Writing prompt #2: scaring up some inspiration

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Happy Halloween! It’s here! It’s finally here! The house has been decked out and I’ve been carrying my lunch to work in a trick-or-treat sack since mid-September.

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In the spirit of the festivities, take your favorite Halloween decoration and build a whole spooky story around it. A candleholder that casts creepy shadows dancing across the wall, resin skulls, a bag of bones… Anything can become fodder for something horrifying. A couple Halloweens ago, I created a frightening story that was inspired by the toothy grin of a plastic jack-o-lantern bucket.

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If you need a little more inspiration, here are some of my terrifying favorites:

• A bloody plastic axe propped in the corner of the living room.
Confession, it’s been year-round décor for the last couple years.

• Ceramic Ouija-board cheese plate, perfect for serving snack and spirits.
It too never seems to get packed away after October 31.

• Tiny cackling ghoul with light-up eyes and a wild pouf of jet-black troll hair, a writing desk must!

• Disco-ball skull, always the life (or death) of the party.

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Happy writing! Have a wonderful and safe holiday!