Like many writers, I have a list of hundreds of half-baked ideas that I hope to one day turn into full-fledged stories. One such idea was kids on Halloween transforming into actual versions of their costumes. Last September, I decided to write it as a short story, hoping to finish in time for Halloween.

Cut to one year and 66,000 words later, and my short story is now a full-length novel.

Trick or Zombie Treat is actually the third novel I wrote, but after going through the traditional publishing process of querying agents for my first two novels (a process I’m still going through), I decided to try self-publishing this one.

Trick or Zombie Treat is a tough book to pin down. There’s science fiction, fantasy, action, adventure, horror, and comedy—just about the only genre not represented is romance. It’s a period piece, set in 1998, and follows a group of five boys (ages 9-13) over the course of one Halloween night. The book is intended for younger readers today, and older readers nostalgic for the 1990s (there are many inside jokes and references to the period).

For more information about the book, here’s a brief description:

On Halloween night, 1998, five boys go trick or treating and eat magic candy that transforms them into real-life versions of their costumes…but so does a group of teenagers dressed as zombies.

Tommy (12): a space bounty hunter—gets a real jetpack and laser gun.

Aaron (13): a Shaquille O’Neal fan—grows seven feet tall.

Rich (13): an army Marine—gets a real machine gun.

Brandon (11): a ghost—turns into…a ghost.

Donny (9): a velociraptor—turns into…a tiny lizard.

Tommy, Aaron, and Rich are thrilled with their transformations, but Ghost Brandon wants his body back—and the body of his little brother, Donny. The boys return to the house of the witch who gave them the magic candy, but along the way, Lizard Donny is stolen by a vampire bat—their neighbor who was dressed as Dracula.

The boys must work together, using the powers of their costumes, to get Donny back…avoid being eaten by the teenage zombies and other monsters loose in the neighborhood…and figure out how to undo the witch’s spell—all before their 10:00 p.m. curfew…Or else they’ll have to face the scariest monsters of all—their parents.

Trick or Zombie Treat is available at:

• Amazon
• Smashwords
• Apple iBooks
• You can also buy the book at a discount from me directly via PayPal, Bitcoin, or other cryptocurrencies at any price of your choosing. Just email me with your preferred file format (PDF, EPUB, MOBI) and payment method.

Thank you, and no matter what time of year it may currently be, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!