Halloween:
Henry, Saddara and the Neighborhood
Juli
Draney
Genre:
Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Halloween
Date
of Publication: October 2012
Word
Count: 9,868
Cover
Artist: Mark Garcia
Book
Description:
Looking
for another fun Halloween story to add to your repertoire?
"Halloween: Henry, Saddara and the Neighborhood" is a
fictional chapter book for children of all ages! The story depicts
the colorful scenes of a legendary Halloween night through the eyes
of Henry, a rugged, but sophisticated black cat. The story takes the
reader to the quaint town of Greenwood. Henry enjoys his human family
and the sights in the town on Halloween, but ventures out into the
foothills to his favorite place, the haunted Hostetler mansion.
Henry
experiences many supernatural events on his adventure to the old
mansion near the woods, including interactions with and sightings of
witches, werewolves, musical vampires, ghosts, goblins, and zombies.
Henry has a dear friend who inhabits the Hostetler mansion, the ghost
of a little girl named Saddara. Saddara's touching story is told in
this tale and receives a powerful resolution. Henry somehow escapes
this incredible adventure with his life, a scarred ear and wise
lessons to impart.
“Halloween:
Henry, Saddara and the Neighborhood” is Halloween fun with beauty
and wisdom brewed in!
This
book is also a Rock Opera Dance Musical!
Available
at Amazon
Excerpt
from “Meet Henry”
“Do
you take one lump of sugar or two? Or seven?” asked little Saddara.
Then she erupted into a high pitched giggle.
“I’ll
take seven sugars and I would like a mouse on the side,” I answered
as we both laughed and sighed. Our pretend tea parties in the rose
garden of the old mansion were delightful!
“Well,
I guess it’s time for me to go now,” said Saddara. “I don’t
know when mother and father and the boys will be here, but I will
wait. I am sure they are coming!” With a pet on my head, she would
fade away back into her bedroom. I would then make my way home
through the lovely, wooded foothills. Those were fun times I had
with Saddara. I’ll tell you all about her later on.
I’m
Henry, the beloved cat of the Rodriguez-Haskell family. I’m a
black cat and a Tom. That and my scruffy, torn ear add to my
irresistible charm. I live in the quaint town of Greenwood, named
for its beautiful, green foothills. I’m a mix of ruffian and
spoiled house cat (though I hate to admit the latter). I’ve
garnered quite a bit of street smarts from my nightly cat adventures.
I know every back alley and criminal joint in Greenwood, as well as
the swanky, uptown parts. My family allows me to roam at night
wherever I please, thanks to the cat door they installed. It’s
nice to have my true nature recognized. We cats are complex
characters, just like humans. I can enjoy a Shakespearean sonnet as
well as dumpster diving for a delicious, discarded meal. By the way,
you humans should try scavenging more. You’re missing out on all
the fun!
I
certainly didn’t receive my scruffy, torn ear from a human. I got
it from a zombie in an epic battle on a legendary Halloween night.
Halloween is my very favorite night of the year as it’s a night
when my irresistible charms seem to frighten people out of their
mind. If you have more time, I’ll share with you the story of one
of the most incredible nights of my life - a night when my fierce
scrappiness and sharp intellect were fully used. I must say, I’ve
had many such nights. After all, I’m a cat.
Excerpt
from “Vampires”
I
saw something black lift up from the ground in the cemetery, like a
hinged door. Then another one just like it opened a small distance
away, still in the cemetery, then several more. They all seemed to
open and close in unison. Open-slam-open-slam-open-slam-open-slam!
They looked like coffins! I saw a cloaked, human-looking figure
emerge from one, then another. These figures all seemed to be men in
black cloaks, rising and moving rather calmly and gracefully in the
moonlit fog of the night. Vampires.
The
total count was eight. They were quietly walking and walking,
slowly, without expression around the beautiful garden veranda near
the cemetery and the front lawn of the mansion. They had shiny,
groomed black hair that glistened in the moonlight, and a pale hue to
their skin in cool tones. Some had white streaks blazing through
their black hair. Their garments were impeccably beautiful. They
wore woolen, pin-striped suits, with the finest tailoring I had ever
seen. Long black capes draped from their necks around suit vests and
slacks. They wore red roses on their lapels. Their shoes shone in
the night like their hair.
After
a bit of their calm pacing, I saw one go back to his coffin and
produce a chair, then of all things, a beautiful cello and bow.
Excerpt
from “The Return”
Exhausted,
I walked over right in front of the guitar god zombie, still playing
his guitar ferociously. I could still hear the howls of the
werewolves and the cackle of the witches in the forest. Catrina and
the vampires had fused their music with the zombies forming a type of
Halloween heavy metal, funk tango dirge which was truly exhilarating.
This was musical fusion as I had never heard before! It was like a
rock concert in heaven and hell at the same time. The haunting yet
extremely alive music, the cackling, the howling…it all climaxed
into a great musical sound that seemed to summon the very sky and
enter beyond time. It was totally overwhelming and reached an almost
unbearable level of exhilaration. Then, suddenly it all stopped -
dead silent. The vampires ceased their playing and dancing. Catrina
and her partner stopped mid-turn.
About
the Author:
Juli
is a freelance musician, piano teacher and author living in Boise,
Idaho. She has accompanied professional dance for many years. She was
inspired to write her book in order to compose a Halloween ballet,
which turned into a “Rock Opera Dance Musical”. She enjoys
teaching, performing, writing, composing, and hanging with her
daughter and two dachshunds.
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