[image:image-20]Did you know that the practice of Halloween in one form or another is in many countries around the world? I didn’t until recently, and I find it amazing and fun that so many do practice it. Here are some of the ways some countries celebrate Halloween.
1. China
In China Halloween is called Teng Chieh, and unlike in the US children do not dress up or go trick or treating. Teng Chieh is to celebrate the family’s loved ones who have passed. The Chinese have photos of their family members who have died and they put food and drinks in front of the photographs. They also light bonfires and lanterns so their loved ones can find their way between the Spirit World and our world. Those who are Buddhist make paper boats and then burn them at night. They believe that by doing this it honors their dead and helps to free spirits who are trapped on the Earth realm.
2. Ireland
Common beliefs have it that Ireland is where the practice of Halloween actually started, and Halloween is still practiced there today. Halloween in Ireland looks much as it does in the United States. Children dress up, go trick or treating and attend Halloween parties. A couple of differences have to do with a card game that is played where cards are turned face up and have prizes such as candy or coins underneath them. When a child turns over the card, they get to keep the prize underneath. Another interesting tradition in Ireland is that they bake and sell a type of fruitcake called barnbrack. It’s interesting because traditionally we think of fruitcakes only at Christmas in the United States!
3. France
France has only recently begun to practice any form of the Halloween tradition, and only because American expats and companies have brought the holiday to France. The first time a Halloween celebration happened
in France was in 1982, at an American owned bar and restaurant. Trick or treating almost never happens in France unless children visit stores, instead people dress up in costumes and go to parties. Not all French people celebrate this holiday. In fact, some have decided to boycott Halloween.
4. Germany
Germany has a really interesting Halloween tradition. Unlike some other countries who practice trick or treating, dress up and have parties, in Germany they put away all their knives so that the returning dead cannot harm the living and the living cannot harm the returning spirits either. I found this interesting because you don’t actually think of spirits as being able to use an item such as a knife to harm someone. Clearly, they don’t find Halloween a fun and happy holiday in Germany!
5. Mexico
In Mexico, people take Halloween very seriously, although it is fun as well! They call Halloween El Dia de los Muertos, or the Days of the Dead. The holiday celebration starts on the night of October 31st and goes on until November 2nd. During the three-day celebration, Mexicans visit the graves of their loved ones. Create altars with photos of their loved ones, as well as, flowers, food, and other decorations such as sugar skulls. Villages in Mexico also have parades. People dress up, usually as skeletons and dance. They have a
good time. Mexicans also like to take a person who is alive, put him or her into a casket and then vendors throw candy, fruit and even flowers into the casket. There are also parties held in homes that offer loaves of bread called Bread of the Dead. Inside the bread are sugar skulls and skeletons. If the skull or skeleton has your name on it, then this is considered very fortuitous, and such items are very prized.
The practice of Halloween, or some form of celebrating those who have passed, is present in almost every corner of the globe. While not every country practices Halloween as Americans and the Irish practice it, most countries have some way of honoring remembering their dead around October 31st.
Yeah, I know I’m not exactly a country, but I do celebrate Halloween in my own way inside my books. To tell you the truth, Halloween fascinates me, the horror and demon side of it that is. That’s why I’ve written several books using Halloween as a backdrop for the wildest sex and the wildest terror. Three among the many come to mind: Bondage Slave For Hire, The Demon Waiter and Bloody Passion. But that’s just the start.
Even if not directly related to Halloween, the other books in my horror thread provide for quite a terror-filled read for the most bloodthirsty readers looking for Erotic Romance with an Edge. Titles like Hunted, Visionquest and Sacrificial Sexought to satisfy the most sophisticated Halloween taste.
And since Halloween is all about strong emotions, I’ve got two great series where you’ll find all the blood and gore you’re looking for: the Rescue Series and the Virtus Saga have plenty of BDSM of the most extreme type. Not just sexy, it’s knife play all the way. Whether in the MM or in the MMF genre, you’ll be sure to find plenty of excitement for this Halloween!
Here’s a collection of excerpts from all the books I mentioned above, so be sure to check them out:

VIRTUS THE SAGA EXCERPTS

RESCUE SERIES EXCERPTS
For a taste of my latest and bloodies excerpts, check out my brand new Excerpt Section!