Clown, the star of future films Terrifier and Terrifier 2, this movie surrounds a babysitter and two children who find an unmarked VHS tape on Halloween night and watch it. On it are all shorts that contain the clown in it. If you are into spooky clowns and anthologies, this is for you. Witness the birth of Art, especially if you are gunning to see Terrifier 2, which is currently in theaters and is said to be particularly gruesome and scary!
Trick r’ Treat (2007): This is one of my favorite horror films of all time, and a personal rewatch every Halloween. Another horror anthology, this movie is set on Halloween in a small town in Ohio. There are four interconnected stories within the same town, and Sam, who essentially represents the “spirit” of Halloween, makes an appearance in each one. A trick-or-treater in orange footie pajamas and a burlap sack on his head, he appears when characters seem to break the traditions of Halloween. This anthology contains werewolves, zombies, serial killers, vampires, and many, many jack-o-lanterns. If you are looking for a horror movie that truly evokes the spookier side of the holiday, this is a must watch!
If you’re embracing the crisp nights with steaming cups of tea, fleecy blankets, and a cat or two snuggling on your lap, you might want to consider adding a cozy cat mystery to your autumnal routine. Cozy mysteries feature all things that are, well, cozy. Think bakeries and ice cream shops, bookstores with overstuffed chairs and quirky owners ready to give the perfect recommendation, small towns with charming inns, knitting, and lots of tea. Violence and gore are kept off the page, and detectives are typically amateurs that find themselves unwittingly drawn into the action. Many credit the beginning of the cozy mystery genre to Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple series, which follows a sharp elderly woman as she solves murder cases in her small English village. In the cozy mystery genre, there’s a whole breed dedicated to fabulous felines. Pioneered by Lilian Jackson Braun’s Cat Who series of the 1960s and Rita Mae Brown’s Mrs. Murphy series of the 1990s, cozy cat mysteries feature feline sleuths or companions ready to paw through the evidence of a meow-der. Who can resist a cat willing to dip their claws into danger? The fictional felines below may not reveal why they love to knock things over or why they must lay on keyboards or play with yarn, but they deserve to be on your fall reading list.
When a famous but detested author returns to his hometown and is murdered, it’s up to librarian Charlie Harris and his cat Diesel to find the killer before the wrong person is arrested for the crime.
Arriving at the house of Ada Spruance, the town’s elderly Cat Lady, to help find her missing lottery ticket, Sunny Coolidge, along with stray tomcat Shadow, is unwittingly plunged into a six-million-dollar murder mystery.
When cat groomer Cassie McGlone finds her best customer, the wealthy George DeLeuw, dead on his study floor, she finds herself in the middle of a fierce squabble over custody of his feline. Another problem? Unmasking DeLeuw’s killer proves to be a game of cat and mouse.
When her new feline friend finds the dead body of the town bully, cat café owner Maddie James finds all eyes on her and must sniff out the real culprit, while two eligible bachelors, who think she is the cat’s pajamas, vie for her attention.
The enthusiastic new owner of the 300-year-old Oyster Cove Guesthouse, Josie Walkers, refuses to let anyone stand in the way of her success until the murder of a stuffy food critic in her establishment threatens to destroy everything.
The Lorain Public Library System (LPLS) offers a vast amount of free digital resources free to library cardholders. Simply visit www.lorainpubliclibrary.org/elibrary to view the list of available items in the LPLS eLibrary collection. This month we will highlight one resource perfect for children of all ages called Access Video on Demand: Just for Kids.
What is Access Video on Demand: Just for Kids?
Access Video on Demand: Just for Kids contains thousands of streaming documentaries and educational videos on a variety of topics such as alphabet, music, healthy habits, nature, and more. This resource also provides access to TV shows featuring many favorite characters such as Wild Kratts, The Berenstain Bears, Sesame Street, and Arthur. Upon logging into Access Video on Demand: Just for Kids, you will have the ability to create an account where you can customize playlists, save favorites, and enjoy other features.
How can I use Access Video on Demand: Just for Kids?
This website can be accessed for free through any internet browser on any device. Simply visit the Lorain Public Library System’s website and login with your LPLS library card. If you do not have a library card, you can either sign up in person by visiting one of our six LPLS branch locations or by clicking here to create an eCard.
