October Is Horror Month On Juano's Addiction - And Beyond

What’s your secret fear? No, Wall Street doesn’t count – and that’s not exactly secret, lately. I mean, what really creeps you out? Think back to when you were a kid, snuggling up under the winter blankets trying to nod off to sleep – what was it that kept you from that peaceful slumber every night? Was it the thought of the faceless monster under your bed – or something more specific?

Werewolves. That was mine. I accidentally saw a scene from some stupid werewolf movie when I was a kid, with cheesy effects showing a guy turning into a hairy beast. I might’ve peed a little. A child’s imagination, you see, can easily cover up for lousy latex and makeup. From then on, I worried about The Curse – I mean, what if I got chomped on by one of these furry creatures and was turned? In my prayers every night, right after asking God to keep my parents safe and healthy, I would ask (very politely) to not be eaten by/turned into a werewolf. Irrational? Sure. But how many 5-year-olds have you been hanging out with who are the picture of sanity?

Obviously, I moved on. Eventually I realized that it was just a movie. And that I needed to see more. You see, there’s a fine line between terror and exhilaration – and both sides of that tightrope share the same adrenaline rush. Suddenly, I couldn’t get enough. The local video store didn’t seem to care that (in my early teens) I looked way to young to be renting Alien or Friday The 13th part whatever, so I had no problem watching. Okay, occasionally my hands might have been over my eyes – but I loved that fear. I tamed it and embraced it.

And suddenly, the month of October took on a whole new meaning. It was the buildup to the bestest holiday EVER – Halloween! Candy schmandy, I wanted to be scared – I glutted myself on the finest crappy B-movies I could get my hands on. And the tradition continues. This month in Juano’s Addiction, I will be sharing my space with some friends who feel the same way, building to the frenzied Friday finale on October 31st. We’ll explore the macabre, in all its gooey, gory (and sometimes goofy) glory. There will be lists, reviews and general insanity. Some will be here, and some will be posted on the writers’ own pages (with handy links provided, of course). So stick with us and check back often – it’s gonna be a helluva ride…