Halloweenish Things

There was no Halloween in Germany when I grew up. I was sure it was only a strange ritual that you saw in movies which of course didn’t exist in the real world. When I moved to Los Angeles I had no idea that October grows spider webs in every hedge, skulls on the lawns, gravestones and dead pirates hanging from apple trees. I had never seen a rotting corpse crawling around in a front yard, a dead witch glued to the wall of a rather nice looking house. I had never carved a pumpkin or dressed up on October 31st. But here I was, and everyone around me whispered: “Halloweeeeen!!!!” smiling as happily as a German child on Christmas!

It sometimes still feels as if I stepped into one of the movies I watched on a black & white TV as a child! Spotted with some blood of course. But I have a very good Halloween teacher. My Cuban assistant (and friend) Angie is so obsessed with Halloween that she has her costumes planned for at least three years. Last year she had a knife stuck in her forehead and this year she is determined to dress up her dog.

Halloween. How did I ever live without it? How was it possible to feel the cold breath of autumn and not see the Dead rise from their graves. How did I live through so many darkening autumn days without seeing the witches in the trees and dark elves haunting the forest behind our house? Halloween taught me that all these creatures have their countries and local origins as much as we do. Each region of this planet breeds its very own winter spirits. Sometimes they are as cheerful as the skeletons dancing on the graves in Mexico on El Dia de los Muertos – maybe the good weather does miracles even for the Dead – and sometimes they are almost forgotten like the spirits that for sure once haunted cold German autumn nights! Looking at Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland I think these wet grounds breed an especially rich crowd of Halloween creatures. A writer could spend seven life times telling their stories but then…..it is of course even more fun to meet them trick and treating in a dark street right in front of your door!:)

Happy Halloween from Los Angeles, where the ghosts speak both English and Spanish! In fact they speak 128 languages here!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cornelia Funke is the New York Times bestselling author of the Inkheart trilogy (Chicken House), Reckless and a whole host of popular children’s novels and picture books. She has sold over 10 million books worldwide, with over 7 million of those books in the English language. Born in 1958 in the German town of Dorsten, Cornelia initially worked as an illustrator but soon began writing her own stories. Cornelia lives with her family in LA in a house full of books. (Photo © Gillian Crane)

ABOUT THE BOOK: A thrilling tale of bravery, friendship… and ghosts. Eleven-year-old Jon Whitcroft never expected to enjoy boarding school. But then he never expected to be confronted by a pack of vengeful ghosts, or become a modern-day chapter in an ancient feud either. And then he meets Ella, a quirky new friend with a taste for adventure… Together, Jon and Ella must work to uncover the secrets of a centuries-old murder, while being haunted by ghosts intent on revenge. So when Jon summons the ghost of the late knight Longespee for his protection, there’s just one question – can Longespee really be trusted?

CORNELIA FUNKE ONLINE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY!

Indigo is giving away a signed finished hardback copy of Ghost Knight.

For entry into the giveaway please leave a comment then fill out the form below

This giveaway is UK only and ends 31st October 2012

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