To learn more about Access Video on Demand: Just for Kids or any of the other eLibrary resources available through the Lorain Public Library System, please visit www.lorainpubliclibrary.org/elibrary or contact your local library branch via phone call, Ask a Librarian email, or Chat with a Librarian. Thank you!
There is nothing quite like walking into your home on a brisk autumn day with the scents of something delicious simmering in the kitchen making you instantly hungry! Every family has those ultimate comfort food recipes that have been passed down for generations possibly written in the delicate hand of your grandmother. For those of us that are ready to prepare our favorites, try something new, or find a healthier version of a classic, I put together a list of delectable culinary books to warm up your taste buds with the flavors of the season. Bon appétit!
Build-a-Bowl is a fun and healthy way to put good food on the table! Popular food blogger and teacher Nicki Sizemore’s fuss-free method starts with a grain base, whether it’s a popular favorite such as brown rice or an ancient grain like farro. Add a layer of fresh vegetables and herbs, follow that with a lean protein, and then finish it off with a flavorful sauce for a delectable super-powered meal.
In Carla Hall’s Soul Food, the beloved chef and television celebrity takes us back to her own Nashville roots to offer a fresh, lip-smackin’ look at America’s favorite comfort cuisine and traces soul food’s history from Africa and the Caribbean to the American South. Carla shows us that soul food is more than barbecue and mac and cheese. Traditionally a plant-based cuisine, everyday soul food is full of veggie goodness that’s just as delicious as cornbread and fried chicken.
Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock are shaking things up. The sassy duo – also known as the Casserole Queens – creates one-dish wonders that solve dinnertime conundrums everywhere. Now these ladies are breaking out of the 9 x 13-inch mold with fresh sides and salads that will round out weeknight meals. In The Casserole Queens Make-a-Meal Cookbook, you will find 100 recipes that you can mix and match as you please, with plenty of make-ahead tips so that you can always be prepared.
Comfort Food Makeovers isn’t simply a collection of these tested and perfected recipes; it’s an arsenal of fat and calorie-cutting strategies you can put to use. Use them to transform your own recipes into better tasting food that’s better for you. We include a list of our key go-to ingredients that helped lighten or add flavor to the recipes in the book, as well as the essential equipment we found ourselves using again and again as we developed the recipes over time. Dramatic before and after counts for calories, grams of fat, and grams of saturated fat appear with each recipe, and full nutritional information for the recipes is provided at the back of the book.
On those hectic weeknights when you’re pressed for time, what could be better than spending less time in the kitchen but still having a hot, comforting meal on the table each night? Cooking Light 3-Step Express: Comfort Food shows you how to prepare hearty favorites in three simple steps with less than 30 minutes of hands-on prep time. The 125 main dishes rely on efficient techniques and fresh grocery store convenience items like rotisserie chicken, pre-chopped vegetables, bagged greens, pizza doughs, and fresh pastas to create the unrivaled flavors and textures of your favorite comfort food meals-like creamy mac and cheese, hearty chili, and pot roast.
Embrace the fresher side of Instant Pot cooking with satisfying meals and exciting flavors to invigorate weeknight dinner. These wholesome recipes are easy – over half ready in an hour or less – yet are anything but predictable, with options that bring a variety of flavors to the table. Cook a wide range of cuisines and ingredients with meals that will leave you feeling nourished and energized.
In Addie’s home, the delightful sound of a simmering pot on the stovetop signals that a hearty soup or stew is on its way. When it comes to creating a cozy atmosphere and showing off your cooking chops, there’s nothing like an easy homemade soup recipe to bring family together. This cookbook has classics like Old-Fashioned Potato Soup and Beef Stew, as well as new culinary hits like Chicken Parmesan Soup and Pulled Pork Chili.
Tuna noodle, broccoli cheese, shepherd’s pie? Sure, these stalwarts have a rich history and can be fashioned with panache. But, let’s admit it, they’re a little boring. To all who turn up their nose at casserole, please kiss my . . . casserole! Why not look around the world and find inspiration? Ever try a Chinese shaguo? How about an Ethiopian wat? I’ll bet you never even thought of cooking up an Icelandic Ofnsteiktur fiskur með lauk og osti! Now’s your chance! Kiss My Casserole! to the rescue. This book updates, overhauls, and flies the humble casserole around the globe with delicious, simple, and innovative results. Accessible ingredients, familiar techniques, and a touch of the exotic will make you a star at the next office luncheon. Your colleagues will clamor for more!
