Halloween Web - Naila Moon

 As promised, our second interview victim is one of your new co-hosts for the Countdown to Halloween! You can see our other host, Michael May, here.

Thanks for joining us. Please introduce yourself for our readers.

My name is Michelle Hudson aka Naila Moon. By trade, I am a social media marketer and consultant for authors and I also sell jewelry. I have several personal blogs that I write. My most recent acquisition is writer and co-head Master Crypt Keeper for the Halloween Countdown. My own blog for Halloween is Zombie Crossings. A few years ago I co-wrote a book: Tortured Souls: The House on Wellfleet Bluffs.

What was Halloween like for you growing up?

Halloween for me was all about having fun. My Mother let us dress up and trick or treat in the neighborhood (as it was safe then) and we would go to my grandparents as well. Our church had a "haunted" house with treats in each room. I remember my mom teasing my hair and I went as Brunhilda, the witch!  Halloween has always been about the fun side, not the gore. Back then, we also could take our candy bags and have them x-rayed at the local hospital. The worst we had to worry about was blades in apples.

Any fun Halloween stories you can share with us?

Well, we moved from where I grew up a little north just about 45 minutes from St. Louis. At that time the town we lived in was still small town. We also lived on a corner lot of an emergency route. I was then a teen and my Dad and I decided to decorate the front porch on Halloween day-nothing big but we had a strobe. LOL We of course dressed up. It was different every year. My Dad would run around the yard not in costume and scare the kids that came from all over the place. He had this way that he could walk that was creepy.

One year he sat in the middle of a table with this black wig on (he was bald) we put a turkey pan around his head with candy and then covered his head. My Mom and I would direct the kids (and adults) to the table and say nothing else. They would lift the pan and my Dad would scream. LOL Some kids went flying out of our house. They would tell other kids that place was scary. My niece came one time and cried so hard that my Dad had to calm her inside the house. (She is 30 now.) The next day after Halloween, the house always looked normal. We always had 100+ kids come from all over.

Funny thing: I actually often had my kids go trick or treating just to have more candy for the other kids. My kids thought that was fun and always donated their stash!

Do you have any particularly favorite costumes?

All of my "costumes' are my favorites. I often would try on goofy hats or put something together. Halloween can be a lifestyle! lol Oh, I wish that I had some from the time when I was a kid and teen.

How do you celebrate today?

Dressing up and going to a Halloween party at my Mom's place. Decorating for the season. When I lived in Denver, it used to be going to the Halloween Ball and Zombie Crawl. I also blog yearly on one to two blogs during the month of October. I only read Halloween books and review them.

Do you have any movies you like to watch during the season?

I like Casper the Friendly Ghost movie, Hocus Pocus...okay all of the ABC Family Halloween Countdown. I love "Practical Magic". I also like old film noir movies. I tend not to like overly gory movies but I have watched a few.

Why do you think Halloween stays with us as we get older?

I am not getting older! Seriously, I think it is the memory of having fun. I think it is being something you really are not or cannot be. In truth, I think older adults are keeping the Halloween spirit alive as other things are going away. Our newer generations are not getting to do the things we did. I think it is sad really. All I remember is the fun. It used to be a family affair too.

Inside the Spookster's Studio

The worst thing to get trick or treating: Hmm...one piece of candy? Oh yeah, candy corn...I hate it!

My favorite thing to get was Snickers and Bubble gum

My favorite monster cereal is Wow, I don't eat it but I would have to go with all of them, I like the boxes. LOL

Where can people find you online?

There's the Countdown to Halloween, my blog Zombie Crossings (also on Facebook), and Instagram.

Thanks for joining in, hope it was fun for you.  

Oh yes! Just know, I tend to rope anyone I can into my fun. Family, friends, and co-workers and complete strangers! If they will let me photograph them, even better. I used to be a thrift store employee and was always wearing something to make everyone laugh. Halloween was a trip!

Be sure to visit all the other houses with their lights on for you by clicking below.