As we move into premature spooky season, I’d like to remind my readers that I will be at the West Virginia Book Festival on October 19 in Charleston, West Virginia at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center. I would love it if anyone showed up.

September 30, 1964—Satanic High Priest Blaise Jackson stands in front of the front entrance of Cramner University to bar Ross Evans, a Fieldhand, from entering. Evans would go on to be the first Fieldhand to attend and graduate from Cramner University after initially being rejected for admission on the basis of his race.

October 1, 1933—Construction of Miller Memorial Bridge is completed, linking Pandemonium to the mainland without use of a ferry service for the first time and opening the island up to local tourism.

October 2, 1997—Schlumiel Berkowitz attempts to be the first Pandemonian to scale Mount Everest. Alas, his attempt fails as he forgets to take into account the full moon. Berkowitz transforms on the first night and wakes up the next morning completely naked on the Nepalese side of the mountain base.

October 3, 1863—President Abe Lincoln proclaims a national day of Thanksgiving to be celebrated on November 26. Witches in Pandemonium, not very fond of the Great Emancipator, respond that year by inventing “Resentmas” which they celebrate by gathering together and talking about all the reasons they hate those bothersome Yankees.

October 4, 1957—After Blaise Jackson reveals the existence of the Satanic Temple, Pope Pius XII sends a letter to the Diocese of Charleston, asking what they are doing this, leading to the foundation of St. Michael the Archangel Church in Pandemonium. The Church as converted exactly nobody in Pandemonium but hope springs eternal.

October 5, 1947—When Harry Truman makes the first ever televised presidential address, Pandemonians gather into the home of local businessman Millard Ferguson to watch, as he has one of the only televisions in town. Locals are exhilarated watching Truman wipe his brown and drink a glass of water.

October 6, 1754—The Great Fire of Pandemonium wipes out the Northern half of the island, which at that time is only about 35 houses. The Strangers rebuild, but the Witches are treated with suspicion, believed to be the cause of the fire. Not due to witchcraft, but due to the fact that the Witches don’t bale their hay, instead just keeping it stacked up in big piles near the Line.