Macaroni and cheese is one of America’s favorite comfort foods, beloved by kids and adults alike. But there’s no need to rely on prefab mixes – all you need is a handful of kitchen staples, some tasty cheese, and a little insider advice courtesy of Homeroom restaurant. This perennially popular Oakland, California, eatery – with its entire menu devoted to mac and cheese – now shares its secrets for the best-ever mac recipes that will help you think outside the box!
Leave it to the experts at Martha Stewart to figure out the best ways to use this favorite appliance. The 110 recipes in this book make the most of the slow cooker’s assets (low heat, hands-off cooking), while also uncovering its hidden potential. Readers will find that they can not only braise cuts of meat until meltingly tender and let soups and stews simmer away untended, but also gently poach fish, cook up creamy scalloped potatoes, and bake a perfect cheesecake. This book has everything home cooks need to maximize flavor and make life a whole lot easier.
Frank Bruni and Jennifer Steinhauer share a passion for meatloaf and have been exchanging recipes via phone, email, text and instant message for decades. A Meatloaf in Every Oven is their homage to a distinct tradition, with 50 killer recipes, from the best classic takes to riffs by world-famous chefs like Bobby Flay and Mario Batali; from Italian polpettone to Middle Eastern kibbe to curried bobotie; from the authors’ own favorites to those of prominent politicians. Bruni and Steinhauer address all the controversies (Ketchup, or no? Sauté the veggies?) surrounding a dish that has legions of enthusiastic disciples and help you to troubleshoot so you never have to suffer a dry loaf again. This love letter to meatloaf incorporates history, personal anecdotes and even meatloaf sandwiches, all the while making you feel like you’re cooking with two trusted and knowledgeable friends.
This delectable Mediterranean cookbook gives you over 100 simple and filling meals packed with the fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, whole grains and heart-healthy fats traditional to Greece, Italy, and Spain. By making Mediterranean cookbook recipes in your slow cooker, you will not only save time in the kitchen, but you will also create savory and wholesome meals fit for the whole family. This handy Mediterranean cookbook will show you how to easily create healthy slow cooker meals, even on a busy weeknight.
The rich and complex flavors of classic Indian dishes like Lamb Biryani, Palak Paneer, and chicken in a creamy tomato-butter sauce can take hours to develop through such techniques as extended braising and low simmering. In The New Indian Slow Cooker, veteran cooking teacher and chef Neela Paniz revolutionizes the long, slow approach to making Indian cuisine by rethinking its traditional recipes for the slow cooker. She showcases the best regional curries, dals made with lentils and beans, vegetable and rice sides, as well as key accompaniments like chutneys, flatbreads, raita, and fresh Indian cheese. Using this fix-it-and-forget-it approach, you can produce complete and authentic Indian meals that taste like they came from Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bangalore, or your favorite Indian restaurant.
Comfort Food, from award-winning cookbook author Ken Haedrich and the editors of the Almanac, is a collection of more than 200 recipes that you will love to make, love to serve, and love to keep. Here you’ll find everything from familiar favorites kicked up a notch to classic dishes that heat up the kitchen, warm the heart, and spark old memories while inspiring new ones, including Chicken Parmesan Potpie, Super-Creamy Mac and Cheese, Best Ever Coconut Cream Pie, and more! For a taste of home that satisfies the appetite and delights the senses, thumb the pages of The Old Farmer’s Almanac Comfort Food. Its saucy, cheesy, chewy, gooey, sweet, simple, “lick-the-bowl”-delicious dishes will be treasured by anyone who likes to cook – and everyone who likes to eat.
