Veronica's Writer's Diary: Trick or Treat, Time to Eat, Drink, and be Scary!
- Veronica Cline Barton
- Oct 28
- 4 min read
“The moon has awoken with the sleep of the sun, the light has been broken; the spell has begun.”
Midgard Morningstar
As October comes to a spooktacular close, we're firing up the cauldron and chilling the boo-ze to celebrate the scariest night of the year, Halloween!
Inspiring my quest to conjure up some spookylicious eats and drinks, I have two books I highly recommend to bewitch even the pickiest pumpkin eater... Shall we begin?
The latest addition to my cookbook collection is FOOD TO DIE FOR by Amy Bruni. It had me at terrifyingly tasty...
'This terrifyingly tasty cookbook will bewitch anyone who:
Has a taste for the paranormal and a hunger to try new foods
Loves history, travel, and culinary curiosities
Enjoys entertaining guests in unique and memorable ways
Would get goosebumps making a recipe written 300 years ago'
I mean, come on--who's not going to try Lizzie Borden's meatloaf?
Fancy a Bloody Mary from one of Ernest Hemingway's early haunts, Harry's New York Bar in Paris?
Food to Die For includes spooktacular chapters highlighting eerie hotels, haunted homes, hellish hospitals, hair-raising historical landmarks, and spooky ghost towns. You'll get both the history and a ghostly perspective for each location, as well as recipes that hail from the haunted halls.
I don't know about you, but I think a haunted road trip to see some of these sites might be in the 2026 travel plans... This is a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ highly recommended read to savor again and again... alone...in the dark... 👻 Bone Appetit! ☠️
I wanted to give a shoutout to another book in my collection, Witch's Brew, Magickal Cocktails to Raise the Spirits by Shawn Engel and Steven Nichols. This cocktail collection takes you into the witchy world of spirited libations!
In addition to recipes for the haunting concoctions, you're also treated to a bit of history for each as well as the recommended frame of mind to be in as you prepare the libation. Quirky? Perhaps, but in this season of spooky, who knows?
A ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ book of witch's brews that will raise your spirits!
Keep it Hexy this Halloween...
Tricks inspired by faerie mischief...
Special shoutout to the OH. Once again, Cherrywood Hall West is sparkling outside and in with Halloween lights! 🎃
Can't forget about the fashion... I had to show this bony sweater I'm hoping to wear for Halloween (it's in the mail...) I found this while perusing Pinterest and fell in love... ☠️
Wishing you and yours a bootiful, spooktacular night of scary fun this Halloween. Have a wonderful time, Boos! It's Wednesday, time for Dear Diary:
It's a Catch Up on the Series eBook Sale!
In preparation for my new cozy mystery tale releasing in January, I've put the last 3 books in the series on sale for 99 cents!
Whodunit?
BLOOD ON THE VINES: HARVEST AT CASTLEWOOD MANOR, a village fete worse than death!
MURDER ON THE RUNWAY: FASHION WEEK AT CASTLEWOOD MANOR, fashion to die for!
BEHIND THE SCENES: THE EXHIBITION OF CASTLEWOOD MANOR, danger lurks in the shadows!
Catch up on the series now!
V's Reads
Autumn bliss and stories for the season of scary this month from the writers of X...
5⭐ Author Russo once again offers a plethora of inspiring ideas to cozy up your autumn lifestyle! Home decor, fashion, food and drink, entertainment--no leaf is left unturned in this wonderful guide to refresh and refuel for special occasions and everyday activities.
Reading the books in the Seasonal Inspirations Series has become one of my favorite guilty pleasures. Take the time to nurture and indulge in the pleasures each season brings. A highly recommended read!
5⭐ 'Tis the season for spooky reads, and what better way to indulge your scary tale cravings than digging up these spine tingling reads from bygone days!
Expect the unexpected in these chilling stories. I truly enjoy the literary finds that have been resurrected in the Bodies from the Library Book collections. There are some real gems here. Sit back, relax, and keep the lights on--an evening of spooktacular reading awaits!
Guess who's been having a bit of marketing fun with GROK?
Okay, okay, I finally bit the GROK bullet for creating videos, and as all self-respecting authors must do, chose a few of my book cover and promo graphics to see what the artificial little gray cells would do... All in all, I think there are many possibilities, you just have to be EXTREMELY clear on your prompts, or you get cra-cra results, LOL.
Here are a few I'm using for this month's eBooks on sale.
Welcome to my world. Wishing you and yours a splendid November filled with autumn bliss!
Crowns and Kisses,
Veronica
P.S. November promises to be a very special month for us. We have a fabulous friend joining us from across the pond in a few weeks for Thanksgiving and California travel fun! Paso Robles and Hearst Castle, here we come!
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