When eating out, Beatrice Ojakangas’s mother told her, you could never go wrong ordering soup. And then, of course, there should be bread to go with it. Beatrice has been sampling soup ever since, and in The Soup and Bread Cookbook the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Famer takes us along on her “soup travels,” giving us delicious tastes from throughout the world and teaching us how to make them at home. International yet rooted in the rhythm of the Minnesota seasons – ranging from the cool, refreshing soups of summer to hearty winter fare – these soups, stews, and chowders take their inspiration from farmers’ markets and local organic grocery stores: real ingredients, always, and irresistible flavors.
Since the 2016 opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, its Sweet Home Café has become a destination in its own right. Showcasing African American contributions to American cuisine, the café offers favorite dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, adding modern flavors and contemporary twists on classics. Now both readers and home cooks can partake of the café’s bounty: drawing upon traditions of family and fellowship strengthened by shared meals, Sweet Home Café Cookbook celebrates African American cooking through recipes served by the café itself and dishes inspired by foods from African American culture.
Get ready to fall in love all over again with your Dutch oven. Through 60 mouthwatering recipes, Emily and Matt Clifton, authors of Cork and Knife, show you just how practical and exciting this essential kitchen appliance can be. Be it sweet or savory, long-simmered or last-minute, there is little you can’t do in your Dutch oven – your dinners will never feel dull or complicated again.
There is an endearing quality and nostalgia about the thoughts that are conjured up when one contemplates eating a nice, warm bowl of chili during the summer or winter. Chili recipes are often well-guarded secrets, passed down from one cook’s recipe file to another’s for decades, from generation to generation. Some chili cooks go strictly by the book and measure each ingredient, while other cooks add in a dash of this and a dash of that, going by taste and a general feel. Either way, chili recipes always end up delicious. In The Ultimate Guide to Making Chili, Kate Rowinski shares her knowledge of this great dish and some of her favorite chili varieties. In a brief introduction to chili, Kate explores the origins of chili and different types of chilies, as well the fundamentals of creating a good ‘bowl of red’. The focus of the Ultimate Guide, however, is chili recipes. From the tradition-rich Texas-style chili to vegan chili and chili tortilla soup, the wide variety of dishes offers something for everyone. Rowinski shares chili recipes featuring pork, turkey, chicken, beef, and wild game, as well as a number of seafood and vegetarian varieties, along with some of the best side dishes a bowl of chili could wish for. With over seventy-five different recipes, this cookbook will have a dish for anyone who loves chili.
If you want to prepare hot, nutritious, home-cooked meals for your family and friends, but feel like time is never on your side, think again! The Vegan Slow Cooker shows you how to create fresh, nourishing cuisine in just two simple steps, using all the healthiest produce, whole grains, and vegan-friendly ingredients found at your local market or farm stand (or home garden!). Author and slow cooker expert Kathy Hester, founder of the blog Healthy Slow Cooking (www.healthyslowcooking.com), will show you how simple it is to 1.) Prep your ingredients the night before, in just a few minutes’ time, and 2.) Assemble everything in the slow cooker in the morning, right before you head to work. The results vary from one-dish meals that are hot and ready as soon as you walk in the door to dishes that are ready in less than 3 hours. There are even recipes for staples like bouillon, apple sage sausage and seitans that you can make once and store in the freezer to use all month long.
It is finally the most spooktacular time of year! The full throes of autumnal weather are upon us, there’s a crisp chill in the air, the leaves are a menagerie of color, and all the ghouls are in full swing to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve! It is time to curl up with your favorite warm beverage and treat (apple cider and donuts are a personal favorite) and read a creepy book or two. However, although that sounds like a perfect fall weekend, the reality is many of us are too busy to enjoy the luxury of reading. Yet, there are alternatives to enjoy some spooktacular reads through audiobooks! If you have a commute, or want something to put on in the background while you cook dinner or carve a pumpkin or two, audiobooks are the perfect medium to add some ambiance and also enjoy the luxury of a creepy story! And truly, like watching a horror film, as a listener you can’t really skip ahead to find out if the main character is going to get out of the haunted house or survive the night, you truly are along for the ride – unlike in a book, where you can turn a few pages to sigh in relief or grit your teeth for worst things to come! If you are interested in listening to something additional, beyond “Thriller,” or “Monster Mash,” then check out these titles! Most of these are available for checkout via Libby or Hoopla, or through your local library.
The Exorcist, William Peter Blatty: A classic. This is one of my favorite horror novels, and truly is one of the spookiest books, a story about the spiritual battle of good and evil. Most people have seen the film, but I would recommend the novel! Meet Reagan, a sweet young girl who starts behaving oddly, with no answers from any doctor or test. Becoming desperate, her mother turns to Jesuit priests, asking for an exorcism. Meet Father Karras, who has some personal demons of his own, who is to perform the exorcism. Will Reagan be saved?
Coraline, Neil Gaiman: Read by the author himself, this spooky tale may be a children’s story, but that doesn’t make it any less creepy! Meet Coraline, a young girl who has moved to a new house, and discovers a secret door that leads to another world. Another world, that seems great, with another mother and father who love her very much, but would like her to stay there with them, forever.
There’s Someone Inside Your House, Stephanie Perkins: By title alone, the idea of this story is terrifying. And though it was recently made into a film, I would definitely recommend the book as it is downright spooky! The opening chapter alone is a nail-biter in narration, and the terror keeps ramping up throughout the story. Meet Makani, a young woman who moved to her grandmother’s house in rural Nebraska over a year ago. Cue to now, where this small rural town starts to have a body count. Makani’s classmates keep dying one-by-one, but who is the killer?
The Twisted Ones, T. Kingfisher: Folk horror is the best way to describe the overall tone of this story, which by and by has a very creepy premise. Meet Mouse, a young woman who’s grandma has recently passed, and she is tasked with cleaning out her grandmother’s home in the middle of rural North Carolina. While up to the monstrous task, Mouse and her dog start to find some strange things happening, and then once her step-grandfather’s journal is discovered, she discovers there’s something out in the woods surrounding the home, confirming what she fears most.
In the House in the Dark of the Woods, Laird Hunt: Lyrical and haunting, if you are looking for a story dealing with witchcraft in colonial America (ala The VVitch), then this novel is right up your alley! Meet a law-abiding Puritan woman, who goes missing in the woods. She’s lost and alone, and then suddenly meets another woman in the forest, and that is when everything changes. The atmosphere is thrilling, and is just as much of a psychological horror novel as it is historical and supernatural, and is beautifully told through the narration and lyrical prose.
The Troop, Nick Cutter: This horror novel has been making the rounds on many popular blog posts and lists of creepy novels this spooky season, and for good reason. This is what Stephen King describes as “old-school horror,” a story that surrounds a boy scout troop, who under their scoutmaster, take the annual camping trip in the Canadian wilderness. However, on this trip they meet a stranger, one who is pale, thin, and voraciously hungry, and the troop must survive something scarier than any ghost story. Full of precarious terror, this is book is a gruesome listen.
Gory Details, Erika Engelhaupt: Although this is not a fictional book, it is a creeptacular audiobook! If you are looking to expand your knowledge about the morbid facts of the strange and unusual things that occur within our bodies, the world, and even the universe, then this is a perfect listen for you! The popular author from National Geographic’s Gory Details blog has crafted a book that investigates the gross but alluring facets of biology, anatomy, nature and more. Perfect as a palette cleanser for your ears, and now you have some new tidbits to start conversations with!
Wonderland, Zoje Stage: From the author of Baby Teeth, this novel surrounds the Bennets, a couple who move to an isolated farmhouse with their two children. No one is prepared for what is out in the woods that surrounds them, and Orla, both wife and mother, realizes she may be the only one who can save her family. This is a wonderful story, and perfect for October, with such a satisfying ending!
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury: Another classic, and literally set during the month of October leading up to All Hallows’ Eve, this is another must listen for any horror fan. Although set for a younger audience, it is a great coming-of-age story, surrounding two young men, Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade, neighbors and best friends, who live in a Midwestern town where a menacing carnival rolls into town, rushing in the holiday early. The carnival intends to wreak havoc, but the two boys are there to discover its secrets, beyond the illusions. By the pricking of thy thumbs, something wicked this way comes indeed…
The Final Girls Support Group, Grady Hendrix: One of my personal favorite horror authors, Hendrix writes an ode to slasher films. If you are a fan of Halloween, Sidney Prescott, or even Silent Night, Deadly Night then this is the story for you! What happens in a horror movie, after the last girl is standing defeating the slasher? Meet Lynnette, survivor of a massacre, who lives in constant fear. She continually meets five other survivors like her with a therapist in regular meetings, trying to put the pieces of their lives back together. However, when one survivor misses a meeting, Lynette realizes her worst fears are coming true, and she’s determined to survive once again.
Huddle under the covers and read one of these spooky new horror tales as the weather gets colder.
How about starting out with some short stories? Lost in the wilderness, or alone in the dark, isolation remains one of our deepest held fears. This horror anthology from Shirley Jackson and British Fantasy Award finalist Dan Coxon calls on leading horror writers to confront the dark moments, the challenges that we must face alone: survivors in a world gone silent; the outcast shunned by society; the quiet voice trapped in the crowd; the lonely and forgotten, screaming into the abyss includes works by horror masters Paul Tremblay, M. R. Carey and more.
Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca in this debut supernatural suspense novel, set in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, about a remote house, a sinister haunting, and the woman pulled into their clutches…During the overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz’s father was executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife’s sudden demise, choosing instead to seize the security that his estate in the countryside provides. She will have her own home again, no matter the cost. But Hacienda San Isidro is not the sanctuary she imagined.When Rodolfo returns to work in the capital, visions and voices invade Beatriz’s sleep. The weight of invisible eyes follows her every move. Rodolfo’s sister, Juana, scoffs at Beatriz’s fears—but why does she refuse to enter the house at night? Why does the cook burn copal incense at the edge of the kitchen and mark the doorway with strange symbols? What really happened to the first Doña Solórzano?Beatriz only knows two things for certain: Something is wrong with the hacienda. And no one there will save her. .Desperate for help, she clings to the young priest, Padre Andrés, as an ally. No ordinary priest, Andrés will have to rely on his skills as a witch to fight off the malevolent presence haunting the hacienda and protect the woman for whom he feels a powerful, forbidden attraction. But even he might not be enough to battle the darkness. Far from a refuge, San Isidro may be Beatriz’s doom.
I couldn’t put this one down! Sharp as a snakebite, Sundial is a gripping novel about the secrets we bury from the ones we love most, from Catriona Ward, the author of The Last House on Needless Street.You can’t escape what’s in your blood…Rob has spent her life running from Sundial, the family’s ranch deep in the Mojave Desert, and her childhood memories.But she’s worried about her daughter, Callie, who collects animal bones and whispers to imaginary friends. It reminds her of a darkness that runs in her family, and Rob knows it’s time to return.Callie is terrified of her mother. Rob digs holes in the backyard late at night, and tells disturbing stories about growing up on the ranch. Soon Callie begins to fear that only one of them will leave Sundial alive.
Warning – not for the faint of heart!!! This novel packs a punch! Beth and Fran spend their days traveling the ravaged New England coast, hunting feral men and harvesting their organs in a gruesome effort to ensure they’ll never face the same fate. Robbie lives by his gun and one hard-learned motto: other people aren’t safe. After a brutal accident entwines the three of them, this found family of survivors must navigate murderous TERFs, a sociopathic billionaire bunker brat, and awkward relationship dynamics–all while outrunning packs of feral men, and their own demons.Manhunt is a timely, powerful response to every gender-based apocalypse story that failed to consider the existence of transgender and non-binary people, from a powerful new voice in horror.
Jade Daniels is an angry, half-Indian outcast with an abusive father, an absent mother, and an entire town that wants nothing to do with her. She lives in her own world, a world in which protection comes from an unusual source: horror movies… especially the ones where a masked killer seeks revenge on a world that wronged them. And Jade narrates the quirky history of Proofrock as if it is one of those movies. But when blood actually starts to spill into the waters of Indian Lake, she pulls us into her dizzying, encyclopedic mind of blood and masked murderers, and predicts exactly how the plot will unfold.
Yet, even as Jade drags us into her dark fever dream, a surprising and intimate portrait emerges…a portrait of the scared and traumatized little girl beneath the Jason Voorhees mask: angry, yes, but also a girl who easily cries, fiercely loves, and desperately wants a home. A girl whose feelings are too big for her body. My Heart Is a Chainsaw is her story, her homage to horror and revenge and triumph.
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